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Coffee
01-31-2015, 17:15
I normally never start a fire on backpacking trips but I do carry storm matches and feel that I could, in most situations, start a fire under emergency conditions. However, on my upcoming Foothills trail thru hike, I'm thinking that the long winter nights, abundant fuel and many established campsites with existing fire rings might make a campfire attractive on one or more nights. I'm thinking of using vaseline and cotton balls to make a lightweight fire starter kit. Is this the best solution? Any insight from folks who do lots of winter camping would be great.

Five Tango
01-31-2015, 18:03
Last fire I started two weeks ago at camp was an old kleenex from my jacket pocket and a birthday candle.

Connie
01-31-2015, 18:10
I like SparkLite. It is for downed aviators: excellent.

I also like Firesteel. The next to the smallest is a convenient size, for me. The striker isn't absolutely necessary, however it works very well. If the back of a knife blade is ground to 90-degrees, it will work very well. I draw the firesteel rod away from the target for the sparks, holding the striker perfectly still.

This will throw "a shower of sparks" over a zelph Fancee Feest alcohol stove, for instance.

I like shavings of WetFire for a "sure-fire" firestarter material to get twigs started. It is possible, of course, to use dry wood shavings from under the bark, however, not likely done with cold hands.

Storm matches are okay. Matches must be dry, and fresh: older matches lose their spark.

Traveler
01-31-2015, 18:10
For what its worth, cotton balls in vaseline is what I use for a fail-safe fire starter in winter or summer. They burn well for a surprisingly long time and are very light to carry. I use old Rx vials to put them in. They work with about any ignition source from a match, to lighter, to a magneisum striker.

Five Tango
01-31-2015, 18:52
Walmart has some great paraffin based firestarters that measure about 1.5 inches square.Simply light with a match,blast match,or lighter and pile on the twigs.One of my favorites is to delaminate jute twine and make a birdsnest with a bit of charcloth in it and then use a sparking device like a ferocium rod or real flint and steel.But since I am lazy,a bit of paper and a birthday candle is my main lazyboy's way of starting a fire these days.Also,I don't put lighters around alcohol stoves.Dip my twig in the alcohol,light twig,light stove with twig.If you had seen the safety video I saw years ago,you would have a little more fear and repect for the explosive power of a disposable plastic lighter as well.

garlic08
01-31-2015, 19:35
Ditto the disposable plastic lighter. There's always one in my survival kit.

On winter camping trips, I always carry plenty of liquid fuel, otherwise known as "Boy Scout water" where I come from.

Sirsnappy09
01-31-2015, 19:37
+1 for petroleam jelly soaked cotton balls.

Hikes in Rain
01-31-2015, 20:17
I like the "joke" birthday candles you can't blow out. One of those, and you have a fire.

cjayflo
02-02-2015, 17:24
I use the Vaseline cotton balls. I also put a bit of chafing dish fuel into the mix.

Coffee
02-02-2015, 17:39
I happened to be at REI yesterday and picked up some Esbit fuel since I want to try it out as a stove fuel anyway (as an experiment, not for my upcoming trip where I'll have my Jetboil). So I guess I'll just take four of the esbit tabs with me and that way I'll have one for each night on the trail if I want to have a fire.

TNhiker
02-02-2015, 18:05
i make my own fire starters using the paper egg cartons, sawdust and wax......

cheap as all get out and hasnt failed me in 30 some years...........

burns for about 45 minutes or so, which is plenty of time to get the other wood ablaze............

Connie
02-02-2015, 18:07
Find out just how much "hot" you get with one Esbit, before the hike.

With windscreen and the right height of pot above flame, most use two Esbit.

fastfoxengineering
02-02-2015, 23:31
I don't really carry designated fire starters any longer because I know I have about 20 different things on me or in my pack that can't serve as very good fire starters. I also know what natural fire starters in the woods to look for.

That said, my favorite designated fire starters are vaseline (petroleum) soaked cotton balls. And occasionally, i'll make some and toss them in the pack. If you know how to build fire, you shouldn't have any problems getting a fire going with one of those cotton balls.

In fact, I usually rip them in half. If its extremely damp and having a hard time getting some kindling to catch, I'll add the other half.

Those manufactured fire starters that SOL and a million other companies make work well, but are expensive, and imo don't work any better than a vaseline soaked cotton ball.

