Lighting a match is one of the oldest and most reliable ways to start a fire. Matches create fire due to friction against the striking surface ("grater"), which ignites flammable fuel.
There are different situations in life and sometimes it happens that you have matches, but there is no box about which you can light them ...

It turns out that you can set fire to matches against each other! It is only necessary to take firmly four matches, and then strike them with the head of the fifth match. The friction of the gray-coated heads will create a spark and ignite spontaneously.

How to do this - see the video. Of course, a certain skill is required. For example, while I “got” the fire, I blew out the floor of a box of matches :) ...

At different times, a wide variety of types of matches were born. The Romans set fire to sulfur-covered torches with a magnifying glass and sunlight. The Chinese soaked wooden sticks with sulfur, and they ignited from the smoldering tinder. In France, a mass of berthollet's salt, sugar, resin and sulfur was applied to the base, which was fixed with viscous glue and acacia tree resin. Some of the experiments were explosive.

Over time, the matches began to be coated with a mixture of phosphorus. It was thanks to him that the ignition process became safer, the substance weakened the explosive properties of the mixture. But it had a bad effect on the health of workers and, although it did not explode, it ignited at low temperatures. It became unsafe to transport such cargo.
The problem was solved by the discovery of safe red phosphorus, which was used instead of the poisonous white. The stick itself is made from soft woods, often from wood waste. Linden, pine, poplar or aspen are used. Special types of matches are made from a cotton rope soaked in paraffin (then dried to a solid state), and even from cardboard.

According to the rules, traditional matches must be lit on a special surface. Usually these are the sides of the box, on which a special mixture is applied, which mainly consists of phosphorus and antimony sulphide. If you don't have a box at hand, you need to come up with another method of ignition.

What else can you strike a match about, except matchboxto achieve the desired effect (fire)?

A small amount of heat is required for a match to light.

Look for a rough surface, heat the head of the match by rubbing. But this method has its own characteristics. Found the uneven surface should be fine-grained. Otherwise, all chemicals will fall off the head of the match, no fire will appear.

Metal surfaceb - perfect option for friction. For example, an ax, a hammer, a knife blade can be used to warm up a match head.
There are three options for the development of events:

  • the match will light up;
  • it will break;
  • the chemical composition will fly off the wooden base.

For the situation to be resolved in your favor, you need to act quickly but carefully. The force with which you will perform friction should not be too great.

Try lighting a match against solid building materials.
If you are in a civilized world, but do not have a box with a grater on hand, as a last resort, you can use the materials that are at hand. Just strike the match as if you were using a box for this, less pressure on the match if the material is stiff. However, it is very important that the material is dry. You can use the following surfaces: Concrete, Plaster (between tiles, etc.), Brick, Ceramic.

If you are left without a box in the garage or workshop, then sandpaper will help light a match... Used sandpaper works best - hard sandpaper can rub off the head of a match instead of lighting it. Just place a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface, press the head of the match against it and rub it over it like a grater.

Tourists and travelers are required to be able to light a match on a stoneif they want to improve their survival skills in adverse conditions. For best results, find a flat, dry stone with a slightly harsh “sanding” surface. The texture should be similar to the concrete of the sidewalk.
As noted above, the stone must be dry. If you can't find a dry stone, find a handy wet stone, rub it on your clothes and wear it in your pocket, or leave it to dry somewhere.
Hold the match between your middle and thumb and press the head of the match against the stone with your index finger. Press the head with your index finger and slide it over the grater in one quick motion.
The harder the surface of the stone, the less you need to press on the head of the match during friction.

Try to lightly light a match against your lightning bolt. This is a great party trick, but must be done very carefully to avoid injury. Expose the zipper (pants or jacket) and keep it as straight and flat as possible. Take the match in your free hand, press it against the top of your zipper and strike it down, pressing lightly on it. This is a pretty tricky trick, so don't be surprised if it takes you a long time to learn it.
Always strike towards the floor, not towards your face. So, if you lose control of a match, it will fly to the floor and not to your T-shirt.
Only try this trick if your pants are made of a tough, thin material (like denim) that is unlikely to catch fire. Do not try this in shorts or open shoes.

Try lighting a match from the window. Surprisingly, even perfectly flat glass can light a match. You will need to apply a lot of force in this case, so place your index finger directly on the head of the match so that you can push it with more force.

