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in: Featured, Manly Know-How, Skills, Visual Guides

Skill of the Week: Light a Fire With Just One Match

Illustration of lighting fire with one match stick.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

You’re lost in the woods on a cold day, that’s only getting colder as the sun sets and the sky grows increasingly dark. If you don’t warm up, you’ll freeze, so you quickly and haphazardly gather some wood and begin to try to light it. But the wood isn’t catching. As you start to panic, you blow through your matches faster and faster, yet one after the other is snuffed out before it ignites a flame.

Eventually, you’re left with a single match. What do you do with your last chance? You steady your mind and hands, start over, and go about making a deliberate, foolproof fire set-up that’s certain to light with just one match. 

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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