Hey folks, one note on this vid. I usually use the back of the sawblade for striking the ferro rod. Not sure what the hell I was thinking 🤪Too focused on making the vid I guess! Here's the book link as well amzn.to/3xG0gLP

Started learning true bushcraft skills last year. After a lot of time spent watching videos like yours and others like Gray Bearded Green Beret and Dave Canterbury I have become more capable in most situations. Last winter I went out in really bad conditions, days when it was raining after multiple days of snow. Some days it was near zero Fahrenheit, everything covered in ice. I had no problem starting a fire, keeping almost too comfortable, cooking food, and generally making a miserable and dangerous day in the woods actually pleasant. I am surprised at how little I need now to be comfortable in the woods in any weather. Thanks to all you experts for sharing your knowledge

You don't have to be good, you just have to be persistent. Very true.

if you're ever stranded in the woods in the rain, make sure you have a tarp, sharp knife, rope, a ferro rod, and a saw... i appreciate the 'survival' tips, but if you're really stranded I doubt anyone will have any of these things handy unless you're already prepared to be stranded.

I started a fire in a wet environment last night. What a confidence booster. Thanks Clay!

Most humble Alone winner to this day.

On the lighter side of starting fires in the rain... I was in military training at Ft. Bragg, NC in the early spring. We were in the field being all tactical. A major winter storm/ice storm/rain came in. It was about 33 degrees and raining for hours. Finally our cadre said, you can have a fire if you can get one going. One of the soldiers I was with was a lineman for the power company in California. He whips out half of a road flare and commences to get it lit and start a fire! lol. Then it was a matter of bringing in wood close enough to dry out before putting it on the fire. He said he always carries half a road flare, "just in case."

Clay, I struggle with feather sticks too. Driving the knife into the log and pulling the wood was a great tip. Also, pulling the ferro to prevent hitting the bundle (I’ve done that a hundred times)…that was a game changer. I feel stupid for not trying that before now. Thanks for the video.

Greetings Clay, I came across your video on starting a fire in the rain and enjoyed your techniques to get a fire going in adverse conditions, as well as how to obtain "dry" wood from a dead tree which is still standing, but one thing I've found, is a tree which has been dead for awhile will still be more than dry enough inside to obtain good/viable wood to make shavings or a fire stick with, as well as fuel for the fire. One thing I've used, for so many years now since I was in my early teens is a small plane to obtain the shavings I needed to initiate those first flames from a meager spark. Speaking of which, sparks, the early VW's eng cases were made from magnesium for several years and due to the fire hazard we're eventually discontinued in favor of aluminum instead - and as a result I managed to obtain a couple of cases which a friend would break up and file/grind into fine shavings with great care which I've used for years to produce more than enough sparks from a few grams of magnesium and only carry it in small apothecary bottles to avoid any possible static build up, One other item I've started using is the lint from the drier since it is 'safer' than magnesium and doesn't weigh practically anything, and a considerable amount can be carried without taking up any space to be concerned about. Although I'm 76 and have been doing this since I was ten I learned something new here so thank you.

Fixing the knife in the wood was a genius idea I never had come up with myself. So much more logical, reducing risk of slipping etc and increasing stability of the whole cutting process. Excellent video.

Great video! Like Ray Mears once said about fire; "The harder you need it, the more difficult it is to make."

That was impressive. I especially liked the way that risk in cutting the kindling was thought about and minimised. In my experience it is really easy to go from a relatively safe position into a dangerous situation outdoors just by getting injured needlessly. Losing the use of one hand with an axe, knife or saw accident makes everything 10 x harder even without major blood loss.

Excellent tips man. Making a base as you show is one thing I see so many people fail to do. Fire burns up and down and as you show, it helps retain heat and keep coals/embers going. The tip for splitting kindling and suggesting having everything prepped before sparks are thrown is spot on. Great vid and I appreciate your humility and attitude amigo!

Love your work Clay......as an ex Aussie special forces soldier it's great to see you adopting the 7 P's rule. Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents a Piss Poor Performance!

I’m loving this, Clay. This kind of content - taking the hardships seen on Alone and showing us real, practical ways of addressing it... that’s prime A1 stuff right there. I watch Alone with my daughter as a bit of educational entertainment. But yours is even better because you show us the skills and the ways you’ve come up with to be even more successful. Thank you!