Press the head of the lists against the glass, then in one quick motion strike the match down, keeping firm pressure on it. Take your index finger away from the lit head of the match to avoid injury.
This method can leave streaks on the glass that would normally wear off without problems.

Five more ways to light a match without a box:

In addition to the above methods, you can add another one: simply light a match from gas stove, from the shade of heating devices or with the help of sunlight transmitted through a magnifying glass.


How to hold a lit match

Always strike the match away from you. You should not keep a lit match close to you.

Hold the match slightly at an angle to keep it burning. The main rule is that fire spreads faster if it has somewhere to "climb". This is true even on a small scale. The more the match is tilted towards the floor by the head, the faster it will burn to the ground.

Correct angle tilting makes the flames burn brightly and not "climb" to your fingers too quickly. You can always change the angle of the match if you need more time than you expected.

Hold the match at a small angle if you need a very large flame. If you need it as quickly as possible, hold the match straight (base to the ceiling) for a second or two. The flame will spread upward very quickly and will be larger than when the match is tilted. However, this flame will also be hotter and closer to your fingers, so be very careful.

Try to avoid a strictly vertical position of the match (base to the ceiling). There is a great chance that you will burn your fingers or start a fire without holding a hot match.

Hold the match straight (bottom to the floor) for a small flame that will go out quickly. The flame will become smaller and will burn less as the fuel at the head of the match is limited. The flame can slowly creep down towards your finger, or it can go out on its own.

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Methods for lighting matches without a box at home.

In our life, there are situations that require a non-standard approach to solving the issue, the manifestation of ingenuity.

Amateurs and professionals of hiking in nature are faced with the need to light a fire, but a box of matches can damp or wear off its incendiary part.

Knowledge about how to light matches by alternative methods will come to the rescue.

They will be discussed in this article.

How to light matches on boxes correctly?

a box of matches and several near it

First, the technique depends on the material of the matches. For example, you will not be able to light paper in the same way as wooden ones. It takes more skill and practice.

Learn how to light ordinary wooden matches against a box in the following steps:

  • take out the match and take it in the middle with two fingers - index and thumb. The head of the match should be looking away from you,
  • in the other hand, fix the box with the same fingers so that the incendiary element on its side is turned towards the match,
  • set it up at the starting point of the ignition strip and press down moderately on the head of the match. Adjust the pressure, if you need to repeat this action again,
  • swipe the match sharply and precisely along the incendiary strip of the box,
  • if a flame has flared up, move the match away from it. If not, repeat the movements indicated above.

Ways to light a match



spark from rubbing the head of a match on any surface

There are many ways to light matches in the absence of a box. Let's list the most common ones.

If the match is dry, then the following will work:

  • paper
  • glass window and mirror surface
  • clothes
  • stone with dry smooth surface
  • brick and / or painted wall
  • concrete floor
  • tile
  • burning flame
  • battery
  • staircase
  • flint

In the case of a wet match, spoil it with your hair before lighting it.

Can you light a match with your fingernail?



lighted match and human hand

The answer is ambiguous. If without special means that the nail was lubricated the day before, then no.

On the forums of those who are interested in hiking and the abilities of human ingenuity, they say that lighting a match with a fingernail is quite real. To do this, proceed in any of 2 ways:

  • soften the head of the match in water and apply it to the surface of the nail. Wait until the product is completely dry. Then light a new match by pressing it tightly against your nail,
  • cover the nail plate with liquid red phosphorus and varnish on top. Protect your hand with a painted finger from contact with water. Repeat the application of phosphorus again after 3-4 days. Only light a dry match.

How to light a match with an elastic band?



method of lighting a match from an elastic band

You need:

  • 2 dry matches
  • rubber band, or in other words for money

Procedure:

  • fix the elastic in the form of a tight loop around the head of one match,
  • insert the second match into the free edge of the elastic so that its head is slightly higher than it,
  • hold the fixed match with your hand, and pull the second one together with the elastic to the maximum state. But don't let it break
  • jerk the free match down sharply. At this moment, due to the created friction, it should catch fire.

How to light a match on paper?



picture with the headline "how to light a match on paper"
  • Take a dry match with your thumb and forefinger and bring it to the thick paper lying on the table,
  • position the match at an acute angle, lightly touch its head to the paper,
  • with pressure, sharply and with a tightening, run the match along the entire length of the paper sheet,
  • if the attempt is unsuccessful, repeat the above steps again. Watch the amount of sulfur on the side of the match head that you run over the paper. If it's worn out, turn the match over.

