48
It looks like a grindstone. The two halves would be different fineness. Your friend probably had this in his cooking kit to sharpen knives.
This doesn't look like it has anything to do with starting fires.
Here is a device that looks very similar to yours. It's clearly for sharpening:
This is a snippet from the web site of Sharpening Supplies.
31
It's difficult to tell exactly how long wood you've gathered will last you, unless as an expert you can gauge an accurate estimate due to the type of wood, weather conditions and other contributing factors (theoretically possible, but above my ability level.)
However, there are different ways of constructing a fire, and one in particular is designed to burn ...
27
Wool does not melt or drip
This answer might surprise you: wool!
Wool (...) does not melt or drip(.)
Wool ignites at a higher temperature than cotton and some synthetic
fibers. It has a lower rate of flame spread, a lower rate of heat
release, a lower heat of combustion, and does not melt or drip; it
forms a char which is insulating and self-extinguishing, ...
27
It is apparently not safe, among the poor today who have to use it as they have no alternatives, it leads to all sorts of health problems.
It is also a worse polutant than burning wood.
On the reverse side of the environmental equation, raw biomass is known to emit a number of particulates as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Burning solid ...
answered Dec 10 '18 at 19:58
Charlie Brumbaugh
67.9k27 gold badges182 silver badges375 bronze badges
24
Fires must be attended at all times!
There is no such thing as, "the best way to leave a fire unattended for a short time," your fire is either being attended, or your fire is thoroughly extinguished and your pit is left cold, no argument. There are no conditions where an open pit fire can be left alone and be 100% guaranteed not to spread. It's the people ...
23
To get a long lasting fire, you have to limit the cumbustion somehow. Think embers as apposed to much flame.
Wood stoves are specifically engineered to allow you to control the rate of combustion. This is done by controlling the air intake to the fire, which limits oxygen, which limits the combustion rate. A wood stove can be built nicely sealed, so the ...
21
I see three priorities:
Make sure no one gets hurt
Make sure possessions needed for survival (food, tents) are not destroyed
Make sure the fire doesn't spread further and become a forest fire
If the campsite you're using is an officially-sanctioned one, this last is probably the least likely to be a problem. You have a large group of people, so you can ...
19
Make a big fire. This may sound silly and couterintuitive, but the reason is pretty simple.
If you make a small fire you need to put your stuff pretty close to it to have any chance of drying it in a decent amount of time.
And if you put clothes or boots near the fire, then you concretely risk to burn them.
While if you make a bigger fire, your equipment ...
17
Additional to the other tips and warnings I would like to mention one special tecnique I found in the book "Outdoor Praxis" by Rainer Höh.
Basically it consists of some kind of reflector fire, but the reflector will feed the fire instead. You would stick two or more thick, maybe even green, branches in the soil to support the reflector. Make sure to ...
17
First, lets dispel a common myth: Rock fire rings do absolutely nothing to contain, corral, or control a fire.
That being said, a fire needs 3 things: air, fuel, and heat. An overabundance of one will create an uncontrollable fire. Thus, keep the following in mind:
Consult the local fire conditions. Public lands agencies will rate the fire conditions. Heed ...
17
There are two possibilities.
As Olin Lathrop states it's a grindstone, and would be used to sharpen, or "file" things. It that's the case, then you would not use it to start a fire.
It's part of a fire starting kit. I say a part, because fire starting kits usually have something like flint, that you would strike against something like a steel part. Flint ...
16
If you absolutely must have a fire, reset your thinking from "fire pit" to "fire mound"
Creating a fire mound is a great way to enjoy a back-country fire with little to no impact to the ground / vegetation.
Carry a small sheet of plastic, burlap, or a section of an old fire shelter, or anything of the like (it shouldn't get hot enough to burn if your mound ...
15
In the context of camping, it's perfectly safe to wear a down jacket. Keep in mind that fleece is typically also made from synthetics, and so can be expected to have similar properties to your down jacket. (Actually somewhat worse, given the texture.)
A table of synthetic fiber characteristics at http://www.tensiontech.com/tools_guides/...
14
In addition to great strategy advice by Kate Gregory and berry120, there are some technical points.
Take a deep breath
If there is no immediate health/life risk, take a deep breath and think a little. 1-5 minutes of planning beforehead will help you do important things first, and avoid doing unnecessary or dangerous things.
