|
Lazlo
Jan 14, 2010, 8:24 PM
Post #1 of 33
(2666 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 5079
|
I've heard of a few different and interesting fire starters. My favorite is to mix dryer lint and petroleum jelly. It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent.
|
|
|
|
|
chadnsc
Jan 14, 2010, 8:29 PM
Post #2 of 33
(2660 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 24, 2003
Posts: 4449
|
Hand sanitizer.
|
|
|
|
|
j_ung
Jan 14, 2010, 8:34 PM
Post #3 of 33
(2644 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 18690
|
Lazlo wrote: I've heard of a few different and interesting fire starters. My favorite is to mix dryer lint and petroleum jelly. It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent. With petroleum, jelly? Huh. I might try using that with my striker. Fun times at the fire pit!
(This post was edited by j_ung on Jan 14, 2010, 9:17 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
bergbryce
Jan 14, 2010, 8:36 PM
Post #4 of 33
(2639 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 27, 2006
Posts: 37
|
Lazlo wrote: I've heard of a few different and interesting fire starters. My favorite is to mix dryer lint and petroleum jelly. It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent. I've used cotton balls + petroleum jelly. Stored 'em in a film canister. Hopefully you saved some of those! I've thought about what would be easiest to retrieve and light which is what would matter in a situation you really need to use them... Something dry like dryer lint + paraffin, set to dry in plastic easter egg halves sound like less mess and easier to use. It would be a good test to see which burns better/longer.
|
|
|
|
|
AntinJ
Jan 14, 2010, 8:37 PM
Post #5 of 33
(2639 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 4, 2008
Posts: 475
|
Laz, I used to carry around an old film canister filled with cottonballs doused in petrolium jelly, and they work OK at best. I have found that the little triangular firstarters found at most convenience stores work much better and weigh less, however they do need to stay dry.
|
|
|
|
|
camhead
Jan 14, 2010, 8:37 PM
Post #6 of 33
(2639 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 10, 2001
Posts: 20939
|
if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking.
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Jan 14, 2010, 8:51 PM
Post #7 of 33
(2616 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
Chapstick and a cotton sock.
|
|
|
|
|
hafilax
Jan 14, 2010, 8:54 PM
Post #8 of 33
(2611 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 12, 2007
Posts: 3025
|
Since my fire piston seemed to inspire this thread, what about ignition sources? An official Les "Survivorman" Stroud hand carved fire piston:
|
|
|
|
|
brownie710
Jan 14, 2010, 9:05 PM
Post #10 of 33
(2583 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 25, 2007
Posts: 531
|
i usually take a cardboard egg container stuff each egg pocket with dryer lint or shredded paper after my wife shreds credit card receipts,etc. and then pour melted canning wax over the whole thing till it fills up. you can then break it into twelve firestarter cubes and the cardboard outside makes a great wick. they each burn for about 25 minutes.
|
|
|
|
|
bill413
Jan 14, 2010, 9:07 PM
Post #11 of 33
(2579 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 5674
|
Another ignition source: Magnesium shavings (made on the spot), flint & steel I have this one: P-25 Strike Master Firestarter. It also will work to light stoves.
|
|
|
|
|
edge
Jan 14, 2010, 9:15 PM
Post #12 of 33
(2567 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 14, 2003
Posts: 9120
|
Three years ago I took a job teaching outdoor education to at risk teens, and walked completely away from my woodshop to clear my head. Many times I extolled the virtues of birch bark as one of nature's premier firestarters. Wet, dry, it always got us cooking. The best story, however, comes courtesy of the yahoo who the school hired to replace me. The guy was about as bright as a broken flashlight, and was as qualified as a woodshop teacher as I am at providing Cesarean sections to wild peccaries with a stout paper clip. Anyway, for some reason, he removed the 9 volt battery from his 2 way radio which we all carried in lieu of an intercom, and placed it in his pocket. The very same pocket that he had previously placed a large wad of 000 steel wool in. During lunch, he was quoted as asking another staff, "Do you smell something burning?" just prior to his pants exploding in flames. The sad part is the guy was an avid fireman, and used that fact to define himself. I doubt he relayed that story to his peers at the fire house.
|
|
|
|
|
donald949
Jan 14, 2010, 9:18 PM
Post #13 of 33
(2560 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 24, 2007
Posts: 11455
|
Flint and steel. AKA a bic.
