This is a wooden device with which in the field you can both cook food and heat or light your way. According to legend, it was seen and borrowed from the North American Indians by the colonizers of Christopher Columbus. That is why the Indian candle got its name, and now it is also called - wooden stove, Swedish fire, Finnish candle and the like. The features of making and kindling such a Finnish candle will be discussed below.

For such a Finnish candle, as in the photo below, with a diameter of 8 cm and a length of 10 cm, it will take about 15-20 minutes to make, and it will work for 30-35 minutes. During this time, due to good efficiency, this wooden stove allows you to boil up to 2.5 liters of water. In general, in such a small size, this product is debatable and not for everybody. A diameter of 12 cm and a length of 18 cm will be much more efficient for a Finnish candle. However, in this case, the dimensions were chosen based on the fact that only a knife was available. It would be possible for them to do something more, but somewhat difficult.

The type of wood from which the wooden primus will be made does not really matter. However, it should be remembered that, for example, spruce or during burning “shoot” and give a lot of sparks, so using such a Finnish candle for heating will not be very convenient and comfortable. Birch burns well and hot, does not “shoot”, but the flame smokes a little, especially at the end of burning. Dry aspen, which burns with an even and colorless flame, is most suitable. In any case, when making an Indian candle, you should use, if possible, as dry as possible, but not rotten wood.

Features of the manufacture of a wooden primus stove, Indian candle, Finnish candle.

The external proportions of the Finnish candle depend on the intended use - for example, for cooking, a short but thick one is most suitable, for lighting - long and thin, so that it is comfortable to wear. But for heating - thick and long, it will burn for several hours. The process of making a wooden stove is very simple. First, we saw off the workpiece of the desired length.

We split the wooden round timber in half and then the halves in half again. I would like to note that splitting the workpiece into four parts is not at all necessary. The fewer slots there are, the later it is through these slots that the Indian candle will burn out. However, cutting the core of the two halves of the workpiece is long, more tedious and more difficult than cutting the corners of the quarters.

We cut the core of the quarters and make notches on them to make it look like this.

We firmly connect the wooden quarters of our future Finnish candle with wire, achieving the tightest possible fit to each other, and fill the middle with small pieces of birch bark, a torch or sawdust left over from planing so that the free passage of air through the channel is not blocked, otherwise it will not there will be traction. If possible, the Indian candle should be placed on stones or poles so that there is a small gap at its lower end for air to enter. If not, then a small side air duct should be cut in advance at the bottom of the workpiece.

A small video of a finished Finnish candle.

Features of kindling a wooden stove, an Indian candle, a Finnish candle.

We kindle the made wooden stove. It should be borne in mind that if the main focus of fire is concentrated in the upper part of the Indian candle channel, then it will burn for a long time, but with a weak flame, and if you kindle a candle from below, it will burn out faster, but the flame will be strong. The process of kindling itself requires some skill and practice, but each time it will get faster and faster.

A small video of kindling a wooden stove.

Adjusting the flame strength of a wooden primus stove, an Indian candle, a Finnish candle.

The strength of the flame of a wooden primus stove is quite simple to regulate by shutting off the air supply from below. For cooking, a flame height of 8-10 cm is sufficient. When using a Finnish candle as a torch, you can hold it in your hand, even if it is burning strongly, the tree is a good heat insulator.

A small video of burning wood stove..

When air is completely blocked from below the Indian candle, it goes into intensive smoldering mode, which is convenient for heating already prepared but cooled food. In addition, an Indian candle does not have to be burned out from beginning to end. As soon as the need for it disappears, it is simply extinguished by blocking the access of air at the same time from below and from above. But for example, the same wooden stove, but made in larger sizes.

Finnish candle at work

Finnish candle is the most common name for several fires of similar design, bred inside a specially prepared log or between several combined logs standing upright.

The design of the Finnish candle allows you to kindle a full-fledged fire with the least amount of fuel, in some cases using only one log. In addition, these candles are well tolerated by windy weather, and some of them - and precipitation when using dishes that cover the combustion source.

