Finally! A Fire Piston That’s Bomb-Proof

by Todd Walker

A few months ago my friends, Glen and Tammy Trayer of Trayer Wilderness, sent me their MultiFlame Tool to review. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical since I’ve yet to use a fire piston that produced an ember on a consistent basis. After two months of testing this tool, I was shocked… in a good way!

Here’s why…

The MultiFlame Tool is aptly named. Glen Trayer reveals his genius in the design. Besides being a combustion device, it functions as a screw driver, auger, and, get this… a bore cleaner for sidearms! Multifunctional, redundant, and bomb-proof!

First, let’s look at its combustion capability.

Fire

Science students at my school are going to love this!

The primitive technology of making fire out of thin air is nothing new. Rudolph Diesel put this ancient concept to work in an internal combustion engine that bears his name to this day. Compressing air quickly in a chamber raises the air temperature to around 500º… hot enough to ignite petroleum fuel, or in our case, tinder material.

With the proper input, the MultiFlame Tool has consistently produced a burning ember with char cloth. Simply place a small piece of charred cloth in the hole at the end of the piston. Lubricate the o-ring with chap stick, saliva, fixin’ wax, skin oils, or other available lubricant. Insert the piston into the chamber and slam the piston in and quickly remove. It’s that simple.

An alternative to char cloth, chaga, known as tinder fungus, will work. I tested a piece of chaga that my buddy, Joel Bragg, gave me at the Pathfinder School the first weekend of October. On the third attempt with tinder fungus, I had a coal.

Here’s the video review:

Other Tool Functions

This tool is way more than a fire piston! You can use it as a screw driver. Any 1/4 inch hex head bit will fit the end of the piston chamber. The auger adapter accepts 5/16th inch hex shaft auger bits for boring larger diameter holes for camp craft and other wood craft chores.

Add a gun bore cleaner to the list. The round handle on the piston will unscrew allowing you to attach a bore cleaning brush for 9mm or larger sidearms. Small hex bits, cleaning brushes, and tinder material can be stored in the tin which comes with the kit. Two extra o-rings are included in the tin.

Conclusions

Would I choose fire pistons as my primary source of fire? No.

As I mention earlier, fire pistons were never a reliable combustion tool for me. However, the Trayer Wilderness MultiFlame Tool is not only a reliable ignition source, it’s multi-functionality has earned a spot in my kit!

If you’ve had epic fails with fire pistons, I recommend you try the bomb-proof MultiFlame Tool. They come in two sizes: 6″ piston ($45.00 – auger adapter not included), and 8″ piston ($75.00 – auger adapter included ~ which I reviewed). These MultiFlame Tools are made in American. Check out the other self-reliant items in their online store that has helped them live off-grid in the Idaho wilderness. Oh, and you won’t find better people to deal with!

You can order yours at Trayer Wilderness.

Keep Doing the Stuff of Self-Reliance,

Todd

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