Homemade Firestarters

[Deertick]

Looking for better ideas for homemade firestarters.

Last year, I used vaseline-soaked cotton packed into large straws, heat-sealed on each end. This actually worked pretty well, though I think I made them a little small.

But, before I go making more this winter, (yep, still winter here), I\'m going to see if there are other ideas.

 

[americanbwana]

Try gel wax soaked cotton balls.

Not greasy, they light easily, and burn for at least 5 minutes.

I can send you few if you\'d like to test them.

 

[Deertick]

Where the heck to I get \"gel wax\"?

I\'ve heard of people putting gel in their hair, but I\'m bald! :lol:

 

[americanbwana]

In the candle section of the your local hobby shop.

I\'ve also seen it on Amazon.

 

[Deertick]

Ah hah!

Amazon ... that\'s where I get everything!

So you just pour the stuff around some cotton balls, like in a paper egg crate, I suppose?

I suppose you could use saw dust or dryer lint, too.

How do you package them?

 

[WW]

I generally buy those sawdust and wax stix. A package of them last me for several years. I break each stick into pieces about 1-2\" long. I think they are made by a company called Caughlans or something like that. You can find their stuff just about anywhere.

Another trick is to take a piece of duct tape about 3\" long and roll it up real tight in the shape of a match stick.. Lite the end of it and it will burn for a minute or two. Plenty long to start a fire.

 

[cohunter14]

Maybe I missed the boat, but what are you guys using these firestarters for? Obviously a fire, but for in camp? Just curious why a few twigs and a piece of newspaper or paper towel wouldn\'t work. Like I said, I\'m guessing I missed something... :lol:

 

[Deertick]

Well, if I camped at the vehicle, you\'re right ... who cares? Heck, if I\'m at the vehicle, I can bring lighter fluid!

So, the question involves camping away from vehicles. I use firestarters on both campfires and a camp stove. Oh, and I always have some on me in case of that \"unexpected\" night away from camp. I have never had to do that -- but if I do, I want fire.

 

[Buglemaster]

I just keep a half dozen Vaseline packed cotton balls in an empty 12ga shotgun shell & cap the open end by crimping. Store it in a small zip loc bag. For years my father carried a handful of bottle caps poured full of wax with a wick. Pretty much just miniature candles, but I watched him start a lot of small little fires over the years. He picked up the info out of Outdoor Life probably 50 years ago. We seldom ever build a fire in Sept, but a rifle hunt in Oct or Nov , when it\'s colder than a well diggers azz, a little heat goes a long way.

 

[elkmtngear]

Tampons. No, you don\'t just light \"the fuse\"...pull the fluffy stuff out of the other end and light it.

They pack great as well.

 

[Curvebow]

Tampons - now there\'s a turn in direction that I didn\'t see coming!

>>>>-------->

 

[elkmtngear]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FP4jC7vYng[/youtube]

 

[WW]

Don\'t forget the Fritos. Not only can you eat them but they make a really good fire starter!

 

[cohunter14]

Jeff, I couldn\'t resist making a joke of the fact that your pack could potentially contain tampons, but not toilet paper! :lol:

That is a good video though, I am surprised how well that works.

 

[WW]

Jeff, your video reminds me of a time when I was just a little kid, probably 6-7 years old. My buddy Steve and I were always getting into some sort of trouble.

Well, one day Steve comes over to my house and says, \"My Mom has some dynamite! You wanna go blow something up\"?

Naturally I was all for it and said, \"How bout we blow up the concrete bridge west of the old school house\"!

So Steve grabbed a few sticks and off we went. When we got to the bridge we decided to dig a hole behind one of the footers that held the bridge up. I have no idea how we figured that part of the plan out. Must have seen it on an old Captain Midnite TV show. After all, we were big fans of the show and each of us had our secret decoder ring and we learned to talk pig latin from watching the show.

Any how, we shoved about four sticks in the hole, lit the fuses, an ran like the dickens to hide behind a big old oak tree. Needless to say, them strings just smolder and our first demolition attempt was a falure. Darn tampons!

 

[elkmtngear]

:lol: great story Bill!

 

[Bob Frapples]

My buddy Steve and I were always getting into some sort of trouble. .........

I\'m not sure if I find /\\. Hard to believe, lol

 

[Buglemaster]

Come on Billy, I\'m not real sure they had those dynamite sticks when you were 6 or even 7.. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[timberland]

Scented or unscented? :shock: