Building the worlds best firestarter...

[Loco-Nomad]

I have a ziplock baggie with dryer lint in it in my survival bag I keep in my vehicle but haven't gotten a chance to try it yet. I think I like your firestarter WAY better! Thanks for posting.

 

[sxharr05]

I use lint rolled up in steel wool (NOT SoS pads) but I do like the OP's idea as well. I also carry hand sanitizer for applying fire to damp wood in order to use in a pinch. Burns long and hot.

 

[Ryan_S]

Been making these for years. They work great and are super easy to make.

To avoid the pan on stove mess, bring the materials camping and melt the wax in an empty soup can on the fire. Always made a good project for me when I was a kid.

The state park I was at this weekend had a slight variation. Shredded news paper in TP tubes covered with wax. Only took one to get the fire raging.

 

[barlowrs]

A variation where you tie up the egg crates and cover the whole bundle in wax: http://www.instructables.com/id/Wat...e-Starter/step8/Step-8-Let-Fire-Starters-Dry/

...also hear of ppl using sawdust

 

[Desert Dan]

How about:

Fatwood kindling soaked wrapped in newspaper and soaked in wax?



Keep your matches dry in ziplock baggies and in several locations (chuck box, day pack, glove box etc.)

 

[mudbutt]

Keep your matches dry in ziplock baggies and in several locations (chuck box, day pack, glove box etc.)

I put an 8 hr. emergency candle and a dozen strike anywhere matches into a food saver vacuum sealed bag. Separate the matches from the candle slightly and the bag will conform to the shape of the candle. That way if it gets hot in your rig and the candle melts, when it re-hardens it will still be shaped like a candle!

To the OP... Thanks again! We made these for my son's Cub Scout troop about 10 years ago. Just used the last one 2 weeks ago in Yosemite... Time to make more!

Also, the outdoor BBQ at home is great for doing this. Less chance of upsetting the wife with the mess.... (I learned this brewing beer!)

 

[htek]

...use two thirds diesel and one third gasoline.

I prefer 1/2 diesel, 1/4 gas, 1/4 used oil. I found that I get a longer burn than with just the diesel/gas mix.

To the OP - looks like a great system!

 

[cruisertoy]

I used to own a scented candle company (I know, really manly) and would use our floor scrapings and scrap wax for fire starters all the time. Instead of egg cartons you can use those little paper cups that people put nuts and stuff in at parties. Use the smallest ones you can find. Fill them with wood shavings and pour the wax in. You just need to saturate the shavings not immerse them. If you have too much wax, as the flame gets going it will melt and drown the fire starter.

My all time favorite is just to melt the wax in your pot and then throw a bunch of 2" x 4" pieces of fluted cardboard in to the liquid. Let them soak for a minute or two and then pull them out and let them harden up individually. Then you have flat fire starters that fit anywhere and they are fully waterproof. Light the corner and your good to go. I must have made thousands of these. And they came in all sorts of fun scents.

 

[mikelite80]

We used to make those as an activity at the scout camp I worked at. We usually mixed in some wood chips, shredded paper, little pieces of card board. All worked great and helped when we were low on dryer lint. You can buy wax pretty cheap in bulk at the craft stores. I really should make some more for the up coming camping season! I got lazy and just started using those mini fireplace pre-made log starter guys. Either way great thing to have and great project for the kids.

 

[Frankspinz]

I just use left over candle stubs, pack a couple in a ziplock bag with a matchbook. I stuff them all over the truck, in my packs, coat pockets ...

 

[Toyotero]

I used to make these in the boy scouts wayback when.

BTW, one other way to do the melting is with a double boiler. I put the wax in a coffee can, then put the can into a pot with boiling water. There's no chance of burning the wax and it doesn't get too hot (max 100*C).

A similar method that I like better is using rolled up strips of newspaper.

I like the suggestion of wood shavings in a little paper cup filled with wax, I'm going to have to try that.

 

[CSG]

Another one is to use cotton balls and Vaseline.


You can store it in a pill bottle tell you use it.


Work a glob ( technical term ) into each cotton ball. when you need it just work it till its feathered out and light. this will burn good and I have even lit it with a police taser( no don't ask) and a magnifying glass off a Silva compass. Its what I have in my SAR gear and works better then magnesium and flint alone because you still need a fire source to light and the flint will get it going.

Back to lurking

This

 

[Xterabl]

cruisertoy thanks for the ideas. I did a little comparison test.
I tested 2" x 4" cardboard with wax compared to a cotton ball (instead of wood chips) in the little nut cup with a some wax poured in.
The cardboard only burned for 3-4 minutes; while the cotton-ball-in-a-nutcup-with-wax burned for 8-10 minutes...winner! Of course, the cardboard does have the advantage as you point out of storing and transporting nice and easily....

 

[Errant]

I do the same thing, but with TP tubes. I melt leftover wax in a cast iron kettle that sits on the wood burning stove. TP tubes get stood up on end in an old wooden Pepsi crate. Lint, saw dust, leaves, paper from the shredder all work great.