Fire Pistons – Traditional Wooden and Buffalo Horn
From $39.95
Description
Start a Fire With Compressed Air !
A Fire Piston is a two piece device first used in the 1700’s in Indonesia to start fires. One part is a hollow cylinder ranging in length from about 3 to 6 inches sealed at one end and open at the other. The piston fits tightly into the cylinder piston with an airtight gasket (originally made of plant fibers, cotton string or today’s modern equivalent, a rubber o-ring). The piston has a wide top to allow a firm grip to grab it, or a large enough surface area to strike it sharply. The piston generally has a notch or recess on or in its face, into which tinder (a piece char cloth or Tinder Fungus) is placed.
When the piston is quickly pushed into the cylinder, the air in the cylinder is compressed causes the interior temperature of the air to rise sharply to 500°F, This is hot enough for the char cloth or Tinder Fungus to ignite and glow red hot (like the end of a cigarette. The piston is then quickly withdrawn, before the now-burning tinder depletes the available oxygen inside the cylinder. The smoldering tinder 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.
We have several types of Fire Pistons available…The main difference is what material the Fire Piston is made from (aesthetics) and what type of gasket (string or rubber o-ring) is used… they all work equally as well
NEED HELP IN DECIDING WHICH TYPE TO BUY?
… That’s easy!
You need to decide on 3 things:
1. What material the Fire Piston is made from (aesthetics)
2. What type of gasket (string or rubber o-ring) is used
3. Do you want a small Compression Release Valve at the bottom of the Fire Piston so you can store the plunger in the body for carrying and storage.
Wood or Buffalo Horn?
Both the golden orange/brown grained Coco Bolo Wood Fire Pistons and the jet black Water Buffalo Horn ones perform very well. Both have been polished to a high gloss and produce a coal produce a coal on the first or second try. The material (Coco Bolo or Buffalo Horn) is strictly your personal aesthetic preference and what you want your Fire Piston to look like.
Gasket Type (String or O-ring)?
If you like things that are 100% traditional in style, then one of the string gasket models is for you. The downside of the string gasket is that the gasket will need to be re-wrapped after approx. 25-30 fires. Replacement string for the gasket and instructions as to how to do it are included with each String Gasket Fire Piston.
If you like things to be easy and nearly maintenance-free then the O-Ring gasket models are what you should look at. The O-Ring gasket makes changing gaskets easy. Just slip on a new rubber O-ring when the old one wears out. The O-ring gasket will need to be changed after approx. 250 fires. A replacement O-ring for the gasket is included with the Fire Piston.
Compression Release or Not?
If you like things to be easy and also like “trick little gadgets” the Compression Release O-Ring Models are for you. It is available on all O-ring Fire Pistons. The Compression Release is a “finger operated” compression release valve located at the lower end of the Fire Piston body that can be unscrewed to vent the pressure out of the cylinder for storage of the Fire Piston plunger into the cylinder. The Fire Pistons with no Compression Release Valve are designated as “Basic”. and the plunger needs to next to the Fire Piston body for carrying and storage.
ECONOMY MODEL FIRE PISTONS
Delrin Basic Fire Piston
This is our lowest cost Fire Piston. It is the bare-bones version made from a modern synthetic material and has no compression release. However, it produces a coal flawlessly! This compression fire- starter was designed with the modern hiker, backpacker and survivalist in mind and features a high compression O ring seal for dependability. It’s completely waterproof and impervious to the element and engineered to hold up under the harshest outdoor environments. (Note: Delrin is a unique thermoplastic material for use in moving parts in which low friction and long wear life are important. It is a combination of PTFE fibers uniformly dispersed in Delrin acetal resin)
Price: $34.95
Delrin with Compression Release Fire Piston
This is an upgrade from the Delrin Basic Fire Piston with the addition of a Compression Release valve on the bottom of the cylinder. It is made from the same durable Delrin synthetic material and has an O-ring gasket to insure repeatable, reliable fire making performance. After closing the compression release valve, the pistons cylinder retains vacuum allowing the Fire Piston to be carried upside down without losing the plunger.
Price: $42.95
Delrin with Compression Release Fire Piston and Sparking Ferrocerium Fire Rod
This is the top-of-the-line Delrin Fire Piston. It is made from durable Delrin synthetic material, has an O-ring gasket and the compression release. In this model we also made the plunger hollow so it can be used as a “secret compartment” to carry a Ferrocerium (Ferro) Sparking rod (included). This is the same sparking rod used in metal matches and Military magnesium fire starters. You can also remove the rod and use the hollow plunger to carry other survival item as such as tinder fungus or char cloth for tinder used by your Fire Piston.
