Compact waterproof Fire Starters and Straw Craft lightweight complimentary supplies.

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Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
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Thank you.
The lighter is refillable, so it's not thrown away when empty. I've made several of these kits, and all the lighters are refillable, and often recycled from one I might find in the street. So no need for plastic to enter the environment at all.
You can add a small ferro rod, and/ or flint and steel, and a bit of charcloth or char punk wood to this kit, and also a fresnal lens if you want, which gives 5 ways to get a flame in any sort of conditions.
I am not into the glow spark to / fire. What if its Worldwar 5 say and there is no longer any petrolium. Your lighter may end up next to the spects of planet of the apes lol. But hey if you have a spark you can always start a fire.
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
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London
I am not into the glow spark to / fire. What if its Worldwar 5 say and there is no longer any petrolium. Your lighter may end up next to the spects of planet of the apes lol. But hey if you have a spark you can always start a fire.
I made several straws recently that worked out so well. It was after i descovered Straws. Now i use the extra cotten one as fishing floats including Teetree and Clove Oil as major first aid. I have to work with the Tea tree oil as it does not work with plastic well. (it melts through it) I contaminated my whole pack, but atleast i steralised it. My other goal is how do i make Tee Tree Mobile packs!
 

Pattree

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Jul 19, 2023
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Alcohol doesn’t crystallise above 160 degrees K and you don’t want to go there.

Edited after subsequent posts above:
erm …… you sound like someone who can catch rabbits in your bare hands.

I’m out.
 
Last edited:
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Woody girl

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I am not into the glow spark to / fire. What if its Worldwar 5 say and there is no longer any petrolium. Your lighter may end up next to the spects of planet of the apes lol. But hey if you have a spark you can always start a fire.

Hang on! We have barely started ww3 yet, let alone 5!
Primitive firelighting will always work as it has done for millennia, whereas chemicals of any sort will be a) probably unavailable, and b) we won't be around, so it's eventualy a redundant skill... if you can call it that. c)natural firelighting is not dangerous, and can't poison or kill you like chemicals can.
No petroleum, no problem. Put the lighter in the museum! :)
 
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Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
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Hang on! We have barely started ww3 yet, let alone 5!
Primitive firelighting will always work as it has done for millennia, whereas chemicals of any sort will be a) probably unavailable, and b) we won't be around, so it's eventualy a redundant skill... if you can call it that. c)natural firelighting is not dangerous, and can't poison or kill you like chemicals can.
No petroleum, no problem. Put the lighter in the museum! :)
Lol Yeah. I only really do this for fun and to gain skils and figure out alternitives to every situation a bit like Macgyver i guess. With a bit of innovation we could probably start a spark and fire with Earth (soil) a Lemon or a tree with some wire, Copper, Magnesium / Carbon and some foil. There are so many ways to do everything with innovation.
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
47
6
59
London
Alcohol doesn’t crystallise above 160 degrees K and you don’t want to go there.

Edited after subsequent posts above:
erm …… you sound like someone who can catch rabbits in your bare hands.

I’m out.
Lol, no Rabbit's come to me. I have some weired skills like that, Maybe they just sense that i am no danger to them. In regards to Alcohol Tablets. I do believe if i am correct that they exist as i remember seing them used in those mini steam powered toys, I forget what they where called. (The ones you could convert into a lumber saw, locomotive engine etc)
 

Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
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Here's a compact firestarter, like vaseline & cotton balls but less messy, or wax cottons rounds without having to melt wax.

 

Pattree

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Jul 19, 2023
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i remember seing them used in those mini steam powered toys, I forget what they where called. (The ones you could convert into a lumber saw, locomotive engine etc)
Ah! Then not Methylated Spirit then. I think you mean Metaldehyde or the Metafuel blocks that I used in my Mamod steam engine in my youth.

Very very nasty stuff. Children got poisoned.
 