All versions of the Finnish candle are designed for cooking and lighting the area, and some of them are also used for heating and drying things.

This type of fire is economical, compact, easy to transport, its design can be built in advance, compared to many other types of fires, it leaves only a small fire on the ground, and in some cases it does not leave it at all.

Being invented in the 30s of the last century by a citizen of Finland, the Finnish candle has become widely known among hunters, tourists and other outdoor enthusiasts and is actively used to this day.

Its popularity is evidenced by the many names that this fire is called. Among them: a bonfire candle, a forest candle, a hunting candle, an Indian candle, an Indian torch, a Swedish candle, Swedish fire, a Scandinavian candle, a taiga candle, a Canadian candle, a Roman candle, a wooden primus stove, a wood-burning primus stove, an volya, a vertical fire made of logs.

Finnish candle options

The popularity of the fire could not leave the Finnish candle unchanged. As more and more people used it, the fire was bred with various design changes and additions, in different conditions. And if the classic fire consisted of two halves of a log split with an ax, placed with chipped sides one to the other, then modern designs differ not only in structure, but also in the number of logs used.

I know the following options for a forest candle:

• The classic version of the log split in two. This option consists of two halves of one log, placed with chipped surfaces to each other. A fire is kindled between the halves of the log. This option is easy to manufacture, burns for a relatively long time and requires only one log. The space on the sides of the fire, where the gap between the halves of the log is located, can be used for heating or drying things.
  
• Log split into four pieces. This option is similar to the previous one, but instead of two halves, four quarters of one log burn in this fire. Due to the larger burning surface, such a fire burns more intensively, but not so long. Due to the large number of cracks engulfed in fire, almost on any side of the fire, you can dry things or get warm. However, such a torch is less stable and quickly falls apart when the logs burn out.

  

  Swedish candle made of four pieces of logs.

• Split log, fastened with wire. This option is similar to the previous one, but all parts of the log are fastened together with wire. Such a fire burns less intensively, but longer. Due to the almost complete absence of heat on the sides of the fire (with a tight connection of the parts of the log), it can be freely transferred from place to place, but for the same reason this option cannot act as an effective heater. Also, the disadvantage of this fire is the need to tie quarters of logs, because the wire may not always be at hand. And it’s not always possible for a beginner to kindle such a fire on the first try.
  
• Log with longitudinal cuts. Here, inside a thick log, two to four longitudinal cuts are usually made to a depth of 2/3 or 3/4 of the length of the log. These cuts serve to supply oxygen to the combustion site and at the same time are this same site. This version of the stove is compact, easy to transport and can be recommended for organizing a fire with a chainsaw. Without a chainsaw, the construction of such a Swedish candle is impractical, although, of course, cuts can be made with an ordinary saw. This is a one-time type of forest candle, since it is difficult to put out the fire for a while if necessary. As this stove burns, the middle in the upper part burns out first, the distance between the burning surfaces increases - and the fire goes into smoldering mode. This is not always convenient for cooking, but it is quite suitable for heating, especially since the gaps that radiate heat become much larger than during the ignition of a fire. Among other things, this fire can be moved to a new place even in the process of burning and, unlike most other variants of the Swedish candle, does not leave a fire on the ground, unless the burned-out top part falls to the ground. However, starting this fire without oil, gasoline or other flammable liquids requires some skill and can be problematic for a beginner.

When using a chainsaw, such a fire is not only stable, but also beautiful.

The compactness and simplicity of this type of wood stove made it very popular. On the Internet, on various sites, there are ads offering to buy such a wooden primus wholesale and retail, and on Youtube there are many videos on its manufacture and use. However, as for me, this torch is not quite suitable for a backpacker, and even more so for someone who has an emergency situation in the wild, due to the complexity of manufacturing the described design without proper tools. This option is not for a person surviving in nature, who needs to make a fire with his own hands, but for a tourist who goes to nature on vacation with all the necessary equipment.

These are the main four ways to create a campfire candle, but there are other options:

The classic version of a log split in two is good if you have brushwood, which needs to be thrown into the fire from time to time, and a thick log. It is simple and can be recommended for cooking and boiling water in survival conditions with a saw and an ax.

