Firestarter formula...

J

Johan

Joined
Oct 12, 1999
Messages
631
Hello all! Some time ago I read a little tip about making firestarters. You heated vasaline until it liquified and then added a little bit of parafin wax as a hardener. Cotton balls were dipped in the mix and shaped into lille cylinders. When cooled, you'd tear the firestarter apart and the fine bits of vasaline empregnated cotton would catch and burn very well.

However, I can't remember how much wax to add. I think it was about 10 percent but I really don't know. So, I figured that before I went off to make a batch I'd check here first.

Can anyone help with the proportions? Thanks in advance.
 
I have made firestarters with only vaseline and cotton balls, a little messy, but they light and burn.

Or.....

You can take paraffin, liquify it, dip paper towels folded to a convenient size into the paraffin, let cool.

The resulting wax-impregnated folded tight paper towel will light very well with only a spard from metal match. Simply rough the surface. They are not messy, and they burn well.

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Similar to MDP, I have tried Vaseline or candle wax separately with cotton balls but haven't mixed it. Since the vaseline was still easier to handle, though somewhat messy, I settled with it. I put it into a zip-lock bag or film canister.
Mixing the two might be an idea but in what ratio?
Other idea is to mix magnesium shavings or powder into the vaselined cotton ball.

HM

 
I found the vasoline messy until I used a pair of disposable latex gloves. I put a handful of the cotton balls & a big clump of vasoline is a margarine container and just kneaded the pile till the vasoline was absorbed. I then stuffed the balls into a bunch of film canisters and them wiped the canisters with a shop rag. Didn't take much time at all and I should be set for quite a while. Just threw the old gloves and margarine container away. Worked well
Ken
 
I have been making what I call my "kiss of fire";

1. Melt parrafin or bees wax (double boiler)

2. Cut up squares of waxed paper (approx. 3"X3").

3. Dip cotton ball into melted wax and place on wax paper

4. While still wet, place 2nd cotton ball on top of impregnated cotton ball and wait for the wax to harden.

5. When dry, twist wax paper square around cotton balls like a candy kiss.

6. To use, just untwist wax paper kiss and strike a spark into the cotton ball on top...now you have a fire that will last up to 20 min.

7. For some extra heat, you can also roll the first wet cotton ball (step 3) in a bunch of magnesium chips and then set on the wax paper.

hope this helps;
Ron

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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
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Unless one is into bullet casting and lubes - it's all a very messy business and just not worthwhile over plain old petroleum jelly. A combination PJ/wax will appear less messy until it gets hot when it will be even worse than plain old PJ. If you use enough to fully waterproof the cotton then on cold days it will be hard to rub off enough to get the cotton to catch a spark.
Better to just have some PJ soaked cotton for emergencies and practise using natural tinders.

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/5404/survival/tinder.html

 
By far the easiest to make/use firestarters I've come up with is cotton balls with candle wax dripped onto them. Just light a candle, and drip the wax onto the center of the cotton ball. Build it up moderately thick, and leave the edges of the cotton ball "naked". This allows you to pull the cotton away from the wax and fluff it up to catch the spark. No greasy mess, and these will burn hot for a good five to seven minutes, plenty of time to get a fire going. Easy to make, too, just do some while you vege in front of the TV.
 
Okay, I've had a chance to play around with fire this weekend and I think I've got the formula. It's a little less that half and half vasoline and parafin wax (more vasoline, less parafin), maybe 3/5 2/5. Sorry I don't have the exact formula yet but I was doing based on trial and error. I'll be making some more tomorrow and I'll try to make better notes.

The end product is great though-cotton balls dry to the touch, yet pliable. When you tear them apart lots of little fibers, easily catches the slightest spark and each one burns for about 3 minutes, long enough to start most fires.
 
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