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Lazlo
Jan 14, 2010, 8:24 PM
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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.
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chadnsc
Jan 14, 2010, 8:29 PM
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Hand sanitizer.
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j_ung
Jan 14, 2010, 8:34 PM
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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)
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bergbryce
Jan 14, 2010, 8:36 PM
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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.
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AntinJ
Jan 14, 2010, 8:37 PM
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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.
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camhead
Jan 14, 2010, 8:37 PM
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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.
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shoo
Jan 14, 2010, 8:51 PM
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Chapstick and a cotton sock.
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hafilax
Jan 14, 2010, 8:54 PM
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Since my fire piston seemed to inspire this thread, what about ignition sources?
An official Les "Survivorman" Stroud hand carved fire piston:
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brownie710
Jan 14, 2010, 9:05 PM
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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.
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bill413
Jan 14, 2010, 9:07 PM
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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.
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edge
Jan 14, 2010, 9:15 PM
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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.
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donald949
Jan 14, 2010, 9:18 PM
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Flint and steel.
AKA
a bic. 
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hafilax
Jan 14, 2010, 9:26 PM
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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.
I watched a bunch of the Brat Camp series. Looked like it really did some good for some of the kids.
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rockforlife
Jan 14, 2010, 9:26 PM
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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
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jedasmith
Jan 14, 2010, 11:29 PM
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Fritos!
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jeepnphreak
Jan 14, 2010, 11:42 PM
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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.
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Fenst
Jan 15, 2010, 12:50 AM
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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.
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ncrockclimber
Jan 15, 2010, 2:11 AM
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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.
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Lazlo
Jan 15, 2010, 2:22 AM
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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! 
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Lazlo
Jan 15, 2010, 2:26 AM
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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)
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shockabuku
Jan 15, 2010, 6:31 AM
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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.
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reno
Jan 15, 2010, 3:45 PM
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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.
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