"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.