A log split into four parts can be recommended for short-term illumination of the territory in those situations in which the classic version is made, but if necessary, warming a group consisting of more than two people. However, if the fire is made specifically to warm the group, it is better to use one of the taiga options, for example, a nodya.

A split log tied with wire is useful in situations that require cooking or lighting without the need for heating. Of course, it is used only when there is a wire or other material available that allows you to securely fasten all parts of the log.

A log with longitudinal cuts is made with a chainsaw and a sufficient amount of gasoline. It is also convenient to use it in the presence of pre-prepared logs in case of a picnic, fishing and other outdoor activities.

A log with two holes, like a candle with cuts, is convenient for outdoor use in a prepared form in a warm and rainy season.

Three logs placed side by side, as for me, along with the classic one, are one of the best options for a Finnish candle in emergency survival conditions. But unlike the classical one, this option requires the use of logs of smaller thickness, which means it is most appropriate in the presence of a saw and the absence of an ax.

The classic version of a log split in two

For the classic version, you can use a log with a diameter of 20-30 cm. The height of the log should be twice as large as the diameter. It is this ratio of diameter and height that is most acceptable for stability and uniform burning of not only the classic version, but also other types of fire-candles.

The log is split in two, and one part should be thicker than the other. Chips for kindling are chipped from the thicker part and crushed for faster ignition. Both parts of the log are installed at a small distance from one another with cuts facing each other. For stability, they can be propped up with sticks or stones. Kindling is placed in the middle. The kindling is ignited, after which the fire gradually enters the operating mode.

The photo shows the beginning of the manufacture of such a fire:

When sufficient embers have formed on both parts of the log, this Finnish candle can burn without throwing additional brushwood into the middle. To do this, it is enough to adjust the gap between the parts of the log: too close location will reduce the flow of oxygen to the combustion center - the fire will go into smoldering mode, and too far away - will not allow the coals to heat each other until the fire appears, and the fire will go out.

If necessary, cooking dishes with food are placed on the ends of both parts of the log. Additional tricks, as in some cases, which will be discussed a little later, are not required in this case. How it looks like, you can see in the photo or in the video.

If the fire is temporarily not needed, parts of the log move away from one another - and the fire goes into a smoldering mode, and after a while it finally goes out.

A log split into four pieces

This Finnish candle is prepared, kindled and extinguished by analogy with the previous version, only in this case the log is split into four identical parts.

With good kindling, such a fire is relatively easy to make.

Kindling for this candle is collected separately or cut from the core of another log split into pieces, where it is usually dry even after prolonged rains.

For cooking, the dishes are placed directly on the upper end of the chopped log.

Split log tied with wire

For this Finnish candle, a sawn log is split into four equal parts. All parts are marked on the outside with a knife so that after that it is possible to assemble all parts of the log together with the smallest gaps between them. For each of the resulting parts, a corner is cut off, which in the log was adjacent to the core. The formed shavings are used as kindling.

The core of the logs is usually drier than the outer fabrics, and therefore kindling from it is easier to kindle. Photo survival.com.ua

Also, for future ventilation, you can cut off the lower edges of the log parts at an angle.

All parts of the log are connected in accordance with the marks on them and form a cylindrical structure with a square hole in the middle and triangular gaps in the lower part (if, of course, they were cut out), which are connected to the central hole.

The central hole formed after the excavation of the core will act as a focus.

In this position, the log is fastened with wire. A small stick is inserted under the wire and rotated until the wire securely fastens all parts of the log. How it looks like in the end is shown in the photo:

If there were no lower gaps for ventilation, this version of the Finnish candle can be installed on a small groove so that fresh air can freely enter from below into the central hole where the fire will burn.

At the upper end of this candle, a small fire is bred, the coals of which fall into the hole and gradually kindle the entire structure.

According to some unverified data, such a candle can also be lit from below, if wood chips are loosely placed in the hole so as to provide free passage for air. Be that as it may, this version of the fire-candle remains one of the most inconvenient to kindle.

