Firecraft is a perishable skill as I have learned. It is also a skill that cannot be mastered by completing a task once or twice. Making fire in actual rain is much different than using wet wood after a rain. If anyone thinks they are in good shape because they can throw a log in the creek and make a fire out of it they are mistaken although that's not an easy task either. I am no master and only have 3 fires in the rain with no shelter, cover, or man made tinder but this one was my best I think. The prep was lacking but it got going and each attempt leaves me with more knowledge. Tools used were a firesteel, folding saw and a 4 inch knife, no man made tinder splitwood only.
To prove it was raining:
Here is my chosen tree, a hedge, dead and off the ground:
My prep, it was just enough but I should have had much much more. I also skipped a whole size of prep from what I normally do for some unknown reason:
Prep was protected from the falling rain by Hickory bark while I worked although looking back I needed more bark since you can see much of the the prep is soaked. I was however very protective of the scrapings and shavings so they were able to dry out the larger fuel:
We have fire!
Making the reward:
Today I felt good about how I did, I got the fire going first try and it never went out. I still need a lot more practice though. My prep like I said was adequate but would not have left any room for failure so next time I need much more along with another piece of Hickory bark for cover. Oh, and making fire in the cold rain while soaking wet makes things much more difficult, this is NOT like making a fire in normal conditions. I actually think this is why I skimped on prep and didn't bother to find more bark. Go out there and try it, you won't be disappointed with the skills you build!
This is how I should have done it, enough prep for 3 whole fires but laziness is apparently magnified in cold rain.
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Originally Posted by Dura Mater
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