Post by: ICEMAN on December 11, 2008, 06:39:17 AM
Here is what I wrote:
Best Homemade Firestarter of all time, so far...
It seems like every year I try to re-invent the firestarter thing around here. I am done with the lint thingy, the diesel saturated sawdust, the eggshell container/wax/ and lint thingy.... And for my river fishing hikes, (where guys have fallen into the river and gone downstream far enough to crawl out of the water already suffering from hypothermia and cannot make a fire to warm themselves), I have even cut a road flare into quarters, drilled holes in the ends, put a birthday candle fuse in and then dipped the whole thing in wax, looks like a crude bomb of sorts..... Cedar shavings, waxed paper, purell hand cleaner, and superglue...
I was looking for a no b.s. firestarter. Something relatively small that would give someone lost and cold a really good chance of getting a fire going. Out here in the Pacific Northwest, forest fuels are most often damp. Getting a fire going can sometimes be a challenge, and from what I have studied, when lost, cold, and not generally thinking strait, even those with advanced woodsman skills can be challenged by a simple fire.
Here is what I have come up with;
The Undertaker
(If you can't get a fire going with this thingy, start digging....)
Take a piece of waxed paper, 2 inch by 8 inch, fold it up until you end up with a piece about square (2" by 2"). Take scissors and cut the non folded end about half way thru with many parallel cuts. Your final product will sort of look like a waxed paper comb. This is your tinder.
Wrap a thin birthday candle in the waxed paper comb/tinder thingy, so the wick of the candle protrudes about 1/2" past the waxed paper. See photo below to help with lousy description... This is your fuse.
Have thread handy, and begin wrapping three magic relighting birthday candles around the waxed paper and other candle. Your final product has a fuse end, a bunch of waxed paper tinder frayed out and protruding inside of three birthday joke candles. Wrap tightly, and then several dunkings into some melted wax to hold the whole thing together. Avoid dipping too far so as not to wax over the waxed paper tinder shag at the end of the device.
My idea was this. I wanted a device that had an obvious fuse...would not blow out, and would provide lots of flame, for a long time.
Results; The Undertaker; they start immediately, do not blow out, and burn for over fifteen minutes. What more do you want....?
Post by: Gobble on December 11, 2008, 06:48:57 AM
Post by: rasbo on December 11, 2008, 06:53:33 AM
Post by: 1bowhunter1 on December 11, 2008, 06:56:15 AM
Post by: elkoholic on December 11, 2008, 02:18:36 PM
Post by: Machias on December 11, 2008, 02:30:02 PM
Post by: KillBilly on December 11, 2008, 02:40:59 PM
I would just hate lugging them three bricks around with me all the time though!
Right on Fred, I started to say the same thing. Figured after falling in and floating down stream, the bricks would drown me and a fire would be a moot point. I held back, but since you started it, that is funny.
Post by: runamuk on December 11, 2008, 02:41:38 PM
Post by: saylean on December 11, 2008, 02:46:21 PM
Post by: sisu on December 11, 2008, 07:36:38 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 11, 2008, 08:20:24 PM
I would just hate lugging them three bricks around with me all the time though!
Strap them to your hounds! :chuckle:
Post by: Machias on December 11, 2008, 10:12:25 PM
Great tip. thanks for posting Iceman!
Post by: Huntbear on December 15, 2008, 06:35:01 PM
Post by: huntnphool on December 15, 2008, 06:44:13 PM
Post by: Hacksaw on December 15, 2008, 07:21:07 PM
Post by: robb92 on December 16, 2008, 02:57:09 AM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 16, 2008, 04:17:34 AM
Maybe I should have started to sell them :dunno: >:( :bash:
Hey just kidding...really a fun little rainy day project....take over the kitchen! Test fire a few in the living room!
Post by: Skyvalhunter on December 16, 2008, 06:01:17 AM
Post by: addicted on December 16, 2008, 06:03:39 AM
maybe some of you youngins ;) that weren't around for it,
is this the one ice?
