Firestarters/kindling ideas

[oruacat2]

I've read with great curiosity the threads discussing fire-starter kits, using parafin to get the fire going, etc, and I've been thinking of trying something new for my own camping trips. I'm new to the board, so if anyone as already suggested this - my apologies.

Anyhow, with ID theft being a rampant problem these days, I'm one of those paranoids who SHREDS everything - junk mail, CC offers, bank statements, etc. I'm wondering about using the shredded paper refuse as a firestarting aid/kindling. I'm thinking maybe I could melt down a bunch of parafin in a large non-stick pan, then mix the shredded paper into the melted wax. While the mixture is still warm and liquid, I think I could poor it into some cheap plastic (flexibility would be key) ice cube trays, let it harden, then cut the individual cubes to-size. Even better, maybe an old egg carton instead of an ice cube tray? The egg container cardboard itself would burn too, right? Keep the "cubes" intact for situations where weight/size aren't an issue, and cut them down to fit into an old film cannister when you need lightweight and portability.

What say ye?
What's the best type of parafin for something like this - which is most flamable?

KD

 

[jeff_c]

I could be wrong... but paper is rarely good as a firestarter...

I would suggest some cotton balls. Take a little bit of petroleum jelly and mush it into the cotton ball. Store them in a medicine bottle.

Then one strike with a fire steel will light it right up.

I have found it VERY VERY difficult to start a fire with just a firesteel in the field. It can be done, but I am having a hard time finding that initial ignition source thats ready to go. No birch trees around here. Tinfer fungus needs to be dried. No cat tails... etc.

 

[Snakedoc]

Welcome to the forum.

I agree with jeff about the cotton & pj. Good thinking outside the box with your paper though. Might be a good idea to try it out! Might I suggest a double boiler for the parafin as it does have a flash point and is dangerous to just heat up in a pan.

I like your idea of the egg carton, as I think it would burn. You might try some fatwood shavings in your egg carton and then pour in the wax. This subject has been vastly covered in the wilderness and survival skills forum here of BF. I will see if I can dig up some links for you.

 

[R.A.T.]

I think your idea will work just fine...

 

[gadgetgeek]

thats a very similar idea to some paper candles I made, which worked well. As was mentioned, use a double boiler, preferably outside. I soaked the paper I used until it was fully saturated with wax, but I don't know if that would impede spark lighting. I only used matches at the time.
As for what kind, some craft stores sell big blocks for quite cheap, but shop around, I've seen 1/4lb for $20 which is way too much.

 

[Joben]

orucat, I think you idea would work great.
Compare to this proven one for example, very similar:
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/how-to-make-fire-sticks/

I could be wrong... but paper is rarely good as a firestarter...

Paper is a GREAT firestarter, if you understand it's weaknesses and limitations. (Exception, waxy feeling smooth magazine paper, avoid that like the plague. But newsprint, notebook, printer paper most junk-mail, all good.)

The rule of thumb is: Keep the paper on the bottom. That way the ashes won't smother the fire, and that's were tinder/kindling does the most good anyway.

Before I got into the whole survival thing i started fires with newsprint. I would twist a page or two into a sorta paper stick, and lay several of those down as the base of a log cabin build, or inside a tepee build.

 

[burddogg]

I had a recent experience with some PJCB's that wouldn't take a spark. I think the PJ was old. Something to watch out for. I never new they had a shelf life.

 

[PayetteRucker]

cotton balls and petrol jelly are a personal favorite
they burn a good long time and light with a spark. Jute is also good but you gotta get more material on it right away because it flames up real quick. pull apart jute fibers to make a big ball of various sizes of jute thread. I use parafin wax to dip the 1.95 box of strike anywhere matches and turn them into waterproof matches that work better than the expensive coleman or NATO survival matches-and thy are strike anywhere, to boot. A ball of parafin with some shredded paper isn't going to get you anywhere. You need more paper than wax and that's not what you'll have by the time you are done.

 

[okbohn]

As to the paper.

I think the general reason paper is not a great spark catcher is that it gathers water like a sponge. SO I think the wax would solve that issue.

The other issue you WILL run into is that coated paper is a terrible firestarter. It doesn't even like to burn with a match.

Uncoated paper should work. I like cotton better, but it should work.

 

[Bushman5]

I had a recent experience with some PJCB's that wouldn't take a spark. I think the PJ was old. Something to watch out for. I never new they had a shelf life.

you might have had TOO MUCH petroleum jelly int he cotton ball. You only need about a fingernails worth, evenly distributed into the fibers. The cotton ball should have a almost a tacky feel to it.

I got some that are 2 years old and still fire up with very little spark.

 

[okbohn]

I had a recent experience with some PJCB's that wouldn't take a spark. I think the PJ was old. Something to watch out for. I never new they had a shelf life.

I am guessing too much as well. If you have too much, the spark cannot get the cotton hot enough to ignite because it is too coated. It helps to think of it as a round candle--the PJ is the fuel, the cotton is the wick. Unless you get down to the wick, it is a PITA to light a candle!