Iceman's Homemade Firestarter

[ICEMAN]

Go for it! Nothing would make me happier than to have one of these little fire starters save someone from hypothermia or worse...

[Wolf Track]

Thanks!!!

That's the exact reason I like to teach

[ICEMAN]

I tossed one of these firestarters under a pile of loggin debris on property we own. 

[fishingnut71]

Im wondering if I can take it on a plane??Probably, just put it in your carry on.

[uncoolperson]

my mom's no bake cookies start a fire right quick.

[ICEMAN]

Bump

[Bigshooter]

I always pack cotton balls covered in vasoline and one of the square batteries with a piece of steel wool in my back pack.  Never had a problem starting a fire.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I saw these posts and was kind of curious, After reading all the input from everyone else, why nobody has mentioned a basic fire starting tip I learned from my father (who grew up on a homestead in Canada before becoming an American Citizen to go fight in WWII )
He told me "The dryest wood in the forest is still hanging on the trees"
The branches on the inside of the tree, close to the trunk of almost every evergreen are dead dry and protected from the elements from the outer live branches.
The thicker the woods, the more dead branches there are, on just about any kind of tree.
I have never had a problem getting a fire started, as long as I had a dependable source of flame, even have successfully started a fire with a "Bow and Drill" as part of a course I took back in 1978 called "Wilderness Survival/Camper Safety" put on by Explorer Scouts.

[ICEMAN]

From what I understand, the problem with many firestarters is that the person needing the fire has usually waited to long to get one going. They are cold, probably hypothermic, and do not have the dexterity to make fire from a bow and drill. I have even read that some guys are found dead with a lighter in their hand, poor tinder that was wet....

This was why I wanted something that would light extremely easy, and not go out, to give me the maximum chance of getting a lifesaving fire going....the waxed paper tinder really lights easy.

I just hope if I ever need the survival fire, I have my wits about me, and realize early enough how dire the situation is....

[Bob33]

Good idea, I like the cotton balls dipped in Petrolium jelly(aka vaseline) as well, they are waterproof and burn well.

+1.  Easy, cheap, quick to make, lightweight, burn hot and long.  Cram about 10 in a 35mm film canister (check photo labs; they still have them.)

[Black Plague]

hey Miles...that stuff does work great but is a HUGE RIP-OFF, its exactly the same as Weber Fire Starter except like 4-5 times as expensive....they are like 5 grams each and the Weber ones are 11 grams and come in a 24 pack for like 4.50 to 5.00 dollars versus 8 of the wetfire for 8 bucks... same stuff...so, yeah you can probably google it and find out its the same stuff... the packaging is nice in the wetfire though