That feather stick method is 🔥🔥🔥

Amazes me how various things just appear out of the sky. I expect there's a local Tesco and hardware shop just over the hill?

Always a good thing to practice. I found myself in a really heavy wet snow last elk season. It had rained a lot the prior day so everything was soaking wet. As I sat in some semi-protected place waiting for some visibility to return, I decided to test my fire making skills. I was under impressed by what I did accomplish and how long it took me to actually get one going. However, I learned a lot and have some new tricks to try next time. Thanks for putting these videos out there!

Clay, I think you're the best survival skills video producer I've come across. I'm 73 years old and lived alone for many years in the backwoods in northwestern Montana. You've taught me a few wrinkles I didn't already know. Many survival videos I've seen have silly aspects to them, but everything I've seen you put out is always sound and to the point. You also have a great sense of video production, balancing thorough presentation against unnecessary tedium, your shots are well set up, and your audio is great. Subscribed.

Hi Clay. I have a little tip for you from a foreign military background and years as a truck driver before the intro of racheting straps. I'll put it in a message on your FB . I'm a bit past hunting and tramping . Almost past truck driving too. I appreciate your open sharing of surviva; WELL THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN? Facebook has become too twitchy to function , there's some problem? Hang your loose end over the dominant crook of your arm . After it's all around your tree. I'm visual of a load anchor on deck. Pinch a bight where theres enough distance to tension up. Now lower down grab a bend in the tight side and drop your loose end into the gap between the bight and the bend. Which bend goes through bight to become captive. Now pulling the new loose end your hitch is already installed and tension everything. If it's done right you don't have to feed a hundred yards of rope through a loop. Truck hitch in half the time a rookie takes.

Thank you. I just spent 4 days in the woods and had a hell of a time building a fire. I'm a desert rat and usually have dry wood but not last weekend. It was so humid with the rain and hail that receipts I found in my bag wouldn't burn. I'm glad you showed how to do this in the rain rather than wetting wood for a few minutes under a sprinkler or quickly dipping tinder in a stream. I'm getting your book now.

Dude these are literally alone episodes just of you Clay. It is absolutely amazing. What you have done with the production of these and the camera work and everything that you learned from Alone I’d assume are absolutely incredible. It’s amazing to see you doing what you love man.

This guy is my favourite outdoorsman hands down!

One of the best fire starting videos I have ever seen. I didn't think I needed to learn anything new on the subject. I love the direction you drug the blade on the ferro rod & the knife stuck in the log to drag your feather stick on was pure genius my boy!

Excellent video Clay, been doing this “bushcraft” stuff for about 45 years. Your video was well explained and executed. Well done 👍

Years of doing this - still learned several cool tips. Love your humility and honesty, rare in these ‘I know everything’ vids. Thank you. Looking forward to reading your book…. Thanks brother…

Great content as always Clay. As it was once described to me; "cold, wet and windy is the worst case scenario. If you can still achieve flame you're golden." Thanks for all the hard work you are doing in the Trad and outdoor community. Keep it up!

I love watching someone who knows what he.s doing! And the way things are going, we might need this some day. Greetings from the Netherlands!

Keeping it simple, and straight forward. Best survival skills.

Clay, been watching your content for years. You got me into instinctive archery. I use a horsebow not a recurve now but you introduced me to the concept. I like that you don't act like a master of any of this stuff. Saying you're not that good at feather sticks and are still learning, but we know you're a legit survivalist, that's the mindset. Always learning. If it ain't raining you ain't training. I'm gonna go try this.

Have watched a number of fire starting videos and yours was the first to see you stabilizing the knife and pulling off that. Excellent idea. Thanks.

I like the knife fixed into the wood ...genius!! Good video! 👍

first off I love the cut safety tips alot of people do not know those ways. Especially how you made feather stick. Thanks clay, you give so many of us hope who are drawn to the woods but have our leashes to society snap out necks pulling us back into the never ending day to day chase of $. I'm 38 now it's been my dream since a small child to homestead deep in the woods every year goes by it's just seemingly more unlikely it will ever happen. I hate cellphones and this rat race were all forced to play. Only reason I have a smart phone is to keep my skills sharp being able to watch people like you until the small window opens allowing us to get out for a day or two. Ty. In all seriousness ty. If it wasnt for videos like yours I'd be truly miserable. They give me hope and even just while watching I drift off to my own experiences in the bush. Than the time clock rings and I'm snapped back whiplashed punching the clock again.

