Last week we talked about powder horns, and there was a passage about not being able to start fires without a powder horn.
Let's dig a little deeper into firestarting and see what the sources have to say.
I found very little on how to actually start a fire, just a few passages, and none of them mention using a powder horn.
I would guess (and guesses are just that) that the horn and bag were carried together, and losing the bag was the part that
was important to fire starting. But, they may very well have been using powder to light their tinder.

From Ruxton:
Fire-making is a simple process with the mountaineers. Their bullet-pouches
always contain a flint and steel, and sundry pieces of “punk” [16] or tinder; and pulling a handful
of dry grass, which they screw into a nest, they place the lighted punk in this, and, closing the
grass over it, wave it in the air, when it soon ignites, and readily kindles the dry sticks forming the
foundation of the fire.

From Clyman (his spelling is very creative):
“Allthough the wind blew and the fine frosty snow crept in and around us this was not the worst
for the cold hard frozen earth on which we lay was still more disagreeabi so that sleep was out
of the Quetion by turning every method for rest day light at last apeared when we consulted
what we had best do under the circumstances and it was agre that I should arise and gather some
sage brush which was small and scarce and wold remain under the Buffaloe robe and keep his
hands warm if posibi to strike fire But all our calculations failed for as soon our hands became
exposed to the air they became so numb that we could not hold thee flint and Steel we then
reourse to our guns with no better Success for the wind was So strong and for the want of some
fine metireal to catch the fire in we or my comrade raped himslf in his robe and laid down
after a great struggle I made out to saddle my hore and was about to leave the inhospitable not
wishing to leave my friend I asked him if he Could ride if I saddled his horse but he thought not
and was unwilling to try I then made several unsuccesful efforts to obtain fire Just as I was
about to mount and leave I run my hand in the ashes to see if any warmth remained to my Joy
found a small cole of fire alive not larger than a grain of Corn throwing it in to hand full of
metirial I had gathered it starte a blaze in a minuit and in one minuit more I had a fine fire

From George Catlin:
Mah-to-toh-pa sat cross-legged before me, cleaning his pipe and preparing it for a cheerful
smoke when I had finished my meal. For this ceremony I observed he was making unusual
preparation, and I observed as I ate, that after he had taken enough of the k’nick-k’neck or bark of
the red willow, from his pouch, he rolled out of it also a piece of the “castor,” which it is customary
amongst these folks to carry in their tobacco-sack to give it a flavor; and, shaving off a small quantity
of it, mixed it with the bark, with which he charged his pipe. This done, he drew also from
his sack a small parcel containing a fine powder, which was made of dried buffalo dung, a little of
which he spread over the top, (according also to custom,) which was like tinder, having no other
effect than that of lighting the pipe with ease and satisfaction. My appetite satiated, I straightened
up, and with a whiff the pipe was lit, and we enjoyed together for a quarter of an hour the most
delightful exchange of good feelings, amid clouds of smoke and pantomimic signs and gesticulations.

From Zenas Leonard:
On the fourth I happened where the wolves had killed a
buffaloe. — Here I satisfied my appetite by collecting all the meat that was left on the bones,
made a fire by rubbing two sticks together, and cooked it

Lost Greenhorn by Alfred Jacob Miller

thanks K snow.. Man we have it easy, and I'm glad!!

Thanks K

Good read K.Snow. Thank you for sharing.

Funny what we take for granted these days.

Castor infused tobacco...well, they have castor extract in ice cream too right?

Why a lot of castoreum winds up in the middle east-gotta fill the hookah.

My Flint N' Steel Tins and
their Pouch Ive' had and use every spring,summer and fall
occasionally winter camps... Much rarer for me now in the winter. But my set is next to my
Brown bear claw necklace something in my life after this divorce. That I realize is like sacred to me. And I had one of the kits made by a blacksmith on here, and then I wanted to order some more from him because they turned out absolutely beautiful. And they worked great so I gave my daughter, that's the most like me. My Cobra Straker that I've had all of 25 years and I took the newly made one that was an identical replica. And works just as well, so I gave her some flint and a tin and some jute, and some birch bark and some grasses.But you don't need much besides the jute.

She also got a separate 10 for making Char. Cloth .

And also a pouch and attend that you can carry live calls in. If you don't want to use the striker. And the Char cloth and the Flint, you can just use your live calls that you carry from camp to camp. They will last several hours if packed right

And with just a hint of powdered buffalo chip, just to get it going.

It would appear that powdered buffalo chip will catch a spark. Unfortunately, I am fresh out of buffalo chip to try.

The history nerd in me kinda wants to try it out now. Maybe not to light a pipe, but to see how well it catches a spark.
I am guessing cow chips wouldn't work the same. I do know of a buffalo farm not too far from home, maybe I'll have to stop by.

I have zero patience. My fire starting method: diesel and a road flare. Not kidding. 100% effective. 1/2 cup of diesel poured on the tinder/ kindling - newspaper works. Stick a road flare in the middle. Not very mountain man of me but it never fails.

I bet if you had a time machine you could trade a self igniting propane torch for half s dozen horses, new clothes and 2-3 wives.

thanks, i enjoyed the read,