Homemade Survival Candles

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loraksus

Joined
May 31, 2007
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So I had a bit of cabin fever - and 2 candles that had too much wax on the sides of the containers (wax melted, flooded the wick, candle went out)
"Fixed" those 2 and had a bunch of wax / gel left over.

Decided to try and make 2 survival candles out of an round altoids tin and a round chinese candy box (same idea)
Used multiple wicks and tried to make them "blow out proof" with magnesium filings (used a dremel on my magnesium firelighter and got a nice amount of finely ground magnesium filings)
Sadly, in the gel, the magnesium sort of melts off the wick and pools up in the candle, where gravity pulls it through the molten gel until it stops on a layer of unmelted gel - kind of cool to look at, but completely worthless.

Used the ends of some cotton rope I had kicking around as wicks - I now read you should use an actual wick, but these seem to burn just fine and I included a fair bit extra in case I need to re-wick (possible with the gel, not really so much with the wax) - guess I got lucky.

I understand the gel stuff might not really be the safest - it apparently can turn into a mini napalm molitov if the gel is hot and the container breaks / a lot spills - but I don't know if that is an issue in a shallow metal container.

I've run both for ~30 minutes and they work great - the gel one seems to be a bit more forgiving / easy to work with - I left the frayed string on the end of the wax one because it lights very easily. Not sure how long they will last -should last for quite some time. Heat doesn't seem to be an issue. I can easily pick up the metal containers - heck, the wax one has thermal paper on the bottom and it hasn't even darkened - seems the wax / gel is a great insulator.

One small thing though - the wax is apple or something scented - probably not a good idea to take it out into bear country :)

I'm looking for something to use as a stand for a stove - will probably cut the bottom of can of those chocolate filled wafer straws (punch some air holes) - might cut it up in a few other pieces and use those w/ large hard drive platters - I have a bunch from work.
Any other ideas? I have a fair bit of room in the altoids tin for stuff like matches (might soak up fluid?) tinder, etc.
 
I tried a different approach. I took a small metal container like the altoids but about 30mm high and dia 40mm. I stuffed it full with cotton discs and melted four or five tea candles and poured it all down in the cotton. Now I have the perfect firestarter. Some sparks from a fire steel and there is fire. I can use it as a candle although is makes some smoke and I can use it as a fire starter by just lighting it and showing it inside the pile of firewood.
 
Here is my version of a small candle. I reused an old Daisy pellet tin.

It's been a while since I made it, but I think I had used 1&1/2 - 2 tea candles.

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Comparison shot with a regular tea candle.

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I've heard that if you stick some tooth picks in a vasaline jar you will have a candle that burns forever. I heard that a long time ago, but never tried it, I wonder if it works. I would think that the tooth picks would burn up though.
 
Don't have enough candle stubs yet, but I plan on making up several tuna can 3 wick candles for use in the field.
 
i just tried the toothpick in vasaline thing and when the toothpick reaches the vasaline it just goes out
 
btuner said:
i just tried the toothpick in vasaline thing and when the toothpick reaches the vasaline it just goes out
Click to expand...

Really? I would think that the vasiline would act like a fuel and keep burning, if not catching on fire itself. Oh well, like I said, I heard it a long time ago, and I'm probably forgetting something, either that or something else was used instead of tooth picks.
 
You can also buy oil lamp wicks and make them into an improvised betty lamp. Sometimes it helps to thread thin wire lengthwise through the outside edges of the woven wick if it needs to be supported.
 
Way back when, I used old wax to encase a paper match, making it about 1/4" diameter.

It burned for a VERY long time !

.
 
I've tried this with mixed success. The best luck for wick's I've had is to take cotton twine, and two doubled over and twisted wire taken from the windings of an old case fan, and braid them together. The wire isn't thick enough to carry enough heat to really do much to the wax, but it will hold the wick up.

Still not happy with what I've been able to make. But whenever I order something from a vendor who carries NuWicks, I always forget to add one to my order. If anyone has a NuWick handy, could you describe the wick to us? Does it look like there is any kind of reenforcement?
 
When I was in the military I made some firestarters by placing wax sheets (my das is a bee keeper) on regular news paper and put everything in an oven. While still hot you fold it together and when needed it burns really good.
 
Nice thread. Any good sources for bigger amounts of wax? Seemed like it used to be everywhere when candle-making was a fad.
 
Yard sales. I bought a set of cathedral candles from a Catholic church rummage sale back ten years ago and they are still with me. They weigh about five pounds each half used. Parrifin can be bought anyplace that sells canning supplies, and beekeepers sell beeswax. Candles are good heat and light sources but... for home use I suggest that you invest in some oil or kerosene lamps instead. There are safe ways to burn candles indoors, but most people don't bother. Open flames are not a good idea indoors.

Codger
 
I agree with Codger 64, open flame candles can be real trouble. There's always a house or apt. in this area, that burns because of one left burning on a night stand or floor.

We buy up all the candles we can at yard sales. Have a couple of apple boxes full of candles.

We also have a few oil lamps, but are needing to put in another couple along with oil for them.
 
I've used the oil lamps for many years. At least two of mine date from the 1800's. Lehman's is a good source for new ones. Now mine only put out light equivilent to a 40 watt bulb or less, but three of them will light a room pretty well. I also have the COleman propane lantern that screws onto the top of a mini bottle of gas with a snap on plastic base to use when more light is needed. It gives about as much light as a 75 watt bulb.

Candles are much more compact and portable though. Just be dayum careful with them, particularly inside the home or your tent or shelter.

Codger
 
If you have a Michael's or other craft's store, in your area you can buy candle wax, the wicks and molds,they also carry bee's wax which mixed 50/50 with Ford moly axel grease makes a good bullet lube for your home cast bullet's good for about 2000 fps
 
stingray4540 said:
Really? I would think that the vasiline would act like a fuel and keep burning, if not catching on fire itself. Oh well, like I said, I heard it a long time ago, and I'm probably forgetting something, either that or something else was used instead of tooth picks.
Click to expand...
vaseline won't burn by itself.
I made some cotton ball and vaseline firestarters back in the spring.
During the process I slowly liquefied some vaseline and out of curiosity put flame to it. Wouldn't burn at all. But when string or cotton balls are soaked in it it does burn. The string/cotton balls absorbs the vaseline and acts as a wick.
 
I like candles and carry a few and I have found in the Amish catalog a olive oil lamp which comes in several styles and would be easy to make yourself , and the oil would be multi use ie food , heat, light and as a lube.
 
mkhop said:
I like candles and carry a few and I have found in the Amish catalog a olive oil lamp which comes in several styles and would be easy to make yourself , and the oil would be multi use ie food , heat, light and as a lube.
Click to expand...

Oliveoil, besides being one hot mama, is also a traditional fuel for a betty lamp in some parts of the world. As whale oil once was.

Codger
 
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