Fire pistons produce flame by rapidly compressing air in an airtight tube, heating it and lighting a piece of char cloth contained within.
This top of the line Delrin fire piston features a compression release valve and O-ring gasket to ensure optimal sealing performance, along with a hollow plunger to carry a ferrocerium sparking rod. Regular lubrication with shortening or vaseline will maintain optimal results and help ensure optimal seal integrity.
How to Make a Fire Piston
Fire pistons can be an invaluable resource if you find yourself lost in the wilderness without access to matches. Based on adiabatic heating technology, they compress air enough that temperatures high enough for ignition are reached; then simply add your tinder at the end of the piston cylinder and light!
Before beginning to create a fire piston, you will first need to make some char cloth. To do so, cut up some cotton clothing and place it inside an Altoids container until the material begins charring. After it chars, take it out of the container and let it cool before removing from storage.
Next, drill a hole at one end of the tube that will accommodate the piston rod, using a drill bit with approximately the same size diameter as a number 31 bit. Grease an O ring with petroleum jelly before inserting it into the tube ensuring it fits tightly but without being so tight as to cause breakage.
Materials
A fire piston (sometimes known as a “slam rod fire starter”) is an efficient yet straightforward wilderness tool. Consisting of a hollow cylinder which houses tinder and an expandable piston rod with an airtight seal to ensure an airtight seal when placed into its chamber, this tool should be made out of metal or wood for best results. An oil-lubricated O-ring helps secure its position when inserting it.
Fill one end of a cylinder with flammable materials like char cloth, cotton balls, dry leaves or birch tree bark to form a bundle to be ignited using an appropriate hole at its tip. Educational suppliers often carry such tools to demonstrate combustion and transference of energy.
Parts
Fire pistons are an efficient method of firestarting that consist of pushing a piston into an airtight cylinder to compress and ignite tinder inside. Historically these were made out of animal horn, bamboo or wood but modern versions more frequently use aluminum.
Successful fire pistons require having the appropriate size cylinder, piston and tinder material. For best results, the size of the cylinder needs to be small enough that the piston fits comfortably while still producing sufficient compressed volume of air to ignite quickly the tinder material.
Delrin fire piston, with O-ring gasket for optimal compression seal. Additionally, features hollow piston end that can carry ferrocerium sparking rod (included). A great survival-oriented choice!
Instructions
My understanding is that fire pistons were first brought to America from Europe sometime prior to 1800. Whatever their provenance may be, these tools make excellent additions for primitive skills training, camping trips and survival needs.
Fire pistons are extremely easy to make and work based on adiabatic cooling to compensate for expansion of gases, making it possible to adjust their volume without changing temperature.
Lubricate the piston rod so it fits smoothly into its cylinder, using petroleum jelly or char cloth (best placed below hole in piston). Finally, I recommend blocking one end of the tube using a plug (available from hardware stores) so that water doesn’t enter.
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