Tag Archives: Fire

a chemical process that you can use to cook food or injure people with via burns.

Improvised Aerosol Can Flamethrower

Posted by on November 27, 2011 Comments Off

In a pinch, this technique could provide you with a means of self defense in a hurry.  You will need 2 items -

  • An aerosol can of subtype, such as hairspray, WD-40, or can of axe/lynx body spray deodorant.
  • A lighter (preferably), matches, or another way to create fire.

While spraying the contents of the can, hold the lighter up to the spray at least several inches away from the can.  When you spark the lighter, this will turn the product being sprayed into a mini flamethrower.

Here’s a great video example on youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wp_fixdI5k&feature=related

Caution: Do not attempt this at home, as it can be very dangerous.

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Incendiary Devices: The Flamethrower

Posted by on November 27, 2011 Comments Off

For those of you unfamiliar with the basics of a flamethrower, it’s a mechanical device capable of projecting a long, controlled stream of fire. The range of a flamethrower can vary greatly, but military-grade models are capable of shooting a stream of flaming liquid 150 to 200 feet or possibly even longer distances. The flammable liquids used with flamethrowers vary, including petroleum-based (gasoline, kerosine, or diesel) or alcohol-based (methanol, ethanol, or butinol) fuels.  As a result, some types flamethrowers project a stream of burning flammable liquid while others project a gas-powered flame.  Flamethrowers employed by the military mostly use liquids, though commercial flamethrowers (where legal) more frequently employ high-pressure propane and natural gas.

Note:  In the United States, private ownership of a flamethrower is not restricted by federal law, but is restricted in some states, such as California, by state laws (cf. California Health and Welfare Codes 12750–12761, Flame-throwing Devices).

Featured photo by hunterseakerhk

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Improvised Survival Tools: The Molotov Cocktail

Posted by on October 25, 2011 Comments Off
molotov

Preface:  As incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails are illegal to manufacture or possess in many regions. In the United States, Molotov cocktails are considered “destructive devices” under the National Firearms Act and regulated by the ATF.  The information presented here is for informational purposes only and should not be attempted.  In other words, do not try this at home.

It goes by many names; the gasoline bomb, petrol bomb,  fire bottle, Molotov bomb, and others.  Against rebellious youth, they go by the name homemade frag.  A Molotov cocktail is a general type of improvised incendiary weapon.  For those of you without access to real grenades, the Molotov cocktail makes a fine substitute and is fairly easy to manufacture in a short time, provided you have the right equipment.

To make a Molotov cocktail, you would need 4 things:

  • A glass bottle filled with
  • A flammable liquid (such as gasoline, alcohol, methanol, ethanol, turpentine, or wood alcohol, but only fill the bottle about half way full)
  • A rag/fuse soaked in said flammable substance and stuffed tightly into the mouth of the bottle, while still leaving a wick to lite.

Once the rag is lit, throw the bottle at your zombie foe hard.  The bottle will break, spilling the flammable contents of the bottle on the unsuspecting zombie, and the burning wick will ignite the gasoline.

If you want to make your Molotov cocktails even more effective, consider adding these to the mix:

  • Gunpowder (for extra boom)
  • Tar (to help the the burning substance stick to the zombie better)
  • Acid (to help penetrate non-flammable surfaces)
  • Motor Oil (if used with gasoline, can help the burning substance stick better) Read more »

First Aid: Burn Injuries

Posted by on October 4, 2011 Comments Off
pretty flame

Burns can be caused by chemicals, electrical energy, and good old-fashioned fire or hot water.  The severity of a burn depends on both its size and the degree of damage.  Depending on the degree of the burn, damaged skin will seem reddened, blistered, or charred, and it will be swollen and tender.

Caring for the patient:

  • Check that it is safe to approach the burn victim and put out any burning and remove smoldering clothes.  If the burn is severe enough, it’s possible that clothing can melt to the skin, so leave clothing in place if you encounter much resistance.
  • If the burned skin is not broken, you should cool them with clean water.  For more severe burns such as with blisters, apply sterile, dry dressing to protect from infection/contamination.
  • Check the victims airway to make sure there’s no swelling from inhaling smoke.
  • In the case of chemical burns, repeatedly flush them with water for 20 minutes.
  • Don’t puncture or break burn blisters.
  • In the case of electrical burns, check that there is no risk and that the victim is not still in contact with an electrical current.
  • Seek professional medical assistance for severe burns.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, emergency treatment or formal first-aid training. If you find yourself in a life-threatening/emergency medical situation, you should seek medical attention immediately. Read more »

The Improvised Douse And Ignite

Posted by on July 11, 2011 Comments Off
gas can

As awesome as it would be to have a military-grade flamethrower and a ton of napalm with which to vanquish your foes, chances are you’re a civilian and don’t have access to such fun things.  This doesn’t mean you can’t brew up your own batch of home-brewed flaming death, however.

In order to do this, you will need a flammable liquid, such as gasoline, kerosine, wood alcohol, or turpentine.  Even vegetable oil can be somewhat effective in large quantities.  It is also wise to include a thickening agent to the mix, like soap, motor oil, or tar.  This will help the substance stick to your enemy for longer and increase the amount of damage done whilst burning.  You will also need a bucket or some sort of container to hold your concoction.

