SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 41: Make a Fire Blowpipe from a Hollow Stem

Getting a fire going isn’t always about adding more tinder or piling on extra kindling. Sometimes, a small amount of carefully directed air is all that’s needed to help an established bed of embers burn more strongly. A traditional fire blowpipe is a simple tube that lets you direct your breath towards a particular spot rather than blowing across the whole fire.

For this challenge, you’ll make a fire blowpipe from a suitable hollow stem and learn how to use it to direct air towards glowing embers. It’s a small piece of traditional firecraft, but it also teaches an important lesson: how you manage airflow can make a difference when tending a fire.

Your Challenge

Make a simple fire blowpipe from a naturally hollow stem or suitable fallen plant material, then explain how it directs air towards a small area of embers.

Use a dry, clean, non-toxic stem that you can identify confidently and are permitted to collect. You can complete the construction and demonstrate the airflow without lighting a fire. If you already have permission to use an appropriate outdoor fire area, you can practise with a properly established fire under safe conditions.

What You’ll Need

• A suitable hollow stem or naturally hollow piece of plant material.
• A small hand saw or secateurs, if needed and if you can use them safely.
• A blunt tool for clearing loose material from the inside, if necessary.
• A notebook or phone to record what you learn.

Do not use a stem from a poisonous or irritating plant, or one that may have been exposed to chemicals. Avoid collecting from protected habitats or removing material without permission. Never use a plant you cannot confidently identify.

Take the Challenge

1. Understand how a fire blowpipe works

A fire blowpipe is simply a tube that directs your breath towards a small area. Instead of blowing broadly across the fire, you aim the airflow at the edge of the glowing embers where oxygen can help the combustion process.

The principle is straightforward: embers need oxygen to continue burning. Directing a controlled stream of air towards them can encourage a brighter glow and help nearby fine tinder catch, provided the fire is already established and the materials are suitable.

Blowing too hard can scatter ash, send sparks flying or cool the area with excess airflow. The aim is to control the direction and force of your breath rather than trying to blow as hard as possible.

2. Choose a suitable hollow stem

Look for a naturally hollow stem that is dry, reasonably straight and strong enough to handle without splitting. A piece of fallen plant material may work, but it must be safe to handle and free from mould, rot and contamination.

The stem needs a clear passage through which air can travel. If it is blocked by soft material or internal partitions, don’t force a sharp tool through it while holding the stem in your hand. Choose a different piece or use a suitable blunt tool with the stem secured on a stable surface.

Avoid stems that are brittle, cracked or so narrow that they are difficult to blow through. Don’t use plastic tubing, painted materials or treated plant material as a substitute for a natural stem around a fire.

3. Prepare the blowpipe

Trim the stem to a manageable length using an appropriate tool, taking care to cut away from your body and keep your fingers clear of the cutting path. If you’re inexperienced with cutting tools, ask a competent adult to help.

Check both ends for splinters and rough edges. Remove loose material and make sure the central passage is open. Do not put your lips against an end that is dirty, mouldy or likely to leave splinters.

The tube doesn’t need to be elaborate. A simple, straight passage is enough to demonstrate the principle. What matters is that air can travel through it and that you can hold it comfortably without bringing your face too close to a flame.

4. Test the airflow without a fire

Before using the blowpipe near embers, test it away from flames. Hold it away from your face and blow gently through it towards a small piece of lightweight paper placed on a table or other stable surface.

Notice how the air emerges from the far end. Compare it with blowing directly from your mouth without the tube. The blowpipe helps concentrate the airflow into a smaller area, although the result depends on the shape and width of the stem.

Check that the tube is clear and comfortable to use. If you need to blow excessively hard, the passage may be blocked or too narrow. Do not inhale through a stem that contains dust, debris or plant material.

5. Learn how to use it around embers

If you have a suitable outdoor fire area and permission to light a fire, make sure you understand the site’s fire rules and have the means to extinguish it. Keep the fire small, stable and under constant supervision.

Use the blowpipe only when there is an established bed of glowing embers. Keep your face back and direct a gentle stream of air towards the edge of the glowing material. Avoid blowing directly into loose ash, which can rise into your eyes or be carried towards other people.

Watch how the embers respond. You may see a brighter glow where the air reaches them. If sparks begin to fly or ash starts scattering, stop and allow the fire to settle.

Never use the blowpipe to blow towards your face, another person or a pile of loose tinder that could flare suddenly. Do not use it to revive a fire in a tent, enclosed shelter or other poorly ventilated space.

6. Look after the fire safely

When your practice is finished, extinguish the fire fully according to the site’s instructions. Douse it with water where appropriate, stir the ashes and embers carefully, and continue adding water until everything is cold. Follow any local guidance for the fire area, and never leave embers smouldering.

Keep the blowpipe away from the fire while it is hot, and don’t pick up burning or heated material with your hands. Once the area is safe and cool, inspect the stem for cracks or damage and dispose of it responsibly if it has become brittle.

If you cannot use a real fire safely or legally, the challenge can still be completed by making the blowpipe and demonstrating its airflow without a flame.

Check Your Results

Check that your blowpipe has a clear passage, no dangerous splinters and a comfortable grip. You should be able to explain why directed airflow can help embers glow more strongly, and why excessive blowing can scatter sparks and ash.

Think about these questions:

• Why do embers need oxygen?
• How does a tube change the direction of your breath?
• Why should you test the airflow away from a fire first?
• What could happen if you blow too hard?
• How would you make sure the fire was fully extinguished afterwards?

Complete the Challenge

To complete Challenge 41, you must:

1. Find a suitable, safely identifiable hollow stem or natural tube.
2. Prepare it into a simple blowpipe without leaving sharp edges.
3. Demonstrate that air can pass through it.
4. Explain how directed airflow can help an established bed of embers.
5. Describe the precautions needed when using it around a fire.
6. Take a photograph of your finished blowpipe as evidence.

You do not need to light a fire to complete the challenge.

How to Submit Your Challenge

Share your evidence

1. Go to your SGUK member profile.
2. Open Social Activity.
3. Upload a photograph of your completed blowpipe.
4. Add the hashtag #SGUKChallenge41.
5. Share it for verification.

You can add a short note explaining what material you used and what you learned about directing airflow. Do not include a photograph of unsafe fire use.

Once you’ve shared your evidence and it has been verified, the SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 41 is complete and the completed challenges figure will be updated on your profile.

Challenge 41 Checklist

Want to Push Yourself?

Research how traditional fire tenders used airflow when managing a cooking fire, and compare a blowpipe with gently fanning embers using a suitable hand fan. Think about the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

You could also practise identifying safe, permitted natural materials before making another simple bushcraft tool. Always check local rules before collecting plants, and avoid removing material from living trees or sensitive habitats.

What’s Next?

If you haven’t tried it yet, return to SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge 40: Predict Where Water Will Pool After Rain. It develops the same habit of observing natural processes and using what you notice to make better decisions outdoors.

You can complete SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenges in any order, so choose whichever skill you’d like to practise next.

Learn. Practise. Master.

That’s what the SGUK Outdoor Skills Challenge is all about.