Best homemade tinder to bring

MAURICE · Mar 2, 2001

i just got a swiss army issue firestarter a few days ago and i made my first attempt at buolding a fire today. at first it took a long while to get any kind of flame,but after a whiel i would get a small one going,then it would be blown out by the wind.after a while it got easier and easier to get the initial small flame,but finally,i got a good little blaze going.i smell like smoke.i love it.

GREENJACKET · Mar 2, 2001

If you are really at a loss for a starter fuel and you happen to be hunting with some ammunition on you then pull some bullets. The propelent flares fast and hot, so use sparingly and feed a few grains in at a time to make the powder last a little longer. Shotgun shells and large calibres have quite a lot of powder per charge. Even the .22LR has a useable amount. Keep your powder dry

.

Lint from your pockets or balling from your jumper can produce a fair amount of fuel.

Preparation is the key to success.

tknife · Mar 2, 2001

Maurice-
I am unfamiliar with the Swiss Army issue firestarter. Can you describe what it is?

MNH · Mar 4, 2001

Good ideas!
Up north the fuzzy outer edges of bark from a birch tree works great. You can hold it under water, take it out, shake it off, and it will light easily and continue to burn.

In Vermont there are few places in the woods where you can't see a birch tree from where you are standing.

Mike

Bagheera · Mar 3, 2001

Tknife,

Maurice meant a Large Swedisch Army Firesteel

and not a Swiss Army Firesteel but I forgive him as both countries are in Europe

.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera

LS Maurice, how's the Maya-Wood working, it should burn very fast and spread that lovely resin smell that reminds me of church (Catholic) messes.

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tknife · Mar 3, 2001

Darn, I thought there was a new firestarter out there I was missing! Thanks for letting me know.

muzzleup · Mar 3, 2001

Here I go again;
1. Melt beeswax or paraffin (double boil)
2. Dip cotton ball in wax and while still wet dip the cotton ball into a tray of magnisium chips.
3. Place cotton ball and chips in a place to harded but while still tacky place a 2nd cotton ball on top.
4. Cut a square of waxed paper big enough to wrap the cotton ball in and twist it off.
5. I call this my "kiss of fire". When ready to use just untwist the "kiss" and strike a spark into the 2nd. dryer cotton ball and presto a nice blaze that lasts for about 10 to 20 minutes depending on how much wax is in the 1st. ball and it takes quite a wind to blow it out,however, I usually put my tinder ("kiss")inside of a stainless steel pipe cap to keep it off of the ground and protect it from some of the wind. I build my teepee around the pipe cap and tinder....FIRE!

and

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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington

tknife · Mar 4, 2001

muzzleup- Now that sounds like a pyro's dream! I will wait till the wife leaves, and make a few of those. (Don't want her to see the mess!)

muzzleup · Mar 4, 2001

TKNIFE;
Cool, let me know how they work for you. I usually make mine outside using a Colman stove so as not to mess up the indoors.

If you don't want to go to the trouble of melting the wax you can use the Vasoline but it does not burn as long as the wax does. Or you can put some Vasoline on the top cotton ball too.

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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington

[This message has been edited by muzzleup (edited 03-04-2001).]