Emergency fire starting

jeepmedic46

Expedition Leader
Not sure where I saw it but has any one heard of taking a small tin can and putting rag in it and then putting it in a fire. Supposedly the burned rag will ignite quickly. Is this true?
 

bucketosudz

Explorer
I believe you are describing how to make charcloth? There are several examples on Youtube for this type of material. If I am mistaken, my apologies.
 

LandCruiserPhil

Expedition Leader
Yes and no

Char cloth is my guess on what you heard about.

If I have it I use char cloth with my tinder bundle with starting fire with a bow. Though it is most popular with starting fire with a spark.

There are much easier ways to start fire then with a spark and char.
 

jeepmedic46

Expedition Leader
Thank you, It is Char cloth that I was talking about. Didn't know the name. Saw it somewhere and couldn't remember it.:ylsmoke:
 

kcowyo

ExPo Original
I like the ol' roll of toilet paper soaked in rubbing alcohol, placed in a coffee can trick, for a survival heater that can be kept in the vehicle.

I know that's not what icefisher45 is talking about, but I was reminded of that after seeing the title to this thread and it's a good survival 'tool' for the winter.


:coffeedrink:
.
 

Cypher

Full Time Traveler
The char-cloth does work very well. As said previously, there are easier ways to start a fire. I keep some dryer lint in a zip lock bag (to keep it dry) in my survival kit. That stuff takes even the smallest spark and goes up in flames. Give it a try.
 

Lichen

Explorer
I agree that dryer lint is the best fire starter around. I also throw all of my used gun-cleaning patches in the same bag.
 

Ghostship

Observer
Dryer lint and/or cotton balls smeared with Vasoline, carried in a small prescription pill bottle. Works great even when starting a fire in the rain.
 

Cypher

Full Time Traveler
Dryer lint and/or cotton balls smeared with Vasoline, carried in a small prescription pill bottle. Works great even when starting a fire in the rain.

I have tried this also. Works great! The really key to this one is the amount of vasoline. Too much and it won't take a spark that quickly. I did some experimenting at home with this to see what the best ratio of vasoline to cotton ball was. Tough to explain, but for me it seemed to work best with about as much as vasoline as I could scoop out with the tip of my pinky finger and then work it into the cotton ball.
 

bucketosudz

Explorer
Another way to carry the Vaseline and cotton balls is to use a straw. Fire straws are pretty handy and easy to store. You can cut the straw and take out a single ball and reseal. I have made them in a variety of different ways. The tapioca drink straws are ideal for this application.
 

Borrego60

Rendezvous Conspiracy
What is the deal with vasoline,What does it do with the cotton ball. I carry dryer lint and a flint.
 

Scott B.

SE Expedition Society
[SLIGHT HIJACK]

I made a very simple firestarter (slightly different from the ideas mentioned.)

Take an egg container (cardboard, not Styrofoam, and use the egg-holder section) and fill each hole with dryer lint. Pour melted wax on/into each hole, and let it cool/harden. Once cool, cut up so you have 12 "eggs".

They probably won't start from sparks, but one or two will light wood for a good size fire.

[/SLIGHT HIJACK]
 

biglos454

Adventurer
What is the deal with vasoline,What does it do with the cotton ball. I carry dryer lint and a flint.

Vaseline makes the cotton burn much slower. and helps it take a better spark. Vaseline cotton balls is what i usually carry when i camp. its very effective and will take a spark very easily. i can usually start 4 or 5 fires with 1 cotton ball torn into pieces.
 

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