Price: $49.95
COCO BOLO WOOD FIRE PISTONS
Coco Bolo with String Gasket
If you are looking for a traditional Fire Piston this is the one you want. It is made from Coco Bolo wood and uses a traditional string gasket Cotton String gasket as the seal on the plunger. The cotton string gasket will need to be re-wrapped every 25 or so fires. Extra string gasket cotton string is included as well as detailed instruction with photos on the process.
Price – $ 69.95
Coco Bolo with String Gasket and Leather Pouch
This is the same traditional String gasket Fire Piston as above with the addition of a leather pouch traditionally used to carry Tinder fungus as a fuel for the Fire Piston and Fire making tinder to start a fire. The cotton string gasket will need to be re-wrapped every 25 or so fires. Extra string gasket cotton string is included as well as detailed instruction with photos on the process.
Price – $ 79.95
Coco Bolo Basic with O-ring Gasket (no compression release)
If you are looking for a traditional Fire Piston look but want the convenience of an easily changeable gasket this is the model you want.t . It is made from Coco Bolo wood and uses a O-ring gasket as the seal on the plunger. The O-ring gasket will need to be changed after 250+ or so fires. An extra O-ring is included with the Fire Piston and is easily changed.
Price – $ 59.95
Coco Bolo Fire Piston with bottom Compression Release
Coco Bolo with O-ring Gasket and Compression Release
If you are looking for a traditional Fire Piston look but want the convenience of an easily changeable gasket this is the model you want. It is made from Coco Bolo wood and uses a O-ring gasket as the seal on the plunger. The O-ring gasket will need to be changed after 250+ or so fires. An extra O-ring is included with the Fire Piston and is easily changed.
Price – $ 64.95
Coco Bolo Fire Piston with Compression Release and Leather Pouch
Coco Bolo with O-ring Gasket, Compression Release and Leather Pouch
If you are looking for a traditional Fire Piston look but want the convenience of an easily changeable gasket this is the model you want.t . It is made from Coco Bolo wood and uses a O-ring gasket as the seal on the plunger. The O-ring gasket will need to be changed after 250+ or so fires . An extra O-ring is included with the Fire Piston and is easily changed.
Price – $ 74.95
BUFFALO HORN FIRE PISTONS
Buffalo Horn Fire Piston with String Gasket
Buffalo Horn String Fire Piston
This carved, polished and pre-tested Fire Piston is made from the horn of an actual Asian Water Buffalo that has been hand polished to a glossy smooth finish. It will light fire after fire as you amaze family and friends on its simplicity of operation. Buffalo Horn is a good choice in climates with high humidity. The gasket on this model is the traditional String gasket.
Price: $89.95
Buffalo Horn String with Leather Pouch
This carved, polished and pre-tested Fire Piston is made from the horn of an actual Asian Water Buffalo that has been hand polished to a glossy smooth finish. It is the same quality as the above Fire Piston and has a traditional leather pouch attached to carry tinder for the Fire Piston or tinder for you fire. Buffalo Horn is a good choice in climates with high humidity. The gasket on this model is the traditional String gasket.
Price: $99.95
Buffalo Horn Fire Piston with bottom Compression Release
Buffalo Horn Fire Piston with O-ring and Compression Release
This carved, polished and pre-tested Buffalo Horn Fire Piston has the durability of the water-proof Asian Buffalo Horn, the convenience of using a rubber O-ring gasket to provide 250+ before needing to be replaced and the compression release feature for easy storage of the plunger in the cylinder. The replacement of the gasket is simple…just flip off the old O-ring with your fingernail and put on the new one (an extra O-ring is included).
Price: $115.95
Buffalo Horn Fire Piston with O-ring, Compression Release and Leather Pouch
This is the Fire Piston that Les Stroud purchased from us for his “Survivorman” television series for the Alaskan Episode. He asked our opinion for a fire piston that would be used in a high humidity. moist condition (Alaska in the spring), was reliably and had a means to carry extra tinder to fuel the Fire Piston. This model was what we recommenced and what he purchased. It had the O-ring gasket, compression release valve and a traditional leather pouch for extra tinder.
Price: $125.95
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