The trickier part still is to set the enemy on fire once you have doused them in the brew.  If you can do all of this from a safe distance above the enemy, I highly recommend it.  Or you could toss/launch a small object at them that’s already burning, igniting the flammable liquid covering them.

There is one other drawback to brewing up all your gasoline and soap into your inferno-causing brew.  Like every other resource, your access to these goods may be limited.  You may need gasoline to get around in your vehicle or soap to clean wounds.  Think wisely and delegate your resources carefully.

Note:  Do not apply these techniques to living humans or animals. The information contained in this post is for information purposes only.  Do not try this at home. Read more »

Survival Gear: Fire-Starting Tools

Posted by on June 23, 2011 Comments Off
flame

The ability to make fire is very important in a life-or-death survival type situation, it could help you boil water to sterilize it, cook food with it, or provide yourself with light or life-giving heat in the cold.  You will need a few of the following:

  • A waterproof bag or container for your bug-out bag for anything that must absolutely remain dry.  Whatever these items are, they will certainly include any tools you use for starting a fire.
  • Matches
  • A few lighters (including a refillable butane preferably, as it will last longer than a typical one use when it’s full)]
  • Sterno – also called “canned heat”, though a can of sterno may take up a lot of space on your person or in your bag relative to some other fire-starting tools.
  • Flint or a ferrocerium rod and steel (or you can use the steel of your knife)
  • Tinder (I recommend char cloth)
  • A small magnifying glass
  • A condom (can be filled with water and used as a lens to start a fire)

You don’t need every tool on the list (save the waterproof bag/container), but it is useful to have more than one fire-starting method on hand just in case one of the methods doesn’t pan out.

Here’s a demonstration clip of how to start a fire using a ferrocerium rod.   Here are some common kinds of tinder you can scavenge for in the wild or might be items you have with you for different reasons -

  • Pine needles
  • Dry leaves
  • Dry grass
  • Birch bark
  • Cloth
  • Lint
  • Frayed rope (if not made from synthetic materials and not treated with a fire retardant)
  • Char cloth
  • Cotton swabs
  • Tampons
  • Paper
  • Horse’s hoof fungus
  • Small twigs (poor tinder but frequently available)
  • Hair (even your own!)

Personally I would go with some char cloth, which you can pick up on the cheap via amazon.com. Read more »

How To Start A Fire: The Steel Wool and Battery Technique

Posted by on May 30, 2011 Comments Off
batteries

What you will need -

1.  Steel wool

2.  A battery

Stretch out the steel wool to be about six inches long and a half inch wide.  Rub the battery on the steel wool, holding the steel wool in one hand and the battery in the other.  Most batteries will work, but 9 volt batteries work best with this method.  Another possibility is a cellphone battery, if it’s a lithium battery.

Rub the side of the battery with the contact points on the wool.  You need to create a short with the positive and negative terminals, creating sparks.  The wool will begin to glow and burn.  Softly blow on it and move the burning wool to your tinder nest.  The wools flame will go out quickly, so be conscious of your timing.

Pro: Can be performed at any time of day.

Con: Doesn’t work with dead batteries, steel wool and batteries may not be readily available, timing can be tricky. Read more »

Starting a Fire with Flint and Steel

Posted by on May 30, 2011 Comments Off
knife 2

A flint and steel kit

What you will need -

  •  Your steel knife
  • Flint

The flint and steel method involves striking a piece of stone (such as flint) with a piece of steel (such as your knife).  This makes a fairly low temperature spark, but it is enough to ignite some tinder, such as char-cloth. With this technique, you hold your tinder in the same hand as your flint so the spark has a very short distance to travel. Once your tinder catches the spark, gently blow some life into it and transfer it to your tinder bundle.  Please see our post regarding knife choice for some helpful tips on knife selection.

Pro: Can be done any time of day.

Con: Can be difficult or impossible to use in damp conditions.

Featured Photo by Dave Murphy

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How To Start A Fire: The Soda-Can and Chocolate Bar Technique

Posted by on May 30, 2011 Comments Off
soda can

What you will need -

1.  A soda can

2.  A chocolate bar or toothpaste

3.  A sunny day

You can watch this method in a YouTube video here.   Polish the bottom of the soda can with the chocolate/toothpaste, making the coating as sooth and even as possible. The chocolate/toothpaste acts as a polish and will make the bottom of the can shine like a reflective mirror.   After polishing the bottom of the can, what you have made is a parabolic mirror.  Sunlight will reflect off the bottom of the can, forming a focal point.

Point the bottom of the can towards the sun.  You will make a small, focused ray of light. Aim this at the fire tinder. Place the tinder about an inch from the lights focal point.

Con: Only works when it’s sunny, doesn’t work well when you need fire in a hurry

Pro: Even when other resources run low, it’s not unlikely that you might have access to a soda can and some toothpaste or other substance available to use as a lens polish. Read more »

How To Start a Fire: The Condom/Balloon Technique

Posted by on May 28, 2011 Comments Off
condoms

What you will need -

1.  A condom or balloon

2.  Water

3.  Sunlight

Like a magnifying lens, a condom filled with water can be used to refract and focus the light of the sun and start a fire, as demonstrated here.   Hold the water-filled condom 1 to 2 inches from the tinder.

Other items that can be used to start a fire in a similar fashion include a bottle of water, a pair of eyeglasses, or possibly ice.

Con: Only works when it’s sunny.

Pro: If you aren’t getting laid, you might as well use your spare condoms for something useful. Read more »