I remember blowing on campfires to get them to burn hotter or to stir up some flames to catch more wood on fire. There was always the risk you might singe your eyebrows and eyelashes, not to mention ashes in your face. Another oft used method was to fan the coals with a metal dinner plate, but it usually guaranteed dirt and ashes in the cocoa.
One day messing around in the shed behind our house I found a piece of copper tubing and had a light bulb moment. I took it with me on our next camp out and it worked perfectly. It was less than a foot long and fit nicely in my backpack. I still had to lean in a little but it was much better than sticking my face so close to the fire.
I only got to use it a few times before it went missing. I probably left it laying on the ground and forgot to put it away. It seemed like such a neat invention at the time. #Scouting
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