Can I light a match underwater?

Taking the question literally, we will answer unequivocally - no.

If you took it with humor, then you can easily light a match under water in the following cases:

  • your stay in the submarine
  • performing an action under any container of water, for example, a basin or glass
  • use of special hunting matches in rainy weather under an umbrella

How to light a match against glass?



a man lights a match on a window glass
  • First, prepare the glass surface itself. Treat it with any degreasing liquid. Let it dry.
  • Using the fingers of one hand, fix the match so that its head is in contact with the glass.
  • Without unnecessary pressure, at an acute angle to the glass, with a wide sweep, sharply draw a match.
  • If the first attempt fails, try again. Watch the integrity of the head. If it is broken, turn the match the other side.

How to light a match with one hand?



one-handed burning match
  • Carefully open the matchbox with one hand and remove one.
  • Close the box and place it vertically on one of the ribs of the drawer.
  • Press the box down with your thumb on one side and a match on the opposite side. Place its head in the direction of the sulfur strip of the box, and clamp the free edge between the ring and middle fingers.
  • Raise the box 4-5 cm above the table surface and drop it down sharply. In this case, the match will move from bottom to top along the sulfur strip. Having reached the top point, it will burn.

How to light a match from a battery?



a man holds a battery in his hand to light a match from it

Prepare:

  • battery
  • a match
  • piece of insulated wire
  • scissors
  • wire cutters
  • insulating tape

Procedure:

  • using wire cutters, carefully remove the insulation from both sides of the wire
  • strip one end with veins with scissors
  • at the other end, separate one core, and remove the rest with nippers
  • fix the stripped end of the wire with electrical tape to the battery from the minus side
  • twist a free vein of wire around the head of the match
  • hold the last one with two fingers in the middle
  • bring a match with a wire to the battery to the plus
  • in a second, a flame will flash on the match

So, we got acquainted in detail with the methods of lighting matches without a box. When you practice them, be sure to follow the rules. fire safety... And, of course, do experiments without children, so that they do not want to repeat your experiments with matches.

Video: how to light a match from a battery?

Fire is critical to survival in any terrain. There are many ways to start a fire. Of course, the easiest way is to take a matchbox and strike a match over it and light it. But, what if there is no matchbox, how to light a match in this case?

Light a match without a box

Everyone knows that the head of a match consists of chemical substances, the main of which are saltpeter and sulfur. By themselves, these substances can burn at low temperatures. Therefore, in order to light a match, very little heat is needed. This heat can be easily obtained by rubbing the head of a match against a rough surface. The main thing is that it should be a fine roughness. For example, iron is great for lighting a match. Only it should not be smoothly polished. Usually, such iron is used to make supporting pillars for the entrance visor. You need to run the match head over this surface at high speed with not much pressure (approximately the same as when igniting the boxes). You may not be able to set it on fire the first time; this activity requires a little experience.

We light a fire without matches

There are a lot of ways to make fire without matches. It is worth knowing the most simple wayshow to light a fire without matches. This can be useful to everyone. At the very beginning, you need to prepare dry and flammable materials. This can be twine, dry scraps of clothing, palm leaves, sawdust, shavings, bird feathers. Now you can start producing fire. If the weather is sunny, the easiest way is to use a lens or mirror. By focusing the sun's rays at a certain point, namely on materials prepared in advance, they will ignite.

The quickest way to ignite dry material is with flint and flint. Any solid piece of stone can be used instead of silicon. Keep the flint next to tinder (a highly flammable material). You need to hit them on the blade of a knife or on any bar of steel. You need to hit in such a way that the sparks fall directly into the center of the tinder. After a while, smoke will come out. You will need to blow lightly on it to ignite the flame. If you have the opportunity to get gunpowder, for example, to remove it from the cartridge, then, according to the above method, you can also light a fire without using matches.