Woody girl

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Mar 31, 2018
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Lol Yeah. I only really do this for fun and to gain skils and figure out alternitives to every situation a bit like Macgyver i guess. With a bit of innovation we could probably start a spark and fire with Earth (soil) a Lemon or a tree with some wire, Copper, Magnesium / Carbon and some foil. There are so many ways to do everything with innovation.
Look into the fire roll if you want a challenge!
 

matarius777

Nomad
Aug 29, 2019
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Hang on! We have barely started ww3 yet, let alone 5!
Primitive firelighting will always work as it has done for millennia, whereas chemicals of any sort will be a) probably unavailable, and b) we won't be around, so it's eventualy a redundant skill... if you can call it that. c)natural firelighting is not dangerous, and can't poison or kill you like chemicals can.
No petroleum, no problem. Put the lighter in the museum! :)
Give it time, give it time! :(
 

matarius777

Nomad
Aug 29, 2019
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Ah! Then not Methylated Spirit then. I think you mean Metaldehyde or the Metafuel blocks that I used in my Mamod steam engine in my youth.

Very very nasty stuff. Children got poisoned.
My Mamod steam engine used meths, every time I use my Trangia, the smell of meths brings back the delights of childhood memories!:)
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
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London
Look into the fire roll if you want a challenge!
Yeah, I know a few versions of Fire Roll but i am a little lazy lol. I came accross a guy that made a self reloading Bow Drill kit. But i am yet to find it again. Imagine one of those large kids spinning tops that you spin by pushing the top down and it resets to original position so all you do is push down.
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
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London
My Mamod steam engine used meths, every time I use my Trangia, the smell of meths brings back the delights of childhood memories!:)
(I am not keen on using video links as it can be a little unfair to the forum)
We used to have these type of toys as kids, there are many working versions that perform all sorts of functions. What i wish to try to find out is what these fuel blocks are made of so that i can make them myself.
 
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gg012

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Sep 23, 2022
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Ah! Then not Methylated Spirit then. I think you mean Metaldehyde or the Metafuel blocks that I used in my Mamod steam engine in my youth.

Very very nasty stuff. Children got poisoned.
@Colinski I think you missed Pattree's post above. The blocks are made of metaldehyde, which doesn't sound like very nice stuff:


Sent from underground
 

matarius777

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Aug 29, 2019
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(I am not keen on using video links as it can be a little unfair to the forum)
We used to have these type of toys as kids, there are many working versions that perform all sorts of functions. What i wish to try to find out is what these fuel blocks are made of so that i can make them myself.
Given the Esbitt name, are they not just hexamine tablets? There’s a thread on the forum about them supposedly being banned or something.
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
47
6
59
London
Ah! Then not Methylated Spirit then. I think you mean Metaldehyde or the Metafuel blocks that I used in my Mamod steam engine in my youth.

Very very nasty stuff. Children got poisoned.
Yes i agree after i did the research. And especially i would not advise anyone to make them yourself.
 

matarius777

Nomad
Aug 29, 2019
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Yes i agree after i did the research. And especially i would not advise anyone to make them yourself.
I’ve got quite a supply of them, I find they’re great in a Swiss Army “Volcano Stove”, I once tried a Trangia burner in it and it had a runaway thermic reaction, a hexamine tablet or two are perfect, you just have to keep up wind when burning them.
 

Colinski

Member
Jan 12, 2024
47
6
59
London
I’ve got quite a supply of them, I find they’re great in a Swiss Army “Volcano Stove”, I once tried a Trangia burner in it and it had a runaway thermic reaction, a hexamine tablet or two are perfect, you just have to keep up wind when burning them.
What made me think and recall my past experience was the white resedue it left behind. Making me think that the chemical reaction is not perfect. I am currently trying to use safe chemistry to create fire and that can be in seperate storage and only react when combined. My latest project is with a combination with Magnesium and other components. Does anyone know what the material left over with Potasium Promanganate and Glycerin is ? (The black crumbly charcoal like material) Does anyone know what it can be used for (Recycled etc) For example wood ash and superglue makes a great repair material.
 

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