# To Build a Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622 "2006-09-06T13:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/1 "2006-09-06T13:03:44Z")
Let’s say I was stuck in the woods. There is plenty of dry wood around, but I have no matches or flint and steel. How can I start a fire? ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/2 "2006-09-06T13:16:16Z")
A firebow, if you have a piece of string. And know which types of wood are soft and hard. Find some of that rotten dry wood, that’s good for starting. Do you have glasses or a watch? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/3 "2006-09-06T13:19:35Z")
You can use a chocolate bar and a can of Coke to start a fire. ( [Really](http://wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/cokeandchocolatebar/) ) Here is a list of a few methods you can try: [http://www.ehow.com/how\_2466\_start-fire-without.html](http://www.ehow.com/how_2466_start-fire-without.html) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/4 "2006-09-06T13:21:13Z")
You’re in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. Conveniently, flying fish leap into the raft at night. You have a candle, a stove, and a pack of cigarettes, but no source of ignition. What do you do? Throw one of the cigarettes overboard and make the lifeboat a cigarette lighter. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/5 "2006-09-06T17:12:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Do you have glasses or a watch? Glasses will only work if you’re farsighted, and probably not even then. Glasses for the much more common nearsightedness will diverge light rays, not converge them. And there are a few types of fungus which make for better tinder than dry-rot wood, but I’m not sure I could reliably identify them. Lint will also work well, if you can scrounge enough from your pockets and belly-button. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/6 "2006-09-06T18:47:17Z")
[QUOTE=athelas] Let’s say I was stuck in the woods. There is plenty of dry wood around, but I have no matches or flint and steel. How can I start a fire? [/QUOTE] [**Primitive Fire Starters**](http://www.primitivefire.com/) 🙂 [**Fire Piston**](http://www.firepistons.com/about.html) :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-build-a-fire/371622/7 "2006-09-06T18:55:24Z")
A long time ago, as a Boy Scout here in Texas, we used to strip cedar bark off the tree\* and shred it down until it was like lint. One spark from a steel on flint would usually do the trick. \*Probably not allowed anymore. Wouldn’t want to damage a cedar tree.