Fire Piston

[Challenger]

Hi All

This is my first thread, I require some help with a warrior fire piston. I have owned and been using the piston for about 18 months, but seem to have had varying results with the char cloth used and with obtaining a good seal to crate the heat within the piston to ignite the char cloth ember.

The char cloth used, I make from old jeans and use vasaline to lubrcate the seal, however the piston might light first time or never, in which case I need to re-gasket the piston and re-try with a different batch of char cloth, this normally works, but the next time I go to use the piston with the same char cloth ther is good chance that it doesn't work.

Have anyone else encounted this problem and have could offer any tips?

This is not my main method of firelighting or my prefered methods (Flint & Steel or bow drill), but does have a very good curiousity factor with others, especially children and teenagers.

:biggthump

[Stuart]

I dont have much experiance with fire pistons but there is some info and a review on them here on BCUK:

Fire piston review

Fire piston article

[ranger]

I have a warrior fire piston too. I haven’t used it a great deal and do find it quite hard to get the cloth to light if I compress it with my hand. Maybe I just haven’t hit on the right technique. I find I get the best results if I compress it on the ground, I can drive the piston down faster.

Are you storing it in a dry place? I take it there is no chance that moisture is getting in, which I assume would affect performance.

ranger

[Challenger]

Ranger

I keep the piston in a pouch along with other fire lighting equipment - char cloth, flint & Steel, Firesteel, Turbo lighter and waterproof matches, all stored a dry place. It just seems to be hit or miss if the piston will light when struck.

I have learnt that it works better after a good clean and ensuring that the seal is well greased, but still only have a 50% chance of it lighting after 2-3 strikes.

Do you use your fire piston much? :wave: