I was thinking on fire starter

[Mark W.]

I'm in the process of putting together a compact fire starting kit. Something that has as many different ways to start fire and get it going as I can that will fit in a medium Band Aide metal can. Painting the can brite red with white lettering that says FIRE on both sides.

I have a bunch of slim pencil like butane lighters so a couple of those go in.

For years and years I made fires with a flint and steel while we were doing the Mountain Man Rendevous thing so I have a couple real nice pieces of gun flint and a striker made from an old bastard file. To work with this I have about 1/4cuft of chared cotton (best stuff to catch a spark) and some Macramé jute fiber both contained in plastic bags.

I want to add a fire starter and I was looking around ACE Hardware today at the offerings in the sports isle and then wandered through the paint and glue isle. I remembered a stupid stunt a couple of the guys did in the 7th grade putting rubber cement on their thumbnails and lighting it (worked great until Pete got some on the base of his nail and it burned the crap out of his thumb) Anyway I figured the stuff is extremely flammable, Sticky so it would stay where I put it, and comes in a small bottle that has an applicator brush inside it already. At less then 3 bucks for the 2oz bottle I figure it would only take about 1/2 a teaspoon worth to be spread on some small kindling to get a fire starter and 2oz would make approx. 20-24 fires. I also noticed that it was a very light material.

I'm going to buy a couple bottles and make some little test fires and see how I like it.

I also have some 100 year old old growth cedar boards that I am going to put a small piece in that can be split with a pocket knife blade for the time I just can't find dry kindling.

I might wedge a few strike anywhere matches in if I can find room.

Next project is to see how compact of a First Aide kit I can get into the same sized package.

I'm working on as small and compact of GHB as I can make since it will have to go with me to work every day (I drive Dump truck and can be a very long ways away from my pickup at any time)

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[ATCclears]

Dryer lint? I've been told it works great. I and the wife are starting to put it aside, but I have yet to try it.

Peter

 

[RedneckRampage]

I tried dryer lint once, and didn't get much out of it...that was a long time ago. You said you drive a dump truck, my semi had flares in it, grab those if there are some in your truck, if you need to ditch it.

 

[coyoteman5]

Cotton balls with Vaseline works real good

 

[M67]

This is what i carry-

Wetfire tinder cubes work really great, burn vey hot for about 6 minutes, are very small in size and can be lit with a spark.

Military issue trioxane works well.

You can also carry cotton balls and some chapstick. Chapstick on the cotton ball, works as good as vaseline.

 

[Member 18201]

Plastic baling twine works as a hot, sticky fire starter, but does not always light real easily.

 

[DAPSRT]

Take cardboard egg cartons, stuff each section with as much dryer lint as you can then pour wax over it to fill up each cup. They'll burn about 10 minutes and are super easy to light and work great. You can get the wax most anywhere you can get canning supplies.

 

[Cougfan2]

Take cardboard egg cartons, stuff each section with as much dryer lint as you can then pour wax over it to fill up each cup. They'll burn about 10 minutes and are super easy to light and work great. You can get the wax most anywhere you can get canning supplies.

This is a great idea!

 

[Member 18201]

Take cardboard egg cartons, stuff each section with as much dryer lint as you can then pour wax over it to fill up each cup. They'll burn about 10 minutes and are super easy to light and work great. You can get the wax most anywhere you can get canning supplies.

Have you tried the same, but with beef tallow, or bacon grease ? I was thinking bacon grease and sawdust may work, but would be best in colder weather, so as not to get soft and runny.

 

[DAPSRT]

Never tried grease of any sort. Sawdust doesn't soak up and hold the wax as well... tried dry chainsaw chips left over from cutting firewood.

 

[Chugger]

I carry a little 2oz bottle of gel hand sanitizer in my pack. I have it there for a couple of reasons:

1. The stuff is gelled alchohol and is a great accelerant when hit with a spark. I usually put a dab on a dried out fir cone and that is all I need to get a blaze with a ferro rod.
2. The hand sanitizer is sort of welcome when nature calls and you accidentally poke your finger through the toilet paper you had in your daypack from last season. Don't ask me how I know....

 

[Mark W.]

Take cardboard egg cartons, stuff each section with as much dryer lint as you can then pour wax over it to fill up each cup. They'll burn about 10 minutes and are super easy to light and work great. You can get the wax most anywhere you can get canning supplies.

great idea but how many of these would fit in a medium band aide box?

 

[Mark W.]

Have you tried the same, but with beef tallow, or bacon grease ? I was thinking bacon grease and sawdust may work, but would be best in colder weather, so as not to get soft and runny.

Bacon grease rots as does beef tallow unless its rendered down to pure lard.

 

[Mason3379]

Survival Wax-Pad firestarter (Preppers) - YouTube

These are pretty cool! My buddy told me about these some time ago and are what I keep in my pack.

 

[MikeIsh]

Cotton balls soaked in melted petroleum jelly, place cotton balls on waxed paper, or foil, melt the petroleum jelly on stove or in microwave, and pour, or dunk cotton balls. they are compact-able, and will work rain or shine. Have done this for years. Also for making your fire larger fast use Doritos chips flavor is not important they work great!

 

[RVTECH]

Might be kind of hard to find now but the US Army Trioxane heat tabs work very well.

 

[MikeIsh]

Might be kind of hard to find now but the US Army Trioxane heat tabs work very well.

But like you said: "HARD TO FIND" I have two stoves that use those

 

[RVTECH]

The original is the best but I am sure there is something similar on the 'Civilian' market.

 

[bikejunkie]

Take cardboard egg cartons, stuff each section with as much dryer lint as you can then pour wax over it to fill up each cup. They'll burn about 10 minutes and are super easy to light and work great. You can get the wax most anywhere you can get canning supplies.

We do this, except we put the lint in a Foodsaver bag, then pour in the wax, then vacuum pack the ting to condense the size. works good

 

[jdubl]

I've thought of using a propane bbq ignitor, stripping the mounting junk off of it, and keeping that around as a fire starter. I'd think you could get one down to a managable size, and it doesn't require fuel or propellant.