Thanks brother! Hope you are doing well! Can’t wait to work with you in the Spring again

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Do you ever use magnesium dust or shavings in poor weather?

@@cheswick617 I don't. Its not something I carry since ferrocerium rods are already part magnesium. Magnesium burns so quickly that it does very little for drying out marginal tinder and getting a fire going in wet weather. That and the amount of effort it takes to scrape off. Fatwood and Fatwood shavings are what I carry for wet weather and would recommend. Long burn time and easier to process.

Nice, thanks brother!! Let me know how it comes out.

I remembered to do them in this video!

It can be elusive in some places and abundant in others. Personally, I have never found it south of the 42nd parallel in the Northeast. Doesn't mean it isn't there, I have just never found it personally. I have also never found it below 1000' ASL personally. I am not sure about Montana, haven't been up there to look for it. Do you have a lot of white birch trees?

My immediate area was wiped out by disease from what I was told, I have to drive 30 miles to nearest resource, and then work around cutting and uses restrictions. There are Cedar restrictions as well.

I am testing that now, it seems to be a better option for the zippo but I need to let it sit in storage for a bit to see how it holds up

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret I've used this method for a few years now and find that the Zippo stays viable for at least 6-9 weeks if the innertube is snug enough. I still don't trust if long-term or a s a primary source of fire, but one of the nice things about the Zippo, it's still a great source of spark so long as the flint is good...

@@mudgunner49 nice. I still dont trust them either for long term (I keep a Bic n my pocket EDC no matter what). The Bic is a good spark still even after the fuel is gone as well, so either is good for that.

Might cause loss of a painted finish, but should be fine directly on metals. Does work very well for waterproofing.

That’s another one I need to try, haven’t heard that one

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret If carrying a Bic, I put it in the balloon first, then inside a "Menthos" gum case which is the perfect size for a solid container that keeps it from being accidentally depressed although wrapping a rubber band under the trigger will also do that. There's also some room left over for a few strike anywhere matches in there too. This year, I've put down the ferro rod myself and am going to try to light my fires with matches. That's REALLY going to test my tinder bundle building skills to the max. People think matches are easy, but they're not. You have a window of 5 seconds before it all starts going downhill. Got an old school Boy Scouts Match Safe and a box or Diamonds and I'm ready for the season. Thanks for the videos man. It's great so see some common sense out there brother.

The Survival Lighter Mods, I still ned to do that video. I have to spend a little time testing and tweaking things before I can recommend them. Sometimes things are slow going but its a more trustworthy recommendation in the long run

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Josh, no worries. I agree with taking the proper steps to make the best presentation. Thanks for the reply.

It has been one of the best purchases I have ever made, outstanding pouch

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret is it the small or the large pouch, I'm wanting to order one but they have sizes.

Aaron Ivy I have the small one

Welcome!

I may be one of the last people qualified to give fitness tips. I just go outside all the time and hike around in the woods. I don't do any sort of fitness training or program.

Ok! Try and do my best every day and go for a 5km walk/hike. you videos encourage me to do more. Thanks! and I will get my family out as well! Cheers! @@GrayBeardedGreenBeret

Sounds cool, I haven’t ever used a peanut lighter yet. I have heard of them

Micah Knepper At -20F it's tough to get a fire going,fire prep is very important. I agree with the lighter fluid,if you have it.

I had my youngest son out once in cold, wet weather to teach him some skills and between us we had about ten different ways to start a fire any one of which would have worked just fine otherwise, but there was just no dry wood to be found. A can of lighter fluid would have done it, I just don't like carrying stuff that can leak all over everything else. Anyway, what it finally came down to was a last resort road flare and a bunch of sap scraped off some little trees. Now I make sure I always carry road flares in my pack.

@@shaneneedles2118 That's a great story, and a great lesson for your son. I'm sure he'll remember that for the rest of his life. As for lighter fluid, I was mostly joking. It's fine for car camping, otherwise I'm going with Trioxane (ala Nutnfancy!).

