Fire: A survivor's best friend

The native Indians of our great country say three powers that fire has. Warmth, companionship, and the power to ward off bad spirits. All of this is indeed true. Fire can do lots for people in a survival situatuion. It provides warmth, gives light, dries clothing, lifts morale, drives away varmints, (bugs too) purifies water, cooks food, can be used as a signaling device, and aids in the crafting of many useful items.Tips for a bow and arrows can be hardened when dipped in fire, and then water repeatedly...The black charcoal can be eaten to cure diarreha. and the white ashes can be eaten to overcome constipation. All in all fire is one of the most valuable ids to your survival. That is why it is so important to have more than one way to start a fire. matches work nice, but if they get wet, they are useless...(invest in waterproof ones...) And a lighter is pretty good, just really mechnanical, and all mechanical device are bound to fail when you need them most. I can reccomend two fire starters with confidence. The first is the Magnesium/flint bar made by Coghlans.You shave of some magnesium into a pile about the size of a quarter, and then strike the flint bar with your knife. You eill have a searing hot 3600 deree flame whick will lite your tinder... It runs for around $6.00 at most places I have seen it. It is not too big so that it would not fit into a survival kit, and it is not too small to use with gloves. (But it does take two hands to operate...) The second is th Spark-Lite Firesarter made by four-seasons Survival. It is a small flint firestarter that looks like a part of a lighter. I bought mine for $10.00 at Dick's Sporting Goods with 4 Tinder-Quiks. (Its kind-of a ripoff because in Action Brigade's Catlog you can order for $6.99 with 8 tinder-quiks and extra flints...but you have to add 4 or 5 bucks for shipping...) It works well, but I have big hands so it is kind-of hard to use. To start a fire, get one of the Tinder-Quiks out and pull it apart exposing the fine fibers. Then spin the strike wheel with your thumb and bingo. You have got fire. This unit can be operated with one hand. But not with gloves. Doug Ritter makes his survival kit with this fire starter in it. Check it out at www.equipped.com. It is called the Pocket Survival Pak. Anyway thats all for now. God Bless amd remeber the best way to survive is just not to get lost in the first place. L8R-surivivaldude

P.S.
I did not write about the bow and drill, fire plow, and hand drill yet because they are very difficult to use. I will get some pics and instructions on here later. Bye.