Finally man !!!!!! A guy that gets it !!! It seems like a lot of outdoor channels these days , keep showing us , all this expensive gear . Times are unstable right now . People need to see things that work , and are fairly cheap to get . Even Milsurp items , that used to be cheap , are a lot higher now . Well done , man !
Have to agree, I was literally just watching a video on budget survival gear and they were showing $300 sleeping bags and $100 plus sleeping pads and I'm thinking who's budget is this
Who would’ve loved to have a dad like you??? To learn all these things at a young age??? Your family is blessed.., Wait a minute… so are we😊 You are the best teacher ever… God bless you…and your family, as they share you with us… 🙏🏻😇🥰
I had a dad like this, But he was scary. Mean, a drunk. He was great outdoors, but I loved being on my own. My brother was worse, much, much worse. I would have liked a guy like him, though.
My kids HAD a guy like that! Chose not to follow. Now, as young adults in a rough world, they're all saying, "Why didn't I learn this when I lived at home?" Because now it's taking time away from important things like working to house and feed themselves and their own new families.
@@teddahrable 'sounds like they had a dogshit teacher, then. If you couldn't demonstrate how and why it was important, why would they bother to listen?
End of the world... I can only choose one person to go at it with.... lol I'm taking you!!!!! Well done Andrew.... thank you for all your no b.s no non sense useful real world knowledge over the years!!!!!!I almost feel like I owe you money or should be paying you after every single one of your videos I watch!!!!!!! Lol godspeed
Not everyone can afford high tech bushcraft gear. Bushcraft is all exclusive. I think the "poor man" description is perfect for what it is. I'm sick of UA-camrs showing off there 300 dollar knives, their 100 dollar cooksets and 200 dollar sleep sets.
@@jimmycornflake2636 yes, the worst is olight. I always have the cheapest flashlights and they all still work. My lamps cost almost a hundredth. In a crisis you don't have one expensive flashlight but lots of cheap flashlights.
My headlight is a cheap own brand from a sports shop. It takes 3AAA batteries. White and red lights. I also have a tiny Olight in my belt pouch. I think that was 10 euro from Amazon. It's literally the size of a AAA and kicks out so much light.
Your videos are valuable resources of no nonsense, extremely useful skills and information. The production quality of your videos is very high and professional. Thank you.
Top Tip: The best natural tinder to use with a fresnel / magnifying lens to make a glowing coal that lasts for several minutes is a thin strip of dry rotten punk wood. Burns hot like a glowing cigarette end and will not blow away in wind nor fall apart like leaves in a tinder bundle.
Thanks, the video shows you don't have to spend a fortune to be outside just think outside the box. Because of channels like yours, I can't walk into a store without looking at stuff on the shelves and thinking, What can I use this for? How can this be used for an emergency. My wife thinks I'm screwy. It's always good to carry either a birthday candle or a crayon. Multi-uses. Lubricant for zippers. Lubricate bearing block, rub on metal cutting devices to prevent rust and corrosion in the field. Write messages on wood for rescue. Use as a fire extender. For the space it takes up it more than makes up for it. Same for Lip balm.
Not only do you get the many ways to start a fire, it makes you look at everyday items in a different light. Such as the Spam can and chicken/tuna fish can. Even the file. Who would think to take a file along in a survival kit? If you have "strike anywhere" matches, hang on to 'em. They are hard to find these days. Come to think of it I need to glue some sand paper to the inside of my fire tin lid. Thanks Major. Bravo Zulu.
It's quite useful right now in Ukraine. Some of my colleagues mass produce these "trench candles" out of cans, cardboard, and some refined beeswax. They are indeed very useful in the field, though somewhat heavy.
Hey Andrew, ever get tired of putting out what us New Englanders call "Wicked Pissah" vids? 😉 Top notch! Don't forget corn chips & guitar pics! Extremely flammable!
As a suggestion for filling the cardboard tuna can with wax: Scented wax melts. A lot of people will throw away the wax after it runs out of scent. If you know people who use them, ask if they can save the wax for you.
A great demonstration of simple techniques that work in the real world. Thank you, Andrew, for putting this one together, you will bless a lot of folks. The orange cloth that first appears at the 13:15 mark can filter the large particles out of wild water. If you scavenge a larger can, a HOBO stove could be made with your pocket tool. Not as comfortable as home on the couch but life can get better and better as you await rescue or find your own way out of the "stuff."
@@outlaweduk Yes, I agree nature provides a lot of great materials. Charcoal from your firepit will also help you construct an improvised water filter. However, there is no replacement for having a proper filter and follow-up with chemical sterilization or heating to at a minimum, pasteurizing temp.
Enjoy your clear, no nonsense approach to impart knowledge. Just facts delivered in clear talking points. It's great to watch you take care of business. You look exactly like my 75th Ranger friend, Nick! Great work.
The most immediate need in this weather and an exceptionally important skill anytime. Learning these “tricks” gives me a fighting chance to survive the night and refresh with boiled safe water. A snack and a sack, then I'm living the high life. Thanks for sharing.
It's hard to add to that list. Soaking part of a cotton ball in wax is actually a better way than petroleum jelly. This method is less expensive, less messy, more reliable and more convenient as this can be stored without a plastic bag and the hard wax will not get into the dry fibers of the cotton ball needed to catch a spark. Wax is easier to find than petroleum jelly. Also we can fill up the card board filled tuna can with wax and add several cotton wick to make a long burning stove than can boil 3 quarts of water. Burn time is approximately 15 minutes , and water require s, on average 6 minutes, to come to a rolling boil per 1 quart. We do not need a rolling boil to kill pathogens in the water. 3 quart is the minimum need to keep one alive in the woods in cooler temperatures....