Yes, I treat them myself

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret good stuff mate, I am a bit hesitant to do that as potassium nitrate is the primary ingredient in gun powder and living in Australia and knowing my government as I do I don't want to end up on a watch list or worse. I just buy treated slow matches and forgo the hassles of worrying about treating the cotton myself. I have found if you buy quality lamp wicks they do take a spark from flint and steel well any way, but they are nearly as expensive as slow matches.

@@waveman0 very true. The charred end of a lamp wick is pretty darn good, for sure

I keep a striker in the brass tin with my flint and steel kit and other matches with a striker in my backpack kit. Layered approach, this just shows my belt pouch fire kit

Badger Claw Outfitters

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret thanks

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret is that the small or large one you're wearing? Thanks!

You absolutely do not need to plug the hole after you take it off the fire. I never have and have never seen that happen. Most tins you don't even need to put a hole in (unless its a screw top that seals tightly). Punkwood is wood that is soft and spongy, it has begun to decompose so essentially it is rotting wood. Feels like a soft foam. Check out my videos on char cloth and charring natural materials, I get pretty in depth on both.

badgerclawleatherworks.com/products/badger-claw-possibles-pouch

I did, it was in solution and soaked and then I air dried it overnight.

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret what liquid did you mix the powder with?

AG Survival just water

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret awesome thanks for your time Josh!

I don't remember the ratio I used, I had done a test batch and never actually filmed it or came back around to doing a video on using it. I did dissolve it in water first and soak it. I will have to revisit it again

120ml nitrate to 1 liter water.. pre soak the roap in warm water.. then soak in solution for 24 hours. lay flat to dry.. if it spits and sputters like a sparkler you have too much nitrate. Dont hang dry.. you can dry it on a cookie sheet in a electric oven.. but it is an explosive in a oven so thats at your own risk.

You will never be sorry about having a Hudson Bay Tobacco Tin

It has a lot of uses, I just don't use it.

The other big hit has been lollipop wrapers when I intro ferro rods to the kids. They really catch a spark nice. It's important to have your materials ready because they don't create a lot of heat but even the cheap wrapers have a 20 sec burn time.

I have used fat wood as a bearing block, that is my go-to in areas that have it available. It is not faster than this steel, though. I dont have to cut or shape the steel or put a divot in it, and its extremely smooth and fast.

I have one of those now that I am running, it doesn't evaporate because of the O-ring like you said. I need to give it a couple more months of storage to test it again but so far so good

Would a Ranger Band around the Zippo help with the evaporation? I quit carrying Zippo's years ago for that reason, but got the idea when I saw the tape seal in this video.

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret it's expensive but if it works without evaporation I'd pay it!

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret If they use the right "O"rings it will be good dang near forever. My only concern (which may not be valid) is pressure build-up. Pressurized fumes might be explosive and might dislodge an "O"ring. No less safe than a BIC which we don't worry too much about. ATB!

I have a small ranger band on the cap for grip taking it on and off

I’m not sure if he is still making them. Valley Forge on FB.

Bic lighter in my pocket at all times, yes. Thats an EDC item along with a 3-ft piece of tarred bank line

Yes, I have seen a couple his videos. Its a great channel and he has great content.

Beginner questions are my favorite, they represent someone else getting themselves out into the woods to enjoy nature. Charred material is essentially carbon stripped of all other impurities that is ready to accept even the smallest spark to get a fire going. It makes every fire easier to achieve ignition. The second half of this video (with not so good audio, but that's the way it goes sometimes) shows using charred material with a couple flint and steel techniques as well as a lighter that is out of fuel but still makes a spark: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o7RgZ6hy3ZrFd4U.html and this one shows how to use it with solar ignition: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eNqSi5Njua3Niqc.html

Haha that's awesome! Now I need to add that to my list of nicknames and make t-shirts. I do have an Ultralight Bushcrafter, its a great blade but I am not a big fan of maintaining convex grinds. Thats just a personal preference, some dont mind it at all. The CPM3V doesnt need a lot of maintenance. It is a bit large for a neck knife, that was a belt knife in my opinion. My favorite neck knives have been Mora Classic's, but for the past several months I hav been field testing a Kamrat from Lester River Bushcraft (made by LT Wright) lrbushcraft.com/kamrat-knives/. I haven't done a video on it yet, but it is a clear winner for me in the neck knife category. Absolutely love the thing. It is a true backup knife also, it can do everything my belt knives can do.

