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The Condom Survival Fire
Uploaded on August 19, 2009
In the September 2009 issue of Field & Stream, Keith McCafferty tested reader-submitted fire-starting tips for the survival column "Hot Stuff." One of those submitted tricks was starting a fire with a condom filled with water, using it to create a lens and concentrate sunlight. Though McCafferty had trouble getting it to work, this video proves it's possible. Note: F&S did not produce this video, nor is the gentleman featured in it a survival expert.
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Comments (18)
Wow... different. This still doesn't convince me to carry a bunch of condoms around for fire starter. This is the same concept as the magnifying glass...
I think that is so badass
so that's what them things are for
Well, I guess that was "Safe Sex" -- and really hot too!
I suppose this will work, however..... in a survival situation you usually need a fire when there is not much sun....rain storm, night time, snow storm etc. I'll stick with a bic lighter or a spark making tool.
Not sure about using a condom, but the article missed the best fire starter that I have ever used.
If you fill a film canister half full with gun powder (black powder is all I've ever used, but smokeless should work just as well) and then fill it with nail polish remover. Press down the gun powder with your finger, then pour it all out into a bowl and mold into a ball. Squeeze out the nail polish remover (which can be reused or still used for its intended purpose) and then return the ball to the film canister and place the lid on for storage.
When lit, the ball will burn well and not get blown out by the wind. To extinguish, just grab the ball with your hands and smother - you won't get burned if you do so quickly. The ball will remain mostly cool to the touch. The gun powder ball can be used over and over again this way.
Learned this trick in Boy Scouts quite a few years ago. Of course, we usually just kept a small squirt bottle of "boy scout water" in our packs (Coleman fuel) to really get things started...
Yes, the condom and water method appears to work similarly to a magnifiying lens, but with more diffusion of the sun's rays, thus taking longer to get the concentrated heat effect. Unusual method. Obviously, there's no danger of refuse condoms doing this on their own, but the "magnifying glass" comment can also be a reminder of the danger of refuse glass acting as a lens. Think of the many dangerous fire potentials from tons of discarded glass lying around in our fields, forests and backyards. Also, if glass and condoms can do it, can plastic bottles?
It look like it works, but if you noticed they fast forwed alot. So It takse a while.
ok that was weird
ok that was weird
Carry waterproof matches and act like a genius with a -----!
ok that is strange and kind of stupid to even try it
I would think that most plastic bottles are too thick and would refract/diffuse the light. I Imagine removable camera lens would do the trick though.
Man I've been using them wrong.
ok........
I read about it in the field and stream magazine.
gonna try it
Well if I carried condoms on a hunting trip I guess but I carry plenty of matches in waterproof containers tho.
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so that's what them things are for
Wow... different. This still doesn't convince me to carry a bunch of condoms around for fire starter. This is the same concept as the magnifying glass...
I think that is so badass
Not sure about using a condom, but the article missed the best fire starter that I have ever used.
If you fill a film canister half full with gun powder (black powder is all I've ever used, but smokeless should work just as well) and then fill it with nail polish remover. Press down the gun powder with your finger, then pour it all out into a bowl and mold into a ball. Squeeze out the nail polish remover (which can be reused or still used for its intended purpose) and then return the ball to the film canister and place the lid on for storage.
When lit, the ball will burn well and not get blown out by the wind. To extinguish, just grab the ball with your hands and smother - you won't get burned if you do so quickly. The ball will remain mostly cool to the touch. The gun powder ball can be used over and over again this way.
Learned this trick in Boy Scouts quite a few years ago. Of course, we usually just kept a small squirt bottle of "boy scout water" in our packs (Coleman fuel) to really get things started...
I suppose this will work, however..... in a survival situation you usually need a fire when there is not much sun....rain storm, night time, snow storm etc. I'll stick with a bic lighter or a spark making tool.
Well, I guess that was "Safe Sex" -- and really hot too!
Yes, the condom and water method appears to work similarly to a magnifiying lens, but with more diffusion of the sun's rays, thus taking longer to get the concentrated heat effect. Unusual method. Obviously, there's no danger of refuse condoms doing this on their own, but the "magnifying glass" comment can also be a reminder of the danger of refuse glass acting as a lens. Think of the many dangerous fire potentials from tons of discarded glass lying around in our fields, forests and backyards. Also, if glass and condoms can do it, can plastic bottles?
ok that was weird
ok that was weird
Man I've been using them wrong.
ok........
It look like it works, but if you noticed they fast forwed alot. So It takse a while.
Carry waterproof matches and act like a genius with a -----!
I would think that most plastic bottles are too thick and would refract/diffuse the light. I Imagine removable camera lens would do the trick though.
I read about it in the field and stream magazine.
gonna try it
Well if I carried condoms on a hunting trip I guess but I carry plenty of matches in waterproof containers tho.
ok that is strange and kind of stupid to even try it
Post a Comment