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,4351.msg46526.html#msg46526
Post by: NoBark on December 23, 2008, 07:31:00 PM
For kicks though, you gotta get a couple of Frito brand "Frito's" chips and light 'em off.
Dang things burn for like 4 minutes :yike:
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on December 23, 2008, 07:58:51 PM
Now I will be wondering around the house tomarrow trying to light different things on fire just to see what happens. :chuckle:
Post by: logger on December 23, 2008, 08:20:17 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 23, 2008, 09:59:45 PM
:chuckle: I just tried lighting a frito. Thats pretty cool.
Now I will be wondering around the house tomarrow trying to light different things on fire just to see what happens. :chuckle:
Really? Try this then; unzip your bean bag chair and throw a lighted match inside and see what happens.... :P Have a hose ready and you may want to call 911 first....
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on December 23, 2008, 10:12:24 PM
:chuckle: I just tried lighting a frito. Thats pretty cool.
Now I will be wondering around the house tomarrow trying to light different things on fire just to see what happens. :chuckle:
Really? Try this then; unzip your bean bag chair and throw a lighted match inside and see what happens.... :P Have a hose ready and you may want to call 911 first....
Don't know if I will need a hose. I will throw it out in the yard on top of the 2 feet of snow, lol.
It would just be my luck that I don't have a bean bag chair. Next time I am at Wal-Mart I think I will buy one. :chuckle:
Post by: stumprat on December 23, 2008, 10:14:59 PM
I keep little slivers of pitch from an old stump in my pack works pretty good.
:yeah:
Post by: logger on December 23, 2008, 10:18:50 PM
Post by: farmin4u_98948 on December 26, 2008, 08:55:20 AM
Post by: ICEMAN on December 26, 2008, 10:10:30 AM
Good stuff but you still have to get it to light. Whats the fool proof way to do that.
Personally, I am always sure to carry an old fashioned bic lighter on a cord around my neck when out in the woods. I am also have a lighter, and a few different types of matches in my fire kit in my pack. Plus that last resort magnesium/ferrocium fire starter.....overkill I'm sure, but I am a wuss and worry about it....
Post by: M_ray on December 26, 2008, 10:54:41 AM
Oh and BTW Michelle if you are going to carry around the bean bag chair hunting you may need a bigger pack!
Post by: Wolf Track on December 30, 2008, 02:52:27 PM
I've been teaching survival classes for the last couple years and this will be a good one to show others...
With your permission of course...
We have so much beetle kill out here any more that it's very easy to come up with a high energy fire starter...
I've cut my teeth in the Cascades and Olympics and fires were one of our biggest concerns...
One of the little fire starters we built in Scouts:
Film container
Wax
Candle wick
Small weights
Put the weight on the end of the wick
Place it in center bottom of container
Pour in wax
When wax hardens and makes a little candle inside the film container, put the lid on
If you don't fill them totally full, they will float and even if moisture gets in, they will light if wet
If memory serves me right, these seem to burn for 10-20 minutes depending on how large you make the wick
The larger the wick, the faster but hotter it burns
They will last for ever and are hard enough to not crush in a rough and tumble hunting/hiking pack...
Post by: ICEMAN on December 30, 2008, 07:56:45 PM
Post by: Wolf Track on December 30, 2008, 08:26:01 PM
That's the exact reason I like to teach :fire.:
Post by: ICEMAN on May 07, 2009, 06:19:29 AM
Post by: fishingnut71 on May 17, 2009, 03:11:19 PM
Post by: uncoolperson on May 18, 2009, 06:37:01 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on May 26, 2010, 04:59:40 AM
Post by: Bigshooter on May 26, 2010, 05:20:29 AM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on May 26, 2010, 10:13:02 AM
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.
Post by: ICEMAN on May 26, 2010, 05:22:32 PM
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....
Post by: Bob33 on May 26, 2010, 05:32:24 PM
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.)
Post by: Black Plague on May 26, 2010, 07:24:13 PM