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Fire starters

5K views 30 replies 22 participants last post by  swamprat1958 
#1 ·
I was on a different thread and someone mentioned they made fire starters from drier lint. Can someone please advise. I have used a shop vac that hangs on the wall to vacuum the lint from the trap and I have a lot right now. Thanks for the help. :)
 
#5 ·
Dryer lint is VERY flammable. Its compact and easy to stuff anywhere you may want or need. I use an old film canister/pill bottle in my hiking bag, just stuff as much of the lint as you can in there and whenever it needs to be used, just rip off a small enough piece to catch a spark or flame, then get it in a good tinder bundle for a quick and easy fire. The lint also catches a good flame from magnesium rods too.

For an alternative, you can take a few cotton balls and just smother them in vaseline. Store them the same way as the lint and same procedure for lighting, except the vaseline acts almost like a wick. Just some food for thought. Go out and give the lint a try, you can even use an empty lighter to catch a spark.
 
#9 ·
I have balled up dryer lent and placed it in the paper egg cartons.Then I pour melted wax over the sections. Makes a good waterproof firestarter. However,you have to actually put flame to it,as with a lighter or match. I have never been able to light one with just a sparking tool. I see no reason why a magnesium bar wouldn't light it,I'll try this tomorrow. TP
 
#13 · (Edited)
what I use the most is to take strips of cotton cloth soaked in wax with one end left wax free. I store the strips in old copenhagen boxes/tins. I fray the unwaxed end and light with the spark from a fero rod. I can light the whole thing for fast heat or to light wet wood or use 1 strip at a time to light many fires. I also have tins filled with saw dust and wax that I use with my esbit or hobo can stoves.

I have an old crock pot that I melt wax in. I picked up 35 pounds at good will recently for next to nothing. My son chews tobacco so I have lots containers around.



In the picture I have a fero rod, waterproof container with waxed cotton strips a fero rod and razor stiker, cotton balls, jute twine, dryer lint, waxed cotton strips, wax and saw dust, egg carton with wax and sawdust, cotton balls and vasaline, and char cloth.
 
#31 ·
what I use the most is to take strips of cotton cloth soaked in wax with one end left wax free. I store the strips in old copenhagen boxes/tins. I fray the unwaxed end and light with the spark from a fero rod. I can light the whole thing for fast heat or to light wet wood or use 1 strip at a time to light many fires. I also have tins filled with saw dust and wax that I use with my esbit or hobo can stoves.

Hillwog I use char cloth and waxed cotton strips. The char cloth lights easier from a spark, then I use it to light the fryed end of the waxed cloth. I use old shoe polish cans instead of tobacco cans, they are made of metal and are more durable.
 
#14 ·
My son is a boy scout and he learned that paper towels catch a spark really well. But not napkins. Isn't that odd? Leaves and dry grass work only if they are super dry.

When we say "catch a spark" we mean catching a spark from a ferrocerium rod, like a Blastmatch. Also known as a "flint", but it is not true flint.
 
#15 ·
I use a two liter bottle cap filled with melted wax from old candles. I then insert two or three "wicks" cut from cotton string (like the kind used to tie boxes from the local bakery when I was a kid). Once hardened, they easily fit anywhere so they are seldom left home. Also, they are alot smaller than candles-in-cups you can buy. When lit by a lighter or match, they produce a nice flame that will help start any fire, even if the tinder is damp.

When my son was in scouts, his patrol & I made up several dozen and handed them out to the other members of his scout troop. The kids and their dads loved them, and used them on many camp-outs.
 
#18 ·
I use a two liter bottle cap filled with melted wax from old candles. I then insert two or three "wicks" cut from cotton string (like the kind used to tie boxes from the local bakery when I was a kid).
Great idea. Are these easy to pop out of the bottle caps? The caps have threads on them which would seem to keep the wax in place. Oh wait, 2 liter caps have threads. The metal caps I think have shallower threads.

A home made latex mold made from a thimble might work as well.
 
#16 ·
My Son-in-law (our original Montana conection) showed me the best fire starter that I have ever used. I use it every time I start my wood stove in the house and we use it to start camp-fires. It is sawdust, with a small amount of lamp oil or kerosene poured in it and shaken. It doesn't take very much oil - and it starts as soon as you put a flame to it. I haven't actually tried to start it with a spark, but do not see any reason it wouldn't start that way.

We mix the sawdust and oil in a empty coffee can, shake it up - and it works great. It only takes a very small amount to start a very nice fire with just kindling. I also carry a couple of used pill bottles full of the mixture for emergency or camp-fires.
 
#28 ·
With dryer lint it can vary by what kind of clothes your washing. I have a German Shepard and the times I've played with dryer lint it smelled like burned hair. My favorite is good'ol cotton balls. They are so cheap money is not even a factor. Just coat them in vaseline then when you are ready to use them pull them apart a little to expose the dry cottin in the inside and hit it with a spark.

Plus you have the added benefit of having vasaeline around for other uses too like chapped lipps, or ending up in EOTWAWKI prison. :eek:
 
#29 ·
Keep more than one method

Being a believer and sometimes practitioner, of two is one and one is none, I try to have several methods of fire making in my BOB.
I have a zip lock bag with just dryer lint. I think this is great tinder I prefer Cotton balls completely saturated with Vaseline wrapped in heavy duty aluminum foil. But also have a mag bar in my BOB. Along with a lot of Bics. Last but not least, thanks to this here forum, I have a magnifying glass.

The way I do my cotton balls is I take about three of four attempt to get as much Vaseline on and in them as possible. Keep in mind that does make it harder to use as tender at this stage. I then do a double wrap of Heavy duty foil.

If I were to use the cotton ball as strictly tinder, on site I would smear as much of the Vaseline off as possible. But if you cut an X on the top of the bundle and pull a bit of cotton, as a wick; you then have a mini lamp that can burn for almost five minutes. Although that must be lit with a flame.

With this set up I am confident that I can start a fire in any condition that will allow for a fire. And I have Vaseline, Clean Cotton Balls and a light source.
 
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