We light matches under water

A match can be lit under water, or rather, made so that it does not go out when dipped into water. For this it is necessary to make special matches... They consist of silver and ammonium nitrate and are made as follows:

  • it is necessary to mix in a 1: 1 ratio of saltpeter and silver, then dilute the resulting mixture with nitro lacquer. You should get the consistency of the dough.
  • Then the resulting mass should be rolled out into a thin pancake and cut into strips 1 mm wide.
  • Next, you need to wind this strip around the match, so that it covers half of the match.
  • Next, you need to continue winding the mass with a screw along the match tree.
  • After that, the finished match should dry well.
  • It is now ready to use.

Such matches are not afraid of water and moisture. The main thing is to have a dry swirl. With them, in any bad weather, you will not have the question of how to light a match.

Magic tricks with matches

Many magic lovers are interested in the question of how to light a match in the air. If you show this trick to your friends, they will be absolutely delighted. This requires special phosphorus matches. When in contact with air, they instantly ignite. These matches are a glass capsule with phosphorus on a stick. In order for the match to ignite, it is necessary to crush the thin glass of the capsule. The trick with the ignition of a match from sight looks very spectacular. Unfortunately, finding the answer to the question of how to light a match with your eyes is not very easy. Magicians keep this in the strictest confidence.

Lighting a match is one of the oldest and most reliable ways to start a fire. Matches create fire due to friction against the striking surface ("grater"), which ignites flammable fuel. Since matches are the easiest and safest way to light a fire, knowing the different ways to light them can be a useful skill when faced with unfamiliar types of matches. Having mastered the basic skills of lighting matches, you can also learn about what else you can strike a match besides a matchbox to achieve the desired effect (fire).

Steps

If you already know how to light matches and want to learn something more interesting, click here.

Wooden matches

    Grasp the middle of the match firmly. Use your index finger and thumb and hold the bottom of the match. You can gently wrap your other fingers around the base of the match for added confidence.

    • If this is your first time lighting a match, you should practice with regular wooden matches in the box for now. Having mastered the basic skills, you can switch to paper matches and “self-igniting” matches that can be lit everywhere.
  1. Press the head of the match against the grater without moving it. A grater is a red or brown rough strip on the side of the box, and the head of a match is the painted end of a wooden stick. Keep the box in your hand, which does not hold the match.

    Quickly slide the head of the match over the grater. Without releasing pressure on the match, run it from one end of the rough strip to the other. This movement must be fast and firm. Imagine that you are trying to rub the head of a match into a grater. If you do it correctly, the head of the match will immediately ignite, so don't panic when this happens!

    • The exact pressure you should put on a match varies from match to match and from box to box - in short, it just isn't there. With practice, you will get used to pushing the match not so hard that it breaks, and not so lightly that it won't strike at all.
  2. Repeat your steps if necessary. Not all matches flash right away. Don't be discouraged if you fail: just strike the match against the boxes until you get the desired result. Press a little harder if you think you struck too soft the first time.

    Keep a lit match away from the box. You will understand why when you light your match: it will immediately begin to smoke and burst into flames; therefore, hold the match by its far end to protect your fingers from the flames and use it for your desired purposes. If you don't remove the match from the box in time, it will simply burn out.

    • Want to know how to get the most out of your match? Click here.

    Paper matches

    1. Carefully tear off one match from the whole block - paper matches are almost always made in a small block: a piece of compressed cardboard with special divisions and processed match heads.

      • Lightning paper matches is a little more difficult than regular wooden matches, but lighting them is still easy to master. Don't worry if you can't immediately find a way that works for you in this section - there is one.
    2. Place a match on the grater. There are several ways to light a paper match, but the simplest is only slightly different from lighting a wooden match. The grater on the box of paper matches is usually on the back or inside, not on the side. You need to put a match on a grater: the head should lie in the middle, and the end of its base should stick out slightly beyond the box.

      Cover the box with the lid. You should only see the tip of the match sticking out. Feel for the head of the match under the lid of the box. Hold here by gently pushing the head of the match through the lid with your thumb.

      • Try to completely cover the box with the lid. If the exposed edge of the head of a match ignites under your fingers, you will burn them severely.
    3. Squeeze and pull! Grasp the protruding end of the match with your free hand. With your other hand, lightly press the head of the match through the lid of the box. In one quick motion, press harder on the head of the match while pulling it out with your other hand. If you do this correctly, rubbing the head of the match against the grater will ignite it when you pull it out.

