Anyone ever use a fire pistol before? Its a cool little primitive tool to start fires with. With practice you can get it done pretty quickly.

Heres a video clip of me starting a fire with it today,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msBRlekz8JM

Yeah, and they are not nearly as easy as a fire steel with some cotton balls coated in vaseline.

I first saw one of them on a survival show. I forget who was using it. And it seemed to work to make a fire.

I have a steel striker and flint that does the same thing. I make my own char cloth and can have a fire going in no time with the thing.

Neat video Devil.

The problem with those fire pistons is that you have to carry that big old frying pan around with you all day. I'm a Bic man myself.

It seems to be easier than using a conventional paper match because any wind would help to get the fire going instead of blowing out the flaming match.
Or on the other hand, would it be that with an equal amount of preparation, both methods would be about equally effective at starting a fire?

I tried them years a go. It works ok, but I prefer to use a set up like we use in fire starting competition at Friendship If you know how to find tinder there is no limit to how many fires you can start and the whole thing flint steel charred cloth and bag will set in the palm of your hand and only weights a couple ounces.
The other one I carry on a long hunt like in Canada is a magnesium block with a striker built in its something you have to learn to use but it works even when you have to start a fire with every thing wet.

i have a very old flintlock fire starter that i bought at an antique place in Trinidad, CO about 15 years ago: The business owner did not know what it was: It works too.

There are lots of ways to start fires but it is much easier to flip the Bic.