match flame extender

[Les Snyder]

I posted this originally on the ETS board in response to a thread on equipping a youth group with inexpensive PSK materials and thought I would pass it on...to improve the success of fire building by relatively inexperienced young people under challenging conditions..if you cut a piece of corrougated cardboard about 1/4 inch shorter than your waterproof matches (the matches will go in the channels of the cardboard) thoroughly saturate the cardboard in melted paraffin (I used candle wax) and chill rapidly in the refrig. Cut into sections 4 channels in width, and insert two matches up to the base of the match head in the center two channels. Grasp by the match stick exposed to strike... you will get approximately a 2 1/2 minute burn... if you pull a piece of twine through the end channels and thoroughly saturate (keep horizontally to chill) with melted wax you will get approximately a 3 1/2 minute burn

 

[cnas122]

How about a picture

 

[Joben]

That sounds pretty slick.

I think parafin is an extremely underated fuel/accelrant for firestarting.

I like the fact that it's not messy at room temp...unlike petroleum jelly.

 

[cramsey3006]

I've found that just dipping regular strike-anywhere kitchen matches in paraffin increases their burn time from around 30 seconds to just over a minute.

I've got paraffin soaked cotten balls that will burn for over 7 minutes.

 

[Les Snyder]

if you press a 4x4 piece of foil into a bottle cap (1 1/4 inch or so diameter) to make a mould, melt enough paraffin (candle wax) to get a 1/4 inch thick disc, push a cotton ball down to absorb what it will, quick chill in the freezer, roll out to unstick, then wrap back up for tinder....you get a mini wind break with the foil...if you use a firesteel and direct sparks at the boundary of wax/cotton it ignites very quickly

 

[Any Cal.]

Thanks for that.

On a similiar note, Coghlans fire sticks. One or two 1/8 stick pieces will save a lot of time in finding fuel, and a lot of time in getting your fire going. They save matches and Bic fuel as well. Though difficult, freshly broken ends can be lit with a firesteel.