This skill could save your life
Written by John Teel.
Being prepared for anything has always been one of my goals…
…although of course I can’t say I’ve always succeeded.
Maybe that’s why, as a kid, I was obsessed with MacGyver—the guy could defuse a bomb with a paperclip and some chewing gum.
That same mindset led me to an unusual challenge a few years ago: learning as many ways as possible to start a fire without a lighter.
Not just for fun—though setting things on fire is often fun when done in a responsible way—but because if you ever find yourself stranded in the wild, fire is everything.
Of course, my 9 year old son was just as excited about the idea as I was.
Because let’s be honest—what kid doesn’t love playing with fire? (I sure did at his age.)
So we got to work, testing out different fire-starting techniques—some ancient, some weird…
…and one method I definitely didn’t share with my son…
First, we built a bow drill, which is one of the oldest ways to start a fire. It consists of a wooden bow with a string, a spindle (a small stick that spins), and a fireboard.
You wrap the string around the spindle and move the bow back and forth to spin it rapidly against the fireboard, creating enough friction to generate an ember.
It sounds simple—but trust me, it’s exhausting!
Although, it’s still much easier than rubbing a stick between your hands like Tom Hanks tried in Castaway.
Next, we discovered how to short-circuit a battery using a metallic gum wrapper…
…which can heat up enough, due to resistance, to create a brief flame.
It worked … but required patience.
Of course, one of the most common methods of starting a fire is using a magnifying lens. But rarely would you have one in the wild so it’s not of much use.
But, what you are likely to have in the wild is some kind of camera. So we used a camera lens to focus sunlight—easier in theory than in practice.
One of the more interesting methods we did is using a water-filled balloon as a makeshift magnifying glass.
Surprisingly, it works, but is even more difficult than using a glass lens.
Honestly, for this balloon method we cheated a bit and considered just generating some smoke as a success:)
Later, I discovered the most unusual method I’ve ever heard of for starting a fire.
But, this was a method I didn’t share with my son because…
… you use a condom filled with water instead of a ballon to focus the light, which makes for a hilarious survival tip.
Who knew having that protection on you may save your life one day😊
This whole experience taught me an important lesson: you don’t always get the luxury of the best tools.
You have to make do with what you have.
This applies directly to developing and launching new electronic products, especially for small teams and startups.
Unlike big tech companies with unlimited R&D budgets, most entrepreneurs have to be creative, scrappy, and resourceful.
They don’t have access to high-end testing equipment or million-dollar development labs, but they can still build successful products by maximizing what is available.
Innovation isn’t about having the most money—it’s about making the most of what you do have.
So whether you’re building a fire in the wilderness or launching a product with minimal funding, the same principle applies:
Be prepared. Adapt. And just keep going until you create that spark.
If you want to learn how to succeed with an electronic product with minimal resources then my Hardware Academy is for you!