To cook on such a candle, three or four small identical flat pebbles are placed under the dishes, or two green sticks are placed in parallel. Sometimes, instead, 3-4 nails are driven into the upper end so that they rise above the wood. This is necessary so that the gases released as a result of combustion can freely go outside through the upper opening and not interfere with the flow of fresh air to the burning coals. If this is not done, the dishes will close the top hole, and the fire may go out.

Log with longitudinal cuts

In the manufacture of this version of the taiga candle, a chainsaw is most often used.

In a block of wood, two to four longitudinal cuts are usually made, going deep into 2/3, and sometimes 3/4 of its length. Although, if it is supposed to make a torch, then on a long straight log cuts are made only in the upper part. Everything - the Finnish candle is ready.

Today, the production of blanks for Finnish candles has been put on stream due to their high demand among tourists and vacationers.

Such a candle is most often kindled using alcohol, gasoline, machine or sunflower oil, or another combustible liquid. To do this, a small amount of the specified liquid is poured into the center of the candle and, having removed the container with this liquid to a safe distance, the fire is set on fire.

Attention!

Pouring gasoline, alcohol and other flammable substances into an already burning or smoldering fire is prohibited! Failure to do so may result in burns or an explosion in the flammable liquid container.

For cooking, the dishes are placed directly on the top flat surface of the candle.

Such a candle is usually extinguished with water, after which it needs to be dried for re-ignition.

Log with two holes

For this candle, the log is placed on the end. In the center, to a depth of 3/4 of the height of the log, a hole is made with a gimlet or a drill.

After the log is placed on its side and a second hole is drilled in it, which should connect to the "bottom" of the first. Thus, a log with an L-shaped tunnel is obtained. Residual shavings are removed from the tunnel.

Such a candle is kindled in two ways: from above, or from below.

For kindling from above, a small fire is made at the working end of the candle, the coals of which, falling into the hole, lead to the ignition of a vertical tunnel along the entire length of the structure.

To kindle from below, a flammable liquid is dripped into the upper hole, and the fire is brought on a splinter from the side of the side hole.

The photo shows an already lit candle:

With a tool, such a candle can be made from a stump, which is difficult to use as fuel in an ordinary fire. An example is shown in the photo:

Like the wire version, such a candle is kindled with great difficulty compared to the same classic Finnish candle.

Under the dishes in this version of the oven, it is necessary to put stones or sticks so that the bottom of the dishes does not close the outlet.

Such a candle is extinguished by overlapping two holes at the same time.

Three logs placed side by side

To make this candle, three logs of the same height are cut. On each of the three logs, the bark is removed from one side and shallow notches are made that damage the wood fibers.

The logs are placed horizontally one next to the other so that the cleaned sides are as close as possible to each other and point upwards. Kindling is laid on the logs and a fire is made.

When the part of the logs under the fires is charred and begins to actively smolder, the logs are placed on the end and pressed against each other by the smoldering parts. The gap between the logs is filled with coals from the burnt brushwood and the brushwood itself. After this Finnish candle enters the operating mode, there is no need to add additional fuel: the coals of the logs heat each other, due to which a steady flame appears in the center of the structure.

An example of a candle made of three logs, not fastened to each other in any way.

The dishes are installed from above without additional tricks, since the gaps between the logs are enough to remove the burnt gases from the combustion source.

If the logs are slightly different in length and for this reason do not allow you to place dishes on top of them, small depressions are made in the ground for logs of greater length. Thus, when installing a fire, the tops of the logs are aligned and allow you to install dishes on them without any problems.

In order to put out such a fire-candle, you just need to move the logs away from one another.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Finnish candle, like other fires, has a number of advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, in view of the fact that there are many variants of this fire, here we list only those that are characteristic of most of them.