|
|
|
|
|
hafilax
Jan 14, 2010, 9:26 PM
Post #14 of 33
(2541 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 12, 2007
Posts: 3025
|
edge wrote: Three years ago I took a job teaching outdoor education to at risk teens, and walked completely away from my woodshop to clear my head. Many times I extolled the virtues of birch bark as one of nature's premier firestarters. Wet, dry, it always got us cooking. The best story, however, comes courtesy of the yahoo who the school hired to replace me. The guy was about as bright as a broken flashlight, and was as qualified as a woodshop teacher as I am at providing Cesarean sections to wild peccaries with a stout paper clip. Anyway, for some reason, he removed the 9 volt battery from his 2 way radio which we all carried in lieu of an intercom, and placed it in his pocket. The very same pocket that he had previously placed a large wad of 000 steel wool in. During lunch, he was quoted as asking another staff, "Do you smell something burning?" just prior to his pants exploding in flames. The sad part is the guy was an avid fireman, and used that fact to define himself. I doubt he relayed that story to his peers at the fire house. A friend of mine caught his pocket on fire by putting a charged drill battery into it with a handful of change. I watched a bunch of the Brat Camp series. Looked like it really did some good for some of the kids.
|
|
|
|
|
rockforlife
Jan 14, 2010, 9:26 PM
Post #15 of 33
(2540 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 14, 2002
Posts: 563
|
bill413 wrote: Another ignition source: Magnesium shavings (made on the spot), flint & steel I have this one: P-25 Strike Master Firestarter . It also will work to light stoves. FIXed
|
|
|
|
|
jedasmith
Jan 14, 2010, 11:29 PM
Post #17 of 33
(2464 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 64
|
Fritos!
|
|
|
|
|
jeepnphreak
Jan 14, 2010, 11:42 PM
Post #18 of 33
(2457 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 29, 2008
Posts: 1259
|
Lazlo wrote: I've heard of a few different and interesting fire starters. My favorite is to mix dryer lint and petroleum jelly. It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent. I just use the shredding remains of the 6 pack box a lighter and some kindling.
|
|
|
|
|
Fenst
Jan 15, 2010, 12:50 AM
Post #19 of 33
(2413 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 1, 2007
Posts: 79
|
I use a old bicycle innertube cut into roughly 1/2 inch tall rings. They don't puff black smoke like you would think. They are waterpfoof, relatively easy to light (almost like lighting a candle), puts off a powerful burst of heat and flame for a couple minutes, lightweight, and not messy. The best thing is that you are reusing a otherwise non-recyclable piece of trash. But the only firestarter I typically use is tender and kindling found around the firering.
|
|
|
|
|
ncrockclimber
Jan 15, 2010, 2:11 AM
Post #20 of 33
(2371 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 6, 2006
Posts: 286
|
Take dryer lint, drip candle wax over it and form a ball , wrap first ball in hemp twine, drip candle wax over twine leaving long wick sticking out. I made a few of these as a young teen. they sat in my pack in various emergency kits for over 15 years. when I finally had an station when I needed to light a fire in wet conditions, they worked like a charm. they burned for long enough to dry our some wet kindling and dry out the wood that fueled an awesome fire.
|
|
|
|
|
Lazlo
Jan 15, 2010, 2:22 AM
Post #22 of 33
(2363 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 5079
|
el_layclimber wrote: Lazlo wrote: It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent. Please tell me you meant malleable. No, I checked with UPS...it's good to go!
|
|
|
|
|
Lazlo
Jan 15, 2010, 2:26 AM
Post #23 of 33
(2358 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 5079
|
Lazlo wrote: el_layclimber wrote: Lazlo wrote: It's water proof, mailable, sticky, slow burning, and consistent. Please tell me you meant malleable. No, I checked with UPS...it's good to go! I ended up with that spelling because of spell check. I couldn't coworse (HA Ha! I can't figure out 'coworse' now! Awesome.) spell check into telling me.
