Firestarters

[Irving]

Okay, I did an experiment tonight.

I tried to start a fire with a cotton ball, Vaseline, and an empty Zippo lighter.

I couldn't do it, but I learned some stuff.

-I was under the impression that since Vaseline is supposedly flammable, that it would be easy enough to light with just the sparks from the empty Zippo. Vaseline IS flammable, but I couldn't light the cotton ball with just the sparks. I had to use a match.

-I ended up just lighting the Vaseline covered cotton ball with a match. The flame caught and it burned tall and strong. Out of curiosity I took a dry cotton ball and held it to the burning Vaseline one. It IMMEDIATELY burst into flame, so fast that it actually burned me. I set them down next to each other.

-The dry cotton ball caught on fire immediately and was totally burned out in approx 15-20 secs.

-The Vaseline covered cotton ball made a very strong, tall (about 2-3") flame that lasted for what I estimate was nearly two minutes.

-Since the dry cotton ball caught on fire so easily, I figured I'd try to light a third one with just the sparks from the lighter. I couldn't do it.

Summary: Vaseline burns long and strong. A GREAT way to start a fire would be to use a Vaseline soaked cotton ball, as it acts like the wick of a candle, burning off the oil (Vaseline) instead of the cotton of the wick. Dry cotton balls catch fast but also burn fast, and low.


If I end up doing another experiment, I'll post about it. I was going to take a video of the burn times of each cotton ball, but who wants to watch a cotton ball burn for two minutes? Maybe I'll make a short one.

[SA Friday]

In order to ignite something with a spark you have to have one of two things; have a burnable material that has a very low flash point or enough easily combustable tinder to bed and smolder the spark. Vaseline won't do either of these. It takes direct flame. Maybe steel wool with a 9v battery would get it to flash over, but I've never tried it. Charcloth is great with sparks and once you get a little tinder going, then the vaseline cottonball is your easy-street to kindling going.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Boys Scouts used to teach making their own non-toxic firestarters and canned heat.

For the firebugs, take 2-4 sheets of newspaper folded normally (along the spine). Roll up tightly -- should be approximately the thickness of 1-2 thumbs. Tie closed 1" in and at 2" intervals with cotton twine -- I use square knots. Leave a good 2-3" piece of twine dangling from the knot. Cut midway between the twine so you have approximately 2" segments tied shut in the middle. Hold by the "fuse" (that 2-3" piece you left hanging from the knot) and dip into melted paraffin wax. Let wax soak into newspaper -- I forget how long this takes but it's not long. Drip drain and then dry/cool/harden on a clean piece of newspaper or waxed paper.

For the canned heat, take a clean dry tuna fish can (or similar size can). Cut corrugated cardboard in strips as wide as the can is tall so you can lay them inside the can and see the corrugation from the top. The strips should sit just under the lip of the can. Fill the can with the strips, preferably laying them down in a spiral coil for best density without packing the can. Pour melted paraffin wax into the can until it just hits the top of the corrugated cardboard (don't go over the top of the cardboard or it will drown the flame when it melts).

Both of these are very portable, light, easy to make and non-toxic. You may want to throw them in a plastic bag during very hot weather.

[jerrymrc]

Let me give ya something to think about. cotton balls/dryer lint with Vaseline is great and works very well. Why not go two for one?

If you are going to use cotton balls why not use the triple antibiotic ointment on them? Still a petroleum based product that lights very well but if ya get a scrape on the way to light your fire you have part of your first aid kit right there.

Just a thought.

[gnihcraes]

these work well, i've got several...http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=CL%20C700

[7.62x39(4)life]

Stuart I think you are a Pyro....

I have made a Suvival stove out of a tuna fish can filled with rolled up cardboard and then I filled it with molten candle wax. the cardboard acts like the wick of a candle... it was really sooty.

[GreenScoutII]

Test this. Take your wife out back, show her a disassembled hand torch (one with the knob and no electric starter) and a lighter and see if she can tell you what it is and figure out how to use it. I suspect 1 in 2 can't do it.

My wife used my MAPP torch to carmelize creme' brulee...

Since you brought up propane/MAPP torches, a guy can light anything on fire with a MAPP torch. Its come in handy on remote job sites more than once in the winter time. I doubt very many non plumbers frequently have one in the vehicle though. That brings me to something I bring when hunting or camping. Sterno fuel. Great fire starter even when your kindling is a bit wet. It is a bit bulky and heavy, but its very reliable.

[Limited GM]

Wow...never thought of vaseline as flameable. Thank God I never self ignited as a teenager.

[Irving]

Oh yeah, I made sure to wash my hands a few times before I tried lighting the cotton ball. It'd be just like me to catch myself on fire, so I took some extra precaution.

[sniper7]

gasoline soaked cotton balls work really well!

i always carry around a small travel sized shampoo bottle full of rubbing alcohol (stuff you get at wal-mart for under $1) when i am camping/hunting. it is perfect in the twist of shampoo bottles (which i have near unlimited access to due to work), they don't leak, very light and can get small tinder started in no time and help get larger pieces of wood to catch on fire as well.