I like to take notes of Andrew's videos just in case the power goes down. It's amazing how many things that can be used from items in the house and tool boxes.
Right. In a survival situation usually it didn't start out to be. True survival scenarios just happen all of the sudden. I don't know how many times I had all the stuff to survive with kit and I was just thrown into a situation that turned out to be a temporary survival condition. Sometimes you take something out of your kit without thinking and just forget it. Learning to find things dumped near by your location can help out. My knives and fire kit are the only 2 kits I know I never leave when I'm outdoors.. I sat my pack down once and a pair of coyote chased me a mile or so. Lucky for me I knew the area well and after several hours of traveling back the way I thought I had run from I found my pack at the tree I left it. I had just happened to have looked at my GPS coordinates when I sat the pack down. My charging brick was in my pack. I would have lost a lot losing my pack. I now carry a haversack with a secure strap for my belt just in case I have to run for my life and everything don't get slung out of it while running. That would suck too.
Nice presentation, clear and concise. Another use for the crayons if you have some that still have on the paper wrapper, slide the paper over the tip about 1/4 of an inch and light it for a pretty good candle. If the paper won't slide, break off a bit of the wax inside of the paper for the same effect.
Fyi the tuna can/wax/cardboard stove puts out tons of soot. Works great, but sooty. Just have a wrap of some sort to wrap up the pot etc to keep your other gear clean. EDIT... In the event of an emp or cme steel wool would most likely ignite spontaneously. Remember the Carrington event, telegraph wires caught stuff on fire. Keep your steel wool in a fairly airtight tin with no other burnable material with it.
OK, in the 1960s theGirl and Boy Scouts had the Tuna Can but with variations you may be interested in 1) Paraffin Wax instead of crayon wax 2) Matches instead of cotton in the middle as the starter 3) (my idea) use cardboard tubes such as TP (packed one inside another) instead of cardboard box material. I tried it as a candle and I WAS HOT AND BRIGHT Also you can use those coffee cup warmers to melt wax.
@Jimmy Cornflake couldn't find broken crayons in my house. But my wife has a ton of Scentzy(?) candles all over the house. I take a make-up cleaning pad (all cotton) and use them to soak up the used wax. I usually get a dozen a month. Once they are hard, just break them into quarters, and they'll take a ferro rod spark. Break and fluff them up REALLY well, and they'll light with an ember.
Excellent video, sir, thank you! Some additional helpful materials that may be found in nature include pine sap and needles, fatwood, chaga fungus, cattails, birch bark, tulip poplar bark, and juniper bark. Fire is life. 😊
Love this. You see so many channels useing expensive crap. Most of the stuff you could make yourself. Wish more channels would focus on these diy skills.
I built my first poor man’s cardboard stove over 50 yrs ago while I was in the Boy Scouts of Canada , cardboard and wax works the best and lasts a long time !!
I made one of those tuna can stoves for Boy Scouts (circa 1985)! My mom even sported the cash for canning gulf wax instead of crayons. I don't think I ever did use the stove, but it started my interest in "emergency preparedness" way back then. Great fun to see it here! RS&FC is ALWAYS the best channel!
The battery technique was impressive for fire making. The other ways to make fire 🔥 was good and creative but yet simple. Thank you for the poor man wilderness fire techniques.
Love the video, it was down to earth, no nonsense teaching and very useful cheap fire starting skills. Well done Major Andrew. Keep these videos coming.
Cotton make up removal pads soaked in 50/50 solution of paraffin wax and charcoal lighter fluid work well when torn , also they are waterproof when whole.
Hello from Oklahoma! Great Video! All the information was on point. One quick story. I had a situation where my striker surface on my matches was fubar. So I crunched up about 4 match heads into my tinder bundle, got a spark from an old lighter. It worked! It made a good flame. Also, I always carry ChapStick. It's a great extender. Thanks for all You do! God Bless!
I like how you cover all these things and then show how they can be packed and used in different combinations and ways. I have made a dozen of those "buddy burners" and if you work it, you can really pack a lot of paper into them. I still need to soak mine with alcohol, Heet or wax. I save dryer lint, popsicle sticks, and cotton from pill bottles.... all free or cheap sources of tinder.
I like the birthday candle, cut off a piece say half an inch. Light it and build your fire over that piece. Also I use dryer lint mixed with Vaseline then stored in small zip lock bags.
Thanks for making this video I am kind of a no budget scout and it really helped me to know more cheap alternatives for butane stoves and making flint and steel Is a straight no option for me so really Thank you and God bless you
I love videos like this. You just never know when everything is going to go south and making stuff out of what you can find is priceless. Pun intended but it’s still true
Potential Idea for fire starting: Get snow and/or ice. (especially in winter time). Put the snow and/or ice into a device with a hand crank on it. Crank away, heat generated melting the snow and/or ice, as well as providing dc electricity from a dc generator, electrolizing the water. Preferably collect the H2 and O2 separately but could collect together (although it's more dangerous to do so), then utilize the H2 as tinder. With a spark, fire from snow and ice. In certain environments, could utilize solar and/or wind instead of a hand crank. Sure, might take a while to get enough H2 to sustain a fire, but how else are you going to start a fire when so much snow and ice around? Just another tool for the tool box.
