i read this article online about how to start a fire with only a chocolate bar and a soda can.
to do this you simply put some melted shocolate on the shiny bottom of the soda can and use the chocolate bar wrapper to polish and rub it until it is shiny enough to reflect light in a condensed beam at some dry grass and light it on fire. any other unconventinal ideas on firestarting?

Well assuming the Bic lighter in my right front pocket malfunctions or doesn't work, there is the magnesium bar that is always on my keychain in my left front pocket that has an embedded flint. And then I have at least two different blades on my person to strike the flint with.

If somehow I end up in the woods completely naked, it's not too hard to come up with the components for a wood block & drill, using a bit of vine for the bow. Assuming I'm not buck naked, I can use the lace from my boot. But if I'm not buck naked, I've got multiple firestarting devices on me everywhere I go anyway.

that works to

Get a Fresnel lens from an overhead projector such as the type carried at staples and watch out this thing will melt concreate on a sunny day and DONT! get any part of your body in front of it in the sun!!

another option is the metal match, the same thing as the magnesium firestarter without the magnesium. you will have to put togeatehr some nice dry tinder though...take a look at my site, i have quite alot of fire building info on there...

JUST USE A DAMN MATCH!

"mini mag" flashlight, a bread "twist tie", and steel wool


Take the bulb out of the mini mag, take the paper or plastic covering off the twist tie, cut or break the twist tie wire into 2 equal parts, stick the wire in the socket where the bulb was in the light (make sure the wires don't touch) then stick the other end of the wires into the steel wool. The steel wool will actually start to burn. You can also use a 9 volt battery and steel wool aswell

I have used that method! it does work! I prefer bits of snare wire from my survival kit but its all good!
seriously, the metal match is great, it does not degrade, it will give you hundreds of fires and most of all, its really compact. you can carry three or four of them strewn through your uniform and always have a way of making fire

good stuff OHpatriot!
ill try it soon