The advantages of such a fire include:

• Profitability. For a taiga candle, often just one small log is enough; you can make a stove with your own hands or buy it in a specialized store.
• Compactness. It is convenient to transport the blank for this fire in a car or put it under an awning while in nature.
• Security. Some options allow you to use fire even on peat bogs. However, in the absence of an urgent need, it is not worth risking once again, and it is better to make a fire far from the peat bog.
• Mobility. Some versions of the Swedish candle can be easily carried over considerable distances even while burning.
• Environmental friendliness and secrecy. Some variants of the Indian candle do not leave any traces of burning on the ground at all.
• Insensitivity to weather conditions. Almost all candle fires are resistant to strong winds and precipitation when using dishes that can cover the burning center.
• The ability to "preserve" the fire. Some variants of the taiga candle, being extinguished and stored in a place closed from precipitation, allow you to re-ignite the flame without much difficulty when the need arises. Often this requires only a spark struck by flint striking a high-carbon steel knife, or sunlight concentrated to a point using a lens.

• The need for tools. It will be problematic to make a Finnish candle without a saw or an ax.
• The need for a tree trunk of a certain thickness. Not in every locality you can find deadwood of the right diameter suitable for the hearth. For example, in the tundra, in the field or steppe, such raw materials may not be available.
• Failure of the fire-candle as a heater. A Finnish candle often produces less heat than more well-known types of fires, such as a "hut" or "well".
• Possibility of installation over Indian candles of only one utensil. Cooking food or boiling water at the same time in several large cauldrons is unlikely to succeed due to the small working surface of the fire-candle.

Since the survivalist usually does not have a chainsaw, this type of candle is not suitable for survival purposes.

It is useful to focus on this information when you know the conditions under which the fire will be made, and the tasks that need to be solved with its help.

Security measures

Despite the "accuracy" of the taiga candle during burning, as with any other fire, safety precautions must be observed when using it.

So, a place for a forest candle is chosen away from dry trees and thickets of dry reeds. This place is cleared of dry leaves and grass, coniferous needles and cones, in a word, everything that can cause the spread of fire.

When using flammable liquids to light a Finnish candle, canisters with these liquids must be removed to a safe distance.

In order for a pre-prepared candle not to get wet from precipitation, it can be placed under the awning of the tent or covered with a piece of polyethylene, pressing its edges to the ground with stones. If light rain started during the burning of this fire, the dishes in which the food is cooked will protect the candle from fading.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that Finnish candles are good for cooking and lighting the area, and in some cases, heating. These fires can be recommended for a group of several people who are in a forest area with a shortage of dead wood and with tools for processing it.

Interesting video: how to make a Finnish candle in the wild

“On a hike or a “savage” journey, on a picnic or fishing, every time there is a task of preparing hot food. Someone builds a respectable bonfire, someone drags a primus stove or a bag of dry fuel with them.

I want to introduce you to one old method, or rather a device, with which you can cook food, heat up or light your way. According to legend, it was borrowed from the North American Indians by the colonialists Christopher Columbus. In view of this, it received the name "Indian candle".

The principle of operation of the Indian candle is very simple. As in a samovar, combustion takes place in the firebox, and the chimney provides draft. It's like a mini oven. But in the Indian candle, the role of both the furnace and the pipe is played by the fuel itself - a tree hollow in the middle. The inner walls of the log itself are burning.
From my travel experience, I can safely say that an Indian candle is one of the most effective and cheapest ways to cook hot food.

Anyone can make an Indian candle in a few minutes.

To make it, you need to borrow any log with a diameter of 10 cm or more. Up to 30-40 cm. It is necessary without knots, so that it can be split fairly evenly. The type of tree doesn't really matter, but you need to remember that resinous trees - "shoot" and give off a whole series of sparks. It is not recommended to use a candle made of Christmas trees and pine for heating. Birch burns hot and does not shoot, but its fire is strong and you need to be careful. In addition, there is an excess of tar in the birch bark and the fire smokes slightly, especially at the end of burning. In fact, the ideal candle comes from a well-dried aspen. It burns extremely evenly, the flame is light and colorless.

In any case, it's a good idea to exploit dead wood (but not rot). Otherwise, the candle or its blank will have to be dried for a long time.

