Hot Wire Fire

Hot wires have been used for heating/ignition in different devices such as toasters, hair dryers, heaters, and flameless cigarette lighters. These devices use nichrome wire that is made with an alloy of nickel and chromium and generates heat by electrical resistance.

However the hot wire of this article is heated by friction and can be accomplished by using simple materials found at home or perhaps with your camping gear. This method has been described in military survival manuals using wire, wood, and gun powder.

This is very similar to the fire thong method that uses natural materials, particularly a rattan vine used as a thong to rub a light dry wood to develop char that is heated by rubbing to create a live coal/ember.

The difference here is that a thin wire is used instead as a thong and is rubbed long enough to heat the wire so when it is removed and layed in contact with a pile of gun powder a flame results.

In this case the gun powder has been removed from a cartridge ahead of time to recieve the hot wire for ignition. Tinder is placed adjacent to the gun powder to catch and sustain the flame.

This is a survival method and removing a bullet from a cartridge to obtain gun powder can be risky so care should be taken, especially with center fire ammunition. I disassembled three .22 caliber rim fire cartridges by holding the casing by hand and removing the bullet with pliers.