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  1. #1
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Default Fire making skills

    So I make a couple of pretty cool fire starters I'd thought I'd share. And I know it's probably been covered a thousand times but hey I'm bored. 1 is a wood match with toilet paper strips wrapped tightly then dip into wax. 2, is toilet paper roll stuffed with dryer lint, then dip into wax take and cut off what you need. 3, take a paper cupcake holder start little dryer lint, little bit sawdust or pencil shavings then pour little wax, repeat until full .that last 1 will burn for about half hour or more.

  2. #2

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    Nice suggestions! You can also make handy fire starters in egg containers using sawdust and wax.

    Potassium permanganate and glycerine works a trick too.

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    We taught our girl scouts to put dryer lint "balls" in an egg carton and melt wax over them. Same principle as wood shavings. Be sure NOT to use melted wax from a candle you're burning because the scent can influence the taste of the food you cook over the fire. Don't ask me how I know :/.

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    Or stuff you might already have. Hand sanitizer. Olive oil. Pistachio or other nut shells.

  5. #5
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4eyedbuzzard View Post
    Or stuff you might already have. Hand sanitizer. Olive oil. Pistachio or other nut shells.
    This is what I typically do. But if I'm going out for a trip say perhaps the dollysods area where certain places along red creek are always wet , or a winter trip when everything's wet frozen. I'll take some of my homemade fire starters.

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    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    I'm actually quit pleased with the way my fire making skills have processed over the years. I'm no Bush crafter you won't find me out there rubbing 2 sticks together. But as we know after days and days of rain it can be very difficult to start a fire even with a new bic. It's just nice to have the light, warmth, cook, dry stuff.

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    I use a few Fritos. If I was in trouble I’d use an Esbit tab. I heat with a wood stove , so I get sick of fires . Off grid home.

    Thom

  8. #8
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    I've used fritos, doritos, esbit works great. Ah miss my wood stove....... ran a wood stove for 24 years alot of work but well worth it. Only had to buy wood twice in 24 years went into the woods cut, put on truck back to house , split by hand. Yeah that will keep you in shape . Source of heat , light ,glass front ,cook on . It was great for the winter when the electric went out.
    ..

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    So, I got to wonder. How much plastic is in dryer lint these days? Probably quite a bit.

    I just melt wax onto a piece of corigated cardboard, then cut it up into strips. Used that to reliably light my backpack wood stoves.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    So I make a couple of pretty cool fire starters I'd thought I'd share.
    Your firestarter skills are very good. How are your fire making skills? ;-)

  11. #11

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    After trying an assortment of homemade fire starting tools, once I discovered Vaseline and cotton balls I have never had a problem since even in very wet conditions. I treat several balls of cotton with Vaseline and keep them in a prescription pill vial with twist lock top. The treated cotton has a very long burn time and generates considerable heat that will help combustion if the right materials are used.

    I think the more important point of this is what Zelph hits on, success of any fire starter tool depends on ones fire making skills, which should come first in the order of learning.

  12. #12
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zelph View Post
    Your firestarter skills are very good. How are your fire making skills? ;-)
    Like I said they've come along ways since taking on backpacking as a new hobby about 15 years ago. Cotton ball vaseline works great and takes a spark. I remember a few years ago hiking dragons tooth area it was raining all day , got into camp everything soaking wet it was fairly early . Set my tent up and all my dry sleeping stuff and made a fire. There were several people in camp some trying to make fire but couldn't. During the day when I was taking a break under a big leaning rock there was dry tender leaves, pine needles etc, so I stuffed a big handful into a baggie and carried with me. Then it's just a matter of processing some wood down. Some came over and enjoyed my fire.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traveler View Post
    .......once I discovered Vaseline and cotton balls I have never had a problem since even in very wet conditions. I treat several balls of cotton with Vaseline and keep them in a prescription pill vial with twist lock top. ..........
    Same here, cheap, easy, works great. I keep mine in an old plastic 35mm film canister.
    If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything.

  14. #14
    Registered User JPritch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JNI64 View Post
    This is what I typically do. But if I'm going out for a trip say perhaps the dollysods area where certain places along red creek are always wet , or a winter trip when everything's wet frozen. I'll take some of my homemade fire starters.
    I'm glad you brought this up! I was at Dolly Sods two weekends ago during the snow. I carried a 2.5# Duraflame log in to assist. We even found a campsite that had a neat stack of freshly cut logs. It had rained the night before. We absolutely could not get the logs to catch fire. The Duraflame burned for a long time under the logs. Made 'em char, glow, and you could see water boiling out...but they wouldn't catch.

    So any tips for actually getting the big fire going before we head out for another winter trip? I'd hate to strap 20# of Duraflame logs to my pack, but will if I have to
    It is what it is.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by JPritch View Post
    So any tips for actually getting the big fire going before we head out for another winter trip? I'd hate to strap 20# of Duraflame logs to my pack, but will if I have to
    Find dryer wood?

    Of course, that's easier said then done, especially in an area picked clean for a 1/4 mile in all directions. Having some Nylon strapping to bundle sticks together allows you to bring in wood for some distance from the campsite.

    If I want a fire I start looking around in the woods along the trail for down limbs to gather as I get close to the shelter/campsite. But as winter progresses, the winter crop of downed limbs will start to grow and make finding wood near-by easier for a while.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  16. #16

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    I saw Bear Gryllis start a fire by focusing sunlight through pee in a Ziploc. Never saw that before.

  17. #17
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Then he drank it !!

  18. #18
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPritch View Post
    I'm glad you brought this up! I was at Dolly Sods two weekends ago during the snow. I carried a 2.5# Duraflame log in to assist. We even found a campsite that had a neat stack of freshly cut logs. It had rained the night before. We absolutely could not get the logs to catch fire. The Duraflame burned for a long time under the logs. Made 'em char, glow, and you could see water boiling out...but they wouldn't catch.

    So any tips for actually getting the big fire going before we head out for another winter trip? I'd hate to strap 20# of Duraflame logs to my pack, but will if I have to
    Ah yeah dolly sods highest platue this side of the Mississippi at 4,000 ft plus. Great diversity then you walk into pine forest and ferns 6ft tall. How about them campsites with rock chairs and couches some real hitten gems along red creek. Oh that's right fire, well you could make a couple of my cupcake fire starters and do you have a way of collecting fat wood or buy. Some of them places along red creek are like rainforests with moss growing on everything and always damp. Start layer of dry wood fire starter on top then fat wood then small stuff collected. Lay any wet wood around fire to dry. Use your sit pad for fanning the fire....

  19. #19
    Registered User JNI64's Avatar
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    And hell as far that goes if you're willing to carry fire logs in what about a 1lb. Propane tank and torch like us plumbers use. Hey don't laugh it would be lighter than that fire log.

  20. #20
    Registered User Whiskyjo's Avatar
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    I use in my pear can wood cook stove a half of a relighting birthday candle to get it started even in the worst winds. Have used them to start a fire in damp conditions also. 24 per pack cut in half gives you 48 fire starters for about 15 cents a fire. Just saying.

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