Home made fire-starter

Well, I like fire, especially on winter, but isn't always easy to start it.
Also, I like simplicity and eco-compatibility where/when possible, so I use simple and easy-to-find materials for my firestarters:
- internal part of cardboard,
- pieces of candel,
- any wire,
- a knife or multitool:


I prepare carboard strips (6 cm lenght, 2 cm large), than I roll them in a cilinder and fix them with wire:


well, now it's time to foundry the candel:


now, put the carboard cilinders on the wax:


and at the end we have that:



I envelop each firestarter in aluminium sheath, to store them in my EDC kit:


These firestarters are really light, 6 of them wheight 30/40 grams, it means 5-7 grams each one:


Now, let's try the firestart on wet woods:


[img]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4283/20091014firestarte13ott.jpg[/img]
it's raining...:-)
[img]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6219/20091014firestarte13ottd.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4283/20091014firestarte13ott.jpg[/img]
[img]http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4623/20091014firestarte13otte.jpg[/img]
but the firestarter continue to burn...
[img]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5478/20091014firestarte13ottc.jpg[/img] [IMG]http://img207.imageshack.us/im...7/4283/20091014firestarte13ott.jpg[/img]
not so bad...
[img]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/913/20091014firestarte13otts.jpg[/img]
well it's time to start my stove with this little fire...
[img]http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/4283/20091014firestarte13ott.jpg[/img]

Finally:
each firestarter burn also under rain for 7 minutes more or less
[img]http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/4283/20091014firestarte13ott.jpg[/img]
PROS:
- light and small
- easy to prepare
- eco-friendly
- cheap
- waterproof, windproof and long duration (6-7 mins)
CONS:
- need for a source of power (Zippo, or similar) to start (just 1-2 seconds), not possible start it with firesteel (at least, I was unable to do it)

Hope you enjoi! Ciao from Italy, Alfredo

Thank you for sharing. I Like to make firestraws. But, their not as eco-friendly as you do have to use plastic straws. But they are waterproof, light and can be started with a firesteel.

Nice firestarters. I do the same thing with cotton balls. If you cut the cotton ball down the center and get to the cotton in the middle that doesn't have wax on it, you can start them with a fire steel, and they burn a long time, just like the cardboard.

GREAT IDEA

If you use the large straws from Mcdonalds uses for their milkshakes you can cut them in half and make two firestraws with several vaseline covered cotton balls. You melt wax into the open ends to seal them from water. When you need them, you just cut them in half and light with a spark maker. I usually put one straw and a sparker in the ammo holder on the buttstock of my gun. That way, I've always got one if I grab my gun and go. I've also used the vaseline from one when I had really chapped lips while on a hunt.

Alfredo - Thank you for the step x step. The pictures are very helpful. Great idea.

I used forceps and pinched the ends together and melted them shut with a lighter.

The one on the right also has fatwood dust in it. I thought about adding some magnesium shavings, but haven't yet.


With the rest of the kit.


In here.


Eh, while I'm at it...I also have this one, which is the 1st aid kit.


Contents.

That's a great kit Andy!

You just gave me some good ideas.

Thanks. If you have any questions about any of it, let me know.

Nice kits guys.

Great idea on firstarters. I seen some almost exactly like that, but instead of cardboard they used newspaper.

Awesome kit Andy

Andy,
off topic but an EXCELLENT use for a zip-tie to keep your Bic lighter button from accidentally being depressed in a kit....I think I'll "borrow" that idea from you!
Thanks!

Cool idea! Reminds me of a honey comb.

what's even better then a zip-tie is small o-ring, reusable. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

the wax and cardboard method seems good and looks like it's proven to work, but that's too much work for me. i'm a big fan of the cottom ball and vaseline method, also it's more compact.

When I was a boy I took an archery hunter safety course. The instructor had a firestarter that was a felt pad that used to be used when reloaded shotgun shelss. it was only 1/4 inch thick or so, and he had soaked it in lighter fluid, or turpentine, or something like that. When he lit it, it burned for 5 minutes.

I've had cotton balls soaked in candle wax burn for more than ten minutes. They are basically a candle with lots of wicks. Candle wax is one of the best tools you can use for fire starting. I like them WAY better than petroleum jelly.

I stole that idea as well.

MM,

The fire straws I use have the petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls and a good portion of wax melted into the ends of the straws. I think it get's the best of both worlds. The PJ can be used for more than just firestarting.

I've also used those trick party candles that you blow out and they re-ignite. They're compact and burn for quite a while too.

I wrap a spiral of stainless steel wire around the Bic. There’s always a use for a length of good wire.

Good idea. I hadn't heard that one. The down side with the ziptie is it's not reusable, and if you fell in a lake in winter or something and had a loss of dexterity it could be difficult to remove.

wow, i cant wait to get some time to try that, i just tried the cottonballs with p. jelly this morning, it worked pretty good. I learned how to make alot of wax firestarters in scouts as a kid but it has been so long ago i forgot how, so thanks for the refresher.

I like the idea of the cardboard firestarter. Thanks.
Also like the idea of the cotton balls dipped in wax.
Right now, I only use the pj balls, but I'm going to try the cardboard
and cotton wax firestarters.

Great ideas.

What about running the tie through the opposite direction where it doesn't lock itself together. If that would work it allows the lighter to be accessed easily even with cold hands, and it can be reused, not to mention you have a zip tie for other uses.

The one thing that I've been really concerned about is if the Bic lighter buttons
got accidentally depressed while in the kit.
The stainless steel wrap for the Bic lighter is an excellent idea.
I'm going to do that with mine today.

Lots of good advice and ideas in this thread.

Cheers

I've used whole candles before. The little tea-light candles you can buy for 20 cents each in bulk. Forget ten minutes, they burn for a couple of hours if left alone. You can get a nice big fire going quickly by taking the candle out of its metal cup and leaving the whole thing in the base of your pile. It melts and then you end up with a puddle of wax which burns like crazy. Not all that light, compared to some other options, and not really wind resistant. But expedient.

I'm a big fan of dried fungus for fire starting. The micro-porous structure of fungus makes it catch easily, and there's very little short of drowning it in a puddle that will put it out (be careful, it floats, so you can end up with a little pyro boat). Fungus doesn't really burn with a nice flame though it only smolders steadily, so the rest of your tinder needs to be up to par.

For true survival use, it's probably hard to beat the vaseline and cotton in terms of sheer flammability, compactness and reliability.

Nice kits. I really like those NBC decon containers.

Strong and cheap.

I use one for 22 ammo, but looks like I need a couple more if I can find some.

They can get brittle and crack in the cold though.