A loooong time ago ( now 67 yrs. old.) I was a merit badge counselor for the BSA in wilderness survival and signaling. We made WS kits based on what the guys could afford and what worked? At that time I came up with a plan. We took used Shotgun shells (readily available then) paper type These can generally be had for just asking at your local trap and skeet club. I think they're all plastic these days, but someone may have a bunch of the older EMPTIES laying around? Anyway... I bought a few hanks of 1/8" braided cotton clothes line, then we popped out the spent primers, cut 4" lengths of the clothes line, knotted one end, passed the line up through the primer hole, so the knot acted as a plug. Next we melted a combination of Paraffin wax and bee's wax and filled the shell casing positioning the "wick" in the center of the shell casing. Once the wax has cooled/set up you can trim off the tip and the base end knot to make it set level. I know this sounds like a LOT of work for just a candle, BUT the casing is wax coated paper, so besides just a candle you have a fire starter that will burn really well in damp to wet conditions. I know this isn't fire starting, but it's aiding with how to get a fire going. These are pretty cheap to make too! Dave
Im an eagle scout and iv always been interested in survival techniques and getting away from the basic (more or less) camping skills taught in the BSA. Im learning a ton from your videos and have been able to expand my knowledge and skills in the ways of survival because of them. keep at it!
+Matt O'Brien Yep. I like multi-purpose stuff. When I was a kid we burned a hole in a steel trash can with a road flare. I consider that a formative experience ;-)
Hi Bryan Two one handed options Are the Blast Match and the Sparkue from UST (Ultimate Survival Techniques. Both of those are designed to be used one handed, and cost a fraction of the Lightning Strike.
I have the Sparkie and it works OK but the catch on mine quit working after about 5 minutes so it won't stay closed. Not a big deal but not great either. I still like both of the options you mentioned but I like the Lightning Strike too. This video was really about different options. Thanks for mentioning these too.
Great job on a much more in depth video on one handed fire starting! Stressing the importance of preparation of wood and having the right 'tools' for the job was spot on. Well done Bryan! ...though I thought you went a little over the top injuring your other hand just for the video, haha ;)
Smart video. Really worthwhile. REALLY worthwhile. It's why you are my number one channel. Straight forward and very well thought out. And yeppers.......I work at Home Depot, and tomorrow, I will walk on over and buy some damned simple road flares!! Good grief...if one is injured and in need of a fire NOW, well hell, it seems to me that one would not need even that finest of wood.....stuff collected about one inch and then up...it'll burn....started with a cheap long burning road flare. Over all the years, I don't understand why I have not carried some of these in my Bronco. That will change quickly. Thanks Bryan!
They will of course burn more than that. Great review in all aspects.....I carry fatwood, and jelly soaked dryer lint and etc etc etc,,,but good grief....I've been just stupid not to have a couple of flares along, Thanksl
Everything is difficult with one hand... i dislocated my shoulder once with skateboarding and had a hard time doing all kinds of things with that arm strapped to my body... especially getting dressed and putting my pants on with a belt was a funny thing ;) ... awesome video... and good luck with your hand!... greets...
Like the video. Especially seeing you using materials you gathered around you to build a fire and not by having to baton big wood to do it. Batoning is shown so much across your genre on TH-cam, that a lot of people think its absolutely necessary for building a fire. People really do need to know other options & methods for building a fire. I've never yet had to baton wood to build a fire. That's not to say tho, that I never will. By the way, another good, inexpensive, lite weight, fire starter, especially for one handed use, is a cutting torch striker. The material in them is actually ferrocerium, same as a ferro rod. Also, you can snap a small carabiner on the loop of the striker & easily attach it to your pack.
+Helen Holden It was an eye opener for me while making it just to recognize how many times I unconsciously used both hands while trying not to. I think I might try this again for some other stuff,
That thing on the bottom of the orange plastic match case you tried to strike your match on is actually a small ferro rod. How do I know? Because I have two match cases just like it.
Thank you for the informative video. This is a scenario that I had not thought of before, but could be very real. Do you know if road flares are waterproof? Will they still work if they get soaked?
Hey Bryan, Great job putting yourself out there while you learn as you go. This is a great skill to have. As with many other skills, such as F&S, we learn a lot that can be applied to many other tasks as well. By the way, on the bottom of those matchsafes is a tiny ferro rod - not a striking surface for matches. The matches that come with those matchsafes are not "strike anywhere", they are "safety" matches. Inside the matchsafe is a striking surface for the matches - looks like a square of red sandpaper inside a tiny plastic bag. You had me ROFL trying to ingnite that match! You could have used up every single match striking on the ferro or log or whatever and never had flame. Those are great little matchsafes. I have char in one and plain cotton balls in another in my emergency fire kit. (I store the PJ seperately.) I have thought about bringing road flares when deep in the backcountry and it's been in the teens or less. I've fallen through the ice enough times and been in the hallucination phase of hypothermia (core temp about 90F per the charts) enough times to take it seriously. If the Lightning Strike works for you, use it head high and without apology. No right or wrong in outdoorsmanship. We all have to find what works for us. Videography not the greatest yet this is the most comprehensive one handed ferro vid I've seen. th-cam.com/video/3AIB3mNrQ5Q/w-d-xo.html Happy Trails and God Bless!
As an actual one handed person...I was born with one hand .. I give this video 9/10(it was 8/10 then you lost a mark for keep using you hand as it instinctual ...but gained it back again for the humour I found in you keep realising you were using your hand lol ...and a bonus mark was gained for the maxim I live my life by "EVERYTHING TAKES MORE TIME ONE HANDED" ).. really enjoyed watching and I'll be trying the flint and steel trick myself..I often wedged the knife in ground to strike flint and your way actually looks easier...thanks man 😃... ps removal of lids etc gets easier with practice 😉
Bryan thanks for the video. I have used a Ultimate Survival Technologies Sparkie Fire Starter as one handed option. Squeeze the the handle to deploy the ferro rod and squeeze again and push on a hard surface to throw sparks. I paired it with a water tight container (mine is a NuMyth Tohil lighter case) packed with petroleum jelly impregnated cotton ball. I wear both of these on a breakaway ball chain along with my Mora 546G as a canoe kit. And yes I want a Lighting Strike but just can get the cash allocated for it with the other stuff I need and want. BTW Watching you try to use one hand reminded me of the the Survivor Man where Les tried to demonstrate survival one handed .... he didn't make it half way through the program before he gave up, so your in good company.
Nice job you did a great job of showing the difficult aspects of different things. Maybe you could do a fire starting video about starting a fire if your stuck out in a blizzard. most people forget that aspect of getting stuck out in the cold and no dry ground to pic up tender. you would be in good shape if you were lucky enough to have a road flair in that situation. two thumbs up on the video
Just found this...GREAT info! Loved this video. Very informative and SERIOUSLY makes you think. Thanks for sharing. As I'm already disabled losing the ability to use my arm or hand would really be an issue. I'm definitely gonna practice. Again, TFS. God Bless. ~Lisa
Wild land fire fighters... Great video Bryan, how often do you see people showing how to do things in a real world scenario, but you should have tied your hand behind your back..lol
Cool video, thanks for the info. The strike anywhere matches only ignite on very hard surfaces, like rocks or a metal zipper or even your teeth if you want to go that way. The strike rod on the outside of the waterproof match container, is a ferro rod. It is not intended to be used as a striking pad for the matches. it is used exactly as a Magnesium Ferrocerium rod. You strike against it with the back side of your blade and it produces sparks like a "light my fire or blast match" does. Thanks again for the information you provided. I don't mean to be a jerk by pointing these things out. I just figured you deserved to know how those things actually work. Cheers
I don't think you're a jerk. I have actually learned that about those little rods on the side of the container, but I think my strike anywhere matches were just too old
Nice video to come home to after hard work all weekend. Gonna do a video from my weiw about the subject. Not the one arm thing thank god;) But about diffrent kind of fire starting metods that we all relly on.
A cigar lighter would be a better option than other lighters since it will have a torch type flame and won't burn you if you hold it upside down.Good for windy conditions as well.Keep up the great videos Bryan.
Great job putting yourself out there while you learn as you go. This is a great skill to have. As with many other skills, such as F&S, we learn a lot that can be applied to many other tasks as well. Those are great little matchsafes. I have char in one and plain cotton balls in another in my emergency fire kit. (I store the PJ seperately.) I have thought about bringing road flares when deep in the backcountry and it's been in the teens or less, probably a good idea. The UST Spark Force is hands down my favorite ferro. Their Strike Force is much bulkier but just as good. I've seen the BlastMatch and Sparkie fail too often to ever trust them. If the Lightning Strike works for you, use it! All ferros work one handed, but as you showed - some work better than others. No right or wrong in outdoorsmanship. We all have to find what works for us. Videography not the greatest yet this is the most comprehensive one handed ferro vid I've seen. th-cam.com/video/3AIB3mNrQ5Q/w-d-xo.html Happy Trails and God Bless!
duxdawg You are so right about there being no right or wrong, as long as you get the result you intended. I get so frustrated with people criticizing others who don't do everything like their favorite "Survival expert" says to. We all can learn from each other and it never hurts to try something a different way than you are used to. For exmple, I never even realized that was a ferro rod on bottom of the match safe, even though it is obvious now that I know that. Thanks.
Breaking branches between 2 trees is also good option especially when you dont have a saw or ax with you 10:17 i like to pre light the candles so they light fast when i need them. 13:24 i would try to use feet or legs at this point. :D 18:16 I heard of sticking the knife in the ground at like 45 angle.... have you tried that ? Ty for sharing this brian :D awesome :D info and tips. C.R.
All ways glad when you guys do these types of videos . I go camping as often as I can.Often it is solo, or just one other person. I am all so disabled; so when you talk about doing stuff one handed, that is how I live my life every day, it is not just in emergency situations. Make more of these vids. As a scout leader you should understand that it is not just the able bodied folks that want to learn these skills and enjoy the woods. Time you ,you tuber , guys started to really challenge your selves and your skills . I saw in one of, Dave C's, gatherings videos that there was a guy in a wheel chair. Here is my question Daveo, what skills did you teach him and did you not think it worth some videos? You guys are real big on challenges, here is the biggest one for you all. Teach a whole months worth of videos one handed, on crutches, one eye covered,ect. There it is all you, you tube gurus; time to think out side of the box and show us what you can do. This is not a new request; of you all, Larry Roberts, has dealt with this issue the most . Am I the only person that wants these types of videos?
+David Weirauch That would be interesting, but I am not sure I am up to that challenge. And I doubt Dave is following my videos so you might need to ask him on his channel.
I'm up for it, they'll be some distance in time between uploads but will be my first survival videos on the internet....one handed knot tying should be fun
Good tips. Never thought about the flares before, but that's a great idea. Was getting tired of the Schrade parade anyway, thanks for sharing these tips. BTW, I did buy the Schrade skinning knife due to your video lol.
