View Full Version : Fire paste
saimyoji
03-11-2007, 09:15
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8607.html
Saw this out at Cabela's yesterday. Comments anyone? Seems like it would be useful for winter camping...weighs only 3.75 oz.
hammock engineer
03-11-2007, 09:28
Interesting.
I wonder if they are something that burns long or something with a lot of flammable liquids added that starts and spreads the fire quickly, but then burns out fast.
Back in my BSA days we would make fire starters out of rolled up newspapers dipped in melted candle wax. After everything dried, you got a good fire starter. They would burn petty long. Kind of like a small candle. Maybe soaking them in alcohol or adding some flamable vasaline would give a similar effect.
RadioFreq
03-11-2007, 10:06
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8607.html
Saw this out at Cabela's yesterday. Comments anyone? Seems like it would be useful for winter camping...weighs only 3.75 oz.
Out BSA council runs a winter program called "Spearhead" where the guys go out for 24 hours, no matter what the weather. Meals are cooked with "Whisperlite" type liquid fuel stoves. When it is very cold the only way to get those started is to light a bead of fire paste spread on the regulator (?) tube to warm it up. Works every time.
Wanderingson
03-11-2007, 10:11
Take "real" cotton balls, not synthetic and coat them completely in vaseline. I mean rub and work the vaseline into the cotton ball until it is completely saturated. Take a plastic 35mm film canister and load it up. You should be able to get about a dozen in one film canister.
When you need to start a fire, take one saturated cotton ball and pull the fibers into a sheet about four inches by four inches. It will resemble a spider web.
Lay this over a base layer of kindling with a source of additional kindling close by. Light the cotton and add kindling as the fire grows.
I have been able to get a fire started in the pouring rain with these cotton balls. They will burn for anywhere from 3-5 minutes. If you need another one, add it to the pile. If you find yourself in a tourential downpour, shave the wet layer of your wood to get a good burn. Naturally, this does not work to well with saturated wood.
Pratcice your skills on the back pourch or backyard.
Cedar Tree
03-11-2007, 10:22
I carried some fire paste when I started with my zip stove. It works great. I then switched to cottonball/vaseline which work just about as well.
CT
Two Speed
03-11-2007, 10:28
Take "real" cotton balls, not synthetic and coat them completely in vaseline. I mean rub and work* . . .Work! How dare you use a four letter word? :eek:
OK, I'll knock off with the wisecracks for a second. I use baby oil, and it works** just fine, and a lot less of that four letter stuff.
* emphasis added
** dang, now I'm doing it. :p
Toolshed
03-11-2007, 11:16
Hi Saimyoji,
I did a lot of winter camping in the Adirondacks over the years - Bitter cold. I have never used it and never found a need to. I do advocate the aforementioned petroleum jelly and cotton balls. Never leave home without it (and a striker). and though I have only used it several times over the years (otehr than playing around. It works awesome, is much cheaper and much lighter to carry (in a film container).
I agree - Whisperlights are hard to light at -20+ degrees out. As you are not lighting the fuel, but rather the fumes, which seem almost non-existent at those temps. I have found that you have to hold your lighter on the fuel for about 5-10 seconds for the liquid fuel to heat up enough for fumes to be released - Course at those temps your fingers are either starting to frostbite over or geting burned from the business end of the lighter.:D
When I upgraded to a Whisperlite International in '93-'94, I found that auto fuel seemed to light a bit easier in bitter cold and it's what I now use in my W-lite in the winter.
Cheers!
What's the purpose of having a fire in a torrential down pour or a steady rain for that matter?
Footslogger
03-11-2007, 12:38
What's the purpose of having a fire in a torrential down pour or a steady rain for that matter?
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Defiance !!
'Slogger
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Defiance !!
'Slogger
Hmmm... right. Call me when you get one going. I'll be in my tent. ;)
max patch
03-11-2007, 17:19
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8607.html
Saw this out at Cabela's yesterday. Comments anyone? Seems like it would be useful for winter camping...weighs only 3.75 oz.
