New Fire piston!

**outdoorgirl** · 28-09-2005, 00:35

My new fire piston arrived today! Bought on evilbay from D&B Primitive Forgeworks (USA) - it was bigger than I expected, and at first I found it hard to use, but can now regularly get an ember using the tinder they supplied (chaga tinder fungus).

Once I got the hang of slapping the piston in hard and fast enough, as long as I got even a small spark, I could easily blow on it to keep it going, and it knocks out quite easily onto a tinder bundle.

Can't wait to start lighting the fire every night with it, trying out different tinders to see which is best!

**Schwert** · 28-09-2005, 01:14

I keep playing with mine from D&B too. Mine has the hand drill modification but I have never been able to get a coal with that yet...but the piston with fungus is reliable.

I was surprised by the size too.

Have fun.

**Ogri the trog** · 28-09-2005, 01:33

Nice one Outdoorgirl,
I'm still waiting for mine from Jeff Wagner as he's inundated with orders. My own homemade one still works but I need to work on reliable tinders.

ATB

Ogri the trog

Ed · 28-09-2005, 01:38

My new fire piston arrived today! Bought on evilbay from D&B Primitive Forgeworks (USA) - it was bigger than I expected,

I quite fancy one of his mini models.

Ed

**oops56** · 28-09-2005, 02:40

Originally Posted by Ogri the trog

Nice one Outdoorgirl,
I'm still waiting for mine from Jeff Wagner as he's inundated with orders. My own homemade one still works but I need to work on reliable tinders.

ATB

Ogri the trog

i am in the same boat going 8 weeks. Hurry up jeff .

**Ogri the trog** · 28-09-2005, 05:03

Originally Posted by oops56

i am in the same boat going 8 weeks. Hurry up jeff .

Oops56,
I had a message from Jeff in early August, and he really is snowed under with several hundred to make before mine which was ordered in early spring IIRC.
The end product is well worth the wait, so cut him a bit of slack for a while.

ATB

Ogri the trog

**outdoorgirl** · 28-09-2005, 16:43

Mine is the mini model, although it's about an inch thick and the barrel is about 4inches long plust the inch or so for the top of the piston.

I seem to have lost the knack of it again this morning as I couldn't get an ember to light the fire with and had to resort to modern methods again.

Still, I'll keep trying!

**Ogri the trog** · 28-09-2005, 17:46

Originally Posted by outdoorgirl

I seem to have lost the knack of it again this morning as I couldn't get an ember to light the fire with and had to resort to modern methods again.

Still, I'll keep trying!

HI Outdoorgirl,
I noticed in your first post that you mentioned "slapping" the piston home. I found this to be a bit counter-productive, as the time it took from the end of the slap - to grasping the piston to withdraw it would cause the ember to extinguish. I find it better to grasp the top of the piston and then plunge it down (with all the force and speed of a slap) - its just that you are a fraction of a second quicker in pulling the piston out, which might make all the difference to getting a reliable ember.
I also find that if I get frustrated with it - put it down and do something else for a while. If you get into the mindset of proving to yourself that it doesn't work - you'll only confirm your suspicions and loose faith in a perfectly capable piece of kit.

ATB

Ogri the trog

**firemaker** · 28-09-2005, 19:43

There are a couple of things I recommend when you are having a hard time getting a light.

1. Your chose in lubricant. The tube that I provide is a portable type. A better lubricant for every day use would be petroleum jelly, vegetable oil, or a thin animal based oil. (fat) The South East Aisan Islanders used dog or pig fat.

2. Your chose of tinder. Within tinder fungus, there are good pieces and not so good pieces. The nice orange inner corky stuff is the best. I also like thistle down, rolled in a loose ball big enough to fit in without falling out, or a piece of dry mullein pith. The number one choice would be the tinder fungus, but I have made many lights with the other two as well as char cloth.

3. Try to also rub your finger nail across the gasket string to lightly fluff up the fibers. Lubricate and retry. (Careful not so hard as to pull off the string.)

If any of you have any problems getting fire with your pistons, feel free to email or PM me for help or any question you might have.

Hope this info helps.

**outdoorgirl** · 28-09-2005, 20:24

Thanks for the tips guys - I had also tried char cloth, and the 'pushing' method decribed; I'd tried pushing straight and with a slight twist, but wasn't sure if this was right as I seemed to be able to get the piston all the way down with a push, but not quite with a slap... (oo-er missus)

Anyway, I'll give the new lubricants a go, and will also try looking for the best bits of my tinders...

ODG

**Schwert** · 28-09-2005, 22:07

I have been using both my Wagner Bushcrafter and Auer firepistons for the past several weeks. Here are a few of my observations:

1. Tinder fungus--the soft punky stuff generally lights with one or two piston strikes. The harder bits either do not light or take more strikes. This is my first criteria for getting a reliable coal. If I cannot get a light with two strikes, I replace the fungus. If using char, test it with a spark to make sure it will glow.

2. Lube--vaseline is a great lubricant, the lip wax is good but vaseline is much better. Lube often and generously.

3. Piston movement--My Auer piston is much stiffer than my Wagner model. I lube the string often on both models but have found that the smoother Wagner piston more easily produces a coal. This piston rebounds from the piston body facilitating quick withdrawal and presumably allows more rapid compression.

4. Strike method--I hold the piston in my left hand near my side, and then strike the plunger with my right palm near my thumb pad. Withdraw with a slight clockwise twist and blow on the fungus. The crunch method or having the piston supported on something solid I do not use.

5. Clean out the chamber with a rolled paper towel every-so-often to remove any stray chunks of fungus with can lodge in the string and possibly score the chamber.