A cotton ball completely impregnated in paraffin wax is the best in my opinion, because they are completely waterproof and if you fluff them up you can strike them with a Ferro rod or light them with a lighter/match extremely easily and they are will burn great. The wax acts as an extender obviously and you can get close to 10 minutes burn time out of one jumbo cotton ball if you make them correctly
Last week I stumbled on a burn relief method . I picked up a stick , to put back on a fire , which I didn't know was hot on that end , burning one of my fingers . I licked the burn and blew on it , to ease the burning , a few seconds later , I accidently got wood ash on the burn . The burning stopped instantly and never blistered . It so happened that I burned another finger next day , remembered the wood ash trick , which worked the second time . These were small burns , so I didn't know if it would work on more severe burns , until this week , when I burned my arm on an andiron , pretty bad , this time I made a poultice and applied it . Guess what , it worked on that burn as well , never blistered . I don't know how well it will work for others , for me , it works great . Just thought I'd pass on the information , maybe it works on everybody . Initially there is a slight sting , about 1 second in duration , then the pain is gone .
A Zippo with fluid is a great emergency lighter because it can obviously be used one hand, and if you're extremely cold and almost hypothermic and have lost fine motor skills you can still function the lighter very easily by striking it on your pant leg
Just being a smartass here Brian, but I have that same UST match container and there is a small piece of sandpaper in mine for striking the matches. Maybe they didn't put it in the one you bought. What you were trying to strike the matches against is a very tiny ferro rod. Great video otherwise! A UST Sparkie or Blastmatch is another good way to start a fire one handed.
Yeah, somebody else told me about the little ferro rod ;-) And I don't think mine is a UST case. It's a cheap knockoff I've had for probably 15 years so any sandpaper that might have come with it is long gone.
One of my kids has some cerebral palsy. Limits her use of her laft hand. Makes an awful lot of stuff tricky for her. But she's a happy wildly active kid so it's okay. Now I am not gonna build a fire one handed right now. I am gonna build a one handed Turkey sandwich though.
Winner of a video, been searching for "basic food items needed for survival" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Lidacoob Protection Percipience - (just google it ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my work buddy got cool results with it.
Sorry about your hand doc. But outstanding video! Is that a Habilis Bushtool you sliced yourself with? I like the candle idea, but I'm probably going to make a slight modification to it. I keep wax-infused cotton balls in my kits, and I think I'm going to make an altoid tin, cotton-wax, franken-candle. I think it will work somewhat like livefire. Oh, yes, the road flares - brilliant! Just found a six-pack on Amazon for $15, so you know those will going into my kits.
Yes, unfortunately self-mutilation is one of the most reliable knife tests possible. Good to know Habilis has a cheaper blade though, because the Bushtool is kinda pricey.
Nice video. I'm sure others mentioned in the comments but also, if sun is up, magnifying glass or similar ways using solar energy would work. Also I suppose one could do the other methods available using say batteries and steel wool, etc. with some difficulty using a single hand , but it's possible. Or you can carry potassium permanganate and glycerin which, if you do not know, creates fire when mixed together as long as the temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. (Or ask someone for help! LOL)
one or 12 handed , first time I heard that and it is cool ...12 handed ..lol You really know how to spice your videos , I like that thank you for sharing .
Yes it's Jason, I've been uncle Lewis as a web handle for about 14 years...long story that involves a dumpster and a family member from Calhoun Georgia
Interesting chalenge, however, onehanded does not mean that you only use one hand, you can use other parts of your body to hold stuff with. for example the matchbox tube, secure it between your knees or elbow should help alot. stand on the would your breaking, or break the wood by stamping on it. Just some thoughts. :)
Good hacks BUT, it's not the fire source that determines whether you get a fire or not, it's the weather ( let's see you make one in a windy rain). Btw, the point of a survival fire, first, is to boil water, that you gathered, so you're doing all that one handed? Imo, carry some medical supplies, splint/wrap that hand up and learn how to use it, at least a little bit.
Problem with road flares is they spit chunks of burning debris, especially when first lit. I've ruined many uniform pants while lighting road flares. They are great but it's important to be aware of their risks as well and you can cause serious burns to yourself if you aren't careful. I would definitely recommend anyone who wants to carry road flares in a survival kit to buy extras and practice with them so they know how to use them safely.
careful with that road flare, a.k.a. flame thrower LOL, You could accidentally melt your car, This is one of the most beneficial videos on survival I have ever seen. It would take me three times longer (or more) to do things one handed instead of two. I am going to try this ASAP. Thanks for all you do.
Double end threaded brass or copper pipe, lamp wick, cotton balls...Zippo fluid . Cap and seal both ends...BIG FRANKENSTEIN ZIPPO LIKE FIRE STICK! Ferro rod...done.
That tiny black rod on the bottom of those traditional, orange, water-proof match-cases.... That's not a striker for the matches. It's actually a tiny flint. A very miniature version of the flint you get on the side of a magnesium bar. They generally don't work too well. No clue why they're always on the bottom of those match-cases. But for some odd reason, they're there. Some excellent advice overall in the vid. though. I'm going to start carrying a road flare in my BOB.
+NGMonocrom Yeah, I learned about that little ferro rod. Larry Roberts actually started a fire with one. But I think Larry could start a fire with a wet sponge.
If you really want to train your self to think "one handed", put a boxing glove with the thumb taped down on your dominate hand and wear it for several hours while working. Then swap the hands and do the same things all over again. It is a real eye opener. You will learn quickly how to use your forearms, elbows and back of your knee, while squatting or sitting, to do lots of things you didn't think you could.