Side note also: Shovel snow and ice into and/or direct rain water into a double wall specially designed dumpster attached to a building. Heated area between double walls melts the snow and ice. Electrolize the water to obtain H2 and O2 that can then be utilized to heat your home or business in a specially designed furnace, could even cook with it with a specially designed stove/oven. Could even route the H2/O2 into a hydrogen fuel cell to obtain some of the electricity back to power electrical wants and needs for your use.
Sun from the sky, wind from the atmosphere, telluric currents flowing through the Earth's surface, many ways to obtain dc electricity to electrolize melted snow and ice or rain water. With higher and higher heating bills, let's turn to nature for our energy needs.
Consider also: 'BATTERYLESS BATTERIES': (copy and paste from my files): Potential endless energy source basically anywhere in this universe: a. Small aluminum cones with an electrical wire running through the center of the cones, cones spaced apart (not touching I'm thinking) but end to end. b. Electromagentic radiation energy in the atmosphere interacts with the aluminum cones. c. Jostled atoms and molecules in the cone eventually have some electrons try to get away from other electrons of which those electrons gather at the larger end of the cone, of which also creates an area of positive charge at the smaller end of the cone. d. The electron's in the wire are attracted to the positive end of the cone and the positive 'end' in the wire are attracted to the negatively charged end of the cone. e. Basically a 'battery' has been created inside the electrical wire itself, different areas of electrical potential. Basically a 'wire battery' or a 'batteryless battery', however one wanted to call it. f. Numerous cones placed end to end increases the number of 'batteries' in the wire. (In series to increase voltage, in parallel to increase amperage). * Via QED (Quantum Electro Dynamics) whereby electromagnetism interacts with electrons in atoms and molecules, one would have to find the correct 'em' frequency for the correct material being utilized for the cones. The shape of the cones could also come into play. The type and size of the wire as well as the type and thickness of the insulation between the cones and the wire would also be factors. * Of course also, possibly 2D triangles made up of certain materials with a conductor going down through the center of the triangle could possible achieve the same 'batteryless' battery system. * Plus possibly with the 2D concept, layered 2D's that absorb different energy frequencies, thereby increasing the net output. ** We exist in an ocean of energy all around and through us. Let's utilize that energy.
Thank you for your wonderful no nonsense teaching! I learn so much every time I watch. It does remind me of watching dad or grandpa work in the barn or shed. Thank you for preserving and presenting so many practical skills.
Your videos are excellent. I first learned of your channel via a shout-out from Corporal Kelly. Both of you have awesome teaching skills and are able to use military experience to teach in a way that makes sense even to those of us who were never in the military. It would be awesome to see a collaboration! A couple of years ago I got into the idea of making those buddy burners (the tuna can and cardboard stoves). I found that cardboard from pizzaria boxes worked well because the corrugation in them is a good size. I found some Christmas tins with lids on clearance at Dollar General that year. They were about as big around as a quart Nalgene bottle, give or take. And around 1 3/4 to 2 inches tall. I used them to make jumbo buddy burners with lids. Around that time I had also seen the UA-cam craze of using a stainless steel kitchen utensil drainer as a wood stove (usually called an Ikea stove but I got mine at Walmart). The drainers are perforated and so they let air flow. I found that by dropping a rock of the right size in the bottom of the utensil drainer I could put one of my jumbo buddy burners on top of the rock to get the flame where it needed to be while letting the drainer act as a wind screen and pot stand. Once the burner was fully burning it would boil a cup of water in about eight minutes, depending on ambient temperatures. It is nice, too, that when I want to extinguish the flame I can just drop the lid on and use a stick or something to manipulate the lid into place, close the tin and smother the flame. I haven't tried taking one camping, yet but tested them out a lot at home and have them as a backup stoves in case of long term power outages, etc I made those first ones using Gulf wax but then one day had another idea. I collect bacon grease to use in cooking the way old timers used to do. Well, periodically - if you aren't using a lot - whatever is left in the container begins to turn rancid and you have to throw it out, clean the container and start over with fresh grease. Well, I needed to toss my old bacon grease but thought of the old animal fat oil lamps. Instead of tossing the grease I made a buddy burner using bacon grease instead of wax and it worked great. Bonus is that when you burn it you get the smell of bacon. Drawback is that it produces pretty dark, oily smoke. I did the same thing with some butter that had gotten old and had similar results.
I love the main idea behind this vid of improvising everyday items into fire starters. Each of them have their own pros and cons. My least favorite is the bow drill. Once you learn hot to make one with what's available and how to use it you have a lifetime skill to fall back on when all else fails. The downside is it is time consuming and caloric intensive. If all you are going to is heat up water for a hot beverage it's a waste of time and energy. but still it's a useful and practical skill to have.
What's good about the poor man's version is this is for people who don't regularly go on outdoor excursions. Hence the lack of need for high end equipment as long as the low end equipment meets the same purpose. Incidentally, one can also tear down a book of paper matches and scotch tape a match or two or three to the knife sheath along with the striker (can also buy sticky strikers). Then you have a "break glass in case of emergency" system to light a fire. It doesn't replace a lighter, but having redundancy is a good thing.
