Fire pistons provide a simple and efficient means of starting fires using compressed air, making them an invaluable addition to survival kits and backpackers’ arsenals.
Simply slam a piston over dry tinder, creating friction which ignites it and produces an ember that ignites. This method has been likened to how diesel engines work.
Types
Ancient peoples used fire pistons as an effective method of ignition using compressed air alone. Their basic design consists of an airtight cylinder fitted with an internal piston rod sealed off by an O-Ring seal to produce a spark and ignite small amounts of char cloth or other tinder.
The ideal cylinder should feature an even, smooth bore with consistent diameter that runs the entire way down, to allow a plunger to be pushed in without damaging its air-tight seal. Furthermore, one end of the piston should feature a cavity for holding some char cloth that can later be extracted after ignition has taken place.
People often make fire pistons from supplies they find around their house, though these primitive tools have often been replaced with modern inventions that are easier to use and do not rely on moisture for ignition. Those looking for something ready-made may prefer traditional models made of exotic coco Bolo wood or Asian water buffalo horn, as well as modern polymer versions with very simple maintenance requirements.
Size
Fire pistons are hollow cylindrical devices sealed at one end and open at the other, fitted with string packing or rubber gasket lubricated with water in order to form an airtight seal and allow tinder to be added and ignited.
Size can be an indication of performance for fire pistons, but diameter also plays a vital role as larger rod diameters can transfer more energy quickly to tinder through air compression.
This survival fire starter stands out from its peers by featuring real hickory handles designed for comfort and easy use. Ideal for anyone seeking an addition to their Altoids survival kit, it comes complete with a char cloth and spare O-rings as an emergency backup package that you can rely on in times of crisis.
Materials
Recently I was approached by someone looking for assistance in building a fire piston. Here is what he came up with – although a bit expensive and looking more like jewelry than usefulness it works perfectly well!
Copper tubing with one end capped off is used to form the cylinder, which is then drilled out so that a rod can fit. An O ring and some petroleum jelly is added to ensure an airtight seal between piston rod and cylinder when inserting piston rod into it.
Tinder material can be placed into a cupped bottom end of a cylinder, then compressed by pushing in on its piston to ignite it and create fire. This fire provides an ideal demonstration of both first and second laws of thermodynamics – energy can neither be created nor destroyed but transferred from one location to another – while simultaneously making for an educational science project for kids as well as emergency survival tool!
Safety
One of the simplest pre-modern fire-lighting devices available, air compression devices rely on an adiabatic process to ignite fuel. Popular among Southeast Asian cultures for demonstration purposes and still an effective way to capture students’ imaginations today, these primitive tools make firelighting exciting demonstrations!
An effective fire piston can last years and be an invaluable survival tool. Though they eventually wear out and need replacing, a well-made fire piston can produce many more fires than using matches or lighters alone.
Grover employs common materials for the creation of his fire pistons (copper tubing with one end capped off), though they could also be made out of wood, bone, antler or even buffalo horn for aesthetic reasons. Each performs equally well when properly sealed with thin gasket made from wound thread, leather or cloth and lubricated with petroleum jelly to provide a good seal between hollow compression chambers and hollow piston rods and quickly compressed tinder which ignites when compressed by rod quickly compressing into compressed state to generate flame.
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