Good review Bryan I hope u get better I cut myself to almost cut my finger nail I really like this video So many fire strikers I did not no so I can get one later and I like that knive u got there it's cool take care Bryan
vassal11 Maybe if you could still find the big ole strike anywhere matches like we had when I was a kid, but the ones you get now just don't do it for me.
When your pants are too wet to friction start the strike-anywhere match, use your zipper.Glue some wet-dry sandpaper on the side of that plastic match holder.Lint from the clothes dryer is great tinder.
If you take your lit candle and drip some wax on the tinder it can help it get going a little bit faster. Can reduce your frustration if all you have is slightly damp tinder.
Thank you for a Great Video and Ideas ! Building another Fire Kit from a large round Kiwi Shoe Polish Tin ! The tin can be used to make Char Cloth and with the twisty on the side it may open one handed ! Maybe worth a video ! An Air Force guy on his Nutnfancy TH-cam channel showed the AF issued Blast Match (?) for one hand operation and tied and stored to the Survival Vest ! A useful item for the AF guys that hurt there hands pushing a Button ! Water, Knife and Fire are the BIG three (3). Remember the "The Ten Essentials" ! Eyes UP and lights down, tjl Sent by Win7Pro64 w/ADSL
+Tim Lipinski Thank you for your Reply ! My quick and dirty One Hand Fire Starter Kit uses a large Kiwi Shoe Polish 2 1/2 Oz. (70 g) tin. The kit contains: a BIC lighter, 2 x 8 Waxed Tinder Sticks by Zippo and UCO Stormproof Matches ! Thank you again for a Great Video ! tjl
15:20 smooth operator
A loooong time ago ( now 67 yrs. old.) I was a merit badge counselor for the BSA in wilderness survival and signaling. We made WS kits based on what the guys could afford and what worked? At that time I came up with a plan. We took used Shotgun shells (readily available then) paper type These can generally be had for just asking at your local trap and skeet club. I think they're all plastic these days, but someone may have a bunch of the older EMPTIES laying around? Anyway... I bought a few hanks of 1/8" braided cotton clothes line, then we popped out the spent primers, cut 4" lengths of the clothes line, knotted one end, passed the line up through the primer hole, so the knot acted as a plug. Next we melted a combination of Paraffin wax and bee's wax and filled the shell casing positioning the "wick" in the center of the shell casing. Once the wax has cooled/set up you can trim off the tip and the base end knot to make it set level. I know this sounds like a LOT of work for just a candle, BUT the casing is wax coated paper, so besides just a candle you have a fire starter that will burn really well in damp to wet conditions. I know this isn't fire starting, but it's aiding with how to get a fire going. These are pretty cheap to make too!
Dave
Sounds like a great idea Dave. Thanks for sharing it with us
My pleasure.
Dave
Im an eagle scout and iv always been interested in survival techniques and getting away from the basic (more or less) camping skills taught in the BSA. Im learning a ton from your videos and have been able to expand my knowledge and skills in the ways of survival because of them. keep at it!
Literally one of the best survival videos I've ever seen!
I don't know about that, but thanks.
Great video.I learned a lot on this.First one I saw on a one handed fire start.FLAME ON!
If I have only one hand to use, road flares are looking mighty fine. Great informative video. Thanks, I am going to try a one handed fire.
Love the flare idea- great for emergency light/signaling too
+Matt O'Brien Yep. I like multi-purpose stuff. When I was a kid we burned a hole in a steel trash can with a road flare. I consider that a formative experience ;-)
This video was truly amazing! I'll have to try this! Thank.
Thanks Ted.
We teach one handed techniques in occupational therapy...this was an eye opener for sure. Never thought of til now! Great vid! Thank you!
Glad you like it. It was fun to make.
That was a sobering wake up call. Thanks Bryan
I'm glad it helped.
Good video, we take the use of our faculties for granted.
That's for sure.
Hi Bryan
Two one handed options
Are the Blast Match and the Sparkue from UST (Ultimate Survival Techniques.
Both of those are designed to be used one handed, and cost a fraction of the Lightning Strike.
I have the Sparkie and it works OK but the catch on mine quit working after about 5 minutes so it won't stay closed. Not a big deal but not great either. I still like both of the options you mentioned but I like the Lightning Strike too. This video was really about different options. Thanks for mentioning these too.
I liked your realistic approach. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching b
Outstanding video. I have a "Lightning Strike" in each of my three packs.. Well worth the money.
Great job on a much more in depth video on one handed fire starting!
Stressing the importance of preparation of wood and having the right 'tools' for the job was spot on. Well done Bryan!
...though I thought you went a little over the top injuring your other hand just for the video, haha ;)
Thanks Justin! It was a fun video to make. Thanks for inspiring me to do it.
Smart video. Really worthwhile. REALLY worthwhile. It's why you are my number one channel. Straight forward and very well thought out. And yeppers.......I work at Home Depot, and tomorrow, I will walk on over and buy some damned simple road flares!! Good grief...if one is injured and in need of a fire NOW, well hell, it seems to me that one would not need even that finest of wood.....stuff collected about one inch and then up...it'll burn....started with a cheap long burning road flare. Over all the years, I don't understand why I have not carried some of these in my Bronco. That will change quickly. Thanks Bryan!
Charles Larson They are kind of heavy as far as fire starters go but they will burn a bucket of water ;-)
They will of course burn more than that. Great review in all aspects.....I carry fatwood, and jelly soaked dryer lint and etc etc etc,,,but good grief....I've been just stupid not to have a couple of flares along, Thanksl
Everything is difficult with one hand... i dislocated my shoulder once with skateboarding and had a hard time doing all kinds of things with that arm strapped to my body... especially getting dressed and putting my pants on with a belt was a funny thing ;) ... awesome video... and good luck with your hand!... greets...