(This post was edited by Lazlo on Jan 15, 2010, 2:27 AM)
|
|
|
|
|
shockabuku
Jan 15, 2010, 6:31 AM
Post #24 of 33
(2311 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 20, 2006
Posts: 4868
|
camhead wrote: if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking. If you use it to burn still wet shit, mix it with more gas (50/50) and stir while it burns.
|
|
|
|
|
reno
Jan 15, 2010, 3:45 PM
Post #25 of 33
(2232 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 30, 2001
Posts: 18283
|
A few sheets of TP with a splash of white gas fuel. Makes a napalm-like gel that burns slow, but hot, with just a spark.
|
|
|
|
|
karmiclimber
Jan 15, 2010, 4:03 PM
Post #26 of 33
(539 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 11, 2004
Posts: 1058
|
That dryer lint tip works remarkably well. We also did cotton balls covered in coconut oil...and I have one of those magnesium deals...nothing works as well as dryer lint, in my opinion.
|
|
|
|
|
donald949
Jan 15, 2010, 4:46 PM
Post #27 of 33
(514 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 24, 2007
Posts: 11455
|
shockabuku wrote: camhead wrote: if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking. If you use it to burn still wet shit, mix it with more gas (50/50) and stir while it burns. I am so not trying that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
shockabuku
Jan 15, 2010, 5:59 PM
Post #29 of 33
(487 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 20, 2006
Posts: 4868
|
donald949 wrote: shockabuku wrote: camhead wrote: if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking. If you use it to burn still wet shit, mix it with more gas (50/50) and stir while it burns. I am so not trying that. Yeah, that's what you say now.
|
|
|
|
|
donald949
Jan 15, 2010, 9:31 PM
Post #30 of 33
(461 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 24, 2007
Posts: 11455
|
shockabuku wrote: donald949 wrote: shockabuku wrote: camhead wrote: if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking. If you use it to burn still wet shit, mix it with more gas (50/50) and stir while it burns. I am so not trying that. Yeah, that's what you say now. Well, i've never been in a situation where I had to have a fire. Let alone a situation where I had to have a fire and *only* had diesel, gas, and wet shit. But I suppose if I was, I might. Till that time I'll try something else.
|
|
|
|
|
shockabuku
Jan 15, 2010, 9:43 PM
Post #31 of 33
(454 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 20, 2006
Posts: 4868
|
donald949 wrote: shockabuku wrote: donald949 wrote: shockabuku wrote: camhead wrote: if you are car camping, the best stuff is 3 parts diesel to 1 part gasoline. Perfect mix of combustion and longer burning to really get wet wood going. It doesn't smell very good, though, and is obviously a pain for backpacking. If you use it to burn still wet shit, mix it with more gas (50/50) and stir while it burns. I am so not trying that. Yeah, that's what you say now. Well, i've never been in a situation where I had to have a fire. Let alone a situation where I had to have a fire and *only* had diesel, gas, and wet shit. But I suppose if I was, I might. Till that time I'll try something else. It's a solid waste disposal method.
|
|
|
|
|
dugl33
Jan 15, 2010, 10:34 PM
Post #32 of 33
(443 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 6, 2009
Posts: 740
|
For car camping, a bag of match-lite charcoal briquets are great. Put a few handfuls in the core of your teepee campfire. It'll get damp wood going, and you can buy it at those little mountain convenience stores. Lip balm and sock lint or TP -- usually have those. Obvious perhaps but a lighter can be nice, although I've learned they don't work so well if you leave them in the rain. I stash a few around -- car, climbing pack, stove bag. A candle can help. Car battery and jumper cables. Scary, but possible. Butane hot knifes with the torch tip on, plumbers torch, etc. Swiss army knife magnifying glass. Works with really good tinder and nice bright sun. (good luck!) Lots of good ideas mentioned, but my problem is usually minimal advanced planning regarding the array of homemade firestarters. If I actually think ahead the cotton ball with petro-jelly in an airborne container seems doable. I usually don't have any difficulties until the wood is wet, then it gets considerably tougher.
|
|
|
|
|
chrisJoosse
Jan 15, 2010, 11:30 PM
Post #33 of 33
(423 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 16, 2009
Posts: 150
|
Light, compact, easy, cheap, simple, reliable. Tough to beat, this. This is not to say that all that other stuff isn't fun. Getting fires started is a good skill to be able to solve in varying MacGyver ways and I'll confess to my share of geeking over numerous different clever ways of starting fires... but in my view, all that other stuff is what you try after you remember that you forgot your bic, or realize that your fuel is wet and you need persistent tinder or something like that.
|
|
|
|
|
|