Wax and parrafin combo will help too ignite quicker and last longer. If you get hemp rope make a wax and parrafin coating too cover the rope if you thin the parrafin and wax combo you can make a small block
Another useful tip: cotton make-up remover pads! These are great - just drop a blob of hand sanitiser gel and rub it into the pads. Two options here -1. keep the ingredients separate and add when required.2. Prep up batches of 4-5 and store in small zip-loc bags. Or, a combination of both. This is very space efficient, light, and very readily available in the home. One could also use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) instead of sanitiser. Anything that will produce a spark will ignite these pads, and will make lighting kindling much easier. Another very useful item is a domestic white candle. These are very useful as a flame extender (as you pointed out with the birthday candles. Story: way back 50+ years ago in my childhood my Dad got me into Boy Scouts. Fortunately, we had a brilliant young Scoutmaster who taught us many skills. One of these was packing a fire kit. One item has stuck in my mind ever since then. Basically one needs a wooden 12 inch school ruler, a domestic white candle, a length of white domestic string, and a knife. With the knife (we all had Scout knives) cut the ruler in half (2 x 6in pieces). Measure about 6 1/2 inches along the candle and cut it with the knife. Remove about 1/2 inch of wax at one end, exposing the wick. Then with the knife cut away four sides of the candle so that you end up with a squared-off shaped candle, all 6 inches long. Two opposing sides should be wider than the other two. Then place the ruler along the two broad sides and wrap it all in the length of string. Altogether you now have a package containing tinder (fluffed up string), a flame extender (candle) and some kindling (ruler), in a shape that is easy to pack into whatever pack you have, which will protect the candle from breaking. These days one can replace the string with the flammable type of duct tape. The advantage of this was that everything was readily available in a normal home environment. We used to pack this and other fire stuff in our school lunch box, which Mom then had to replace. It t raised some parental eyebrows when all of us suddenly "lost" our lunchboxes and rulers at the same time! By the way we nicked our pencil sharpeners as well, as they make wonderful kindling!
I like to buy old or broken binoculars from yard sales or thrift shops and break them down.. the old ones have extremely thick lenses inside that work amazing for fire or survival kits... there small, very powerful and fit into almost anything.....and usually get at least 2 if not 4 from one set of old binos
Great video, as always! I used to take dryer lint, put it in an egg carton, and then pour melted paraffin wax on the lint... works great. I'm sure you could use crayons as well.
if you going to carry the bow drill you might as well carry a bow saw blade as well, you already got the notches for the string . swap the string out for the blade and two bolts hold it in place, would save a fortune than having a fancy folding silky saw,
Andrew, if you can locate a makeup mirror that has 10x magnification, your tinder will ignite very quickly, faster than a magnifying lense..it surprised me.. Great video as always sir. Stay safe
Another fantastic video! I like teaching my grandsons these "tricks of the trade". We have fun doing them and they will remember them better and want to practice more if they're fun. The bow frill is still a bit tough for them, as they're 6 and 9 but they are enthusiastic and keep trying. 🙂
Excellent. Comprehensive; effective; practical; & economical! The flint striker for a plumber's or welder's torch is another very effective & economical fire starter! Thanks.
Whatever you use it's easy and advised that you have multiple redundancy in yer EMERGENCY kit. The heaviest storm I've ever been in was summer in high Sierra.
Finally man !!!!!! A guy that gets it !!! It seems like a lot of outdoor channels these days , keep showing us , all this expensive gear . Times are unstable right now . People need to see things that work , and are fairly cheap to get . Even Milsurp items , that used to be cheap , are a lot higher now . Well done , man !
Yes I agree with you.
Agreed 100% never ever understood all this Gucci gear to survive , but I'm old school.
Was going to say just that 🙂
@@williammccaslin8527 Gpt to remember that term , its perfect
Have to agree, I was literally just watching a video on budget survival gear and they were showing $300 sleeping bags and $100 plus sleeping pads and I'm thinking who's budget is this
Who would’ve loved to have a dad like you???
To learn all these things at a young age???
Your family is blessed..,
Wait a minute… so are we😊
You are the best teacher ever…
God bless you…and your family, as they share you with us…
🙏🏻😇🥰
I had a dad like this, But he was scary. Mean, a drunk. He was great outdoors, but I loved being on my own. My brother was worse, much, much worse. I would have liked a guy like him, though.
I agree with you. I learned a lot of new things, I will use it in the forest
My kids HAD a guy like that! Chose not to follow. Now, as young adults in a rough world, they're all saying, "Why didn't I learn this when I lived at home?" Because now it's taking time away from important things like working to house and feed themselves and their own new families.
@@teddahrable 'sounds like they had a dogshit teacher, then. If you couldn't demonstrate how and why it was important, why would they bother to listen?
I did learn this stuff Boy Scouts in the 1960's some products differ some the same. I made the can stove with clean parafin cheaper back then.
Hi Andrew
Just want to add that when you have back problems or your hurt you can crouch and lean on a small tree while taking care of that fire
End of the world... I can only choose one person to go at it with.... lol I'm taking you!!!!! Well done Andrew.... thank you for all your no b.s no non sense useful real world knowledge over the years!!!!!!I almost feel like I owe you money or should be paying you after every single one of your videos I watch!!!!!!! Lol godspeed
Doing things " on the cheap" is the way to go with simple things.
Excellent video, Thank You.
Please keep them comming.
These are brilliant tips for getting a fire started in the bush...this is definitely one of the best survival channels on UA-cam....down and dirty!
I would swap the word poor for smart
Not everyone can afford high tech bushcraft gear. Bushcraft is all exclusive. I think the "poor man" description is perfect for what it is. I'm sick of UA-camrs showing off there 300 dollar knives, their 100 dollar cooksets and 200 dollar sleep sets.
