Fire Piston

Hickory Fire Piston. Each Fire Piston comes with Char Cloth (2) Extra O-rings and Instructions how to use the fire piston & Instructions how to make charcloth.

Made 100% In the U.S.A

A fire piston consists of a hollow cylinder ranging in length from about 3 to 6 inches sealed at one end and open at the other. A piston with an airtight circular seal ( o-ring) is fitted into the cylinder. The piston has a handle on the end to allow a firm grip to be applied to it, or a large enough surface area to strike it sharply without causing pain while the cylinder is braced against a hard surface, and it can be completely withdrawn from the cylinder. The piston generally has a notch or recess on or in its face, into which a piece char cloth is placed.
The compression of the air when the piston is quickly rammed into the cylinder causes the interior temperature to rise sharply to 500°F This is hot enough for the char cloth in the piston face to ignite with a visible flash that can be seen if the cylinder is made of translucent or transparent material. The piston is then quickly withdrawn, before the now-burning tinder depletes the available oxygen inside the cylinder. The smoldering char cloth can then be removed from the face of the piston and transferred to a larger nest of fine kindling material, such as Jute Twine, Paper Towel , birch shavings, etc. The ember is then fanned or blown upon vigorously to create a flame, at which time various stages of larger kindling can be added until built into a proper fire.

I test every fire piston!