Have fun out there

Sarcasm the elf
02-03-2015, 00:19
Back in scouts we used to take the bottom half of an old cardboard egg carton, fill it with a handful of sawdust and then pour some liquid paraffin into the carton. This made a dozen firestarters and a single one could get a fire going in almost any conditions. If you happen to have the needed items lying around, I recommend giving it a try.

TNhiker
02-03-2015, 00:24
Thats my method as I learned it in scouts as well.....

and they have never let me down....

I made 13 dozen in my last bunch as my old man got old candles from his church, sawdust from the vo tech worshop next to the foundation he volunteers for and getting the egg cartons from a chicken farmer also a member of his church....

all I had to do was invest in the time to make em and they will last me for years........

thirteen dozen at using one per fire----that's a lot of fires........

July
02-03-2015, 00:37
I don't really carry designated fire starters any longer because I know I have about 20 different things on me or in my pack that can't serve as very good fire starters. I also know what natural fire starters in the woods to look for.

That said, my favorite designated fire starters are vaseline (petroleum) soaked cotton balls. And occasionally, i'll make some and toss them in the pack. If you know how to build fire, you shouldn't have any problems getting a fire going with one of those cotton balls.

In fact, I usually rip them in half. If its extremely damp and having a hard time getting some kindling to catch, I'll add the other half.

Those manufactured fire starters that SOL and a million other companies make work well, but are expensive, and imo don't work any better than a vaseline soaked cotton ball.

Have fun out there

Well said, if you want to spend there are many willing to sell. Just a simple DIY vaseline/cotton ball serves well. Used to just hand roll/mush together, then started watching the cooking channel :) reduce vas to liquid then throw in cotton balls, stir, let cool... Woo Lah Will start a fire in a downpour.

RED-DOG
02-03-2015, 10:04
I carry strike any where matches their waterproof and i can use them in any weather conditions but i also carry a ferol rod and striker.

Just Bill
02-03-2015, 12:35
I did the whole scout thing and dipped lotsa crap in wax. Tried/carried all the various strikers. Painted matches with nail polish. Had plastic cases and do-dads. Even a fair hand at fire by friction.

That said-
A mini-Bic in a pill bag is about 14grams. 5 cotton balls dipped in Vaseline and in a separate pill bag is about 10-14g.
It is nearly impossible to find a more reliable or lighter weight system than this. Sealed in pill bags and kept in the bottom of a ditty bag or on your person and you are golden. Other than jumping on the lighter on a hard surface you can't mess up a bic. If it's wet you can dry the sparker. Not that it would, but if you run out of fluid, the sparker can light the cotton balls with some effort. Although as a smoker, it would take quite a few fires to cook off all the fluid in a full mini-bic. Simply make sure you stow a brand new one for your emergency lighter and you're fine.

One "tip" on the cotton balls. I also do the melt and dip thing. I have noticed though that it's better to leave yourself a "wick". Pinch a bit of cotton and twist it up. Dip the ball holding the wick out of the Vaseline and set on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper to dry. The balls will light without it, but if saturated it's more like lighting a candle by burning though the wax to reach the wick.

Putting some balls in a baggie with Vaseline and rubbing or mushing them works well because you don't saturate the ball, so they will light easy or with a spark. But dipping them will double their burn time (up to 15 min) and weigh little more.
If you like a spark and striker method- rub em.
If you carry a bic or match- dip em.

Rocket Jones
02-03-2015, 13:08
Crushed Fritos will also work in a pinch.

colorado_rob
02-03-2015, 13:37
Best, most foolproof fire starter I've ever seen, and I've used pretty much everything, is a Trioxane tablet, you can get them at surplus stores. I believe, but not 100% sure, these are essentially the same as Esbit tablets, but slightly different shape/form maybe?

http://www.amazon.com/G-I-Trioxane-Heating-Fuel-Bars/dp/B004U6C8D2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1422985002&sr=8-4&keywords=trioxane+fuel+tablets&pebp=1422985029722&peasin=B004U6C8D2

Anyway, they always light, even soaking wet (I also carry about a dozen storm proof matches), and burn very hot and light pretty much anything.

In a pinch, they double as a backup fuel to heat water (like if you run out of fuel or your stove breaks, whatever); get a flat rock, make some sort of pot support (smaller rocks in a circle or some thicker green twigs), light your tablet, set pot on top, voila, hot water.

