Technique

The most common way to begin a fire is to make a bed of tinder and then form a 'wigwam' of kindling around it, starting with the lowest grade. In theory (!) one match should light the tinder, and then the kindling will catch. You can then gradually and carefully add higher and higer grades of wood to build up the fire. For windy or light rainy days, lay a stack of kindling up against a log.

A slightly better way is to form bundle of sticks, no larger then a match, light these first and then place them in the kindling (see the fire stick below).

Firestick

A fire stick is made by shaving a stick with shallow cuts to 'feather' it. This can be used as kindling and will catch light freely and quickly create a fire.

Using a lens

You can use a lens (not all lenses!) to focus strong sunlight to a point. Given enough direct sunlight it should produce enough heat to ignite the tinder. You may have to be patient. This is indeed how some accidental fires are caused by the sun shining through broken bottles and such like. A magnify glass is the best known example for this technique but a telescope or camera lens could be used as well.

Flint and steel

Often found in 'survival kits' the flint & steel can be a useful method, as it can be tried many times unlike the 'one-strike' match. Flint is actually found in many parts of the world (look at the top of chalk escarpments). When you strike the flint and steel together, with effort, sparks are produced which can ignite decent, dry tinder.

Most often they come as a 'kit' with a flint bloke, and a steel saw attached by a cord. Simply draw the saw across the block whilst holding it close to the tinder so that the sparks can fall on it.

Depending upon the quality of your tinder and the weather, you may have to be patient to get any fire going.

Fire Bow

This is a friction method that requires a lot of practice but can be surprisingly useful. It consists of a hardwood spindle being rotated on a softwood base. This will first produce tinder, and then will ignite the tinder.

Useful woods are Balsa, pine, bamboo for the soft wood. Oak, ash and beech for the hard wood. They must all be perfectly dry.

Carve a small depression at one end of the base block and cut a cavity below it (in which you will put your tinder). Make an even, cylindrical spindle from the hardwood. You will also need to make yourself a bow from a pliable wood (hazel, bamboo with string made from bootlaces, hide or twine). You may also find it helpful to have a block of stone or wood on which you can push down the spindle.

First you wind the bowstring around the spindle. The place the spindle in the depression and push down upon it with your stone. With your other hand move the bow backwards and forwards. As the spindle spins you can increase the speed until it starts drilling through the wood. Just as it enters the cavity push down hard and go for it and 'bow' harder! With a little luck you will find the tip of the spindle will 'ignite' like a small coal and drop onto the tinder. If you tend the tinder carefully and blow on it you will be able to start a fire.

Hand Drill

This is basically a variation on the fire bow method. You will need a hardwood base with a v-shaped notch, and a spindle of hollow soft wood.

Roll the spindle between your hands, running your hands down the spindle with each burst of spinning. When the friction makes the tip glow red, blow gently to ignite the tinder.

Fire Plough

This is yet another friction method. Cut a small groove in a soft wood base and then 'plough' along the groove with the tip of a hardwood shaft, up and down the groove. This will produce fine shavings at first that will collect at the end, this is your tinder. Eventually the friction will ignite the tinder (with a lot of hard work!).

Chemicals

There are a few examples where common 'household' chemicals can be used to start a fire. As always care should be taken with all these types of methods. The most common way to use them is to grind them between rocks, or place them near the friction points for the above friction methods.

Details of Chemical Firelighting have been removed for reasons of safety.

I would not condone their use in scouting.