@@jimmycornflake2636 yes, the worst is olight. I always have the cheapest flashlights and they all still work. My lamps cost almost a hundredth. In a crisis you don't have one expensive flashlight but lots of cheap flashlights.
My headlight is a cheap own brand from a sports shop. It takes 3AAA batteries. White and red lights. I also have a tiny Olight in my belt pouch. I think that was 10 euro from Amazon. It's literally the size of a AAA and kicks out so much light.
Your videos are valuable resources of no nonsense, extremely useful skills and information. The production quality of your videos is very high and professional. Thank you.
Top Tip: The best natural tinder to use with a fresnel / magnifying lens to make a glowing coal that lasts for several minutes is a thin strip of dry rotten punk wood. Burns hot like a glowing cigarette end and will not blow away in wind nor fall apart like leaves in a tinder bundle.
Thanks, the video shows you don't have to spend a fortune to be outside just think outside the box. Because of channels like yours, I can't walk into a store without looking at stuff on the shelves and thinking, What can I use this for? How can this be used for an emergency. My wife thinks I'm screwy. It's always good to carry either a birthday candle or a crayon. Multi-uses. Lubricant for zippers. Lubricate bearing block, rub on metal cutting devices to prevent rust and corrosion in the field. Write messages on wood for rescue. Use as a fire extender. For the space it takes up it more than makes up for it. Same for Lip balm.
I love this channel... he dosen't just do video's about expensive tools . This video is very useful if you have a tight budget.
Not only do you get the many ways to start a fire, it makes you look at everyday items in a different light. Such as the Spam can and chicken/tuna fish can. Even the file. Who would think to take a file along in a survival kit? If you have "strike anywhere" matches, hang on to 'em. They are hard to find these days. Come to think of it I need to glue some sand paper to the inside of my fire tin lid. Thanks Major. Bravo Zulu.
You're wrong about Duct tape. It can't fix "Stupid", but when placed across the mouth, it CAN quiet the noise it makes.
You can never go wrong, by learning as many ways as you can to make survival fires.
⭐⭐👍👍
It's quite useful right now in Ukraine. Some of my colleagues mass produce these "trench candles" out of cans, cardboard, and some refined beeswax. They are indeed very useful in the field, though somewhat heavy.
Hey Andrew, ever get tired of putting out what us New Englanders call "Wicked Pissah" vids? 😉
Top notch!
Don't forget corn chips & guitar pics! Extremely flammable!
Very well done. When I was a kid all the fancy stuff was not available. We had to improvise. Thanks for bringing back the lost art.
As a suggestion for filling the cardboard tuna can with wax: Scented wax melts. A lot of people will throw away the wax after it runs out of scent. If you know people who use them, ask if they can save the wax for you.
Thank you very much for all your very clear and concise training and high valued skills video!
Realalistic scenario many places in the world. Thinking outside the box. Appreciate the underlying message. Have a great week!
A great demonstration of simple techniques that work in the real world. Thank you, Andrew, for putting this one together, you will bless a lot of folks. The orange cloth that first appears at the 13:15 mark can filter the large particles out of wild water. If you scavenge a larger can, a HOBO stove could be made with your pocket tool. Not as comfortable as home on the couch but life can get better and better as you await rescue or find your own way out of the "stuff."
certain mosses will filter water
@@outlaweduk Yes, I agree nature provides a lot of great materials. Charcoal from your firepit will also help you construct an improvised water filter. However, there is no replacement for having a proper filter and follow-up with chemical sterilization or heating to at a minimum, pasteurizing temp.
Enjoy your clear, no nonsense approach to impart knowledge. Just facts delivered in clear talking points. It's great to watch you take care of business. You look exactly like my 75th Ranger friend, Nick! Great work.
Many great fire starting and stove ideas packed into this episode.
The most immediate need in this weather and an exceptionally important skill anytime. Learning these “tricks” gives me a fighting chance to survive the night and refresh with boiled safe water. A snack and a sack, then I'm living the high life.
Thanks for sharing.
It's hard to add to that list. Soaking part of a cotton ball in wax is actually a better way than petroleum jelly. This method is less expensive, less messy, more reliable and more convenient as this can be stored without a plastic bag and the hard wax will not get into the dry fibers of the cotton ball needed to catch a spark. Wax is easier to find than petroleum jelly. Also we can fill up the card board filled tuna can with wax and add several cotton wick to make a long burning stove than can boil 3 quarts of water. Burn time is approximately 15 minutes , and water require s, on average 6 minutes, to come to a rolling boil per 1 quart. We do not need a rolling boil to kill pathogens in the water. 3 quart is the minimum need to keep one alive in the woods in cooler temperatures....
True, the jelly is good for a tin that has a lid.
I like to take notes of Andrew's videos just in case the power goes down. It's amazing how many things that can be used from items in the house and tool boxes.
Right. In a survival situation usually it didn't start out to be. True survival scenarios just happen all of the sudden.
I don't know how many times I had all the stuff to survive with kit and I was just thrown into a situation that turned out to be a temporary survival condition. Sometimes you take something out of your kit without thinking and just forget it. Learning to find things dumped near by your location can help out. My knives and fire kit are the only 2 kits I know I never leave when I'm outdoors..
I sat my pack down once and a pair of coyote chased me a mile or so. Lucky for me I knew the area well and after several hours of traveling back the way I thought I had run from I found my pack at the tree I left it. I had just happened to have looked at my GPS coordinates when I sat the pack down. My charging brick was in my pack. I would have lost a lot losing my pack.