So, we cut a blank 15–40 cm long from a log. When it is planned to use a candle for cooking, it is easier to take short but thick blanks. Here it will be possible to install the dishes directly on the candle, and she herself will stand firmly on the base. If lighting is important, then it is better to take a longer and thinner workpiece. To make it comfortable to wear. And when heating is needed, it is necessary to take both a thick and long workpiece. Such a candle can burn for many hours.

1. The tree is split lengthwise approximately in the middle. That is why it is of great importance to use a piece of log without knots. They are very easy to split. If you come across a hollow tree - this is generally the best option! This is a ready-made Indian candle, it’s enough to simply cut it into pieces 20-30 cm long and scrape out the rotten insides of the hollow.

With the help of a hatchet, the core of the tree is cut down so that after that a channel with a diameter of 5-7 cm is formed.

2. Both halves are folded again and fastened together in any way. Let's say with wire, adhesive tape, nails, glue... So we got a wooden pipe. It is important to ensure that the gaps at the junction of the halves are minimal. Otherwise, right through these cracks, the candle will burn out in an instant.

3. To kindle a candle, a little bit of birch bark (bark) is stuffed into the pipe. At the same time, they make sure that the unoccupied air access through the pipe is not blocked, otherwise there will be no thrust. When there is no birch bark, you can use several torches for your own purposes. The candle itself is installed so that at its lower end there is a small clearance for air to enter. For example, on stones or a couple of logs.

4. The birch bark is set on fire and pushed with a splinter inside the pipe approximately in its middle. If it is at the top of the pipe, the candle will burn for a long time, but with a weak flame. A similar mode will be for heating or heating a small amount of food. And if you advance the birch bark approximately to the very bottom (or light a candle below), then the candle will burn out faster, but the fire will be strong. A similar mode will be for cooking or lighting.

5. When burning a candle, it is quite simple to adjust the flame strength by blocking the access of air at the bottom of the candle (say, with earth or snow). For cooking, a flame height of 10-15 cm is sufficient.

6. The candle can be used as a torch. Wood is a brilliant heat insulator, and even if you can hold a burning candle with all your might, you can freely hold your hand, illuminating your path, or put a decent amount of such torches to illuminate the tourist camp.

7. To heat food, keep it hot or for heating, it is important to be able to switch the candle to intensive smoldering mode. At the same time, the candle smolders from the inside with practically no flame. At the same time, hot smoke comes out of it. This is achieved by blocking the air from below the spark plug.

8. To warm up, say, cans of canned food, even in winter, you need a total of several minutes. It is enough to place the jar on the candle so that there is a small gap for the smoke to escape. If it is necessary to cook food in a saucepan, then it is placed on a couple of chips - gaskets, like on a gas stove burner. When there is a bowler hat, it is simply hung over a candle at a height of 5-10 cm.

Sometimes, for air access and for the release of gases, they simply make the corresponding cuts at the ends of the candle. But this is feasible only for candles with a diameter of 20-25 cm or more. Tall and thin candles are not stable and do not take risks.

When using a candle as a heater in a tent, care must be taken to remove combustion products.

A perfectly correct heating looks something like this. The burning candle is left outside. A short metal pipe is suspended above it with an inclination. The higher end of the pipe is inserted into the tent. The candle heats the pipe and, accordingly, the air in it, which enters the tent. Thus, the tent is heated with hot, but fresh, clean air, and not with smoke.

Once a candle is lit, it is not necessary to burn it out to the end, until it dies. As soon as the food is cooked, the candle is extinguished by cutting off the air from both below and above. For example, by closing with some kind of non-combustible object, it can be the lid of a pot or by throwing on a damp rag. Thus, with the help of one Indian candle, you can cook food several times.

Undoubtedly, such a candle is much heavier than a stove or a package of dry fuel. But dry fuel is quite expensive. And unlike a primus stove, which must be dragged to both ends of the journey, as well as to bother with a smelly canister of fuel for it, a candle has a one-way ticket. She dies, providing us with hot food, warmth and light.

But when traveling by car or other motorized trips through wild, and especially treeless and mountainous places, a candle will serve you faithfully. Spend a little time making it and you will always be full and warm." copy-paste from a travel site where google chrome found malware and doesn't recommend going there..

