Survivaltek is pleased to post "How To" videos at Metacafe with hopes to help others prepare for emergency situations by illustrating the ways and means to survive. You can view all of the videos on the Survivaltek Channel and if you like what you see, please rate them FIVE STARS to increase their viewership. - Thanks!

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Make Fire Using Empty Flintwheel Lighter

The principle element is the SPARKS that the lighter can produce. I've used the sparks in many different ways to make fire by using various gases, dry tinder, and wet fuel. Generally gases are captured in soap bubbles when the gas is released into soapy water. Dry tinder that works best is fine fibers like cattail fluff or cotton based dryer lint. Wet fuel that ignites easiest are spirits based solvents with just a dab on a cloth or rag. There are some alcohol based gels like hand sanitizer that work as well.
To access the sparks most efficiently, remove the collar or wind screen first. Hold the lighter close to the tinder and turn the wheel.

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Emergency Fire Using Hacksaw Blade

The sparks that comes from steel are actually small shavings being sheared off the steel by the sharp-edged glassy rock, which is harder than steel. The spark can be caught by different tinders like char cloth, inonotus obliqus (or chaga) fungus, or as illustrated here, very fine steel wool.

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Light Candles With A Microwave Oven

In this video, it only took 4 seconds to generate a spark which lit the candle. You may notice that I placed one end of the wire at the top of the wick, and the other end at the bottom. The gap between is the action area of the spark.

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Emergency Candle From Crayon

As seen in the video, the waxy crayon is a similar fuel as a candle. Instead of a wick in the center of the rod, the paper label on the outside acts as a wick. If you melt a little wax on the plate, you can place the crayon on the liquid wax which will act as an adhesive so that the crayon will be more stable if you should need to move around with your new light source.

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CD Signal Mirror In Emergency

The trick to using a mirror for signaling is to reflect light from the sun onto the tip of your finger, and while tracking your finger tip, position your finger tip on the target that you wish to signal. The advantage of the CD is that you can look through the center hole and monitor your mirror positioning... similar to sites on a gun. You can practice this method by targeting reflective signs like road signs and licence plates. They light up when you align the CD correctly, thus giving you positive feedback on your aim.

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2 Minute Stove For $1

This alcohol stove is called a chimney stove, because the air that enters throught the lower holes creates an updraft inside the can and accelerates the flame. The best fuel to use is Denatured Alcohol because it burns clean and complete. I used the 70% Isopropyl Alcohol in the video for 2 reasons: Cost; and because most people have it in their medicine cabinet. You can also use 50% Isopropyl Alcohol, but these Isopropyl Alcohols tend to be sooty and leave liquid behind after the flame expires.

Using liquid fuels can be hazardous, and the design of this style burner can be tipsy, so it would be prudent to do it outdoors, or, if indoors, perhaps set it inside a pan or tray in the event it should tip over. I invert an empty coffee over the stove and cover it in order to extinguish it. Also, when you first light the stove, let it burn for a little bit so that the device can heat up before you place a cup or pan on top.

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Dandelion Tinder Fire Using Sparks

Dandelions have so much to offer. Outside of edible parts like the flower, leaves and root, it also provides tinder for spark-based fire making. As illustrated in the video, the fuzzy nature of the seed cluster catches sparks nicely, much like cattail duff. Dry seed clusters will work best when not damp, so avoid morning dew or rainy weather. I often collect discarded empty flintwheel lighters for this very purpose. You can experiment with other fluffy materials as well like milkweed or other seed puffs that you come across in your outings.

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Soda Bottle Fire Making Method

I originally tried using bottles and clear concave devices by filling enough water to make a lens. The problem was that the water jiggled and the focal point danced all over, and was very difficult to optain a coal. Then I used a small water bottle that was totally water filled, thus eliminating a jiggly water surface. Having a steady focal point is critical.

Now you need to focus on the tinder. The best optical tinder is dry compressed particles. Suprisingly, the handiest tinder is dry horse manure... yes that's right - horse manure. However, you can compress pencil shavings, crushed leaves, etc.. Once you focus your lens, slowly move the hot spot outward in concentric circles because you expend the fuel in a spot if you stand still, but by moving slowly, continue to heat the area to the point of combustion.

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Empty Lighter Fire Method

Empty Lighters are still useful when you know how to use them. Aerosol deoderant sprays provide a combustible fuel that sparks can ignite. Part of the elements are isobutane propellent and alcohol base. It sometimes helps to wait a few seconds after spraying to allow oxygen to mix with the vapors to reach a better flashpoint. By holding tinder such as a tissue next to the empty lighter when you spray the aerosol, the tinder will capture the combustible fuel and thus enhance combustion when the lighter lights.

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Emergency Magnifier

Magnification happens when an image appears larger than normal. Naturally, our iris adjusts to light by enlarging or constricting to light. A large opening has limited depth of field, or limited focus. A constricted iris is smaller but has greater depth of field or greater focus. A pinhole is smaller that our pupil, thus having even greater focus and depth of field, and although darker, objects can be brought closer to your eye than normal so that the image that falls on your retina is larger, and thus appears magnified.

If you get caught in a situation where you forgot your glasses, or the printing on a label is just to small to read, a pinhole magnifier can save the day.

A pinhole magnifier can be made from a variety of materials... preferably opaque and dark. Items that I've used include leaves, gum wrappers, aluminum foil, and yogurt lids to mention a few. I've found that a modern plasic coffee can lid works wonderfully. Take a pair of sissors and cut out a rectangle... preferably business card size so that you can carry it with you for emergency situations.

Take a pin and poke a hole in the center. In fact, poke different sized holes spaced apart so that you can experiment with different focus capabilities that each provides. Larger holes are brighter but less focused, whereas smaller holes are sharper but darker.

Next, hold the card over you eye and bring the object to view within a few inches. You'll be surprized at the detail that you see. Pinholes create extreme focus, so you can observe minute detail. Try reading the names of states above the pillars or the Lincoln Memorial picture on the back of a Five Dollar Bill.

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Strike A Match Method

Match-book matches are often called "safety matches" because it takes two parts to successfully cause ignition... the match head contains phospherous as does the strike-pad on the back of the cover. The two parts when rubbed together create enough heat to cause ignition. I started exploring the idea that safety match-book matches might be lit if I treated them like fire-by-friction wood... that is, if I pre-heated the match by rubbing it slightly before I used a mild friction surface to strike on. It worked on the ceramic bottom of a cup, so I enthusiasticly showed my son who just plain struck it quickly and succeeded. I continued to explore this discovery and found other objects that worked, such as a medium surface sharpening stone, and a semi-glossy brick. Surprisingly, you can strike a match on a pane of glass too, but it can cause damage to the glass. I'd be glad to hear about your striking surface discoveries. Visit my  Contact  page and let me know how it worked for you.

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