Survival tech: The fire piston  A fire piston, developed by the
indigenous peoples of the south pacific, operates like a diesel
piston. Staff photo/Lee Williams  A fire piston, developed by
the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific, operates like a
diesel piston. Staff photo/Lee Williams  If you're a hunter, a
hiker or a survivalist and spend time in the wilderness, few
skills are more important than the ability to make fire.  Fire
keeps you warm, cooks your food, can serve as an emergency
beacon and generally improves your morale.  I've always been
interested in low-tech, traditional methods of fire making,
since they never run out of lighter fluid and, unlike matches,
can still operate when wet.  Some methods definitely work better
than others. My record with a fire bow is very poor, and not for
public consumption.  One primitive fire-making tool that always
travels with me in my bug-out bag is a Fire Piston, which was
developed by the indigenous people of the South Pacific and
Southeast Asia.  The Fire P