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Among the problems that accompany lovers of hiking, fishing and picnics is the problem of quickly cooking or heating using a minimum amount of fuel. In a treeless area or in winter on ice, you can’t build a fire. You can’t spread it in a tent and even in the immediate vicinity of it. The fire is gluttonous, not very efficient and is stable burning. Either it blazes, or it barely smolders, firewood “shoots”, sparks in all directions. In these cases, some specific or special methods of burning fuel, especially improvised ones, help out. firewood.

I have already described two options for the so-called. Indian candle, "classic" and modern. (Indian Candle or Wooden Primus and Indian Candles or Campfire) Alas, both options have some fatal flaws. For a classic Indian candle, this is a rather high manufacturing complexity. Come on, find a ready-made dead wood with a weak core ... And chopping a block of wood, hollowing out and, most importantly, again tightly connecting the halves in field conditions is also not an interesting occupation. The second option for its manufacture generally requires a chain saw. Even a hacksaw will not work here - the cuts must be wide so that the air passes through. Almost carpentry work ... And both options are characterized by low combustion stability, the flame quickly gets out of control. Sometimes you don't have time to cook food. And don't call them miniature. Such a strong flame is not always required. In general, something more stable and predictable, controlled, possible in various "weight categories" is required.

Humanity is already a few thousand as the brazier is known. Conditionally - some kind of vessel in which coals burn or smolder. In order for the oxidizer (air, or rather the oxygen in it) to enter the combustion zone, the vessel is either made very flat, or holes are made in its walls. But the brazier is also not the best solution for a hike. Requires specific fuel - coals. And you just throw firewood there - it turns into a banal fire.

Is it possible to find a compromise, I thought, which would not have serious shortcomings, but would combine the advantages of Indian candles and barbecue? It turned out you can! And the solution turned out to be extremely simple.

The brazier has a body, but does not have the stability of burning conventional fuel (wood). Candles have some burning stability, but the absence of a casing makes them fire hazardous, and this stability is worsened. And what if you make a case for an Indian candle? Then the most difficult part - we do not need to connect the split block of wood. Yes, and the candle itself can be "assembled" from just ordinary poles. In order for the combustion of firewood to be controlled, stable in intensity and long, it is necessary to limit the access of oxygen to the combustion zone. Its quantity will determine the intensity of combustion.

For the experiment, I picked up a tin can in the shape of "higher than wide." Those. like a tall glass. To make it a "barbecue" I punched several holes for air access. Only not from the sides, but in the bottom, and it is precisely in the center of the bottom, but not over the entire area. It was necessary to make sure that the holes in the bottom coincided with the air channel in the Indian candle. I didn’t just make a round hole so that the coals would not fall out of the can later. (The capacity of the jar is approximately 350-400 ml in total!)

I pushed small chocks into the jar (and you can call them chocks with a stretch, a finger thick and 10 cm long), then took out the central one. A channel for air was formed, as in a classic Indian candle. I put some birch bark in there, set it on fire ... After a few minutes, the “stove - candle” burned with an even flame and burned for 20-25 minutes! The flame was quite stable in intensity, practically without smoke, low and even. And so on, until almost all the firewood burned down and turned first into a handful of coals, and then a pinch of ash. And there was more than enough time and power to warm up a can of canned food and boil a mug of boiling water and brew tea. And the stove - it can fit in your pocket! And fuel is required "a handful of chips" in the truest sense of the word!

Encouraged by the success, I made the stove bigger. I took a 3-liter tin and also made holes in its bottom. After that, he split a small block of wood, hollowed out the core in it, inserted it into the stove and pressed both halves to each other, wedging them with other chips. Fired up…

Anyone who loves outdoor recreation (especially not picnic, but active - hunting, fishing, hiking) knows how relevant a properly lit fire is. If you don’t carry a brazier with you, you need to worry about safety so that you don’t run away from a forest fire later and feel like a criminal. And to kindle a fire in the snow, and so that it does not go out every minute, and at all seems to many to be the pinnacle of fire skill. However, experienced travelers know how to build a hearth with fire safety, so that it burns for a long time, does not go out even in slush and does not require regular feeding. Everyone calls it differently: Finnish candle, taiga candle, Indian or Swedish, but the essence remains the same. There are even several ways to make it.