      • Like a wooden match, a paper match may not catch fire despite your best efforts. Be prepared to repeat your steps several times. If there is no result, try turning the match with the other end of the head towards the grater.
      • Be careful - if you squeeze the match too hard, you will rip off the head of the match, lighting it. This will make the match already unusable, so try to avoid it.
    4. You can also light a paper match without pinching it between the grater and the box lid. It will be a little more difficult for beginners, because in this case, the risk of burning your fingers instead of a match is greater, but this method is much faster. To try it out, follow these steps:

      • Hold the match correctly with your thumb and middle finger. Place your index finger on the back of the match head.
      • Press on the head with your index finger and slide it over the grater in one quick motion - hard, as if you were lighting a wooden match.
      • As soon as you notice that the match is on fire, move your index finger away from the flame or take the match in your other hand. You must do this quickly so as not to set yourself on fire.

      Match tricks

      1. For best results, use self-igniting matches for these tricks. You don't have to use the included graters to light many of them - you can scratch them successfully on almost all dry surfaces. However, this is as easy as shelling pears: they are specially made in order to ignite from friction against different surfaces.

        Try lighting a match with a stone. Tourists and travelers must be able to do this if they want to improve their survival skills in adverse conditions. For best results, find a flat, dry stone with a slightly harsh “sanding” surface. The texture should be similar to the concrete of the sidewalk. As noted above, the stone must be dry. If you can't find a dry stone, find a handy wet stone, rub it on your clothes and wear it in your pocket for hours, or leave it somewhere to cool.

        • Hold the match between your middle and thumb and press the head of the match against the stone with your index finger. This technique is similar to lighting a paper match without covering the box with the lid. The harder the surface of the stone, the less you need to press on the head of the match during friction.
      2. Try lighting a match against solid building materials. If you are still in the civilized world, but do not have a box with a grater on hand, as a last resort you can use the materials that are on hand. Simply strike the match as if you were using a box for this, less pressure on the match if the material is stiff. However, it is very important that the material is dry. You can use the following surfaces:

        • Concrete
        • Plaster (between tiles, etc.)
        • Brick
        • Ceramics
        • Remember that striking a match can leave small marks on the material you used, so you may not always be able to do this with other people's items.
      3. Sandpaper. This trick comes in handy when you are left without a box in your garage or workshop. Used sandpaper works best - hard sandpaper can rub off the head of a match instead of lighting it. Just place a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface, press the head of the match against it and rub it over it like a grater.

        • Never light matches near dry wood shavings (which are often found in the same place as sandpaper). This highly flammable material can cause a fire.
      4. Try to lightly light a match against your lightning bolt. This is a great party trick, but must be done very carefully to avoid injury. Expose the zipper (pants or jacket) and keep it as straight and flat as possible. Take the match in your free hand, press it against the top of your zipper and strike it down, pressing lightly on it. This is a pretty tricky trick, so don't be surprised if it takes you a long time to learn it.

        • Always strike towards the floor, not towards your face. So, if you lose control of a match, it will fly to the floor and not to your T-shirt.
        • Only try this trick if your pants are made of a tough, thin material (like jeans) that is not likely to catch fire. Do not try this in shorts or open shoes.
      5. Try lighting a match from the window. Surprisingly, even perfectly flat glass can light a match. You will need to apply a lot of force in this case, so place your index finger directly on the head of the match so that you can push it with more force. Press the head of the lists against the glass, then in one quick motion strike the match down, keeping firm pressure on it. Take your index finger away from the lit head of the match to avoid injury.

        • This can leave streaks on the glass, so don't do it where many people might notice it. However, the streaks usually wear off the glass without problems.
      6. For a thrill, light a match against your teeth. This trick will definitely attract a lot of attention, but only do it if you are sure that you will not harm yourself and others. First, keep your front teeth as dry as possible (with a clean rag or paper towel). Then, press the tip of the match head against your teeth and rub it against them with moderate pressure. Remove the match from your face immediately, even if you are not sure you have lit it. Rinse your mouth with water after the trick.

      How to hold a lit match

      Hold the match slightly at an angle to keep it burning. The main rule is that fire spreads faster if it has somewhere to "climb". This is true even on a small scale. The more the match is tilted towards the floor by the head, the faster it will burn to the ground.

      • The correct tilt angle makes the flame burn brightly and does not "climb" to your fingers too quickly. You can always change the angle of the match if you need more time than you expected.

