"Hot" tip for Fire Starting

[konrad]

 Tip from Bowshooter.com:




Have you ever been out in damp or rainy weather and needed to start a fire, but had nothing dry enough to use? Here is an old trick that Scout Masters have taught for years.

Buy a bag of 100% cotton balls and a large jar of Vaseline or other petroleum jelly. Saturate the cotton balls in the Vaseline. Some do this by hand, others melt the Vaseline down to liquid form and pour it on top of the cotton balls. If using hot Vaseline, place the cotton balls on some aluminum foil or an old baking sheet that you don't need anymore. Allow the soaked cotton balls to cool completely. Use extreme caution with hot petroleum jelly. It will leave a nasty burn on skin.
 
Store the fire starters in a quart-size zip top bag, film canister, etc. This item will take up very little pack space and weighs next to nothing.

When in need of a fire starter, simply take out a saturated cotton ball, place it where you want your fire (not in your hands), open it up to expose the cotton fiber, and start the fire with a match or lighter. Once the ball is burning to your satisfaction, add kindling. Before you know it, you're on your way to being warm and dry.
 

[bow4elk]

I rely on this method nearly all the time.  cheap and works well, even in WET weather.  I goop up a bunch of cotton balls and jam them into a long plastic candy package (looks like a long film container) that I swiped from one of my kids just for this purpose.

Vaseline works really well with dry tinder, moss, or punky wood from a rotten stump.  Some people just carry a small tube of it, which is much more convenient.

Good tip - thanks for sharing!

[400out]

I use gas and Styrofoam, put a little gas in a can the add Styrofoam until you get a thick paste then role into strips and let harden then place in a bag. It works just like sap 

[bow4elk]

I use gas and Styrofoam, put a little gas in a can the add Styrofoam until you get a thick paste then role into strips and let harden then place in a bag. It works just like sap 

Wow - never heard of this!  How about odor? 

[boneaddict]

Interesting.   Gonna have to try this one.  I also do cotton balls and vaseline.

[PolarBear]

I use gas and Styrofoam, put a little gas in a can the add Styrofoam until you get a thick paste then role into strips and let harden then place in a bag. It works just like sap  

We use to call that hillbilly napalm.  If you leave it soft it will stick to anything.  It smokes like a mother, stinks and is pretty toxic.  I use to use trioxane and dryer lint.

[HuntandFish]

I carry steel wool in my pack for an emergency fire. Love the idea of the home made napome(spelling). I will try this.

[Hornseeker]

I had one day this year that starting a fire was challenging. And I DONT enjoy it when its challenging to start a fire!!! Screw that. I got it going. I use trioxane, but my lighter was not putting out a good, consistent flame.

Lets expand on this. Lets say you NEEEEEED a fire bad... its cold, your fingers are numb and cold, the woods are wet... what is the BEST way to get a fire going?

I know how to find dry tinder and dry wood... tell me...what is the SURE FIRE ignition source!? I'm thinking of getting a mini flare or something just for those days when the fire HAS to come and it has to come fast....

By the way, the day I finally got the fire going...I got a little carried away...but it felt gooooood!

[woodswalker]

That wasnt a fire up by Chewelah was it?

[boneaddict]

Road flare, or probably better yet, FUSE from the forest service if you can get someone to nab one for you.   They are designed to drop chunks of bursing stuff as you walk to ignite......

[ICEMAN]

 

[billythekidrock]

Carpet padding works very well.

[MikeWalking]

Haven't tried this one yet but have read about it. Hang a candle wick in a plastic film canister and fill it with a mix of black powder and clear nail lacquer. Let it harden and pop out.

The cotton ball/vaseline is a lot easier. I always have some of those, a couple new lighters and some storm proof matches, kitchen matches and my flint/magnesium block.

[Sumpnneedskillin]

When my boys went through hunters ed they watched a video by a survival instructor.  He recommended putting the cotton balls in aluminum foil "packets".  When you needed to use one you could slit it open and start your fire.  Using the foil you could even use one as a "lantern".

[400out]

I use gas and Styrofoam, put a little gas in a can the add Styrofoam until you get a thick paste then role into strips and let harden then place in a bag. It works just like sap 

Wow - never heard of this!  How about odor? 

It does have a odor but once you get it in a bag it's contained until you pull it out. Just remember more fome too gas. We used to use it to burn stumps as a kid.

[longstevo]

Alright. 

I'm understanding how to spark a fire.  But what happens if you're out in weather like it was this weekend, and EVERYTHING is soaked?  Wood, branches, lichen, twigs...everything? 

I have no problem starting a fire, but sustaining it would be difficult at best, I'd think.

[GlennGTR]

There is always dry tinder to be had if you know where to look. Use the force Luke.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Be one with nature you will, my young padawaan.