My little firestarting kit weighs about 1.5 ounces, including 2 Trioxane tablets (not in the original heavy foil pack, but in a little baggie) and a dozen stormproof matches. One half a tablet is all that is needed, so good for four fires.

spidey
02-03-2015, 13:58
I like the cotton balls in Vaseline....but I figured why pay for cotton balls,so I use the free dryer lint my wife make every week works great...I use it without Vaseline for stuff that's easy to get started but if I need it to burn longer a little carmex lip balm mixed in on the trail works really well.

fastfoxengineering
02-03-2015, 14:02
I did the whole scout thing and dipped lotsa crap in wax. Tried/carried all the various strikers. Painted matches with nail polish. Had plastic cases and do-dads. Even a fair hand at fire by friction.

That said-
A mini-Bic in a pill bag is about 14grams. 5 cotton balls dipped in Vaseline and in a separate pill bag is about 10-14g.
It is nearly impossible to find a more reliable or lighter weight system than this. Sealed in pill bags and kept in the bottom of a ditty bag or on your person and you are golden. Other than jumping on the lighter on a hard surface you can't mess up a bic. If it's wet you can dry the sparker. Not that it would, but if you run out of fluid, the sparker can light the cotton balls with some effort. Although as a smoker, it would take quite a few fires to cook off all the fluid in a full mini-bic. Simply make sure you stow a brand new one for your emergency lighter and you're fine.

One "tip" on the cotton balls. I also do the melt and dip thing. I have noticed though that it's better to leave yourself a "wick". Pinch a bit of cotton and twist it up. Dip the ball holding the wick out of the Vaseline and set on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper to dry. The balls will light without it, but if saturated it's more like lighting a candle by burning though the wax to reach the wick.

Putting some balls in a baggie with Vaseline and rubbing or mushing them works well because you don't saturate the ball, so they will light easy or with a spark. But dipping them will double their burn time (up to 15 min) and weigh little more.
If you like a spark and striker method- rub em.
If you carry a bic or match- dip em.

Well said Just Bill. I've done a fair amount of back country survival education. A lot of primitive stuff. And all though I have taken fire by friction courses, one of the main take a ways from the course EVERY one of my teacher's always mentioned, usually with a smirk grin on their face, "see why you should always carry a bic lighter in your pocket"..

it's true, they are really hard to beat and very reliable. I think most people have the fear, what if it gets wet or its cold and won't light. There are numerous methods to drying the striker on a bic. And if it's too cold for the bic to light. Put it under your armpit for 5 minutes.

Even if you run out of fuel, you still have many many sparks left from the striker. Even if it breaks in half. You can still get sparks from the striker.

It's 2015, and it's hard to find a better primary firestarter in your pocket than a bic-lighter. I prefer mini-bics for weight, and in bright colors when playing in the woods. orange or neon green for me.

I love messing around with ferro rods, and use them often. But for camp fire starting and the occasional smoke, I prefer a bic.

With the cotton balls, I like to smear some on the outside of a few then throw them in a ziplock. After being handled they kind of mush together in the bag. When I take one out, I open up the cotton ball and reveal some dry fibers which take a flame or spark easily.

I encourage people to learn about natural fire starters that the woods provides for us though. Those are real "emergency" fire starters. Also look around your pack.. do you carry vaseline, toilet paper, maps, hand sanitizer, a torch stove, paper, a bandana or anything cotton, even wool clothing, etc, etc, etc.

A lot of stuff burns. Knowing how to build fire is way more important than a firestarter. It helps, but don't think your guaranteed fire cause you have an emergency fire starter.

RockDoc
02-03-2015, 15:28
This trick works exactly as shown, using cheap, available materials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdQgzqoQLYs

Odd Man Out
02-03-2015, 20:35
The classic "how to coat your balls" thread comes to mind ;-)

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/91981-How-do-you-coat-your-balls-with-petroleum-jelly?highlight=vaseline+balls

saltysack
02-03-2015, 20:48
I did the whole scout thing and dipped lotsa crap in wax. Tried/carried all the various strikers. Painted matches with nail polish. Had plastic cases and do-dads. Even a fair hand at fire by friction.

That said-
A mini-Bic in a pill bag is about 14grams. 5 cotton balls dipped in Vaseline and in a separate pill bag is about 10-14g.
It is nearly impossible to find a more reliable or lighter weight system than this. Sealed in pill bags and kept in the bottom of a ditty bag or on your person and you are golden. Other than jumping on the lighter on a hard surface you can't mess up a bic. If it's wet you can dry the sparker. Not that it would, but if you run out of fluid, the sparker can light the cotton balls with some effort. Although as a smoker, it would take quite a few fires to cook off all the fluid in a full mini-bic. Simply make sure you stow a brand new one for your emergency lighter and you're fine.