Nice to hear a great woodsman express a weakness, " creating feathers" and how to overcome, persevere! Not real skillful myself with feather sticks, so have found that the serrated blade in my Wave, can hog off shavings very well. The single bevel of this blade, works great, bevel down! Dead, dried, Catapa wood is my, fatwood, here. Thanks for sharing, Clay, Steve

Great vids bud. I wish we had tarps back in survival school. Sometimes you have to find natural shelter to prep your materials. No fire means long, long, cold nights ; )

Hey Clay, was watching this video randomly and didn’t even realize who you were until halfway through. Watched alone with the family and we were rooting for you. Congrats on your success.

Awesome stuff as always Clay. You have provided some great information since my family and I started following. Love the break-down each week following the new season of Alone as well. Keep up the great work!

Simple instructions,demonstrated well,great video! Thanks clay

"You don't have to be great at it, you just have to be persistent" never thought I would get some life wisdom out of a wet fire video

I’m trying to learn all the bushcraft skills because you never know when you will need this. Thanks for sharing

Excellent video. I love the way you made the fire stick and your method for striking ferro rod. I'll be doing both from now on. Thank You🇬🇧

Another great vid! Made me realise that i definitely practice in ideal conditions more often than not.

Lots of simple, common sense tips that are often overlooked. Excellent video. Thanks!

Scoutmaster for over 30 years. I tell my Scouts to always have a candle for sustained flame and the parrafin. Can be a game changer in wet conditions

Love this video! I've always wondered if there was an easier safer way to cut wood. And the featherstick idea was awesome too! Such great advice for starting fire in the rain! Thanks.

Thanks for this video Clay! While I was watching you do this, I imagined myself doing each step, near my campsite in the forest near me, using my tools and gear. I believe I will take you up on your suggestion, and actually go out and practice this, in rainy and wet conditions! Thanks again! Excellent video! David 😃

I came to this site to learn how to start a fire on a cold wet day. I wasn't expecting to have to make a fire so I had no ferro rod. That turned out to be one of two crucial ingredients: dry standing dead wood and a ferro rod.

Loved the tips about preparing everything beforehand, making the knife stationary for making a feather stick, and stationary striker/pulling the rod towards you to prevent knocking over your tinder pile! Thanks for such good info

Nice edits and camera angles. Well done. The knife mount into Log is a nice trick, had not thought of doing that. "Adds to tool box"

@ 8:25 great advice on the shavings, but never use the blade of your knife to scrape the ferro rod, use the spine of your knife if it has a 90 degree spine( you can make 1 with a file on any knife), or use the saw or file attachment on that multi tool. You risk the edge of your knife for when you need it. Other than that a very informative video.

From the looks of it, you did this during the spring and wet! A terrible time to find dry dead crispy material... Which is why this video is great! 👍

This video took the words out of my mouth. Couldn’t agree with it more.

Great video Clay! Very informative and may just make someone a lot more comfortable on a very bad night. Like I said before, you can keep the long term survivalist stuff! Although I respect it, I’m not doing it. But I do study what may keep me alive when stuck out one night. Thank you

Great tips! What about starting a fire in the same conditions but with no fire starter tools.

I love the way you put that in there. To build a fire in the rain or when everything is damp. I have been watching a lot of survival videos and I never thought about building a fire when it was not dry outside. Lol. Now you gave me something else to think about. Real life situation. I think I’m going to buy your book. Keep it up buddy!👍…… I also watched your video on how to get fresh water beside Creek By digging a hole in the ground….. You are right, our ancestors have been drinking water out of rivers for thousands of years. The government only teaches our children what they want them to know. True survival skills need to be taught in school.

Also, someone came up with the use of a wool blanket and a candle to survive in the cold. That is amazing!

Since Alone, do you find that you carry the axe more when heading into inclement weather? I haven’t noticed it in your recent hunting videos so am curious on when you think an axe is worth the preemptive space/weight. Great work! Thanks.

