Dryer lint as firestarter? No Way!

[Cyclingrelf]

Good post Survival Sense!
I've heard drier fluff being touted as a great fire starting material, so it's great to hear from someone who has thought about it a bit more deeply, and even tested it.
I guess if people only dried natural, untreated fibres, then the dryer fluff is likely to be excellent for fire lighting. However, the reality is that many fibres will be synthetic, and those which are natural have often been treated with flame-retardant chemicals.

 

[ged]

An excellent thread and some excellent posts. The OP is right about dryer lint, in general it's rubbish for starting fires. When I first heard the suggestion I collected some from friends and relatives and gave it a try. Nothing like as scientifically as the OP I admit, but I more or less used one entire firesteel in the tests and my conclusions were pretty much the same.

I don't think Ogri was out of order at all, he's absolutely right. We all need to think more about the ways we waste energy. For example there's no reason to put dripping wet clothes in a tumble dryer, you can hang them outside for a bit first to get rid of most of the water, and just use the dryer for the last bit of airing. That's what I do most of the time, if I use the thing at all. Of course not all of us have the luxury of having somewhere 'outside' to hang wet clothes, and those ways of life need to change. We should probably be talking to MPs and landlords about that.

 

[Toddy]

We have plenty of ventilation in the house. Its only about 18 years ol (new when we bought it). All windows have vents on them and we never have trouble with damp ever.

This house has vents on every window, and no windowless rooms apart from a tiny loo which has direct venting through the outside wall.

The house faces south and the solar panels are doing there fruit at themo. We have hot water to excess. The bedrooms at the front of the house are always too hot for me (although like nearly all ladies, Suzanna 'feels' the cold lol).

Unlike the vast majority of houses in the UK then
...............
We have a propper chimney in the lounge with a coal fire and that coupled with the vents on the windows has meant that we have never had any damp problems.

and again, unlike the vast majority of houses in the UK which have no open fires

Most modern homes don't have open hearths or solar heating, so damp control is an issue that is only exacerbated by drying clothes indoors.

I don't have damp walls or corners but I know how easily this modern mostly all electric house could end up damp in our climate.
I use the tumble drier and it vents the moist air straight outside.

I also remember quite distinctly when virtually every house *did* have open fires, and washing hung outside that got rained on had to be rewashed, because the air was so filthy with soot from all those fires, that the rain left grey streaks on everything.

Horses for courses I suspect

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ged]

...over the last half term holiday, I had all three of my kids making a fire with a magnifying glass.

Show them a Fresnel lens next. I have one about 9"x6" and it takes about 5 seconds for it to make paper to burst into flame if the sun is bright. It can dry and light wet wood in a few minutes.

Shame we can't have sun like that more often

Ahhh, too true.

 

[Large Sack]

Hey Ged,

I checked out Edmunds Fresnel lenses...I think I'll see if I can find one. You might be on to something. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Toddy]

Lidl's are selling an A5 sized one for a couple of pounds just now

cheers,
Toddy

 

[sapper1]

Just my opinion:-
If you are going to take fire lighting materials from home to use in the woods,then surely you take the best and most efficient you can.
Zip fire lighters really are about the best.

 

[ged]

If you are going to take fire lighting materials from home to use in the woods,then surely you take the best and most efficient you can.

You're absolutely right. But, even with the best planning and preparation, sometimes you get caught out and you have to make do with what you have. People here spend a lot of time practicing for that time (and hoping that it will never happen, or at least, if it does, that nobody will find out about it later... )

 

[Large Sack]

Lidl's are selling an A5 sized one for a couple of pounds just now

cheers,
Toddy

Thanks Toddy

 

[Stainz]

Great info - explains why my mentholatum (camphor chest rub) soaked dryer lint wouldn't ignite. Used it with Q-tip cotton heads years ago - easily ignited (Needed more volume to ignite tender... should've bought cotton balls!).

The sizzling lint stunk - probably the seven indoor cats here...

Stainz

 

[Humpback]

I've used fresh dryer lint for all my firelighting on every single expedition I've been on without trouble. However now my expeditions are outside my garden I'm finding it difficult to get an extension cable long enough and am experimenting with birch bark

 

[Tengu]

I like my alcohol hand cleaner.

I do have a dryer in my machine, but nver use it.

its worth it in an emergency though