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| Darrel received this acrylic fire piston as a gift from a friend. Darrel has seen only one other quality acrylic fire piston so he was quite surprised to see the expert quality in this innovative design. This model eliminates the possibility of acrylic bores that are sometimes easily damaged by using aluminum for the rod and bore. To seal the bottom and the cap however, he has used acrylic. This provides a smooth, strong and comfortable surface for striking and a transparent bottom. The transparent bottom offers a dual purpose. Not only do we have the cool factor of the flash but you can also see when your fire piston needs to be cleaned out. There are o-rings on the cap and bottom that allow the fire piston to be placed in an acrylic tube, protecting it from the elements. An easy to maintain O-ring seal completes the modern twist on the traditional glass designs. Darrel was quick to give Ray props for his work and wanted to know his story in coming up with this design. |
| Fire pistons made with non-traditional materials are debated in the fire piston world. They are often seen as going against the ancient art of fire or made because the maker lacks the ability to produce a quality fire piston with natural materials. Most often, those struggling to get their fire piston bore just right will line their bore with brass or aluminum to fix a problem bore. Instantly they are branded with the fact they don’t know what they are doing by those who sell them. The times are changing however, and many are making them with lined bores as a design improvement against the occasional case of a fluctuating natural bore, while others test out other innovative designs. For those who have made both fire pistons from natural materials and acrylic, they will be quick to tell you it takes more skill and patience when creating the fire pistons from acrylic. |
| "An ingenious use of spare materials and spare time." |
| There is no argument against the purist who wants their fire piston fashioned similar to how the natives would have had theirs. The word “traditional,” however, has more than one meaning when it comes to the fire piston. Most often when we think traditional, we think of South- East Asian fire pistons, made from wood, bamboo and horn, while most do not realize that many were made from lead, which was poured into a mold, and many were quite ornate. Fire pistons were also traditionally used in Europe as a fire starting method in the 1700’s and 1800’s. Their models were not only made from wood but also various metals and glass. There was fierce competition, not unlike that of makers today, among those who patented a variety of styles in the early 1800‘s, and little credit was given to those who produced fire pistons at least as early as 1745. Another traditional aspect that has followed into today’s fire piston replicas in fire pistons are competition and innovation. |
| Even while the fire pistons took off for everyday use, they were still seen as simple physics experiments and toys among scientists who used glass models to visually demonstrate the physics of compression to students. Today, you can buy simple tabletop models from science lab distributors but beyond that, there are few practical models available for use by the rest of us who are seeking a model that better resists the elements, offers less maintenance and offers the cool flash factor. But a few are taking the modern fire piston to a whole new level. Take the fire piston designed and created by Ray DeRome. |
| This fire piston is a skillful convergence of aluminum and acrylic. While acrylic is an extremely versatile synthetic material that can be molded into shapes or fabricated in many different forms, it is not easy to work. Especially when it comes to making a precise tube that is clean of all workmanship marks so that you may observe the fire piston’s flash through its transparent body. The most common problem with acrylic fire pistons that people come across is that they are often not made with smooth bores, which chew up your gasket seal. This happens because there are different grades of acrylic. Using the wrong grade, or incorrectly working it, also leaves the fire piston with a bore that marks easily, meaning that a little piece of tinder off center could scratch your bore, rendering it useless. Getting the bores smooth and even |
| requires inventing new ways to work acrylic. There are few people who have discovered the art in working this material into viable fire pistons, an art that even Darrel has little patience for. Those who have rely on materials, skills and knowledge required of an aerospace engineer. We gives props to those who have mastered this skill. |
This fire piston is tough and nearly indestructible. We say “nearly” because this fire piston is indestructible as long as the fire piston is used as recommended. Only negligence or abuse would damage this fire piston. Not only that, the space in the acrylic tube provides weather proof storage for the included kit: an ember pick, a supply of highly reliable charcord, lubricant, a spare O-ring (which you will more than likely never need), and jute twine tinder. There is enough room for a small kit; fishing kit, medical kit, or whatever small necessities you could think of. By using the latest, most advanced equipment and techniques available and through an original approach, Ray has revolutionized the modernized fire piston with his superior innovative design. |
| Here is what Ray Says: “While I'm outdoors kind of guy, I had never before heard of the fire piston. I was talking with a friend one day about what I was going to do with 500 feet of aluminum tubing I had. He said, 'Have you ever heard of a thing called a fire piston?' After doing my research, I made my first simple aluminum model. Quite pleased with myself, I kept playing with it and it finally popped into my head, 'You know, I bet I could put a tube around this,' and that is how I came up with the complete design. That was in 2006. Since people kept wanting them, I kept making them. I enjoy making them and a the challenge to make the kit even more complete.” |
| $5.00 Glass Fire Piston sold through an 1856 Pike Catalogue and is on display at the Smithsonian Institution. |
| Borrowed from German Wikipedia. Translating the text below the picture: Prehistoric Lighter. |