Have you ever heard of a fire piston? It was widely used in the 1800’s as a fire making tool and was an inspiration for Rudolf Diesel when he designed his engine. It works by quickly compressing air to 500 degrees Fahrenheit; which is hot enough to ignite tinder at the bottom of the chamber. The video above details how to build a fire piston made out of acrylic for a few dollars; allowing you to see the magic happening.
Cody Lundin showed how to build another version of a fire piston out of copper tubing on one of his last episodes of Dual Survival. War Cody!
So give it a try and see if it’s something you want to add to your fire-making knowledge. Stay safe in the woods!
Wilderness Solutions FireLight Amber Fire Piston
Amazing fire starting device that causes spontaneous combustion using air. Transparent design reveals the burst of light generated at the instant of ignition. Similar to the Diesel engine, heat generated by compressed air molecules is used to ignite tinder. Can be used to ignite numerous natural tinders plus charred cotton cloth. Features a machined aluminum shaft, the patent pending, 2nd Generation pressure relief valve.