**oops56** · 01-10-2005, 20:58

Well i just got a fire piston today jeff keep working i still take the one i ordered keep on plugging away.Now i look it over nice i was going to try it out later.But as i was putting back in the box there was a small piece of fungi on bed so mite as well give it try.Well i put it in piston push did not go all the way down to bottom o no not good so i pulled it back up real fast dam it was glowing.So i blew on it it glowed blew little more harder the fungus come out in two pieces one on the bed one on my pants.Like they say man play with fire get burnt.he. he. i just love it.[P. S.] put out wet fingers
More well charcloth works better i have lamp wick thats about one in. sq i cut a strip 1/4 wide adout 3/4 long roll up put in hole and i found out you do not have to go as fast as fungus real easy

**firemaker** · 01-10-2005, 23:09

opps56,

Glad to hear the piston kit arrived safely! Good to hear its working for you. Dont burn your house down now playing with it now. Watch your dog too, if you have one.

My dog hears the "pop" of the piston as I pull out the rod and runs away with his tail between his legs!

PS You may have hit bottom and just rebounded back up.

HAVE FUN!!!

firemaker

**Bardster** · 05-10-2005, 18:22

Originally Posted by firemaker

opps56,

Glad to hear the piston kit arrived safely! Good to hear its working for you. Dont burn your house down now playing with it now. Watch your dog too, if you have one.

My dog hears the "pop" of the piston as I pull out the rod and runs away with his tail between his legs!

PS You may have hit bottom and just rebounded back up.

HAVE FUN!!!

firemaker

Got mine today! Wonderful woodwork - just feels so nice in the hand. Putting tinder in with it is an excellent idea! means you dont have to search for any. And lets face it - as soon as you unrap it you want to try it! So i did - ember on the first strike! truely excellent pice of kit. I thought my ferrocerium flint was the bees knees - but i think this just might relegate it to backup method!

**firemaker** · 06-10-2005, 06:29

Thank you for the kind words

I'm glad it got to you ok. Have fun! P.S. use petroleum jelly for your every day lube. It works best.

**Bardster** · 07-10-2005, 18:27

Been carrying my fire piston around for a few days showing it off to people

The only downside was pulling out a plastic bag full of tinder from my pocket - didnt have that look of style that the piston does. So having a day off today I took a wander out into the shed and had a look through my timber pile.. Hmm that looks like cocobolo - wonder If i could make something. SO I fired up the lathe and this was the result..

Much more the thing!

Mind you - this was the second attempt

**Schwert** · 07-10-2005, 20:57

Great container Bard. It almost looks like your cocobolo came from the same tree. Very nice.

**outdoorgirl** · 07-10-2005, 21:15

Well, I was getting better results with my piston today having switched to using vaseline for my lube; but my gasket string has just come loose!

I'll have to re-do it tomorrow...

**Jeff Wagner** · 07-10-2005, 21:33

Nice work Bardster. I like it.

**firemaker** · 08-10-2005, 06:15

WOW! is that a nice tinder keep. Great job Bardster!

Outdoorgirl,

A couple tips on the string:

When twisting your rod inside of the barrel, only twist in one direction with the string, clock wise for the way I wrap it.

Here is a link that shows how how I do it.

http://primalconnection.com/tutorialpiston.html

Or they can be modified to except an O ring gasket
(pm me for more details if you are interested)

Rewrapping a gasket takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, its like riding bike.

firemaker

**rich59** · 08-10-2005, 09:40

Originally Posted by outdoorgirl

Well, I was getting better results with my piston today having switched to using vaseline for my lube; but my gasket string has just come loose!

I'll have to re-do it tomorrow...

Could I suggest you post a series of pictures of the process of replacing the gasket? A close up or two of the piston without the gasket on it would be great as part of that. I am sure others would benefit from your experience. For myself I occasionally try and make a DIY fire piston and I am finding it hard to get the whipping to lay flat where the cord crosses over the underlying cord.

**Schwert** · 10-10-2005, 19:16

Jeff supplies some excellent photographs of the string replacement with his pistons. I too wondered how to make the string flat but it does not cross over itself but passes though 2 holes drilled through the shaft.

**innocent bystander** · 10-10-2005, 19:21

Originally Posted by Schwert

Jeff supplies some excellent photographs of the string replacement with his pistons. I too wondered how to make the string flat but it does not cross over itself but passes though 2 holes drilled through the shaft.

I can't find my destructions that came with my JW piston

. And i made a pigs ear of it when i tried. Is it literally as you describe ?

i.e. through the hole, around and around, then through the top hole...?

**Jeff Wagner** · 10-10-2005, 19:31

Its almost that easy. Please provide me with an email address and I'll send you replacement instructions.

**innocent bystander** · 10-10-2005, 19:33

Cheers Jeff - PM on it's way

**innocent bystander** · 10-10-2005, 19:48

Cheers Jeff, just came through the mail..

Wanders off to find the piece of string.....

**Schwert** · 10-10-2005, 20:28

I have yet to replace any of the string gaskets. I am hoping it is as straightforward as the photos show. I inspected my Wagner piston carefully before any real use trying to see how it was wrapped in anticipation of the event. I noted it had 7 complete wraps. I was a bit to excited when the Aune piston arrived and did not note the wrap details. It is in Darrel's hands now for tuning and when it returns I will note a few details.

edited to get Darrel name right....

**Jeff Wagner** · 10-10-2005, 21:00

Gasket replacement should not be a common requirement. I use mine rather often and change the gaskets in perhaps a year and a half or two years. Rewrapping a gasket takes me about 5 minutes, but as with anything that a person does a couple of thousand times - practice makes perfect.

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