Cold weather and lighting a fire

[RobRAF]

Morning all

I'm new to the Forum but not to Prepping so I thought I'd start to share initial thoughts this cold late Dec AM. Many of you probably will know about this tip but some might find my musings of benefit. I'm ex RAF and have picked up a few survival tips over the years and thought to share. I'm based near Basingstoke so if anyone is local just let me know.

Here goes. I went down to the log cabin today to get a fire stoked and a brew on - in-laws were doing my head in over the Christmas break grrr. Try as I might my lighters wouldn't work. DOH - of course they won't! Butane won't 'boil off' and turn to gas at these low temperatures. So Turbo Flames can be temperamental - but the one I use is usually quite good. Not today. Neither was the household long nose lighter I'd left near the firewood. It took me 20 mins in a pocket to get the gas warm enough to light. So the upshot is - when it is uber cold (2.4 deg in there this am) - always have some storm matches as back up or keep lighters in a 'close to body' pocket. 20 mins is a long time to wait for a brew in a cold environment - and that's before you get heat into your fire. Lack of fire will drop morale and could be the difference between life and death. Speak soon! RobRAF.

[Deeps]

Welcome to the forum, could you post a quick intro in the 'New Members Start Here' section. I hope you find the forum helpful.

[sethorly]

Ferrocerium rods work in the freezing cold. (The sparks are around 1650 degrees C.) They also work when it's raining or very windy.

edit/ For really pouring rain conditions a ferro rod with magnesium bar scrapings (igniting at 3000 degrees C) is supposed to work almost underwater (at that temperature water separates into oxygen and hydrogen and burns! - thnks Mr Mears for that info).

[dazthechippy]

cheers Rob, im between fleet and hook so up the road from you mate....

[VonNoelio]

Welcome Rob,

it's all down to relative boiling points. My understanding is butane needs the warmest temps then isobutane then propane to turn from liquid to vapour. I have had these problems when I first had my Jetboil out whilst working on sea cliffs in February, had to put my ice cold butane cannister down inside my trousers to warm it up


So now go for a mix of the other two.

I don't know if you can get isobutane/propane for lighters??

Cheers

[RobRAF]

Cheers guys - good to 'meet' you.... RobRAF

[itsybitsy]

I'm locking this thread. Rob, as per Deeps' request, please post an introduction in the New Members start here section. Once you have done this, we will then look at your other posts in the mod queue.