I like how you’re honest with areas your not so great at. Shows confidence in your abilities overall and is inspiring to others. Subscribed for sure!

i found the best way to accommodate for such instances as needing to start fire in rain is to prepare not to be in such an instance. failing that, my friend bic always comes travelling with me.

Absolutely, practice in adverse conditions, when you’re not in trouble, just for fun, just for the experience. This is great advice for many important outdoors skills. That way, when you do get outdoors, the skill is not the issue. You’ll do the right thing and it should work. Kentucky

Thanks for giving me another skill to go in my book. I love the fact that you taught us things throughout the video you gave us more info than we thought we were getting and that's the way this stuff should be

Great approach to tough conditions. The most important part is being patient enough to bother with the shelter first. One thing I've noticed on feather sticks -- they're much tougher with a mediocre knife like a Leatherman. My Spyderco and Esee deliver great results every time.

FANTASTICALLY explained and taught Thank you very much

Excellent teaching, you show common sense teaching Thank you Brother

Great video Clay! Thanks for making great content. Question: were you not worried about the heat from the fire damaging/melting your silnylon tarp?

instead of standing your chopping block back up every time, try just laying it down perpendicular to your axe. I like to camp next to downed trees to gather wood easier and provide the most stable chopping block. a "V" shaped notch allows you to step on sticks and logs to buck them down easier too

Wow it’s that easy? This should be the only how to start a fire tutorial on KZfaq. Everyone makes it look so hard with hit or miss techniques. Thank you!

Thanks for posting survival tips for those of us who are injury prone! For real-camping usually equals major first aid and sometimes stitches... much appreciated 👍 (I'm dead serious!).

I took a course with Mors Kochanski almost 20 years ago now and making fires with a feather stick and twig bundle were emphasized because of their importance to people in the boreal region and how quickly shit can go sideways if you can't get a fire going when you need one. Lessons from Mors are hard to forget, god rest his soul. I can tell Terry never got a chance to read his book, Northern Bushcraft, or study with Mors cause if he had of i doubt he would have had the issues that were shown. Good explanation and demonstration Clay, I'm sure some of your viewers will benefit from your tutorial.

Great video! I like the tips about fire building, not just getting flame, alot! I also really like the tips about dry wood in the rain/snow. Little things like standing dead, compared to leaning dead, or downed trees are useful bits of knowledge that so many people overlook. Thanks for taking the time to do these, and share your knowledge and experience! Not second guessing you, but to add a tip from my experiences, for people watching these and reading comments to learn, I like to put a little more time and structure into my build, rather than just having all of piece close by. The downside to my method is you actually have to be careful with what method you use while lighting it, because it is susceptible to being knocked over, and it is time consuming, so there are negative tradeoffs, but... I use two large pieces to surround my work area, then I make an open face teepee (open so I can still access the bundle) pile of tinder over/around my bundle. I like matchstick to pencil diameter sticks long enough to cover the bundle without having to use the bundle to hold them up. Around that I make a 3 sided (so I can still access the bundle) "log cabin" pile of a little larger pieces, about pinky to forefinger diameter, and build it up so it gradually narrows as it gets taller. That way, when the bundle catches, the fire is already built, so I just have to watch the flame spread. As the "cabin" starts to burn, the large pieces I had surrounding the work area become supports to lay larger pieces across, or prop up against, without risking knocking the fire over by trying to add them, or crushing it out by adding pieces too big too soon. That's especially helpful when it's cold or wet and the bigger pieces need more time to catch. The structure of the teepee catches pretty quick, and by placing it before lighting the bundle, again, I avoid smothering or knocking down the flame in the bundle, and the structure of the "cabin" will support the weight of a few pieces leaned I against it, slightly larger than the pieces is made from, without it collapsing, so you can keep the fire burning/building, if needed, until it catches the larger pieces. If you build it right, it's a single strike fire nearly every single time.

I love the safety approach to avoid the obvious dangers of cutting yourself. Why didn't I think of that? And the same approach to avoid knocking down your pile of kindling and start materials. Brilliant. 207 thousand + 1 subscribers

Just a joy to watch you do your thing. Great featherstick technique, great wood splitting technique, great video. Love the detail about the ferro rod shavings. If I could take only one thing into the wilderness, it would be a collection of your videos!

