DIY Firestarters

[b63215b]

Guys thanks for the suggestions but I'm trying to stay clean and Eco friendly. I'm no hippie but when I start fires I pride myself in being able to do it without chemicals. The days of being 20 and using gasoline are over, knuckle hair is gone as a result of those younger years, haha.

 

[svana]

I've made a set of fire starters that I keep in my 72hr pack comprised of the flat cotton pads, vaseline and paraffin wax. I saturated the pads in the vaseline, then melted the wax and covered the pads in about 3-4 coats of it. Makes it waterproof, and it isn't sticky/messy. When I need to use one, I crack it open, and pull apart a few fibers and lights up pretty well. I've managed to light them with a fire steel as well.

 

[robgendreau]

Doritos. Or Fritos. Better you burn them for kindling/fire starters than in your stomach. And no, the BBQ flavor doesn't work any better than regular....

 

[mudbutt]

I like to take strike anywhere matches...

Where do you buy strike anywhere matches anymore? All I can find are the new "green" ones and they are pretty much worthless....

 

[peneumbra]

You can get them at any Woolworth's

(Good luck finding one of those...)

 

[h2os2]

9v battery and steel wool.

 

[b63215b]

I can attest to the 9v battery and steel wool as well, very cool. Not sure if it would work if the wool was wet. Not sure id want to try it!

 

[verdesardog]

Steel wool does not work wet.

Cotton balls totally saturated with petroleum jelly work even when wet! To get it to catch a spark form a metal match you must pull it apart so you have several fine strands of cotton showing, strike into the fine strands of cotton! A normal size cotton ball and Vaseline will burn for over 5 minuets and dry out wet kindling.

I teach primitive and survival fire making.....

 

[XTorrey]

I did something similar, but used cotton balls and cotton twine instead of lint (hadn't saved any). I partially pulled the cotton balls apart to fluff them up a bit, then tied two cotton balls together with the twine and left a long end of the twine for the wick. Melted down the wax from some candles I had been gifted (why toss a stinky candle you don't like when you can make firestarters?!), dipped them in the wax, and then dried on wax paper. I keep them stored in a gallon Ziploc bag in our camping gear, and they work like a charm.

 

[Dazrin]

I saw someone recommend trick birthday candles as a good option. Easy to light (with matches or lighter), won't blow out, will burn long enough to get things started, cheap, easy to pack. They won't take a spark like cotton balls or some of these others, but for non-survival options they seem like a good idea. And most of us with kids probably have a couple boxes left over from something.

 

[srgsng25]

My DIY fire Starter is just like said above with the wax but we will soak pine wood shavings

 

[Quill]

Plain old jute twine is quick and easy. I have a fire steel and strike anywhere matches. I don't fool around with them in an emergency. I use a lighter. I Bic in my kit or a Zippo in my pocket. Don't smoke but I carry a Zippo. If it is really bad I would use a road flare to start a fire. When you are shaking with cold messing around with Bushcraft techniques is the last thing I would do. A thick stubby candle is in my pack usually. If you use dryer lint, make sure it is cotton. Another cheap fire starter is to buy a fire log at the end of the fire place season at closeout and cut it up in small chunks.

 

[Phoenix]

Been using the lint and wax in the egg carton for some time now. Great solution for starting a fire first thing in the morning. Which is when I want my coffee.

My 14 year old son and I make these together, just because he enjoys it.

 

[kingquad700]

You can buy strike any where matches from Amazon.
My x wife had one of those candle wax melter thingy's. I dipped a cotton ball in there and made a fire starter that will burn for 10 plus minutes. Make sure to dip it about 3/4 the way, you want to leave some unwaxed cotton ball to take a spark. Works pretty good and is fairly easy. I now use the wax melter thingy to make sure the house smells decent, and when the wax loses it scent, I just dip the cotton ball. You can buy the melty things and wax at most big box stores.

 

[Kelly Campbell]

Interesting idea. Will certainly try it on our next outing. Thanks.