Hand is all better now. Thanks.
Like the video. Especially seeing you using materials you gathered around you to build a fire and not by having to baton big wood to do it. Batoning is shown so much across your genre on TH-cam, that a lot of people think its absolutely necessary for building a fire. People really do need to know other options & methods for building a fire. I've never yet had to baton wood to build a fire. That's not to say tho, that I never will. By the way, another good, inexpensive, lite weight, fire starter, especially for one handed use, is a cutting torch striker. The material in them is actually ferrocerium, same as a ferro rod. Also, you can snap a small carabiner on the loop of the striker & easily attach it to your pack.
I have never "had" to baton either but, once I learned the technique, I find it to be a useful technique for a lot of tasks.
Excellent video Bryan, it was interesting and fun to watch.
It was fun to make too
Thank you very much for that video. It was very thought provoking.
+Helen Holden It was an eye opener for me while making it just to recognize how many times I unconsciously used both hands while trying not to. I think I might try this again for some other stuff,
That thing on the bottom of the orange plastic match case you tried to strike your match on is actually a small ferro rod. How do I know? Because I have two match cases just like it.
Thank you for the informative video. This is a scenario that I had not thought of before, but could be very real.
Do you know if road flares are waterproof? Will they still work if they get soaked?
I don't think these are.
Hey Bryan,
Great job putting yourself out there while you learn as you go. This is a great skill to have. As with many other skills, such as F&S, we learn a lot that can be applied to many other tasks as well.
By the way, on the bottom of those matchsafes is a tiny ferro rod - not a striking surface for matches. The matches that come with those matchsafes are not "strike anywhere", they are "safety" matches. Inside the matchsafe is a striking surface for the matches - looks like a square of red sandpaper inside a tiny plastic bag. You had me ROFL trying to ingnite that match! You could have used up every single match striking on the ferro or log or whatever and never had flame.
Those are great little matchsafes. I have char in one and plain cotton balls in another in my emergency fire kit. (I store the PJ seperately.) I have thought about bringing road flares when deep in the backcountry and it's been in the teens or less. I've fallen through the ice enough times and been in the hallucination phase of hypothermia (core temp about 90F per the charts) enough times to take it seriously.
If the Lightning Strike works for you, use it head high and without apology. No right or wrong in outdoorsmanship. We all have to find what works for us.
Videography not the greatest yet this is the most comprehensive one handed ferro vid I've seen. th-cam.com/video/3AIB3mNrQ5Q/w-d-xo.html
Happy Trails and God Bless!
can you tell me where you got the square candle and tin box?
great video thank you
I don't remember. Sorry.
Awesome video Bryan! Many good ideas and tipps! Thanks a lot for this, Cheers, Marc
Scouting Free Thanks Marc.
As an actual one handed person...I was born with one hand ..
I give this video 9/10(it was 8/10 then you lost a mark for keep using you hand as it instinctual ...but gained it back again for the humour I found in you keep realising you were using your hand lol ...and a bonus mark was gained for the maxim I live my life by "EVERYTHING TAKES MORE TIME ONE HANDED" )..
really enjoyed watching and I'll be trying the flint and steel trick myself..I often wedged the knife in ground to strike flint and your way actually looks easier...thanks man 😃...
ps removal of lids etc gets easier with practice 😉
I am going to consider this extreme validation. You made my day dude
😃
What a Great Video! Very useful to know!
+Off Grid Essentials It was fun to make.
Great video Brian
BeatrCoupe Thanks.
I enjoyed the vid Brian . Hope the hand gets better .
pmags1331 Thanks, it's better now.
Great video. Really useful information and I think that Lightning Strike is worth every dime. Thanks, Bryan.
bloodgout Thanks Do do I.
Excellent work to give people some ideas and experience for these kind of situations :D keep it up :D
+Donny Slander Thanks
you are most welcome
:D
Bryan thanks for the video. I have used a Ultimate Survival Technologies Sparkie Fire Starter as one handed option. Squeeze the the handle to deploy the ferro rod and squeeze again and push on a hard surface to throw sparks. I paired it with a water tight container (mine is a NuMyth Tohil lighter case) packed with petroleum jelly impregnated cotton ball. I wear both of these on a breakaway ball chain along with my Mora 546G as a canoe kit. And yes I want a Lighting Strike but just can get the cash allocated for it with the other stuff I need and want. BTW Watching you try to use one hand reminded me of the the Survivor Man where Les tried to demonstrate survival one handed .... he didn't make it half way through the program before he gave up, so your in good company.
William Phillips I just kept forgetting. I should have tied my hand behind my back but then I might not have been able to operate the camera ;-)
Nice job you did a great job of showing the difficult aspects of different things. Maybe you could do a fire starting video about starting a fire if your stuck out in a blizzard. most people forget that aspect of getting stuck out in the cold and no dry ground to pic up tender. you would be in good shape if you were lucky enough to have a road flair in that situation. two thumbs up on the video
Tony Stites Thanks Tony. I'll have to think about he blizzard thing, ain't much snow in Georgia.
Just found this...GREAT info! Loved this video. Very informative and SERIOUSLY makes you think. Thanks for sharing. As I'm already disabled losing the ability to use my arm or hand would really be an issue. I'm definitely gonna practice. Again, TFS. God Bless. ~Lisa
I'm glad it helped.
Like it, excellent video.. There is a reason fire fighters carry flares to start controlled burns...
