Fatwood is prized as one of the most reliable natural firelighters, burning hot and steady even in wet or windy conditions. In this article, you’ll discover what fatwood is, how to recognise it in pine trees, the best places to harvest it, and practical ways to prepare and use it for dependable firelighting in the wild.
Discover the fascinating journey of Mattias Norberg, a leading Swedish expert in fire-making and wilderness survival, as he shares insights from over 25 years of teaching experience. Author of Konsten att Elda (“The Art of Fire”), Mattias has taught survival and firecraft techniques throughout Sweden, from advanced courses in the far north to plant courses in the south. In this podcast episode, we discuss Sweden’s outdoor culture, traditional and modern fire skills, and unique techniques influenced by the Scandinavian environment. Don’t miss this deep dive into the art of fire!
In this article we examine common questions about ferro rods. These simple devices have become a mainstay of outdoor fire-lighting, especially in bushcraft, and a key component of many modern survival kits. Yet, ferro rods are not all made equal. We need to be selective about the ferro rods – and associated strikers – we choose to rely on. In this article – and embedded video – I share some insights gleaned from many years of experience relying on ferro rods in the wilderness, along with countless interactions with my students when they learn ferro rod techniques. Foremost I try to share the qualities and features to look for in a dependable ferro rod. However, I also offer some top picks from the available brands. These picks promise consistency, durability, portability and, of course, that vital spark when you need it most…
Damp, cold conditions are not conducive to fire-lighting. The same conditions that easily lead to hypothermia are ones that easily lead to failure in establishing a fire. So here are some tips, tricks and tactics for fire-lighting when you most need the warmth of a fire…
Dan Hume, bushcraft instructor and author of The Art Of Fire: The Joy Of Tinder, Spark And Ember guests on The Paul Kirtley Podcast to discuss his travels to remote places in search of traditional fire techniques being applied and relied upon to this day…
While in Sweden, I locate the right materials in the correct environment to build nuorssjo, a two-log fire, referred to by some as “den bästa stockelden”, literally the best log fire. Watch the process in the video embedded in this post…
Why does it matter how long it takes you to light fire by friction when practising? From the perspective of sports psychology there are solid reasons why measuring performance in bushcraft activities can be beneficial. My colleague Iain Gair, who has a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology, joins me to discuss this in more depth…
The Spey saga continues. We take a side trip to walk to some ancient standing stones. Kevin underestimates the haggis but his obsession with filming sheep means we end up paddling the last part of our route virtually in the dark. And then we still have to set up camp…
The off-the-wall journey down the Spey with Kevin Callan, Ray Goodwin and Justine Curgenven continues with the morning after the night before. Pancakes, bacon and maple syrup are on the menu but the priority is coffee. First, though, I need to get the fire going…
I had an interesting little event happen to me the other day. It wasn’t anywhere wild. Or remote. As is the case with many of my days, though, I was outdoors. And, as usual, I had more than one means of fire-lighting on me. But then this happened….