One "tip" on the cotton balls. I also do the melt and dip thing. I have noticed though that it's better to leave yourself a "wick". Pinch a bit of cotton and twist it up. Dip the ball holding the wick out of the Vaseline and set on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper to dry. The balls will light without it, but if saturated it's more like lighting a candle by burning though the wax to reach the wick.

Putting some balls in a baggie with Vaseline and rubbing or mushing them works well because you don't saturate the ball, so they will light easy or with a spark. But dipping them will double their burn time (up to 15 min) and weigh little more.
If you like a spark and striker method- rub em.
If you carry a bic or match- dip em.

How do u safely heat the jelly to dip?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

saltysack
02-03-2015, 20:49
I've always just rubbed my balls......guess I'll try the dipping next[emoji23]...can u say t bagging....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kayak karl
02-03-2015, 21:20
For what its worth, cotton balls in vaseline is what I use for a fail-safe fire starter in winter or summer. They burn well for a surprisingly long time and are very light to carry. I use old Rx vials to put them in. They work with about any ignition source from a match, to lighter, to a magneisum striker. and they have dual use tucked away ;)

Just Bill
02-04-2015, 11:15
How do u safely heat the jelly to dip?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For your next tea bagging event-

The old no-mess scout troop method is easy enough-
Get a 16 ounce soup/bean can and put it on a tea candle stove. (To build the stove-put four tent stakes in the ground, or 4 16d 3" nails in a board- elevate the "pot" about 2.5" or so.) In scouts we used a little tongs so no little fingers got burnt, now that I am a grown up male and foolishly unconcerned about my safety I can simply dip them with my fingers. Trimming the top off the can makes this easier if you want to bother. A beer (pop) can works fine too and is easier to trim.

All you alky burners can of course devote a case of aluminum cans and a months time to find the most efficient burner/pot combo. :D

That said- when your batch is made- just toss the rig away.

Or what I do now-
I have a simmer burner on my stove and I just use the smallest sauce pan I have to warm the Vaseline. Dump a half cup or more in to melt, feed a spoonful in as you go to keep the temp down or simply kill the flame if it starts getting too warm on your bits and pieces. Skin burns ruin any good t-bagging party quickly!

I have granite counters in my current house, so I just put aluminum foil on the counter and dry my balls that way.

I take a handful of extra balls at the end and use them to wipe out the pot, I store those in the Vaseline container to use by the backyard pit. Then I wash the pot. Yes, I am a rocket scientist.

IIRC- it takes about 8 ounces of petroleum jelly (use generic) to do fifty or so balls. More if you use you wear cowboy boots.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=burt+renolds+striptease+vaseline&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=5E4F37869F3BAD7A65598027F163717C9B945A25&selectedIndex=0

Another Kevin
02-04-2015, 21:57
Cotton balls and Vaseline and a ferrocerium rod are what I have in my tinderbox.

My tinderbox is an Altoids tin, and goes in a pocket rather than in my pack. This past autumn, I fell in whitewater in pouring rain with the air temperature in the low 30s F. Fortunately, I got out WITH my pack, but I needed fire PDQ. If I'd had to ditch my pack to swim out, I'd still have had my tinderbox.

(I at least learnt that I can still make a fire in pouring rain.)

Five Tango
02-07-2015, 15:14
While we are on the subject,let's not forget the totally effortless 0000 steel wool "wet or dry" method.This young man in the video makes an excellent presentation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-p2xGGZVIk

fastfoxengineering
02-07-2015, 15:48
If you really want to get learn more about fire making in the back country nothing beats real world experience. However, as a former student, I can't recommend Dave Canterbury's fire school on youtube.

There's like 15 videos and some of them are an hour long. His introductory class to firemaking is using a bow drill and making friction by fire. Why? To explain why you should always carry a bic lighter lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fONz6j7zgFE&list=PLkv8lm23QBjRv3orsuot5skTtSGZIrvSy

but seriously, there's a ton of great information in his fire making video series. If you watch them beginning to end, I can guarantee you'll be much more confident about building a fire in the woods.