I didn't know they did that. Makes sense though.
Wild land fire fighters... Great video Bryan, how often do you see people showing how to do things in a real world scenario, but you should have tied your hand behind your back..lol
I know. I kept catching myself using both hands.
Good video! I like the light my fire rod. Cheers Bryan
Thanks Stanley.
Cool video, thanks for the info. The strike anywhere matches only ignite on very hard surfaces, like rocks or a metal zipper or even your teeth if you want to go that way. The strike rod on the outside of the waterproof match container, is a ferro rod. It is not intended to be used as a striking pad for the matches. it is used exactly as a Magnesium Ferrocerium rod. You strike against it with the back side of your blade and it produces sparks like a "light my fire or blast match" does. Thanks again for the information you provided. I don't mean to be a jerk by pointing these things out. I just figured you deserved to know how those things actually work. Cheers
I don't think you're a jerk. I have actually learned that about those little rods on the side of the container, but I think my strike anywhere matches were just too old
Nice job man 👍🏻
Thanks!
Thanks Bryan, I was shocked how difficult that was and how eye opening. Great video and was helpful. Pretty nice weather in that vid.
A J Taylor Wasn't hard at all with the flare.
Weber charcoal lighter cubes are a dirt cheap, excellent emergency fire starter exactly like those Wetfire packets.
Hi Brian, did you try making a fire with a SOL Spark-Lite? You only need one hand to make a spark.
Not sure if I have or not
Nice video to come home to after hard work all weekend. Gonna do a video from my weiw about the subject. Not the one arm thing thank god;) But about diffrent kind of fire starting metods that we all relly on.
I can't wait to see it Magnus.
Great video Brian. I train to shoot one handed. I guess I need to start with firecraft as well.
Very informative.
***** Thanks. I enjoyed making it.
You can strike matches on your pants zipper in a pinch. Great video.
A cigar lighter would be a better option than other lighters since it will have a torch type flame and won't burn you if you hold it upside down.Good for windy conditions as well.Keep up the great videos Bryan.
***** That would work pretty well.
looks gnarly
+gabriel Cool
how do u make fire with no matches lighter etc that's what I'm looking 4??thnks
Try this th-cam.com/video/dlLOwVTFqxI/w-d-xo.html
Great Video
+Stuck In NY Thanks
Where did u get the candle.
The grocery store
for the matches you could always put a small circle of sandpaper on the inside of the cap
Yep
Great job putting yourself out there while you learn as you go. This is a great skill to have. As with many other skills, such as F&S, we learn a lot that can be applied to many other tasks as well.
Those are great little matchsafes. I have char in one and plain cotton balls in another in my emergency fire kit. (I store the PJ seperately.) I have thought about bringing road flares when deep in the backcountry and it's been in the teens or less, probably a good idea.
The UST Spark Force is hands down my favorite ferro. Their Strike Force is much bulkier but just as good. I've seen the BlastMatch and Sparkie fail too often to ever trust them. If the Lightning Strike works for you, use it! All ferros work one handed, but as you showed - some work better than others. No right or wrong in outdoorsmanship. We all have to find what works for us.
Videography not the greatest yet this is the most comprehensive one handed ferro vid I've seen. th-cam.com/video/3AIB3mNrQ5Q/w-d-xo.html
Happy Trails and God Bless!
duxdawg You are so right about there being no right or wrong, as long as you get the result you intended. I get so frustrated with people criticizing others who don't do everything like their favorite "Survival expert" says to. We all can learn from each other and it never hurts to try something a different way than you are used to. For exmple, I never even realized that was a ferro rod on bottom of the match safe, even though it is obvious now that I know that. Thanks.
+1 to the Muskrat Jim channel recommendation.
duxdawg Yep, he has a great channel.
For us that only have 1 upper limb/hand appreciate your attempt
You have my respect.
Great video brings up some good points. When you need it $60 is nothing
Breaking branches between 2 trees is also good option especially when you dont have a saw or ax with you 10:17 i like to pre light the candles so they light fast when i need them. 13:24 i would try to use feet or legs at this point. :D 18:16 I heard of sticking the knife in the ground at like 45 angle.... have you tried that ? Ty for sharing this brian :D awesome :D info and tips. C.R.
+Creative Redundancy Good ideas. Thanks.
how about a propane tank and a electric starter...that would work..right?
Oh yeah.
ways the other medal thing u used with knife
ferro rod?
what about a small fresnel lens or magnifying glass? it would probably work well on a good day with 1 hand.
+Sunny Wu yes it would
All ways glad when you guys do these types of videos . I go camping as often as I can.Often it is solo, or just one other person. I am all so disabled; so when you talk about doing stuff one handed, that is how I live my life every day, it is not just in emergency situations. Make more of these vids. As a scout leader you should understand that it is not just the able bodied folks that want to learn these skills and enjoy the woods. Time you ,you tuber , guys started to really challenge your selves and your skills . I saw in one of, Dave C's, gatherings videos that there was a guy in a wheel chair. Here is my question Daveo, what skills did you teach him and did you not think it worth some videos? You guys are real big on challenges, here is the biggest one for you all. Teach a whole months worth of videos one handed, on crutches, one eye covered,ect. There it is all you, you tube gurus; time to think out side of the box and show us what you can do. This is not a new request; of you all, Larry Roberts, has dealt with this issue the most . Am I the only person that wants these types of videos?
+David Weirauch That would be interesting, but I am not sure I am up to that challenge. And I doubt Dave is following my videos so you might need to ask him on his channel.
