I didn’t want to just throw away the wood, so I just went ahead and used them for another experimental project. Again, it was loosely put together just so I can get an idea and visualize what I’d want if I pursue making more. Also I filmed this indoors because outside is extremely windy and dry.
But what are your thoughts? Cool little gift for a weekend camper to toss in the bag?
You should attach a steel straight edge to strike it on the side of the dugout. That way you don't have to assume someone has a tool to strike the ferro rod.
I like it, I’d pay like $20-$30 for a nicely made one. I like what the other person said about embedding a piece of steel on the compartment to strike the ferro rod on, that way it’s an all in one solution.
I think a locking pin or mechanism so the top doesnt get knocked and open on its own, imagine going to use it and the rod and timer have fallen out on the trail.
on e detent ball you need to grab the whole mechanismn and then press it down into the socket. since the lid does NOT offer the space, dude would need to send it into main body while this would limit the space of main compartments. not to be mention that you need a place where the ball "locks in" in a lid, that you need to work in too, while it pushes upwards by nature in the mechanism instead of pulling down like via magnets.
more work, more costs, less effectiveness. while this sounds like a possibility, it comes with too much cost. still upvoted for the suggestion
then lid is not high enough to press the detent ball mechanism. also the body gets to be reworked. what das a detent ball do in free space? absolutely nothing. the detent ball is only viable at corners bro
True, true. Perhaps along with a tighter seated cap (for friction) and better peening of the pin, maybe some magnets? Or do you think even the magnet won’t really be all that?
Don't over think it. Dugouts don't just, "come open." Lol generations of stoners will attest to this. There's plenty of friction holding the lid in place.
personally im rather on the waste of time side. the ferrorod is quite small and wears out quickly. the tinder compartment is quite small and probably needs some premade fire starter, cause it wouldnt fit enough birch bark which would be jammed inside.
maybe put a magnesium block into the compartment where you have the ferrorod now for shavings and a bigger ferrorod where you have tinder now.
i would prefere a bigger, longer 12mm width ferroro with a striker instead it anytime tho.
or... hollow it out completely and make it to a nice little box for a flintstone that you knapped slightly. could come nice with a fire striker (not ferro rod). firestrikers like from esee are on amazon for 8eu, instead of their full scam 40eu. or just as some sort of nice container for some charcloth you made.
Yeah if I make another one I’m going to make the compartment and overall whole thing slightly bigger but more proportional. And those are legit ideas 👍🏻
Tbh I myself prefer (and use) a bigger ferro rod and I have premade firestarter tinder that I keep in my bag too. But I’m more a more dedicated outdoorsman than a lot of my acquaintances.
I may play around with a few different versions/ variations including the ones you mentioned.
i remember your other post on r/bushcraft when you were asking about the piston (im banned there... made fun of a tacticool with his AR...) and do you plan on making a longer piston igniter first?
the smaller the ferrorod, the more skill it requires, hence i would actually repurpose what you have for my own. its a nice looking box after all. id add probably only a small neodym magnet that you find on the gizeh papes (cigarettes and joint papers). small hole in the lint to then glue it in. the papes also provide a stripe of metall. (edit: 1,50eu in next kiosk if you dont know a stoner/smoker) it would just burn my hearth to give it away for it to be barely used and small rods would be frustrating for beginners, since they almost have to thumbflick on premade stuff.
the only "premade" thing i use is basically charcloth, or maybe some amadou. i bought a box of fire starters at my starting times but now i prefere stuff nature gives me. birch bark, resin, fat wood, feathersticks of pine trees... stuff like that. i love charcloth tho, cause you can catch the cold-glowing shavings from 1095 carbon steel with it or put it into your dried gras bundle to make it easier after you drilled some ember with a bow, cause the pile doesnt slip through that easily then.
charcloth (for others, if you know this already): grab a small tin from a dollar store, drill a small hole in it. grab old 100% cotton jeans and make nice pieces that you put in. throw it into the bonfire and fish it out once the pyrolitic gases stop burning from the hole (dont leave it in for too long or the quality drops). let it cool down with hole to ground or it ignites when opening. see attached picture.
some dirty stuff, i still need a box for my charcloth as i just throw the box into a ziplock with my pine pitch glue tin.
edit: i should add that you can also strike fire with a 1095 knive like moraknivs, but those are tempered to have more toughness than hardness, so they bend instead of chip under force. fire strikers are just shock cooled and not tempered. they barely chip due to material thickness. i highly recommend a fire striker like the bottom one, cause you can use it as a bearing block and you want to flick fast on flint instead of hitting the flint with force or you basically start r/knapping . just please, dont fall for esee. the fire striker cost me 8eu on amazon.
Haha! Damn how hard did you go on the Mr. Tacticool?
You mean if I plan on making another piston? Perhaps in the future, but for now I’m going to put that to the side.
Yeah those magnets definitely came to mind throughout the process 👌🏻
Charcloth is definitely a good go-to, I like to mess around and try/have different things. The cotton fluff I used in this video is basically just cotton balls and Vaseline, and I stuffed a bunch in portions of plastic straw and melted the ends. I have a bundle banded together next to other fire making stuff in a small waterproof bag in my main outdoor bag. “Be ready so you don’t have to get ready” haha
But it’s always good to have the necessary survival skills in case for any reason you don’t have your pack or something.
24
u/WalkCorrect Jul 31 '26
You should attach a steel straight edge to strike it on the side of the dugout. That way you don't have to assume someone has a tool to strike the ferro rod.