I now carry a haversack with a secure strap for my belt just in case I have to run for my life and everything don't get slung out of it while running. That would suck too.
Excellent video as always. Much respect for your knowledge, expertise and your no BS teaching style. Thanks Andrew. Bravo.
Great job Sir! Well done video on how to use inexpensive items to survive outdoors! A true hero for the common folk!
Nice presentation, clear and concise. Another use for the crayons if you have some that still have on the paper wrapper, slide the paper over the tip about 1/4 of an inch and light it for a pretty good candle. If the paper won't slide, break off a bit of the wax inside of the paper for the same effect.
Fyi the tuna can/wax/cardboard stove puts out tons of soot. Works great, but sooty. Just have a wrap of some sort to wrap up the pot etc to keep your other gear clean. EDIT... In the event of an emp or cme steel wool would most likely ignite spontaneously. Remember the Carrington event, telegraph wires caught stuff on fire. Keep your steel wool in a fairly airtight tin with no other burnable material with it.
Great video, I really like repurposing common things into stuff that's useful in the woods. This video nails it. All excellent options for fire craft.
OK, in the 1960s theGirl and Boy Scouts had the Tuna Can but with variations you may be interested in
1) Paraffin Wax instead of crayon wax
2) Matches instead of cotton in the middle as the starter
3) (my idea) use cardboard tubes such as TP (packed one inside another) instead of cardboard box material. I tried it as a candle and I WAS HOT AND BRIGHT
Also you can use those coffee cup warmers to melt wax.
I think the idea is you can find broken crayons and candel stubs.
@Jimmy Cornflake couldn't find broken crayons in my house. But my wife has a ton of Scentzy(?) candles all over the house. I take a make-up cleaning pad (all cotton) and use them to soak up the used wax. I usually get a dozen a month. Once they are hard, just break them into quarters, and they'll take a ferro rod spark. Break and fluff them up REALLY well, and they'll light with an ember.
to make a fire, I use cotton pads soaked in wax. they are very easily ignited by flint and burn for a long time.
Excellent video, sir, thank you! Some additional helpful materials that may be found in nature include pine sap and needles, fatwood, chaga fungus, cattails, birch bark, tulip poplar bark, and juniper bark. Fire is life. 😊
I would say that a man with the wisdom to use these many & diverse items to make fire would be considered rich indeed.
Outstanding start to finish.
Love this. You see so many channels useing expensive crap. Most of the stuff you could make yourself. Wish more channels would focus on these diy skills.
I built my first poor man’s cardboard stove over 50 yrs ago while I was in the Boy Scouts of Canada , cardboard and wax works the best and lasts a long time !!
Love this demonstration using everyday items as fire staters. And this comment helps with the algo. Thanks for the lesson!
Great video! I'm so glad you keep the poor man in mind. Please keep on crushing everyday! Thank you for what you do.
Wow! That’s excellent information to have, great demonstration! That’s Andrew.
I made one of those tuna can stoves for Boy Scouts (circa 1985)! My mom even sported the cash for canning gulf wax instead of crayons. I don't think I ever did use the stove, but it started my interest in "emergency preparedness" way back then. Great fun to see it here!
RS&FC is ALWAYS the best channel!
Outstanding.!
Just used the cotton and Vaseline yesterday camping in the snow.
Some simple things to bring back to mind about working with common things. Great content.😊
The battery technique was impressive for fire making. The other ways to make fire 🔥 was good and creative but yet simple. Thank you for the poor man wilderness fire techniques.
Great fire starting methods for those not familiar with bushcraft methods. Great knowledge Andrew.👍☘️😎
Love the video, it was down to earth, no nonsense teaching and very useful cheap fire starting skills. Well done Major Andrew. Keep these videos coming.
Excellent video, especially for those on a budget.
Cotton make up removal pads soaked in 50/50 solution of paraffin wax and charcoal lighter fluid work well when torn , also they are waterproof when whole.
Absolutely Awesome Training.
Thank you.
Hello from Oklahoma! Great Video! All the information was on point. One quick story. I had a situation where my striker surface on my matches was fubar. So I crunched up about 4 match heads into my tinder bundle, got a spark from an old lighter. It worked! It made a good flame. Also, I always carry ChapStick. It's a great extender. Thanks for all You do! God Bless!
I like how you cover all these things and then show how they can be packed and used in different combinations and ways. I have made a dozen of those "buddy burners" and if you work it, you can really pack a lot of paper into them. I still need to soak mine with alcohol, Heet or wax.
I save dryer lint, popsicle sticks, and cotton from pill bottles.... all free or cheap sources of tinder.
This channel is awesome. Much appreciated for sharing the tools Andrew. Cheers from Alberta!
Good information - Neosporin from your first aid kit should work with the cotton ball similar to vaseline.
Major Andrew thank you for demonstrating all these excellent techniques using everyday items. 🤙🇺🇸👍
Very comprehensive fire starting advice! A good reminder for all. I've forgotten how many of these things I typically have in my various kits.
Hi Andrew ,greeting from Australia 🇦🇺 thankyou for your time to make these videos, thankyou
I like the birthday candle, cut off a piece say half an inch. Light it and build your fire over that piece. Also I use dryer lint mixed with Vaseline then stored in small zip lock bags.
Push the lint down into an old tp roll, or paper towel roll.
@PJMustang351 the ziplock bags catch fire very easily and stay dry.
