To split wooden matches, push the point of a pin or a sharp knife immediately below the head, and force down sharply–the head will split in two and the wood run off or split. You have two heads and enough wood left on one half to burn for a second or more–long enough to start tinder blazing.
How to split a wooden match
With a paper match simply start to split the match at the end away from the head by peeling the paper towards the head. This will split the head, and so you have two matches, but each has a head on one side only.
How to split a paper match
To split a wax match. Treat a wax match similarly. Split the match from the end away from the head and up to the head. It may be necessary to use a knife to split the actual head itself.
HOW TO STRIKE A SPLIT MATCH-DRAW MATCH FLATLY ALONG BOX
In striking all three types of split match the ‘stalk’ of the match should be held between the thumb and forefinger, with the tip of the middle finger resting lightly on the head of the match. The match is drawn lightly and ‘flat’ along the striking surface. Immediately the head starts to burn, the forefinger which has been holding it gently down to the striking surface, is lifted and the match allowed to flame.
It requires practice to be certain that you can always split your match and strike both portions. (This splitting of matches reached a high degree of proficiency with prisoners during the war, and many men were able to split a match into six portions, and strike each one of them with certainty.)
BURNT FINGER CURE
In learning how to strike a split match you will probably get a scorched fingertip on a few occasions. The quickest relief is to grab the lobe of your ear with the burnt finger. The natural oil on your ear will seal off the small burn from the air.
How to prepare for lighting fire with a split match.
Lighting a fire with a single portion of a split match calls for extreme care in the preparation of your materials. A bundle of very thin dry twigs should be collected as for fire-lighting with one match, and the bundle should be loosely ‘primed’ in the centre with tinders of fine dry inflammable material, teased-out dry grass, a bit of teased cotton, fine dry teased-out bark or any of a hundred natural materials will do. Do not pack your tinder tightly or put in too much or you will ‘drown’ the tiny flame; just a very light priming will catch the flame quickly. When the little flame of the split match is applied to the tinder it must take the flame instantly and set fire to the thinnest of the dry twigs so that the whole bundle will soon be alight.
Lighting a fire with a split match should be practised in order to achieve real proficiency.
KEEPING RESERVE MATCHES DRY
Always keep a reserve of matches in your camp kit. These matches should be specially treated so that they are protected against wet. This can be done with ordinary safety matches by coating the head and stick with candle grease. Simply light a candle and drip the hot wax on the head, and rub some along the stick. The specially treated matches are best carried in a small screw-top plastic container. The striking side of a match box can also be wrapped in cellophane and enclosed in this container with the matches. By preparing for sudden need through having this reserve of matches available you may save yourself much hardship and difficulty.
LIGHTING FIRE FROM A COAL
Sometimes only a small red coal may be available to start your fire and, unless you know how, you will never get the coal to catch onto tinder, and so give you flame. It is important to know therefore how to make fire from a single tiny coal, no bigger than the pinched-out spark of a cigarette.
Lighting a fire from a coal.
To light your fire from a coal, collect a bundle of dry tinder (see ‘tinders,’), softly tease a large piece, and place the coal in the centre, fold the rest of the tinder over the coal, and with the tinder ball held very loosely between the widespread fingers, whirl the ball round and round at arm’s length, or, if there is a strong wind blowing, hold the ball in the air, allowing the wind to blow between the fingers. The ball will commence to smoke as the tinder catches. When there is a dense flow of smoke blow into the ball, loosening it in your hand. These few last puffs will convert the smouldering mass to flame and you will have achieved fire from a coal. This too should be practised frequently.
FIREWOOD
Burning qualities of different woods vary greatly. Some such as pines burn with a clean bright flame and give out considerable heat.
Others char and smoke and give out little warmth.
In general all the pines burn well when dry, and most of the hardwoods are also good fuel, but there are a few species which are unsatisfactory for firewoods.
In tropical and sub-tropical areas, the soft woods of the rain forest are usually poor fuel, as are the trunks of palms, but palm leaves and stalks are good.
Trees which grow in swamp or marshland are rarely good for firewood.
The only way to know which species of wood in a locality are good fuel is to try and burn them. This will soon provide the answer.
In general, the firewood collected will be dead branches. Some of these will be on the ground, others still attached to the parent tree, or others possibly caught in shrubs beneath the tree.
It is better to collect wood from trees or shrubs, rather than wood which is actually lying on the ground. Wood picked up from the ground will usually be damp or even wet, but wood which has not lain on the ground will be comparatively dry, even in rainy weather.
For a fire for cooking, sticks half an inch to an inch in thickness are most suitable because the amount of heat can be controlled more easily.
For a fire for warmth, use thick logs. It will often be easier to burn a long log in half than to try and cut it. For these long logs, start the fire in the centre of the log, and when it burns through, the two halves will be easier to handle. For an all-night fire, occasionally pushing the two burning ends together will keep the fire burning gently, and a fair-sized log can be made to burn all night.
CUTTING FIREWOOD
The cutting of firewood into suitable lengths is always a worthwhile camp chore. Light sticks may be broken across the knee, and stacked in a pile by themselves. Heavier sticks can be broken in the same manner if they are first nicked deeply on opposite sides.
If the sticks are very thick they may be more easily broken by making deep cuts on opposite sides, and then hitting the stick down sharply on a convenient log or rock with the cut area at the point of impact. One sharp blow will generally break the wood, and you will be able to save yourself the work of cutting right through the wood.
The brittle, dead woods can usually be broken into short lengths by bringing the branch down in the above manner. Unless the wood is brittle enough to break off short it may jar your hands badly, so therefore it is advisable to try each piece lightly at first before you exert a full-strength blow.
SPLITTING FIREWOOD
Blocks of wood are most easily split either around the circular rings (the round markings which show each year’s growth), or radially, that is across the circular rings. Some woods will split easily either way. Others will be exceedingly tough.
If you try to split the wood the wrong way it will be very hard work and the wood will be ‘cranky.’ Immediately you try the right way the wood will split fairly easily, unless of course it is knotty. Trial and error is the best way to find out, and use a comparatively light blow to test the grain.