A standard Bic lighter is the best choice for making a fire due to its value, size, availability, and improvisation options. A standard Bic light gets around 3,000 lights, or about a 1 hour burn time. Its uses extend beyond simple firecraft.
Tips
》Remove “child safety band” to make it easier to activate (helps when your hands are cold).
》Store in a cool, dry place (vacuum seal).
》If it gets wet, let it dry and it will work again. (Set in rice or leave in indirect sun.)
》If it’s cold and fuel is too low to light, provide hand friction against “frame body” to get a few extra lights.
》Don’t burn continuously for more than 1 minute as it could explode.
》Refill it with butane. Puncture empty Bic in the hole at the bottom of body with a push pin, refill (it helps to outfit nozzle with rubber grommets to create seal), remove nozzle and immediately replace push-pin into hole to reseal.
》Add small ziptie to the underside of the fork (trigger button) to prevent accidental depress/leaks.
》Dismantle Bic to scavenge parts for alternative uses as it includes a flint, brass jet, carbide steel, springs, plastic reservoir, ball, etc. These items could aid in fishing, foraging, conducting electricity, signaling, etc.
Firecraft
》Extend the fuel life by lighting jute, string, or other flammable tinder as a carrier of the flame before attempting to light something like a cigar or charcoal briquettes.
》If out of fuel, or trying to conserve, the flint can create a spark, pair with tinder. You can also scrape the wheel on the flint a few times while holding it over a collection area to gather the shavings from the flint, then spark the shavings for a fire.
》If you have a ferrocerium rod but no knife, dismantle the metal Bic “hood” (steel cover) and use it as a scraper to spark a fire.
DIY
》Attach supplies to Bic to create a multi-purpose survival lighter. Use a ranger (rubber) band to attach loose items or simply wrap others to the plastic “frame body”; jute string, waxed wick, fishing line, button compass, ferro rod, craft razor, cash, duct tape, electrical tape, kevlar cord, water tablet, needle, and more.
This article was originally written by the Grayman Briefing. Stay in the know, sign up for Intel and Situational Awareness alerts pushed to your phone on emerging threats and preparedness warnings. Click HERE to subscribe to the Grayman Briefing.
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