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Hahahaha, dude, please make those! I'll have to order 5 immediately for me and my nieces and nephews! Gray Beard the Forest Wizard. Awesome info, thank you very much. I looked at that knife and it may be my first LT Wright. About time. Cant wait to share this with the kiddos!

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Hey Josh, got another knife question for you- I really appreciate all your advice. So I really like the look of the Kamrat. It's a design I know will be super comfortable. I'm looking for a high carbon steel backup knife to my main belt knife, which is a CPM3V Surive!Knives knife. That said, it's between the Kamrat you suggested and the Tops Tanimboca Puukko. Any experience with the Tops?

@@chrisgrey2417 I have not used that particular TOPS, I can't get past the screws on the scales, but it could be a great blade. I have played with the BOB and wasn't blown away by it. In my opinion, TOPS doesn't compare to LT Wright. I was blown away by the Kamrat.

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret Dammit. I feel the same, even never having owned a LTW knife. I was hoping to get off the hook for less than $100, but a product like the Kamrat is an heirloom knife that wilk get passed down to one of my nieces or nephews. Just ordered a brown micarta one off Lester River site. I already feel better. Besides, my nephew's 10th birthday is in March. So he'll probably get the Tanimboca. Problem solved. Look forward to your review of the Kamrat! Thanks again for taking the time to respond and for your help. Soon as you have some shirts going, whether they be Forest Wizard or something else, I'll be showing my support by outfitting myself and the kiddos with them!

Oops wrote before i read....i see others beat me to the punch.....

We get dangerous cold in the Adirondack Mountains, I don't mess around with being able to get a fire

Do you have a specific question that actually pertains to me and what I do or are you expecting me to answer for all these other people you are calling experts about what they do? The lenses I carry are not so weak that they would only light char or specific fungi. Primarily I use dried bark or rabbit pellets, and my lenses are probably only 4-5x. I also recommend fresnel lenses all the time which are plastic. I have at least two videos on this channel about solar ignition. Have you seen those?

@@GrayBeardedGreenBeret sorry wasn’t calling the other people who’s vids I’ve binge watched in this subject today experts, just ‘alleged’ experts, while differentiating you from them because its obvious you are one :) Now that miscommunication is cleared up, I found this vid of yours just now kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i8qIkrp1przRZ4E.html Which proves a magnifying lens “can” ignite natural tinder that wasn’t pre-prepared by charring I watched a lot of vids today by various survival teachers or even just people who thought they knew enough about solar ignition to make a vid on it and many of them proved the others wrong :) so it seems to be a very misunderstood method which is unfortunate because its the only one that’s indefinitely sustainable at no cost of money or calories Many said categorically that a magnifying lens can’t light anything but tree fungus and previously charred material meaning they’ve never seen anyone light natural tinder directly which is amazing considering their alleged skill level of being a teacher. But then others, many not even pretending to be survival teachers succeeded pretty easily so the amount of misunderstanding in the survival community is surprising :) The key seems to be the size of the lens which captures more ‘photons’(?) rather than magnification power, but magnification helps too, of course the darkness of the tinder as you also pointed out in the vid of yours I linked above, but one guy got a bunch of simple dried pine needles to burst into flame without needing an ember to blow into a tinder nest, it was like he took a bic lighter to it I’ll see if I can find the vid in my KZfaq history But it’s just surprising that it’s such a poorly understood technique by so many while being the easiest, cheapest and most sustainable long term when done right EDIT:found the vid of someone who created flame the fastest, using just a 2X magnifier but it was a big ‘page’ magnifier, damn pine needs just burst into flame in seconds 😆 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q96TY7J2lqionqc.html