Made fire!

 
 Last weekend (10/18) I attempted to make a fire with a Magnesium block I carry in my truck.  I used my little hatchet to shave the mag bar and its fero rod to try and ignite the shavings.  Well, I learned that, redwood duff is not a suitable "Dry Tinder" to use to make fire with.  After many attempts at striking the fero rod,  ( I was able to get the mag shavings to ignite but the flamedidnd last long enough to ignite my tinder) I gave up and used a sheet of paper to light the fire. 
Well,
 Yesterday, I decided to try again making a fire with items in my EDC bag. This time I took one of the fatwood sticks (1 of 3 carried) and shaved off about a cotton ball sized of fatwood duff (Shavings) piled fatwood duff over some dryer lint, Split the remaining stick up into pensile sized sticks, broke them in half and stacked them over the duff as well and took my "Light my Fire" fero rod and was pleasantly surprised at how well the sparks flew from it!. Even more surprised at how well the fatwood shavings took a spark! No more than 4 strikes on the fero and the FW duff ignited! I had fire! Since it has just rained on Saturday, I had to look for dry twigs, but my yard is full of twigs so this wasn't a problem. I had a small pile set aside, and slowly added them to the flame.
 Fatwood sticks (I can only get them at local hardware stores, about 6" long 1/2" thick sticks) will be a continuous carry item for me know! I also had about a 1/2oz of lamp oil in a pill fob I poured over my twigs, just to help get them going.

Practice makes perfect they say.  When I first got my mag stick I practiced setting things on fire at my desk until my office manager said enough was enough ..take it outside!

 

Red wood is hard to burn. I think that was your main problem. next time try some dried sage brush or tumble weeds.

Strong work on the fire building. I have been working on that as well and use the fat wood with a flint and steel striker. I fish, hunt, and dive solo quite a bit and when I'm anywhere remote, I have several sticks of fat wood and my striker. Used it to start fires in driving rain last weekend while hunting deer in the Trinities. Shannon

carry a zip lock sandwich bag of Vaseline soaked cotton balls for the initial fuel. It will burn well.

 Last weekend (10/18) I attempted to make a fire with a Magnesium block I carry in my truck.  I used my little hatchet to shave the mag bar and its fero rod to try and ignite the shavings.  Well, I learned that, redwood duff is not a suitable "Dry Tinder" to use to make fire with.  After many attempts at striking the fero rod,  ( I was able to get the mag shavings to ignite but the flamedidnd last long enough to ignite my tinder) I gave up and used a sheet of paper to light the fire. 
Well,
 Yesterday, I decided to try again making a fire with items in my EDC bag. This time I took one of the fatwood sticks (1 of 3 carried) and shaved off about a cotton ball sized of fatwood duff (Shavings) piled fatwood duff over some dryer lint, Split the remaining stick up into pensile sized sticks, broke them in half and stacked them over the duff as well and took my "Light my Fire" fero rod and was pleasantly surprised at how well the sparks flew from it!. Even more surprised at how well the fatwood shavings took a spark! No more than 4 strikes on the fero and the FW duff ignited! I had fire! Since it has just rained on Saturday, I had to look for dry twigs, but my yard is full of twigs so this wasn't a problem. I had a small pile set aside, and slowly added them to the flame.
 Fatwood sticks (I can only get them at local hardware stores, about 6" long 1/2" thick sticks) will be a continuous carry item for me know! I also had about a 1/2oz of lamp oil in a pill fob I poured over my twigs, just to help get them going.

Have you ever tried a fire piston?  works well if you have enough tinder

 
  No fire piston yet. I've always used some sort of lighter to start my camp fires when Jeepin, truck camping or Kayaking.   Until now.  I'll be needing a larger fero rod though.  The "Light my Fire" fire steel I got at REI works really well, but I think a larger one will do a little better.

carry a zip lock sandwich bag of Vaseline soaked cotton balls for the initial fuel. It will burn well.

I actually started using some 12 ga barrel patches that I soaked in hoppes #9. Double duty, rust preventions and they light like a champ

Cool video, thought the guy says it's friction, in part, that starts the ember. I think it's the air compression that creates the heat.
I took a primitive skills class several years ago and was taught how to make fire by hand. What was an eye-opener for me was that specific types of wood were needed as the base and the rod. Prior to that I thought any two pieces of wood would do. Next thing I learned was the amount of effort involved in spinning that damn rod. It's fairly easy to get smoke, not as easy to get that precious ember. You will sweat, get blisters, and have sore arms just in failing. Last thing learned was the importance of prep, meaning having the dry tinder nest ready for the ember, as well as the increasingly larger pieces of fuel. I learned what materials at hand make good tinder nests, and to gather and save them for when you can't find them. This is all stuff found in the woods such as cattail duff, (which is excellent, though not always found in the woods).
This has me wanting to try it out again next time I go camping. I tell you, it is an incredible feeling to start a fire from scratch!