Fire Straws - A How to (Picture Heavy)

[Whittler Kev]

I just saw a link to this on The BushcraftUSA site and thought I'd share. I'll be making some at the weekend (Sorry McD's your loosing some straws )

It's from the Knives Ship Free Website http://www.knivesshipfree.com/pages.php?CDpath=2&pID=41 No affiliation etc or even a customer...yet (may have to just to pay for this how to)

Firestraws By Derrick Bohn www.knivesshipfree.com Fire is one of the most significant aspects of any outdoors trip. At least it is for me. Besides being one of the primary needs for any survival situation, fire is fun. When, as a boy, I first began camping, we started fires with a match. Sometimes we used “Indian fire water” (gasoline) if it was a particularly challenging situation. When I grew up, that became all too utilitarian, not to mention impractical in a survival scenario. Matches don't always work--they get wet or you run out of them--and they are not very convenient to carry with you. A firesteel is the modern answer to survival fire making. It is a metal rod that, when scraped with a sharp object, produces a shower of very hot sparks with which you can make a fire. Making a fire with one is a challenge, but can be done in almost any circumstance where you can find good, dry tinder. But what if you can’t? We need a way to easily carry emergency (or convenient) tinder. The answer is fire straws. They have been around a long time and are very useful. I get regular inquiries as to how to make them, so I thought I would do a little how-to. Fire straws are sealed tubes (straws) with cotton and petroleum jelly (PJ) inside. Firestraws are waterproof, neat, and can be put almost anywhere. They are easy to make and very useful. First assemble what you need. Cotton Balls Petroleum Jelly Straws Sandwich Bag Pen cap, Q-tip, or thin, pointy stick (for poking cotton into the straw) Needle Nose Pliers Candle & Matches Cut your straws down to size. You can use just about any size—from full down to about an 1.5”. I usually cut them down to about 2-3”. Seal one end of each tube. Hold the straw closed with the pliers and hold the end over your candle. The end should melt and might even catch on fire. Just blow it out. Then move the pliers to the end to squeeze the end together with a cool part of the pliers. This seals the end. Prepare the Tinder Put the cotton balls in the sandwich bag with some PJ. Squish them around until the cotton balls are thoroughly coated with the jelly. The amount of jelly and how saturated the cotton is a matter of personal preference. Too much is worse than too little, but it is generally not an issue. You want to be able to pull the cotton balls apart and find some dry cotton. Pack the Tinder Take the pen cap (or whatever) and carefully pack the cotton balls and PJ into the straws. Pack them tight, but leave a ¼” empty to seal. Seal the Other End Just like before, seal the final end. You are done. You have a fire straw. Using Your Fire Straws Using the straw is what it is all about. Just cut the straw open and use your knife to pull out some of the cotton. Fluff the cotton, exposing the fibers (to catch sparks). Use your firesteel to throw some sparks. It will light very quickly. Just move it into place under your tinder and kindling and you will get your fire going easily. The firestraw will burn easily for several minutes. These I just made burned for 5 minutes. Plenty of time to start a fire. A Couple of tips Try using an Altoid box to hold a great, go-to fire kit. It is easy, just put a few firestraws, a smal firesteel and a little pocket knife or piece of hacksaw blade to scrape the firesteel. I also threw in some Jute twine--as long as it is dry, it lights very easily. Build a Fire Kit in a Pocket Sheath I love the KSF Pocket Sheaths. They are a great way to pair a small fixed blade and a flashlight. But what if you used the pouch side for your fire kit? Just put it in there and forget it. When you need it, it will be there. Enjoy your new fire kits!

 

[Miyagi]

Brilliant!!!

You've waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands fella.


Liam

 

[Elines]

Like that a lot - I've used cotton wool and petroleum jelly many times and have packed individual balls/pads in 35 mm film canisters - free from Boots - or an old Duraglit can. But this method looks more compact, easier to pack and cleaner in use. Will be giving it a go.

Looks like a good project for scouts/girl guides too

Thanks for posting

 

[Whittler Kev]

Brilliant!!!

You've waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on your hands fella.


Liam

Not as much as you apparently. Only up 2 minutes before you had read it and replied to it ha ha
No.........sent home with bad stomach yesterday. Actually not just sleeping and shi**ing today so managing to clear (and read) some emails.

 

[Wook]

What a neat idea - I may just have to have a go.

I'm a long time user of vaseline cotton balls for firestarting, but I've just been carrying a baggy around with me. Your hands get all greasy.

 

[Winnet]

That is a good tip.

G

 

[Lister]

a simpler option (less fiddly) is to just buy tampons and PJ

 

[Wook]

a simpler option (less fiddly) is to just buy tampons and PJ

You seen the price of Tampax lately?

This solution is about a million times more cost effective.

Also, there was some other reason why I, a large hairy man, didn't want to go into the supermarket and buy a 12 pack of tampons..... can't quite remember what it is.....

 

[Winnet]

You wouldn't find through the door???

g

 

[Graham_S]

I've been doing this for a couple of years now.
I find the straws from Costa are best as they're in a heavier gauge plastic.

 

[McBiggles]

In our SAR team, we don't worry about keeping the cotton dry, just chuck them in a plastic bag (more for keeping the grease confined than anything else.)
I've frequently done demos for hunters, Scouts etc by actively squeezing and working the cotton underwater, bring it out, shake the excess off, tease out the fine fibres (this is the key) and drop a spark on it.

Rather than flints or strikers, we just use old disposable lighters - even if it gets wet, a few minutes in a not-too-sweaty armpit dries it out enough to spark.

NZ bush is more like NZ Rainforest - nothing is dry, so these are fantastic to start the hot cuppa process at stand down.

 

[mountainm]

I wonder if waxed paper straws would work as well? Don't like the idea of burning plastic...

 

[Lister]

You seen the price of Tampax lately?

This solution is about a million times more cost effective.

Also, there was some other reason why I, a large hairy man, didn't want to go into the supermarket and buy a 12 pack of tampons..... can't quite remember what it is.....

because SWMBO said, in no uncertain terms that they DO NOT constitute a birthday present? seriously though, they can be obtained free from birth control or family planning clinics.