Poor man’s kit! The best start
Awesome, real world applications, thank you.
Thanks for making this video I am kind of a no budget scout and it really helped me to know more cheap alternatives for butane stoves and making flint and steel Is a straight no option for me so really Thank you and God bless you
I love videos like this. You just never know when everything is going to go south and making stuff out of what you can find is priceless. Pun intended but it’s still true
Everyone better learn these tricks because we're most likely going to need them.
Absolutely agree
Thank you for sharing this with us, Andrew. Stay safe and stay warm
Potential Idea for fire starting: Get snow and/or ice. (especially in winter time). Put the snow and/or ice into a device with a hand crank on it. Crank away, heat generated melting the snow and/or ice, as well as providing dc electricity from a dc generator, electrolizing the water. Preferably collect the H2 and O2 separately but could collect together (although it's more dangerous to do so), then utilize the H2 as tinder. With a spark, fire from snow and ice.
In certain environments, could utilize solar and/or wind instead of a hand crank. Sure, might take a while to get enough H2 to sustain a fire, but how else are you going to start a fire when so much snow and ice around? Just another tool for the tool box.
Side note also: Shovel snow and ice into and/or direct rain water into a double wall specially designed dumpster attached to a building. Heated area between double walls melts the snow and ice. Electrolize the water to obtain H2 and O2 that can then be utilized to heat your home or business in a specially designed furnace, could even cook with it with a specially designed stove/oven. Could even route the H2/O2 into a hydrogen fuel cell to obtain some of the electricity back to power electrical wants and needs for your use.
Sun from the sky, wind from the atmosphere, telluric currents flowing through the Earth's surface, many ways to obtain dc electricity to electrolize melted snow and ice or rain water. With higher and higher heating bills, let's turn to nature for our energy needs.
Consider also:
'BATTERYLESS BATTERIES': (copy and paste from my files):
Potential endless energy source basically anywhere in this universe:
a. Small aluminum cones with an electrical wire running through the center of the cones, cones spaced apart (not touching I'm thinking) but end to end.
b. Electromagentic radiation energy in the atmosphere interacts with the aluminum cones.
c. Jostled atoms and molecules in the cone eventually have some electrons try to get away from other electrons of which those electrons gather at the larger end of the cone, of which also creates an area of positive charge at the smaller end of the cone.
d. The electron's in the wire are attracted to the positive end of the cone and the positive 'end' in the wire are attracted to the negatively charged end of the cone.
e. Basically a 'battery' has been created inside the electrical wire itself, different areas of electrical potential. Basically a 'wire battery' or a 'batteryless battery', however one wanted to call it.
f. Numerous cones placed end to end increases the number of 'batteries' in the wire.
(In series to increase voltage, in parallel to increase amperage).
* Via QED (Quantum Electro Dynamics) whereby electromagnetism interacts with electrons in atoms and molecules, one would have to find the correct 'em' frequency for the correct material being utilized for the cones. The shape of the cones could also come into play. The type and size of the wire as well as the type and thickness of the insulation between the cones and the wire would also be factors.
* Of course also, possibly 2D triangles made up of certain materials with a conductor going down through the center of the triangle could possible achieve the same 'batteryless' battery system.
* Plus possibly with the 2D concept, layered 2D's that absorb different energy frequencies, thereby increasing the net output.
** We exist in an ocean of energy all around and through us. Let's utilize that energy.
Thank you for your wonderful no nonsense teaching! I learn so much every time I watch. It does remind me of watching dad or grandpa work in the barn or shed. Thank you for preserving and presenting so many practical skills.
Your videos are excellent. I first learned of your channel via a shout-out from Corporal Kelly. Both of you have awesome teaching skills and are able to use military experience to teach in a way that makes sense even to those of us who were never in the military. It would be awesome to see a collaboration!
A couple of years ago I got into the idea of making those buddy burners (the tuna can and cardboard stoves). I found that cardboard from pizzaria boxes worked well because the corrugation in them is a good size. I found some Christmas tins with lids on clearance at Dollar General that year. They were about as big around as a quart Nalgene bottle, give or take. And around 1 3/4 to 2 inches tall. I used them to make jumbo buddy burners with lids. Around that time I had also seen the UA-cam craze of using a stainless steel kitchen utensil drainer as a wood stove (usually called an Ikea stove but I got mine at Walmart). The drainers are perforated and so they let air flow. I found that by dropping a rock of the right size in the bottom of the utensil drainer I could put one of my jumbo buddy burners on top of the rock to get the flame where it needed to be while letting the drainer act as a wind screen and pot stand. Once the burner was fully burning it would boil a cup of water in about eight minutes, depending on ambient temperatures. It is nice, too, that when I want to extinguish the flame I can just drop the lid on and use a stick or something to manipulate the lid into place, close the tin and smother the flame. I haven't tried taking one camping, yet but tested them out a lot at home and have them as a backup stoves in case of long term power outages, etc
I made those first ones using Gulf wax but then one day had another idea. I collect bacon grease to use in cooking the way old timers used to do. Well, periodically - if you aren't using a lot - whatever is left in the container begins to turn rancid and you have to throw it out, clean the container and start over with fresh grease. Well, I needed to toss my old bacon grease but thought of the old animal fat oil lamps. Instead of tossing the grease I made a buddy burner using bacon grease instead of wax and it worked great. Bonus is that when you burn it you get the smell of bacon. Drawback is that it produces pretty dark, oily smoke. I did the same thing with some butter that had gotten old and had similar results.
Ace show mate. Some cracking fire lighting hacks.
Amazing video Andrew! That's awesome that you're showing affordable ways to make a fire kit!!
Outstanding video as always !!! These items you used should be available just about ANYWHERE ! And not cost a kings ransom !!!
I love the main idea behind this vid of improvising everyday items into fire starters. Each of them have their own pros and cons. My least favorite is the bow drill. Once you learn hot to make one with what's available and how to use it you have a lifetime skill to fall back on when all else fails. The downside is it is time consuming and caloric intensive. If all you are going to is heat up water for a hot beverage it's a waste of time and energy. but still it's a useful and practical skill to have.
Excellent fire starting class. Cheers Major.!
What's good about the poor man's version is this is for people who don't regularly go on outdoor excursions. Hence the lack of need for high end equipment as long as the low end equipment meets the same purpose. Incidentally, one can also tear down a book of paper matches and scotch tape a match or two or three to the knife sheath along with the striker (can also buy sticky strikers). Then you have a "break glass in case of emergency" system to light a fire. It doesn't replace a lighter, but having redundancy is a good thing.
Bad ass content man! Especially in these hard times
Wax and parrafin combo will help too ignite quicker and last longer. If you get hemp rope make a wax and parrafin coating too cover the rope if you thin the parrafin and wax combo you can make a small block
Another useful tip: cotton make-up remover pads! These are great - just drop a blob of hand sanitiser gel and rub it into the pads. Two options here -1. keep the ingredients separate and add when required.2. Prep up batches of 4-5 and store in small zip-loc bags. Or, a combination of both. This is very space efficient, light, and very readily available in the home. One could also use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) instead of sanitiser. Anything that will produce a spark will ignite these pads, and will make lighting kindling much easier.
Another very useful item is a domestic white candle. These are very useful as a flame extender (as you pointed out with the birthday candles.
Story: way back 50+ years ago in my childhood my Dad got me into Boy Scouts. Fortunately, we had a brilliant young Scoutmaster who taught us many skills. One of these was packing a fire kit. One item has stuck in my mind ever since then. Basically one needs a wooden 12 inch school ruler, a domestic white candle, a length of white domestic string, and a knife. With the knife (we all had Scout knives) cut the ruler in half (2 x 6in pieces). Measure about 6 1/2 inches along the candle and cut it with the knife. Remove about 1/2 inch of wax at one end, exposing the wick. Then with the knife cut away four sides of the candle so that you end up with a squared-off shaped candle, all 6 inches long. Two opposing sides should be wider than the other two. Then place the ruler along the two broad sides and wrap it all in the length of string. Altogether you now have a package containing tinder (fluffed up string), a flame extender (candle) and some kindling (ruler), in a shape that is easy to pack into whatever pack you have, which will protect the candle from breaking. These days one can replace the string with the flammable type of duct tape. The advantage of this was that everything was readily available in a normal home environment. We used to pack this and other fire stuff in our school lunch box, which Mom then had to replace. It t raised some parental eyebrows when all of us suddenly "lost" our lunchboxes and rulers at the same time! By the way we nicked our pencil sharpeners as well, as they make wonderful kindling!
you're best of the best. learnt so much from your channel. thank you.
Best outdoor channel going 👌
Wow,this channel is really growing-great content!
Blessings on blessings. Thanks for all the hard work. GG
I like to buy old or broken binoculars from yard sales or thrift shops and break them down.. the old ones have extremely thick lenses inside that work amazing for fire or survival kits... there small, very powerful and fit into almost anything.....and usually get at least 2 if not 4 from one set of old binos
Great video, as always! I used to take dryer lint, put it in an egg carton, and then pour melted paraffin wax on the lint... works great. I'm sure you could use crayons as well.
if you going to carry the bow drill you might as well carry a bow saw blade as well, you already got the notches for the string . swap the string out for the blade and two bolts hold it in place, would save a fortune than having a fancy folding silky saw,
Always great info here. Good to see your channel growing bro. 👏👍✌️
Thank you as always, Andrew!! Awesome video as always!
Andrew, if you can locate a makeup mirror that has 10x magnification, your tinder will ignite very quickly, faster than a magnifying lense..it surprised me..
Great video as always sir. Stay safe
Once again your awesome! Thanks for your service!
Great continuous knowledge!!!
Woo! Caught a fresh one, one 3 minutes old. Awesome work brother!
I brought a small survival kit that cost £20 and it wasn't all that. I'm definitely implementing some this in to my own survival kit.
Another fantastic video! I like teaching my grandsons these "tricks of the trade". We have fun doing them and they will remember them better and want to practice more if they're fun. The bow frill is still a bit tough for them, as they're 6 and 9 but they are enthusiastic and keep trying. 🙂
Excellent. Comprehensive; effective; practical; & economical! The flint striker for a plumber's or welder's torch is another very effective & economical fire starter! Thanks.
Another great video, Major. Thanks!
Major, this is major. Thumbs up. ⚡👍
I have made candles out of old crayons. It doesn’t smell very good but works.
Whatever you use it's easy and advised that you have multiple redundancy in yer EMERGENCY kit. The heaviest storm I've ever been in was summer in high Sierra.
All excellent stuff. Several very good ways to star a fire.
Hello Andrew been enjoying the content. I made stove like this for eggs before. Stuff like bottom of pop can for solar works too
Lens wipes are usually cheaper and more readily available instead of the medical prep pads, and are bigger so they burn a bit longer.