Home Made Fire-starter

[Alfredo]

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:



it's raining...



but the firestarter continue to burn...

again...

not so bad...

well it's time to start my stove with this little fire...


Finally:
each firestarter burn also under rain for 7 minutes more or less

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

 

[Chris the Cat]

Good work fella!
I curl 1.5cm strips of corrigated cardboard to fit tightly into an empty shoe polish tin and then pour melted wax into in and leave it to dry-makes a good emergency stove!
I must try some of your fire-lighters!
Thanks for posting.
Chris.

 

[John Fenna]

Sounds good!
I use sawdust and shavings from my woodwork projects mixed with candlewax as firelighters/solid fuel. I fill a small foil tart case with sawdust and then pour in the wax and light it with my normal tinder/small kindling in either my Hobo or for open fires.
It soots up the pans a bit - but it is all free as I use recycled candle stubs that would otherwise be binned!

 

[Miyagi]

Good work Alfredo and John F, quite a bit of advanced prep there but good recycling.

I tend to pick up tinder materials when I don't need it and add to my fire tin and brew kit. This includes garlic skins and cibey/spring onion skins - I can find my tinder in the dark no problem...

I use a "flint rod" (same one since 1982 and getting a bit worn out now) and the cut off hacksaw it came with, cotton wool, vaseline (any kind) and aluminium kitchen scrubby. Will need to invest in a real steel soon.

I tend to cheat by using dried up boot polish, if I need to encourage damp kindling.

Many years ago I made a small tin of wood shavings and melted candle stubs, boy did that thing burn!!!

 

[FGYT]

you could light them with a fire steel just needs a finer tinder to get the flame try a bit of cotton wool stuck on the end of each one with a bit of hot wax but dont soak it all or the sparks wont light it a bit of experiment should optomise how much and how its fixed etc

either that or stick a Match Fuza (lifeboat match) in the middle and a striker they burn for 12seconds even under water
ATB

Duncan

 

[Dangerous Dan]

As Duncan suggests, a spot of cotton wool ought to do the job nicely. I make a very similar firelighter using a small ball of cotton wool, bound in string then dipped in wax. They pack down small and light first time from a steel - just break the wax and fluff up the interior.

 

[Native Nathan]

Great Job Alfredo and John F, very Imspirational, I use T-light candle all the time, so Im now going to reuse the cases, thanks for the Idea and for sharing.

 

[g4ghb]

Nice Thread! - lovely clear piccys too! :You_Rock_

I've made small stoves like chris has and they work greats so will have to have a go at making some of these perhaps mk2's with fire-steel friendly cotton wool 'starters'

Thats what I love about here - the ideas shared that then grow and blossom!

 

[Gill]

Those look good Alfredo ,they would last longer than my cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly.

 

[scrogger]

cracking eco friendly idea I like it.

 

[shrubfact]

i make mine using a tea bag, dryer lint and candle wax.....simply cut top off tea bag fill with dryer lint to the size of your choice. next twist the top round to compress the lint and seal opening, dip in melted candle wax (long enough to absorb some of the wax) then leave to dry. i make mine about the size of a grape they last for approx 6-8 mins.

 

[Wilderbeast]

That's really clever mate well done!!!

 

[hiho]

was looking for this last night, excelent idea

 

[Tengu]

And your allowed to light fires on your dining room table?

 

[Toddy]

Even I don't get to do that

Neat way of doing it though.(not the table, the cardboard rolls) I usually stuff the card into the washed out cat food trays.

I make little tinder parcels from scrap birch bark wrapped around bits of bark, fomes, waxy rings from the bottom of tealights, and the like. Fold them up neat and tidy and tie them with a bit of whatever kind of cordage you have to hand. Waxed twine is superb but usually it's just a bit of rush or nettle string or a scrap of sisal.
They light easily, burn for a good four or five minutes and the fomes and betulina keep it going hot for a bit longer allowing you to flare up the coals with a blowpoker too
I'll get photos tomorrow.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Pcwizme]

my latest fire starter / stay dry tinder is a peice of paper diped in wax, allowed to nearly go complealtly hard then a peice of cotton wool put in the middle, then the paper folded in half, the edges are then dipped in wax again and pressed tight sealing them,

when needed, Rip in half, and light using flint and steel, they light easy from a spark and the cotton wool sets the waxed paper alight and all burns well.
But i really like your idea, i might have to make some of those as well

 

[oetzi]

Thats an excellent way to make a DIY-fire starter!
I did something similar: an empty egg-carton, filled with coarse sawdust and then the wax from left-over candle-stubbs poured over it: