5 Surprising Ways To Create Fire Without A Lighter Or Matches

Conventional Ways of Creating Fire

We all know the importance of starting a fire in a survival situation and hopefully many of you prepare for this ahead of time by bringing a lighter, matches or some other conventional firestarter. However, there will be times when you are in need of fire but do not have your firestarter with you. That is where these survival hacks come into play. These five survival hacks show you alternative methods to start a fire using common household items.

Start a Fire Using Chemicals

There are many combinations of chemicals that will cause an instant combustion. The most common chemicals you might find in your house that can achieve this is Potassium Permanganate and Glycerin. Potassium Permanganate is commonly used in water filters such as for a fish tank or swimming pool. Glycerin is commonly used for creating skin care products or shampoos.

Steps

1. Create a pile of Potassium and tap the center down to create a indent
2. Poor a small amount of the Glycerin inside the indent
3. Capitalize on the quick burst of flame by having tinder ready

There will be a delay of up to 1 minute where nothing will happen. Then the pile will suddenly burst into flame. The flame will only last a matter of seconds so make sure you have tinder on stand-by to take advantage of the flame.

Start A Fire Using a USB Cable

It is possible to use electricity from a USB cable to start a fire. This will work with any USB power source including a laptop or car charger.

Steps

1. Cut a cable and split the positive and negative wires apart
2. Each cable will be made up of many smaller fiber, separate out the smaller fibers on each cable
3. Connect one or two of the smaller fibers between the two cables making sure the remainder of the smaller fibers are folded away or cut off completely
4. Plug the USB cable in and the fibers connecting the two cables should start heating up and glowing
5. Place paper, leaves or any other thin flammable material on these heated fibers

This trick works because the electricity that normally flows through the two wires is now being forced to flow through only a few thin strands. This excessive electricity causes these strands to radiate heat and would eventually cause them to burn through and break if left plugged in.

Start a Fire With a Light Bulb

This survival hack can be used with just about any light bulb including household lights, car headlights or an interior car light. Light bulbs work by electricity flowing through a thin wire and causing the wire to glow (similar to the above hack). To keep the wire from completely burning up, the amount of oxygen available is restricted by the glass bulb around the wire. Without the glass bulb the wire would burn up in a matter of seconds. You can use this concept to your advantage by using the intense heat of the light bulb to ignite flammable materials and start a fire.

Steps

1. Disconnect or turn off the bulb
2. Break the glass
3. Place your tinder close to the light bulbs wire
4. Turn the light on

Start a Fire Using Water

Yes, you read that right. It is possible to start a fire using water. Here are 5 ways! Most of these rely on the power of the sun and use water to focus the suns rays on a single point.

• Light bulb filled with water
• Plastic wrap and water
• Picture frame, plastic wrap and water
• Curved water bottle
• Sodium and water chemical fire

Start a Fire Using a Ladle

A ladle just happens to be a perfect parabolic reflector and with it you can focus the light and energy from the sun onto a single point to start a fire.

1. Point the center of the ladle at the sun
2. Place your flammable material above the ladle and adjust to find the focal point of the suns light