Super duper fire starter test!

[storl]

I finally have a working thermometer and thermocouple that can read up to 1300C, so the fire starter test is beginning in earnest. I know, I know, how much more exciting can I get than a firestarter test? It is almost like watching paint dry! Hopefully someone else will find something useful in the piles of information I end up with.

I will try each test 3-5 times, depending on how long each one takes. I hope to do several at once. The idea of the test is to figure out the optimal fire starter when you want to just be able to light a fire with minimum fuss. As such, anything that cannot be done to the fire starter with my bare hands (shaving fatwood, etc.) will not be considered as part of the test unless it was already prepared. Maybe I'll get more complicated in the next round. I am going to try to keep the firestarters roughly the same size, so accurate comparisons can be made.

Here are the tests I will be performing:

-Number of firesteel strikes to ignite fire starter
-Seconds a lighter needs to be held to the fire starter to ignite if the firesteel does not work
-Same as two above, but after fire starter has been left in water overnight
-Seconds fire starter stays lit with zero intervention (ignition to end of flame)
-Seconds fire starter stays lit with stoking, turning, blowing, etc. (ignition to end of flame)
-Seconds fire starter stays lit with zero intervention (ignition to end of smolder)
-Seconds fire starter stays lit with stoking, turning, blowing, etc. (ignition to end of smolder)
-Min/Max temperature at regular intervals on all tests

Here are the fire starters I have to test:

-Coghlan's Waterproof Fire Sticks
-EZ Fire Fire starter
-Coghlan's Fire Lighters
-Ozark Trails Fire Starters
-Petroleum Jelly soaked cotton balls
-Firestraws (above in a straw)
-UCO 9 Hour Candles
-Starter Logg Wood Fire Starter
-Tinder-Quik
-Mautz Fire Ribbon
-Coghlan's Emergency Tinder
-Lightnin' Bug Fire Starters
-Coghlan's Fire Paste
-Solid fatwood
-Fatwood shavings
-Fatwood dust
-Wax mixed with sawdust
-Wax coated newspaper
-Wax coated dryer lint

That's a lot of crap! If anyone else wants anything else tested that is easily either procured or made, just let me know, and I will include it. Also, if there are any other reasonable tests that you want to see, I will try to include those as well. Expect a crapload of pictures, maybe some videos, and data in Excel if anyone wants to play with it. I'll have a whole bunch of write-ups about the test in the wki.

So, how obvious is it that I like to play with fire?

 

[lmalterna]

Trioxane tabs? I use it crushed into crystals and started with my firesteel. Burns with little flame and I always wondered what its egnerated heat measured...

Also alcohol prep pads- dual purpose and convenient.

Yep, I am a pyro too.

2Door

 

[storl]

Well, I've started this test a few times and have run through a few of the fire starters, but it starts raining on my every time! That is outside the scope of this test.

One of the worst droughts in the state's history, but it rains on me every time I need it not to rain.

I'll keep on plugging away and get this done eventually.

 

[orrey45]

Looks like you have a bunch of stuff to test. I hate to add more stuff to test but I would also be interested in the trioxane/esbit tabs and maybe even sterno gel. It might be a dumb thought but instead of PJ cotton balls could you soak them in sterno? Also are you trying to boil water or is this outside the scope of the test?

 

[storl]

Looks like you have a bunch of stuff to test. I hate to add more stuff to test but I would also be interested in the trioxane/esbit tabs and maybe even sterno gel. It might be a dumb thought but instead of PJ cotton balls could you soak them in sterno? Also are you trying to boil water or is this outside the scope of the test?

Not trying to boil water. Maybe in the next test.

I think I can easily get my hands on esbit and sterno, so I will include those. I think they might burn too hot for my thermocouple, but I will try.

 

[studio]

2 thoughts come to mind in regards to tinder.

Triple antibiotic ointment and cotton balls. And 0000 steel wool.

Cool test, looking forward to your findings.

J.

 

[Liam Ryan]

Any birch bark lying around? A few more natural tinders would be nice.

 

[storl]

I have been trying to find some birch bark and tinder fungus, but it is not very plentiful in my area. If anyone wants to send me some, I would gladly include it.

 

[1Tracker]

Actually, I'd be more interested in which of those firestarters actually started in the rain, as opposed to the test values myself. And since it's raining just do a few and let us know! Thanks for testing!

 

[storl]

Actually, I'd be more interested in which of those firestarters actually started in the rain, as opposed to the test values myself. And since it's raining just do a few and let us know! Thanks for testing!

I don't mind doing it in the rain, it's just that I had cameras out there for pictures and video, and didn't really want to ruin a grand worth of electronics.

Maybe next time I'll figure out a way to keep my cameras dry but still close enough to capture the shots. Either way, I am still doing the tests where the fire starters were soaked overnight, so that should be close.