A Layered Approach to Firestarting

[Denis]

Firestarters for the arts n' crafts folk.

[Guncrazy]

Glycerine and potassium permanganate is a common chemical fire starter, and relatively easy to pack.

If that reaction would ignite magnesium ribbon, could it then be used to ignite thermite?

If so, would this work as a firestarter, if packed into, say, a prescription pill bottle, or an aluminum can?

Thermistarter.jpg

Simply start it off by breaking the seal and pouring a bit of glycerine on the top...

[arctictom]

Firestarters for the arts n' crafts folk.

Claire Wolfe is a standup libertarian, and gives world class advice, and she is to subtle. You need more fuel oil and flares to get it right.

[Greg]

I'm honestly surprised nobody mentioned cupcake firestarters.

Easy to make, and all you need really is cupcake wrappers, sawdust, and parafin. An even simpler version uses egg cartons instead of cupcake pans and wrappers.

We use paper from our shredder instead of sawdust. It works really well. I find the egg cup ones are a little small, unless you use 2-4 of them. The cupcake ones work great. Minicupcake ones are good for camping.

I use empty cups from tea candles (100/bag for $4 at IKEA) and into them cast a mixture of dryer lint (cotton only, that's important) and candle wax. Makes a little puck that is good for starting fires and can be used as a fuel tab on an Esbit-type stove. To get it started you need to pull it apart a little bit, though.

[Termite]

The old wire core sparklers will start just about anything burning. They are getting harder to find, though.

[Yogimus]

ITEMS NEEDED

ZIPPO
VASELINE
COTTONBALLS

NOTE: The zippo will die

Step 1: Soak the cottonballs in vaseline
Step 2: Remove all the wadding in the base of the zippo lighter
Step 3: Stuff cottonballs into lighter base.


HOW TO USE

Remove a cotton ball from base of lighter, tear into a fluff by hand, place on top of tinder. Use zippo lighter to spark the cottonball, and watch the fire. The vaseline keeps the cottonballs waterproof.

[PawPaw]

You people are demented.

[Rumpshot]

You people are demented.

Ya, what's yur point....

[PawPaw]

You people are demented.

Ya, what's yur point....

I meant that in the nice way.

Actually, I carry a couple of bic lighters and candle stubs. When I'm really feeling like I might need it, there are some hobo stoves in the truck. I'll also take a tuna can and wrap corrugated cardboard in a loose roll, then fill the thing with paraffin. It rests in a pocket and is very easy to light.

Firestarting is a snap if you do your homework.