Everyone should know how to light a fire - you won't be lost with such knowledge. A real dude certainly knows how to make fire without matches. This is a survival skill. It is impossible to guess when you will need to make a fire, and there will be no matches at hand. Maybe your plane will crash in some wilderness, for example, somewhere in Alaska. Or, for example, you go into the forest and lose your backpack in a fight with a bear. After all, you may find yourself in very windy or humid conditions where matches are practically useless. It doesn't matter if these skills ever come in handy, but it's still very cool to know how to get fire, no matter what conditions you are in.

Making fire by friction
Making fire by friction is not for the faint of heart. This is perhaps the most difficult of the "non-match" methods of making fire. Exists different ways extraction of fire by friction, but the most important thing in this matter is which tree to use as a plank and a rod.
A rod is a stick that needs to be twisted back and forth on its axis to create strong friction between it and the board to produce a spark. If enough friction is created between the rod and the board, you can get embers and use them to light a fire. Poplar, juniper, aspen, willow, cedar, cypress and walnut are best suited for getting fire this way.
An important point: the wood must be dry.

Hand drill
The hand drill method is the most primitive, simple and at the same time the most difficult. All it takes for that way is a tree strong arms and iron patience. Applying this method, you will feel like a real primitive person. So, we get fire with a hand drill:
Collect the tinder in a compact pile resembling a bird's nest. The tinder nest will be used to ignite the flame obtained from the spark that we have to extract. Such a “nest” should be made from a material that easily ignites, such as dry grass, leaves or bark.
Make a small indentation in the "nest". Cut a V-shaped hole in the fire board and make a small indentation next to it.
Place the bark under this groove. Smoldering coals will fall on it, arising from the friction of the rod on the board - this will give the fire a chance to ignite.
Start rotating the rod. Place the rod into the indentation on the board. The rod must be at least 60 cm long for everything to work properly. Press the rod on the board and rotate it between your palms, quickly moving them up and down the rod. Keep doing this until embers form in the hole in the fireplate.
Fan the fire! As soon as you see the red coals, knock on the fire board so that they fall onto the piece of bark located under the hole. Move the bark to your tinder nest. Blow carefully and gently on the coals to start the flames.

Fire plow
Prepare a fire board. Cut a groove in the board where you will put the rod.
Three! Take the rod and place the end of it in the indentation on the fire board. Start rubbing the tip of the rod against the walls of the groove in the board, moving it up and down.
Start lighting the fire. Place the tinder “nest” so that the embers that will be generated from friction fall into it. As soon as you catch a coal, gently blow on it - and get a small tongue of living flame.

Bow drill
Using a bow to make fire is probably the most effective of friction methods because it is easier to maintain. high pressure and the rotation speed of the rod. There is a lot of friction required to make fire. In addition to the rod and board, this method will require a weighting agent to hold the rod and a bow.
Make a weighting device. It is used to press down on the end of the rod that is on top: the rod is set in motion with a bow and therefore becomes unstable. You can use a stone or a piece of wood to support the rod. If you are using a piece of wood, it must be harder than the shaft. It is very good to use water or oil as a lubricant so that things go better.
Make a bow. It should be as long as your arm. Use a flexible, slightly curved wooden vine. The bowstring can be made of anything, such as string, string, or a strip of rawhide. One condition: it must be a durable material that will not tear. Pull the bowstring and you are ready to start making fire.
Prepare a fire board. Cut out a v-shaped hole, place the tinder under the hole.
Wrap a bowstring around the rod. Place the rod into the loop of the bowstring. One end of the rod should be in the hole that you made in the board, and the other end should be pressed with a stone or a piece of wood.
Start moving the bow. Move the bow back and forth in a horizontal plane, just like when sawing something. As a matter of fact, you have now assembled an elementary mechanical system. The rod should rotate quickly. Keep moving the bow until you get the coals.
Make the fire burn Throw the embers into the tinder and blow lightly on them. Done! Now you've started a fire.