I'm up for it, they'll be some distance in time between uploads but will be my first survival videos on the internet....one handed knot tying should be fun
what type of knife
+kenny cadarett Pathfinder Trade Knife by Habilis Bushtools
Good tips. Never thought about the flares before, but that's a great idea. Was getting tired of the Schrade parade anyway, thanks for sharing these tips. BTW, I did buy the Schrade skinning knife due to your video lol.
Well, the "Schrade Parade" was supposed to be tomorrow but SOMEBODY screwed up ;-). I'm glad you like the video.
A cotton ball completely impregnated in paraffin wax is the best in my opinion, because they are completely waterproof and if you fluff them up you can strike them with a Ferro rod or light them with a lighter/match extremely easily and they are will burn great. The wax acts as an extender obviously and you can get close to 10 minutes burn time out of one jumbo cotton ball if you make them correctly
Great refresher info Bryan..you could use the match heads as an accelerant ,add them into your tinder bundle..hope you had a great holiday.
I did thanks. Same to you. Great idea on the match heads.
This is a good point because an injury is all too real. The UST Sparkie is a decent and cheap one handed ferro rod.
+MI Prepper I wasn't thrilled with mine. The rod gets jammed inside if you aren't really careful.
+Survival On Purpose It is one where practice really pays off there is a bit of a knack to it.
Last week I stumbled on a burn relief method . I picked up a stick , to put back on a fire , which I didn't know was hot on that end , burning one of my fingers . I licked the burn and blew on it , to ease the burning , a few seconds later , I accidently got wood ash on the burn . The burning stopped instantly and never blistered . It so happened that I burned another finger next day , remembered the wood ash trick , which worked the second time . These were small burns , so I didn't know if it would work on more severe burns , until this week , when I burned my arm on an andiron , pretty bad , this time I made a poultice and applied it . Guess what , it worked on that burn as well , never blistered . I don't know how well it will work for others , for me , it works great . Just thought I'd pass on the information , maybe it works on everybody . Initially there is a slight sting , about 1 second in duration , then the pain is gone .
Thanks
A Zippo with fluid is a great emergency lighter because it can obviously be used one hand, and if you're extremely cold and almost hypothermic and have lost fine motor skills you can still function the lighter very easily by striking it on your pant leg
good point
Just being a smartass here Brian, but I have that same UST match container and there is a small piece of sandpaper in mine for striking the matches. Maybe they didn't put it in the one you bought. What you were trying to strike the matches against is a very tiny ferro rod.
Great video otherwise!
A UST Sparkie or Blastmatch is another good way to start a fire one handed.
Yeah, somebody else told me about the little ferro rod ;-) And I don't think mine is a UST case. It's a cheap knockoff I've had for probably 15 years so any sandpaper that might have come with it is long gone.
One of my kids has some cerebral palsy. Limits her use of her laft hand. Makes an awful lot of stuff tricky for her. But she's a happy wildly active kid so it's okay. Now I am not gonna build a fire one handed right now. I am gonna build a one handed Turkey sandwich though.
Jake Riethmeier Yum Yum.
I do too Jake, I'm 51....ya gotta do what you gotta do!
Winner of a video, been searching for "basic food items needed for survival" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Lidacoob Protection Percipience - (just google it ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my work buddy got cool results with it.
Sorry about your hand doc. But outstanding video!
Is that a Habilis Bushtool you sliced yourself with?
I like the candle idea, but I'm probably going to make a slight modification to it. I keep wax-infused cotton balls in my kits, and I think I'm going to make an altoid tin, cotton-wax, franken-candle. I think it will work somewhat like livefire.
Oh, yes, the road flares - brilliant! Just found a six-pack on Amazon for $15, so you know those will going into my kits.
Cool idea about the candle. The knife is a Pathfinder Trade Knife, also by Habilis.
Ahhh, ok, I thought it looked sort of like the Bushtool, but not quite. That clears that up.
It's about half the price of a bush tool and it still a very versatile blade. Sharp too. That's the one that gave me 5 stitches ;-)
Yes, unfortunately self-mutilation is one of the most reliable knife tests possible.
Good to know Habilis has a cheaper blade though, because the Bushtool is kinda pricey.
Nice video. I'm sure others mentioned in the comments but also, if sun is up, magnifying glass or similar ways using solar energy would work. Also I suppose one could do the other methods available using say batteries and steel wool, etc. with some difficulty using a single hand , but it's possible. Or you can carry potassium permanganate and glycerin which, if you do not know, creates fire when mixed together as long as the temperature is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. (Or ask someone for help! LOL)
+Christopher Finn Good ideas
one or 12 handed , first time I heard that and it is cool ...12 handed ..lol
You really know how to spice your videos , I like that thank you for sharing .
ckingclosur Thanks for watching my silly little videos. I really appreciate it.
Please don't say that
They are not
they are nice and educational and I love them
You're too kind. I'm glad you like them.
The thing on the bottom of the match container is not a striker is a fero rod. Use your knife on it you will get sparks.
+tolucawood Yeah, I finally learned that.
Yes it's Jason, I've been uncle Lewis as a web handle for about 14 years...long story that involves a dumpster and a family member from Calhoun Georgia
unclelewis1985 Sounds like a good story.
Interesting chalenge, however, onehanded does not mean that you only use one hand, you can use other parts of your body to hold stuff with. for example the matchbox tube, secure it between your knees or elbow should help alot.
stand on the would your breaking, or break the wood by stamping on it.
Just some thoughts. :)
Outsider Good points.