Maxi bonfire

The most successful Finnish candle is obtained if you "landed" near sawn logs. No effort is required: pick up three saw cuts of approximately the same height and diameter, put them in a circle close to each other and kindle a fire in the middle. In order for the fire to burn evenly and the burnout to be the same in all directions, it is necessary to correctly select the logs in height. The Finnish candle lasts the longest, the logs should be two of their diameters long. The power of such a fire is enough for a five-liter boiler to boil in a third of an hour, and it does not even need to be hung up - it will rely on the logs themselves. As the logs burn out, they seem to fold into a hut. If you need a “Finnish candle” fire for a long time, at this stage you can maintain it as the most common one by adding firewood.

If you have a chainsaw

In the absence of the need for such a large hearth and the presence of an appropriate tool on hand, you can do otherwise. A piece of a thick log half a meter long is taken and sawn through (not completely, about three-quarters of a segment). If the diameter of the saw cut is large, you can work with a chainsaw a little more to get eight "lobes". You should not make more cuts, because the narrower the sector, the faster your Finnish candle will burn out. The log is firmly fixed on the ground (you can dig or support it with stones), kindling is laid inside (from its own sawdust, or just liquid ignition) - and a fire is at your service for several hours.

field method

Suppose there is no saw, but do you need a Finnish one in this case? Well, there is an ax in nature anyway. A block of wood, looked after for this purpose, is split as for ordinary firewood, only a little more diligently so that the logs do not differ too much in thickness. Then they gather in the original log, only around a thick branch - this will be the hearth. Below, closer to the ground, and approximately in the middle, the Finnish candle is pulled, preferably with wire - it definitely will not burn out. But if it is not there, twine, fishing line, and flexible rods will do. It is especially necessary to tighten it down below, because in the middle the logs will burn out faster, and without good fixation near the ground, your fire will fall apart. The central branch is pulled out three quarters from below and sawn off, after which the Finnish candle is placed on the ground. By the way, if the original log is not too massive, you can use this branch as a leg and just stick it into the ground.

hand candle

If there is no nearby (or a suitable dry object for cutting, or a saw and even a normal ax), then the Finnish is done a little differently. Quite thick poles are collected around the district, at least five centimeters in diameter, and are collected in a bundle again around the center branch. The side of the poles that will be inside needs to be cut a little with a knife - it’s better to do it. The rest of the manipulations are the same as when creating a “finca” from logs.

Primus candle

It is used as an oven for cooking. The main points are as in the manufacture of a fire-candle in the field. Two nuances:

1. The original log must be partially hollowed out from the inside. Alternatively, you can not cut out the core, but split it into poles and clean them already. Such a fire is assembled on the snow in the same way, around a branch, but the cavity inside must be made artificially, and the outer walls are closed as far as possible without cracks.
2. From two opposite sides, the logs are either cut less, or pushed up more strongly, by five to six centimeters. Due to this design, in the center, the fire will be inflated with air, and its tongues will be directed mainly upwards.

Such a Finnish candle is not suitable for heating - the fire is all concentrated inside. But the food is cooked much faster.

What can a Finnish candle be used for?

In addition to cooking and heating (except for the "primus stove"), such a fire is simply indispensable as a lighthouse. Experienced fishermen who go to the evening dawn leave it on the shore as a signal for latecomers - in the dark it can be seen from afar.

It is very convenient when using Finnish candles and the fact that almost until they burn out completely, they can be moved from place to place without difficulty and burns. A considerable plus can be considered a long-term fire: a medium-sized block of wood gives light and heat for four hours. A maxi-fire without additional fuel can perform its functions all night long.

If you are not a fan of "wild" tourism and fishing, but like to celebrate the New Year in the country, Finnish candles placed along the paths will bring romance and decorate the garden no worse than garlands and Chinese lanterns.