Flint and steel

It - old method... It is always a good idea to have good flint and flint with you. Matches can get wet - and then they are of no use, but then you can still count on your flint and flint.
If these things are not at hand, no one forbids you to improvise using quartzite and a steel blade pocket knife.
You will also need a kindling material, usually cloth or moss. They catch sparks well and smolder for a long time without flaring up. If you do not have a special material for lighting, then a piece of mushroom or birch bark is fine.
Fix the ignition material and stone. Grasp the rock with your thumb and forefinger. Make sure that the distance from the fingers to the edge of the stone is about 5-7 cm. The ignition material should be between the thumb and the flint.
Hit! Take a steel bar or use a knife handle. Hit the steel on the flint several times. Sparks will fly off the steel and strike the ignition material, causing smoldering.
Light a fire. Place the ignition material in the tinder "nest" and blow lightly on it to fan the flame.

Getting fire with a lens

Using a lens to light a fire is easy. Anyone who melted plastic soldiers playing with a magnifying glass as a child knows how to do it. If you have never done this kind of thing, then here are the instructions.

Traditional Lenses
All that is required to produce fire is a lens to concentrate sunlight at a specific location. A magnifier, glasses, or binocular lenses will work fine. If you add a little water to the lens surface, you can amplify the beam.
Rotate the lens at an angle to the sun to focus the beam on as small an area as possible. Place a "nest" of tinder to this spot, and soon the fire will start.
The only drawback of this method is that it only works when there is sun. Therefore, if it happens in the evening or on a cloudy day, the lens will be useless.

In addition to the simple lens fire method, there are three additional lens fire methods that also generate fire.

Balloons and condoms
By filling balloon or a condom with water, you can make a lens out of these simple things that will help you get fire.
Fill the condom or balloon with water and tie the tip. Shape the balloon or condom into a ball as much as possible. Do not inflate the condom or balloon too hard as this will distort focus sunbeam... Squeeze the balloon into a shape that will focus the beam. Try to squeeze the condom in the middle to form two smaller lenses.
Condoms and balloons have a shorter focal length than conventional lenses and should be placed 2–5 cm away from the tinder.

Making fire with ice
Ice and Fire is not only a quote from Pushkin, which you probably recall from school course literature. You can actually make fire with a piece of ice. All you have to do for this is to shape the ice block into a lens and then use it as intended, like any other lens. This method is especially good for tourists in winter time.
Get clean water. In order to make a lens out of ice, it must be transparent. If the ice is cloudy or contains any impurities, then no matter how hard you fight, you will not get fire with it. The best way to get a clear piece of ice - fill a ball or a cup with clear water from a lake, pond or melted snow and let the water freeze. The block of ice should be approximately 5 cm thick in order to serve as a good lens.
Shape the ice into a lens with a knife. Remember that the lens is thicker in the middle and narrower near the edges.
After you get a rough shape lens, buff it with your hands. The warmth of your hands will melt the ice enough to create a nice smooth surface.
Start making fire. Place the ice lens at an angle to the sun, just as if it were a regular glass lens. Concentrate a ray of light on a heap of tinder and see how useful it is to remember the quote by Alexander Sergeevich.

Coca-Cola can and chocolate bar
I saw this way in a YouTube video, which is quite an interesting thing. All we need is a can of Coca-Cola, a bar of chocolate and a sunny day.
Open a bar of chocolate and start rubbing the chocolate itself on the bottom of the can. This polishing will make the surface of the tin bottom shine like a mirror. If you don't have chocolate with you, then toothpaste works the same way.
Get fire. After polishing, you essentially got a parabolic mirror. Sunlight will bounce off the bottom of the can and focus on one spot. This is somewhat similar to the way mirrors work in a telescope.
Turn the polished can bottom towards the sun. This will create a perfectly focused beam of light aimed directly at the tinder. Place the tinder about 2–3 cm from the focus of sunlight. After a few seconds, a flame should appear.
So far, I cannot imagine that I ended up somewhere at the end of the world with a can of Cola and a chocolate bar, but this method of making fire really works.

Batteries and natural wool

As with chocolate and a bottle, it's hard to imagine a situation in which you can find yourself in extreme conditions without matches, but with batteries and a piece of clean wool. But you never know how life will turn out. This method is very simple and fun, so you can try it at home.
Stretch the piece of wool. The strip of wool should be approximately 15 cm long and 1 cm wide.
Rub the battery with a piece of wool. Hold a strip of wool in one hand and a battery in the other. Any battery will work, however optimal power - 9 W. Rub the side of the battery with the "contacts" with wool. The wool will ignite. Blow it lightly.
Transfer the burning wool to the tinder. The wool will not burn for long, so hurry up!


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