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I love topics like this. Not only historically interesting, but fun and practical too. Might be fun to put together a kit like that sometime.

I've been testing out a variety of different fire starters for the emergency kits. Made quite a few Vaseline coated cotton balls, which work really well for starting fires, even when it's damp/wet - though I haven't tested igniting them with a flint yet. I've also made little wax/cotton cubes in an ice tray - took some cotton balls, stuffed them in each cavity, added a small wick to make them easy to light (I usually get my wax by buying cheap candles at the dollar store, then save the wicks for stuff like this. Pour hot wax over the cotton and when it's done you have a nice little fire starter that burns really well. Another one is to take an egg carton and put some sticks, tinder, etc. in each cavity, and again, pour hot wax over it all. Cut them into individual fire starters. Also works well.
I have seen people use the egg cartons but they took the the lent from the clothes dryer and used that. With wax and if you get the cardboard egg cartons you just cut them I little sections
 
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Every kid should have this book.

We didn't need a book. We didn't have the internet or any other resources. You just learned by trial and error what worked. Aerosols, gasoline, black powder, modeling glue, cannon fuse, PVC, matches/match heads, misc. fireworks - lots of ways to creatively apply commonly found or easily obtained materials and turn them into fun times for everyone, without any actual direction! :p

I guess today's generation is probably so used to being overly-protected they wouldn't even try experimenting with such things - plus the government would label you a terrorist today if you did o_O
 
I have seen people use the egg cartons but they took the the lent from the clothes dryer and used that. With wax and if you get the cardboard egg cartons you just cut them I little sections

Yep, dryer lint is very flammable and a great source of material for creating fire starters. BTW, so is 0000 steel wool - stuff burns well too, and you can ignite it with a battery if you have one on hand. You can even use a foil gum wrapper and a 9V battery to create a little ignition source.
 
We didn't need a book. We didn't have the internet or any other resources. You just learned by trial and error what worked. Aerosols, gasoline, black powder, modeling glue, cannon fuse, PVC, misc. fireworks - lots of ways to creatively apply commonly found or easily obtained materials and turn them into fun times for everyone, without any actual direction! :p

I guess today's generation is probably so used to being overly-protected they wouldn't even try experimenting with such things - plus the government would label you a terrorist today if you did o_O
You forgot the tennis ball fire ball .
Two or three tennis ball cans gas and we'll you know what happens when you put them all together and add fire
 
Lol look at this propane one DSC06063-1160x870.jpg
 
Nothing like a wet or broken lighter to make you appreciate knowing how to build a fire without one.

Sock lint, hand sanitizer and one of these guys make it very easy. The rest of the fuel you can use you imagination for. Environment dictates what is available. IMG_20180824_161541061.jpg
A tinderbox is a very practical item. Here is one of mine. A silver box IMG_20180824_162028735.jpg IMG_20180824_162014031.jpg IMG_20180824_162209615_LL.jpg that I was left a knife (also pictured) in by my Stepfather when he passed away, and a cheap magnifying lens. Don't need fancy. You need practical!

Same guy taught me to shoot a pistol left handed so that my dominant hand could use a knife. Haven't needed that skill yet necessarily, but I am happy the old vet passed on what he did.

Edited for content. Sometimes my fingers don't want me to be so verbose.
 
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