Would you call this lazy?

sideways said:
I would say there are better emergency tinder materials out there. Esbit tablets or waterproof flares for example. Those shavings can get wet and murphy's law has a habit of proving itself at the worst possible time.
Click to expand...

I agree with sideways. Not trying to minimize your preparedness effort, but I have several different natural and man made tinders in my fire kit.
I also carry waterproof matches, a Bic lighter or 3, a mag bar, and a ferro rod.
 
My fire bag has 3 bics, a zippo, fluid in a mini stainless flask with fuel injection o ring seal, mag bar, that survival life thing and these tinder/mag/duct tape cans. I'd love to get an actual ferro rod along with a fire piston if not a combination of the two and some fatwood. Unfortunately I work at a parts place makin scraps a week and those are on the back burner plus I am yet to find an old pine stump anywhere I go around here. I'm confident in my fire making skills and put them to the test every chance the need arises or I just feel like having a fire. I haven't had to cou t on then to save my life but it has kept a house of people from waking up cold to the bone once or twice in the winter when my exs father wouldn't be bothered enough to keep wood on the fire or build one properly for the night
 
Fatwood can be bought in some stores that sell fireplace supplies or online. Also look at the sawdust sold as "maya dust". Examples of both can be found on ebay. And then there are the Coghlans/Colemans firestarter sticks sold at Walmart and elsewhere.
 
Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Depends on the conditions.

You get caught out in really wet and cold weather, tired and not at 100%, that prepared dry tinder could save your life.
Click to expand...

I hear that, I would just soon say to bring a vaseline treated cotton ball and a bic. Or those wax impregnated sawdust based firestarters. You might be able to use a section of bike inner tube to "seal" off that tin to prevent moisture from getting in, although depending on how you carry could cause condesnation and hinder your tinder if you will even on a dry warm day.
 
Its definitely not cheating. I keep 6 vaseline soaked cotton balls in a medicine bottle in my pack. Its fun to start fire from scratch sometimes, but when the cold has settled into my bones and my fingers are numb there is no such thing as cheating.
 
I had to cheat and get my fire lit with a bit of wax tinder card and a mini-bic this week. Why? cause the fire had to get lit so dinner could get made, the (18) kids were hungry, and while I can make them chop all the veggies and stir the dutch ovens, I still have to get the fire going, or we weren't going to eat. I could have taken the time to do it the "right" way but those were minutes of daylight I didn't really have. Had it been raining (as it had the night before) it would have been a ranger band that fed us.
Unlike yjackets, I have to gram count since every "little thing" adds to my pack weight that only seems to grow. So I can't carry a half dozen lighters and my really nice fire-piston and strike-force have to stay home. No time for that kind of thing. But I still enjoy showing off when time allows.
 
How could you call being prepared, 'lazy'?

In all my packs, and in my truck, I carry a fire starter kit. Dryer lint, fat wood, lighter, fire steel, matches.
 
Not lazy at all. I have done the same thing, but now my favorite is containers are Camel Snuss cans because they are actually pretty watertight. Not a fan of the dip, but the cans are legit. Last summer I went tubing and swimming all day and my Grizz can in my pocket got full of water and ruined the tobacco but my buddy's Snuss pouches were perfect. When we got done I grabbed a couple empties out of his truck and have been using them to store strike anywhere matches, tinder and steel wool in my kit.
 
Last edited:
I think it's brilliant! Thanks for the tip!

I like the ice cream container idea, too!
 
NO such thing as lazy when it comes to saving your bacon....it's called being prepared. I'll take that mentality seven days a week and three times on Sunday thank you very much!! Great idea.....hope the NEED is never there, but the want is always satisfied.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top