[Huntbear]

Dry tinder and wood can be found if you dig deep enough... like in old stumps, etc...

[ICEMAN]

Alright. 

I'm understanding how to spark a fire.  But what happens if you're out in weather like it was this weekend, and EVERYTHING is soaked?  Wood, branches, lichen, twigs...everything? 

I have no problem starting a fire, but sustaining it would be difficult at best, I'd think.

Here is a story I wrote years ago on this subject. You just have to keep moving materials into and nearby your fire so as it burns, it is warming, thawing and drying your next fuel.... 

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,16151.0.html

[high country]

keep your cotton balls in wax paper in a film can or pill bottle. the wax paper is easy to remove and burns like that is its job. there is not much better then a flare for starting a fire, but I will not carry one around due to weight/bulk. I keep a tampon on my quad and sled, I can dip it in the tank and get a fire going via gasoline.

[longstevo]

There is always dry tinder to be had if you know where to look. Use the force Luke.

...you ask the impossible...

lol 

[Todd_ID]

So I just tried the cotton ball and Vaseline thing to see how it compared to my current idea.  The cotton ball ignited instantly and burned for 3:10 until it was below a usable flame.  The average flame height was 6" and 1" diameter. 

I use old denture material for fire starting, so I thought I'd burn one to see how it compared to the cotton ball.  The denture was harder to light: needing a direct flame for 2-3 seconds.  It burned with a 8" x 2.5" flame for 8:40 before it could be considered useless (less than 2" flame).  Talk to your dentist about where to get the denture material; a buddy gave me some chuncks that he got from his dentist.  There's extra material every time they pour a mold to make a set of dentures.  It weighs basically nothing and should be free.  Each piece is around 3" diameter and .5" thick.  It's hard plastic, so moisture is not a concern.

As good as the denture material did, I still made 4 bags of the cotton balls for my friends.  I'll carry some cotton balls to get the dentures burning as I think I'll be able to get the cotton ball to burn with the magnesium stick but not the denture.

[MikeWalking]

Fuzz sticks.   Take a branch and cut into it with your knife, you have a good one right? Cut into it and flip up the cuts like flaps. Even if it's rain soaked you can expose dry wood within. You're also exposing more surface area for moisture to escape from if it's really wet.

[LoveofGame]

After reading all the posts, I had to post another idea....

animal hair... most people own an animal, right?
a candle.... unscented or scented, it doesn't really matter
and an egg carton - don't use the Styrofoam kind

Once you have your supplies, put the animal hair in the carton, pour candle wax over the hair, and then cut out each egg holder... now you'll have 12 fire starters, which can be used on a raining day or a dry day. You can easily take these with you because they're small in size.

[robodad]

Hand sanitizer is also a great fire starter and also a first aid antiseptic but it will sting a bit !! Comes in small bottles and lights really fast too !! I keep some twigs (actually I cut some 1/4" dowels into 6' lengths) and drier lint vacuum packed in a tight bundle. The dowels can be used for tent stakes if needed too !! 

[Wild Bill]

Hand sanitizer is also a great fire starter and also a first aid antiseptic but it will sting a bit !! Comes in small bottles and lights really fast too !! I keep some twigs (actually I cut some 1/4" dowels into 6' lengths) and drier lint vacuum packed in a tight bundle. The dowels can be used for tent stakes if needed too !! 

Works great unless its sub zero out The stuff dont freeze... Back when I was a Survival Instructor for the USAF we used to get students with frost nip and even frost bite because of this stuff.......
Dry wood? If you can find a hemlock the needle thin bows at the base could withstand a monsoon before getting moisture... If not, breack some quarter size and smaller fir, pine etc... and split with your knife...

[spikehunter]

can't beat a flare it's like a torch for 15 min. will dry the wood then ignite it 2

[MikeWalking]

animal hair?   stinkystinkystinky


Dryer Lint. clean the lint filter out..

[Hornseeker]

I can get Fuse's Doug...am good buds with some of the fire guys here! I think I'll throw one in...

As for dry wood, like was mentioned...you can find it. UNder old dead logs, under super thick trees. The best is the dead branches near the base of big live treess....they may be wet on teh outside, but are pretty darn dry and quick to dry out near the fire you get started.

[gasman]

I have a 5 gallon bucket filled with saw dust soaked in diesel fuel (heating oil works great to). Take a cup full an dthrow it on anything you wan tto start a fire on, and your golden. I keep a coffe can filled with saw dust in my camper cubby hole for weekend camping trips.

I have alsp heard of guys putting diesel in a spray bottle and spraying the wood to act as fire starter.

A buddy did not believe how good it works untill i started a fire on top of 10" of snow 

[BallisticsNut]

Here is one that is just as easy.

 http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-mini-chemical-fire-starters-272615/