At this time, you will decide, ...
14
Like most activities, campfires aren't simply ethical or unethical. There are only a few things in this world that are always ethical or always unethical. Rather, there are ethical and unethical ways to behave. I don't expect a campsite to look exactly like the land around it - I understand there will be artificial clearings in the trees, perhaps a sign ...
14
I think this largely depends on the specific area you are traveling in. My approach is to always minimize campfires in the backcountry as a general rule. That being said, if I am in an abundant backcountry environment, where there is an already well made fire ring, I have no qualms making an occasional fire from dead, down, dry, and less than wrist size ...
14
Different land managers have different takes on this so I don't think you're going to get a solid answer that applies across all areas.
I generally use the term "trail camp" to describe what you're talking about. An area with up turned rocks for sitting and doing stuff on, a fire ring, some flat spots for sleeping, etc.
I've never dismantled a single one, ...
14
It boils down to the point what one could really do in such a situation.
When I trek in India, I do come across such situations that beg some action from me and other sensitive people around. I define scope of 'what can I do' as following:
Don't be outnumbered!:
If we are outnumbered, I will rather opt to report it to the authority, without threatening the ...
14
Efficiency, mostly
The fire should be able to burn very hot.
Less fuel is needed (faster cooking).
Produces less smoke.
Less susceptible to wind.
Light is shielded.
Easy to cover up to extinguish.
Covering it to remove evidence is easier.
Support for cookware is easily added (something like green sticks across the top is possible).
Should produce less ...
14
Vehicle fuels have to do more than just burn. They have to ignite as expected, not clog fuel filters and not bring too much water with them; they may also have to lubricate. This means old vehicle fuels might run rough or have trouble starting. Old vehicle fuel can still be brunt in unfussy engines, at least if mixed with fresh in small quantities. New ...
13
This isn't a direct answer to the question, but I want to point out that most ordinary forest fires pose little danger to humans. It is the relatively unusual crown fires which can be very dangerous.
In generally dry pine forests, like many parts of the western US, forest fire is a natural and relatively frequent (from the point of view of long-lived trees)...
13
Its not necessarily bad as long as you are careful, also somewhat dependent on material.
Generally, you want to arrange your clothes so that they are about a temperature where you could comfortably hold your hand. If your clothes are steaming keep a close eye on them and think about moving them back.
Material is also an important factor synthetic ...
13
May Lake is lovely. Hoffman is a great peak to bag while you're there.
As I recall, the camping at May Lake is quite well developed and you should find bear boxes and legal metal fire rings there.
It sounds like you have an expectation that when camping, it's nice to have a camp fire. I think a lot of people have positive associations with those things....
12
I would say any time you're in an undeveloped area, it is OK and perhaps the most ethical thing to do, to dismantle fire rings. They encourage over-use of a particular spot, collect trash, etc.
When you're in a developed camping area, you should not dismantle them. Having the fire ring there ensures that the damage from fires is kept to one area, thus ...
11
You touched on one thing: fires are often seasonal. Want to avoid fires in the Canadian Rockies? Come in the winter time. Want to risk smoke inhilation in the BC interior, come visit in August. Find out what the situation is in the area you are visiting, for the extent of your visit. Most parks have fire safety levels that clearly indicate whether the fire ...
11
A good burning barrel needs holes near the bottom to supply air. A pick axe or a geology hammer works well for putting in the holes. Put most of them between 6 and 12 inches from the base.
Used for burning trash on a weekly basis a barrel lasts for years. If you store it where it is dry, it will last longer, as the alternation of heat and wet causes it ...
11
The practice recommended by the Forest Service here, and here is,
When the ashes are COLD and DEAD OUT, the ashes can simply be scattered outside of the campsite.
I would say that the more widely spread the better, as that decreases the visual impact.
I would certainly commend you if you chose to pack the ashes out, but I don't think that it's strictly ...
10
Two parts to this answer: First, I am playing around with some statistics on assaults and murders in the US National Parks, and I am coming to the conclusion that the most dangerous animal in the outdoors is homo sapiens, who will be attracted by your fire.
Second, maybe 20 years ago I read a speculation by a respected anthropologist, the gist of which was ...
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