Good hacks BUT, it's not the fire source that determines whether you get a fire or not, it's the weather ( let's see you make one in a windy rain). Btw, the point of a survival fire, first, is to boil water, that you gathered, so you're doing all that one handed? Imo, carry some medical supplies, splint/wrap that hand up and learn how to use it, at least a little bit.
Just showing some ideas.
Problem with road flares is they spit chunks of burning debris, especially when first lit. I've ruined many uniform pants while lighting road flares. They are great but it's important to be aware of their risks as well and you can cause serious burns to yourself if you aren't careful. I would definitely recommend anyone who wants to carry road flares in a survival kit to buy extras and practice with them so they know how to use them safely.
+Mike L I think you should always practice with everything before you need it.
Hope your healing okay, ouch........Great video and I do keep a single road flare in my bag.
NewEnglandFish Thanks.
with the candle can, to open it with one hand, I'd say to bang it downward on something that will catch the lip on the lid and pop it off.
+tall32guy yep
what about the fire puck
+kenny cadarett Didn't have one.
I made a campfire in the place where people play and make stuff
careful with that road flare, a.k.a. flame thrower LOL, You could accidentally melt your car, This is one of the most beneficial videos on survival I have ever seen. It would take me three times longer (or more) to do things one handed instead of two. I am going to try this ASAP. Thanks for all you do.
+csh 62 I'm glad you liked it. It was fun to make.
i thought you were going to make like a fireplow or hand drill fire with one hand, that would be impressive :)
It sure would ;-)
Thought my old navy zippo was going to get some screen time haha
I like my Zippo but it has some serious drawbacks for survival due to the need for fluid replacement.
Double end threaded brass or copper pipe, lamp wick, cotton balls...Zippo fluid . Cap and seal both ends...BIG FRANKENSTEIN ZIPPO LIKE FIRE STICK! Ferro rod...done.
did u say brotherguns?
+Aziz Pashaliyev I don't think so.
Survival On Purpose OK thanks
That tiny black rod on the bottom of those traditional, orange, water-proof match-cases.... That's not a striker for the matches. It's actually a tiny flint. A very miniature version of the flint you get on the side of a magnesium bar. They generally don't work too well. No clue why they're always on the bottom of those match-cases. But for some odd reason, they're there. Some excellent advice overall in the vid. though. I'm going to start carrying a road flare in my BOB.
+NGMonocrom Yeah, I learned about that little ferro rod. Larry Roberts actually started a fire with one. But I think Larry could start a fire with a wet sponge.
If you really want to train your self to think "one handed", put a boxing glove with the thumb taped down on your dominate hand and wear it for several hours while working. Then swap the hands and do the same things all over again. It is a real eye opener.
You will learn quickly how to use your forearms, elbows and back of your knee, while squatting or sitting, to do lots of things you didn't think you could.
+marccr1 Great idea. Even tougher is to simulate an arm injury by strapping one arm to your body in a sling.
Good review Bryan I hope u get better I cut myself to almost cut my finger nail I really like this video So many fire strikers I did not no so I can get one later and I like that knive u got there it's cool take care Bryan
The knife is a Pathfinder Trade Knife from Habilis Bush Tools and Dave Canterbury. It's a great knife for around $115 or so.
"If your in a bad situation... maybe matches aren't your friend."
vassal11 Maybe if you could still find the big ole strike anywhere matches like we had when I was a kid, but the ones you get now just don't do it for me.
When your pants are too wet to friction start the strike-anywhere match, use your zipper.Glue some wet-dry sandpaper on the side of that plastic match holder.Lint from the clothes dryer is great tinder.
+carpetcowboy58 good ideas.
strike the match on the knife sharpener it works on my coarse stone
+kenny cadarett Cool.
I have used a metal zipper. It is something you tend to have on you all the time in the woods. Not the best surface but it can work.
All you need is some pitch some pine tambark and a steal container
I don't consider that actual fatwood. I'm sure it is a good firestarter. I just like the real stuff.
If you take your lit candle and drip some wax on the tinder it can help it get going a little bit faster. Can reduce your frustration if all you have is slightly damp tinder.
+Stu Bur if you have a candle. Great tip. Thanks
Well next time a zippo graces the channel let it be the one I sent your way ......great video
unclelewis1985 So is this Jason? I didn't recognize your TH-cam name.
Lots and lot of people got imprest
Blast match
Yep
Thank you for a Great Video and Ideas ! Building another Fire Kit from a large round Kiwi Shoe Polish Tin ! The tin can be used to make Char Cloth and with the twisty on the side it may open one handed ! Maybe worth a video ! An Air Force guy on his Nutnfancy TH-cam channel showed the AF issued Blast Match (?) for one hand operation and tied and stored to the Survival Vest ! A useful item for the AF guys that hurt there hands pushing a Button ! Water, Knife and Fire are the BIG three (3). Remember the "The Ten Essentials" !
Eyes UP and lights down, tjl Sent by Win7Pro64 w/ADSL
What a cool idea about the Kiwi can.
+Tim Lipinski Thank you for your Reply ! My quick and dirty One Hand Fire Starter Kit uses a large Kiwi Shoe Polish 2 1/2 Oz. (70 g) tin. The kit contains: a BIC lighter, 2 x 8 Waxed Tinder Sticks by Zippo and UCO Stormproof Matches ! Thank you again for a Great Video ! tjl
thanks.
You should Never risk breaking you knife by stepping on the blade. You should be stepping on the handle instead.
You have to watch muskrat Jim is channel he does everything with one hand
Alfonso Casillas I'll check it out.
Old wooden matches u can use as tinder
Indeed.
the infamous strike no where mathches
Yep.