Sweet steps to a very successful fire start. The search for the vertical dead wood seems to be a huge first step. Great instructions for all explorers of any skill level.

Destroying the edge of your knife, the very tool that your life depends on. Excellent idea...

Great video, very refreshing to see up do exactly what you said you were going to do...without complaining about KZfaq suppressing your page or pushing your Etsy store with your merch. Very much enjoyed it!

When you get a fire during rain or snow when you're cold from processing, you get such a rush of joy!😂 I motorcycle camp quite a bit and practice primitive fire starting because it's fun and helps me pack light.

I got my ferro rod last Monday camping in a week I am in Alabama it’s been like 120 all summer inwent in the back yard this morning and tried to get a fire going spent 2 hours beating up my ferro rod then went to paper and it poured yesterday but never thought it would make conditions wet and damp enough not to start a fire… lots n lots to learn. Note to self damp shit down stay burning 🔥 about 5 times I was for sure it finally got enough heat did some lawn work came back in 10 min back to a smolder very very very good lesson today!!

Good tips mate! I don't bother with the feather stick, and just shave a pile. There's always the temptation not to gather sufficient material before one lights the fire. Too late once the fire's going to be running around in the rain looking for more. I cheat with a small piece of bicycle tube.

Clear and to the point. As it should be.

Awesome video man and this is great information for people who are not from wet climates but could one day find themselves there. Glad I watched this, you never know especially nowadays

how to make fire during rain: step one: wait for the rain to stop step two: make a shelter step three: make a regular fire in ur shelter as u would any other fire got it! u saved lives here man!

As a Boy Scout Troop Leader of 40 years, you did a pretty good job..

Splitting the tinder with your hand back under the axe handle was an excellent tip. I’ve never seen that before. Thanks!

The best part is how warm you get preparing all this. Nice techniques. I like the knife in log for the feather stick. Thank you.

I always cut in a trench between my grounding platform. I cut trench (2in deep) between and then extend them out about 6in. The air real pulls to the flame. GREAT POST!! Thank you!

Demonstrating the proper way to use a ferro rod....👏👏

Genius! That kind of basics survival skills should be teached in schools.

Even for dry conditions, this is the best and most concise fire making video I’ve ever seen

Hello! This is one of the best instructional videos I have ever seen for bush-crafting. Maybe it is even the best if it comes to start a fire in wet conditions. Greetings from Germany.

If you can start a fire amidst the rainy season - that’s rad!!😃👌🏼🇨🇦

My father, i will say grew up cutting stove wood for his and grandmothers survival. He was 5 years old carrying wood all my years watching him start fires naturally never have I seen him whittle sticks or tinder. Lol.. He used anything local that would burn and taught me how to utilized whats there pine needles and in a down pouring rain. Rotted pine knots with rosin to ignite like kerosene.

Good tips with keeping the blade fixed and pulling the feather stick against it. This is usually where most people injure themselves. Slow down, assess, then act. Good advice with the rod as well. My rule of thumb is ALWAYS BE AWARE OF ANY BLADE. A small cut can quickly become deadly in the bush.

Thanks for the video- watching this will help me teach other people too, because now I know some tricks to make the process easier if your hands are unsteady, or if I'm too cold and my hands aren't cooperating. Good stuff.

That woodshaving technique is genuis

Unbelievable.....All the great 'things' in this fantastic video!! Compliments!!

My father in law used to go out in the woods behind the house and find pine knots that had been sitting a while and those little pieces off there would light like it was soaked in gasoline! With very little spark. Pretty cool

Just learnt about the feather stick...thanks!

That shelter looks so nice I actually wanted to get in there and cozy up! Thank you brother! Freaking awesome.

If you are around woods you can start a fire. My very experienced outdoorsman husband said no fire tonight. It's impossible, after his good solid attempts while I was setting up the tent in the icy rain. I was cold and hangry. Stomped off into the woods for materials, came back and built a blazing fire in the down pour with a bic lighter. Even the standing dead wood was soaked and half frozen through. I don't think he was ever more proud of me. 😂

Okay, that featherstick technique was damn good. Nice to see something different.