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Master the ancient art of fire-making and explore primitive cooking techniques with timeless articles from The Backwoodsman magazine.
As a child, Charlie Richie Jr. watched his father start friction fires, build solar-powered ovens, carve his own utensils—and fall in love with the Old Ways of Living. In 1979, Charlie Sr. was inspired to create The Backwoodsman magazine, with a mission to preserve and share timeless outdoor skills that will forever be relevant.
In The Backwoodsman: Fire, Charlie Jr. collects more than 30 of the magazine’s best fire- and cooking-related articles, written by seasoned craftspeople. Discover several traditional and modern fire-making methods—from bow drills and flint-and-steel sets to emergency kits built from everyday items. Plus, learn how to create fire in difficult conditions, including wet weather or low-resource environments. But fire is just the beginning. This guide jumps into backwoods cooking and bushcraft ingenuity. The selections often feature how-to plans and instructions—complete with illustrations—and they focus on wilderness cooking with a variety of braziers, ovens, and smokers made from natural and repurposed materials.
A testament to human ingenuity and the enduring importance of traditional craftsmanship, this book ensures that critical survival techniques and “the art of making” remain accessible to future generations. It offers personal empowerment, creativity, and deep environmental engagement.
If you’re an avid outdoorsperson who might find yourself in an overnight survival situation, this is an essential book. If you can’t walk through the woods without seeing every stick as tinder, kindling, or part of your next campfire, you’ll love this rugged collection of fire-making and wilderness-cooking articles for beginners and hands-on adventurers.
Inside you’ll find:
- 32 of The Backwoodsman magazine’s best fire-related articles
- Instructions for creating ovens and burners, garbage-can smokers, fireless cookers, and more—no modern cookware needed
- Technical illustrations that aid in understanding each step-by-step process
Charlie Richie Jr. is the owner and editor of The Backwoodsman. He was only 9 years old when his parents started the publication in 1979, so it’s been a huge part of his life. Charlie officially started working for The Backwoodsman in 1995 and has served many roles, including associate publisher, special assignments editor, head of media relations, and advertising director. He has written numerous articles and feature interviews for the magazine. Charlie took over The Backwoodsman in January 2022. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he has also been a freelance outdoor TV producer for the past 15 years.
Foreword
An Appeal to Common Sense
Traditional Fire Making
Emergency Fire Making & Fire Starters
Cooking & DIY Ovens, Smokers & Burners
Smoking & Dehydrating
Wilderness Cooking
Crafting Utensils, Pottery & More
Candles & Lighting
About the Editor