Awesome Fire

Furniture isn’t usually dangerous – unless it’s lit on fire. Cory Rusch from Fortress Fine Woodworks shows how he created a table with a fire vortex at its center. He made the frame from flame cherry wood, with a poured concrete top and a fireproof base. A fan and 3D-printed tubes create the spinning flame. Remember, though, failure is always an option.

This limited-edition knife from Carved offers a handle inspired by burning firewood. Its blackened wood handles are etched with a charred-crackle pattern and filled with silver or gold resin. To add to its impact, the resin glows at night. Its 3.25″ damascus steel blade has a frame lock mechanism, and its body is made from grade 5 titanium.

Ferrofire’s carbon steel striker tool works with standard ferrocerium rods to quickly start fires. In addition to its sharp striker edge, it has a serrated tip for making wood curls or soft ferrocerium to use as tinder. The striker comes two to a pack, but ferro rods are sold separately. Ferrofire also sells combo kits that include a striker and a rod.

It seems counterintuitive that you could start a fire inside a block of dry ice. But in this video from the Royal Society of Chemistry, scientist Declan Fleming shows how magnesium can ignite and stay lit inside a block of dry ice. As the CO2 is thermally split into carbon and oxygen, the magnesium consumes the oxygen until depleted, leaving carbon as the final product.

Carrying a fire pit to your campsite can be a pain. The Packfire solves that problem by stowing an entire wood-burning fire pit in a hardshell backpack. Its walls fold for easy travel and set up in seconds atop a steel base. Plus, its walls are designed to reduce smoke and concentrate heat. Sign up now before the Kickstarter launch for the lowest price.

When an arson investigator (Taron Egerton) teams up with a police detective (Jurnee Smollett), their race to stop two arsonists becomes a twisted game of secrets. Based on a podcast about arsonist John Leonard Orr by crime novelist Dennis Lehane, the Smoke miniseries is a smoldering slow-burner that ignites the small screen. Drops 6.27.25 on Apple TV+.

Say you’re driving down a snowy street or driveway that hasn’t been plowed yet. Would it be possible to clear the way if you mounted a flamethrower on the front of your car? xkcd’s What If? ponders this theoretical and dangerous idea, and whether there’s any way to generate enough heat to melt the snow before you drive over it.

In order to harden steel, it must first be heat treated; then, it must be quenched rapidly in a bath of oil. This brief but satisfying factory video shows red hot steel gears being dipped into warm oil, resulting in a massive flareup before the hardening process is complete. Here’s another video of a different large part being quenched.

If you’ve every played with Beyblades, you know how much fun the spinning discs toys can be. In this clip, someone used an angle grinder to spin up two discs Beyblade-style, then introduced fire and fuel into the mix for a wildly satisfying 60 seconds of video. Kids, don’t try this one at home (unless your dad’s a firefighter.)

Get campfires going quickly with this compact firestarter kit. The Kea Ignite includes a ferrocerium rod and curved steel scraper rod which reliably spark up in almost any conditions. Both pieces stow neatly inside of a CNC-machined aluminum cylinder and are easy to use even if you’ve never started a fire before.

This portable propane fire pit from Howl Campfires measures just 13.275″ x 8.43″ but can produce a flame up to 32″ tall. It directs fire upwards for an impressive 800ºF flame in a small space and runs for up to 8 hours on its maximum setting when attached to a 20 lb. propane tank. Made in Colorado from stainless steel, aluminum, and brass.

You’ll never have trouble starting a campfire again with this firestarter kit from Prepared4X. It includes a 36″ length of tinder wick rope that can burn for up to 3 hours, along with a curved ferrocerium striker and metal handle with a flint edge to quickly spark things up. Available in 4″ and 6″ sizes.

The idea that an object or a human can spontaneously catch fire or explode seems unlikely. Engineer Xyla Foxlin explores the science behind freak fires that seem to come out of nowhere and explains what makes these fiery phenomena possible. While there are stories of people self-igniting, it seems there’s a rational explanation for each of these fires.

Between the wind, cold, and damp conditions, getting outdoor fires started can be challenging. This moldable putty can be stuck to logs, torches, or tinder, and will burn for up to 15 minutes with just a quarter-sized dab, giving your fire a fighting chance. It comes in blends for various climates and applications.

These portable, smokeless fire pits are good for a little extra outdoor heat and toasting marshmallows. The compact flame-makers are made from stainless steel with aluminum alloy feet. Their jet engine shape and air vent placement create a fire vortex effect for added visual interest. Available in two sizes and multi-unit bundles.

Firefighters put their lives on the line daily to help save lives and property. This video gives us a rare glimpse into what it’s like from their perspective. Fireman Joseth Abel Espinosa of the Third Fire Company of Ñuñoa wore a GoPro camera as he and his crew headed into a major house fire in Santiago, Chile. You can almost feel the heat coming off of the screen.