I've used it. It works.
Take a couple Esbits tabs. Duel purpose.
Footslogger
03-11-2007, 17:36
Anybody know ...does Esbit light as easily as the Fire Paste ??
'Slogger
Anybody know ...does Esbit light as easily as the Fire Paste ??
'Slogger
Not sure. I wonder how the paste would work to cook an emergency dinner or if it's hot enough?
Footslogger
03-11-2007, 17:45
Not sure. I wonder how the paste would work to cook an emergency dinner or if it's hot enough?
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Good question. Wonder how long a "squirt" of fire paste burns as compared to a small cube of Esbit. Never have carried either but I could be convinced to throw one/some in a ziplock and stash it in my foodbag.
'Slogger
When it is cold and nasty, and your fingers are stiff, and the wind is a blowing, I like something that is easy to light. Esbit tabs, while dual use, are not easy to light. So I prefer Triox bars or anything that I can light with a spark, whether I'm using a flint or hoping my match gets close enough. I've not used Fire Paste, but if it will light with a spark then I like it. To me, a firestarter is something I will use when I desparately need a fire.
I use this stuff mainly for priming my Svea instead of wasting fuel and its safer. I say the amount I use for my priming is 1/8 of a esbit, burns out in
30-40 seconds, I just bring a small plastic film can w/ toothpicks.
Mike
RockStar
03-11-2007, 19:41
I had to use damp wood to light a fire by Justus Creek. I just took a twig sized stick and kind of wiped it with my hand before dipping it into my Denatured Alcohol, then lit it. tadaaaa I had fire. I was surprised it lit the rest of the damp wood but, it did. Maybe I just got lucky.
timhines
03-12-2007, 12:05
Some good ideas floating around. I will try the paste.
I have been using cotton balls soaked in alcohol & stored in a pill bottle.
Brrrb Oregon
03-12-2007, 14:19
When you need to start a fire, take one saturated cotton ball and pull the fibers into a sheet about four inches by four inches. It will resemble a spider web.
Lay this over a base layer of kindling with a source of additional kindling close by. Light the cotton and add kindling as the fire grows.
I have been able to get a fire started in the pouring rain with these cotton balls. They will burn for anywhere from 3-5 minutes. If you need another one, add it to the pile. If you find yourself in a tourential downpour, shave the wet layer of your wood to get a good burn. Naturally, this does not work to well with saturated wood.
Pratcice your skills on the back pourch or backyard.
What a great idea. I sometimes make these Boy Scout things from part of a cup from an egg carton, filled part way with dry wood shavings and sealed with parafin wax. Not nearly so compact, although by my memory they burn hotter and longer than I'd expect the cotton balls do. Still, I expect I'll be switching to your way.
The Weasel
03-12-2007, 14:47
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8607.html
Saw this out at Cabela's yesterday. Comments anyone? Seems like it would be useful for winter camping...weighs only 3.75 oz.
Forgive me if this is covered before...didn't read the whole thread:
Firepaste is excellent in getting balky whitegas stoves started when the temps are below 40. You put a 1/2 inch dab in the burner cup under the generator pipe, and it heats the gas as it comes in vaporized so that it will start to burn. Once the paste is used up, the stove will do its own heating of the generator.
Not a good firestarter though, since it takes rather a lot to get wood going.
The Weasel
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8607.html
Saw this out at Cabela's yesterday. Comments anyone? Seems like it would be useful for winter camping...weighs only 3.75 oz.
Have not used that product but this one I have used for starting fires:)
Only 5/8 of an ounce.
Any brand of plasic cemet/glue of this type will work. Highly FLAMMABLE
Dual use fire starter. (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/tes/tes3501.htm) "Plastic Cement"
"Plastic Wood" hole filler will work also (not the latex one)