But you need to go practice.

fastfoxengineering
02-07-2015, 15:49
whoops... I can't recommend ENOUGH

Five Tango
02-07-2015, 16:26
Thanks.I will check out Mr. Canterbury's rainy day tutorials.That's where I am challenged.

QiWiz
02-11-2015, 17:06
I like cotton balls with a bit of vaseline (maybe a pea-sized dab, massaged into the ball). For a less greasy option, use melted wax or parafin instead. In a pinch, use your first aid ointment (you have some, right?) and TP (you have some, right?) to make a fire starter.

Mountain Bluebird
04-11-2015, 05:51
Hey, Just Bill--
Thanks for the clear explanation!!

Gray Bear
04-11-2015, 06:32
Like others the vaseline on a cotton ball, light, easy and cheap. I stuff mine in a section of drinking straw cut down to about an inch or so an then pinch the ends with some needle nosed pliers and melt them to keep things neat. I have a fire steel as well but the mini Bic is hard to beat, use a zip tie to keep the button on it from being pressed in your kit.

newToThrough
06-01-2015, 00:28
i make my own fire starters using the paper egg cartons, sawdust and wax...... cheap as all get out and hasnt failed me in 30 some years........... burns for about 45 minutes or so, which is plenty of time to get the other wood ablaze............ Try dryer lint if you can't get sawdust.

newToThrough
06-01-2015, 00:59
Try lighting a peanut. Seriously. Also pine tar with debris from dried leaves (in the autumn especially.)

somers515
06-01-2015, 05:38
I use dryer lint with a little candle wax currently.

BirdBrain
06-01-2015, 08:21
Braid 3 cotton strings. Melt bee's wax in double boiler. Coil braided string and immerse in melted wax. Remove slowly once saturated. Coil will straighten as you remove it. Hang over wax paper. Once dry, cut to desired lengths. A couple inches will suffice.

I saw this process on a blog that I can no longer find. It was an older fellow that demonstrated it. I tried many iterations of cotton and wax or petroleum products. I settled on the above because of ease of storage and weight to function ratio. If I find the video, I will post it.

BirdBrain
06-01-2015, 09:45
This may be off point. However, the lightest option is always the possibility of not taking the item. I carry 4 emergency fire starters that I seldom use. I love a campfire at the end of the day. I normally build them, but seldom light them. Here is my method. I get up when it is getting light out. I leave before most. I have a predetermined itinerary that I seldom deviate from. I arrive at camp early. This routine has many advantages. Perhaps I will start a thread on those advantages. One advantage is the ability to set the stage for a evening campfire. If there is a fire pit established by the stewards of the trail, I make plans for a campfire. If there is only makeshift pits, I stay out of the campfire planning. After setting up my shelter, getting water, bathing, doing laundry, and hanging food, I head out to gather wood for a campfire. Getting into camp early affords the time necessary to glean dead wood of proper dimensions. By the time "normal" hikers stroll in, plans are well under way. They see my efforts. The gathering of proper wood requires time and distance. I gather enough for the evening. As people are socializing, I am breaking my harvest into suitable lengths. By this point I normally have helpers. As evening approaches, I allow one of the helpers to starts the fire. People appreciate my efforts and someone almost always wants to display their ability to light a fire. At that point I declare that I have done my part in gathering and they can have fun. Next, I enjoy the hiker deodorant / bug spray (smoke). This method assures a good campfire while not using my own fire starters and/or lighter.

msupple
06-01-2015, 11:15
I use flat cotton facial rubs dipped in wax. They work as well as the cotton balls but are not messy. In fact I've carried them unprotected in my pocket. I usually can light four fires with one pad. Here's a video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvRq3NQuLLU

BirdBrain
06-01-2015, 11:36
I use flat cotton facial rubs dipped in wax. They work as well as the cotton balls but are not messy. In fact I've carried them unprotected in my pocket. I usually can light four fires with one pad. Here's a video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvRq3NQuLLU

Love it. Going to try this at some point. Thank you.

righand
05-31-2017, 20:32
a good one is the Horse Hoof mushroom, it kinda looks like a horses hoof and you see it growing on the side of trees, its pretty common. the ice man they found in the alps a few years ago he had a few things in his pockets this mushroom was one of them.

righand
05-31-2017, 20:35
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/survivalist/2012/08/how-use-fungi-start-fire

righand
05-31-2017, 20:37
the above link shows how to use it. you can also tranport fire with it. it retains a coal for a very long time