Foolproof Firestarting????

[DaleW]

15 minute road flares-- no joke. Doubles as a signal device. The hot road flare will get the wettest nastiest wood going. Should be good for scaring off predators if you could deploy it before you became dinner.

Other than that I carry:
Bic lighter
Matches
Firesteel
Tinder Quick tabs stuffed into a spy capsule
Esbit fuel
Alcohol gel hand cleaner

 

[DOC-CANADA]

They are kind of messy to make, but they are worth it. IMO I found something on here on the last post about making these. Using a babies med syrenge(sp?) to pump it into the straws as you pack the cotton in. I find this a heck of alot cleaner to do and they work just as good.

This is the original post.
Doc

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Hi Doc-

Do you soak each cotton ball individually in vaseline or do you only inject the vaseline intermittently between cotton balls? I'd love a cleaner way to carry those things.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hi Doc-

Do you soak each cotton ball individually in vaseline or do you only inject the vaseline intermittently between cotton balls? I'd love a cleaner way to carry those things.

Hey Spooky, it's explained in the original post, but I put in some cotton, inject some vaseline, more cotton, etc. and lastly put in some cotton to clean the vaseline away from the mouth of the straw so it's easier to seal.

BTW, I sent you another email.

Doc

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Thanks much, was too lazy to read through the thread.

Thanks for the email!! Good stuff.

 

[GEC]

Thanks DOC! You are the man.

 

[RokJok]

A longer-burning and less-messy accelerant than petroleum jelly for use on cotton balls is beeswax, as measured in Cliff Stamp's egg carton firestarter thread. According to that test, a Fire Straw of cotton and beeswax could be a quantum step up in burn time over the ubiquitous straws made with cotton balls soaked in vaseline.

 

[zman308]

Military heat tabs. Will last long enough to start anything burning.