» Survivaltek » Tag » Fire Starter

Rubber Bands As Fire Starters

Ken — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 12:00:19 +0000

What are fire starters? In my definition, fire starters do not generate a flame but rather sustains a flame that ignites it whether by a match, lighter, or possibly a ferro rod. It’s purpose is to sustain a flame long enough to ignite adjacent tinder that builds into a larger fire. This is particularly advantageous when the tinder is damp or larger in diameter than preferred fine material so that it has a longer time to dry or heat enough to ignite.

I have mentioned in previous articles alternative fire starters such as “Duct Tape Tinder And Fire Starters” and “Quick And Easy Fire Starters”. Many petroleum products will burn well but they are usually quite sooty. In the short term smokey flames are okay but be sure that you’re up wind when it’s burning.

Recently I wrote about using rubber bands in the process of making an “Antler Slingshot” so having various rubber bands on hand I decided to try one to see if it would be a viable fire starter. It takes a few moments to establish a solid flame but once established it burns very well… up to two minutes! Of course the thicker the rubber band the longer the burn time.

Rubber bands are a light weight, inexpensive, and easily obtained “flexible” resource that can be carried by wrapping around a water bottle or any other object of your choosing. It’s another potential resource to aid you in building a fire when needed.

Quick And Easy “Fire Starters”

Ken — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 14:35:13 +0000

I confess that I always cringe when I hear the term “fire starter” because it is not a fire “method” that “creates” fire but rather a “device” to sustain a flame once lit. To that end, they are helpful when tinder may be a little large or damp and need a sustained flame to get them lit. While camping in the snow, this need became apparent to me as my tinder was damp and stubborn to light. Fortunately in that case I had a candle to use as my fire starter to get my campfire going.

There are many ways to make fire starters but I favor using cotton and wax/paraffin material combinations because raw cotton can easily catch a spark for ignition while the wax can sustain a flame. Wax (or paraffin) is not greasy like Vaseline and it acts to water-proof the cotton. Some folks make quite a production out of combining these elements using double boiler pans in the process to melt down the paraffin and they must take care to prevent spilling while dispensing. Then, there’s the clean-up at the end. I decided to take a more simple and direct approach.

My wife uses cotton facial pads in her make-up regimen that are conveniently flat with embossed puffy ribbed sections so I took a few for my project and cut a section off that was two ribs wide. I placed a metal jar lid top-down on the table and put the cut piece of cotton inside (see photo). I lit a tapered (or “dinner”) candle and held the tip horizontally over the piece of cotton and let the melted wax drip consecutively along the strips. By tilting the candle slightly downward while slowly rotating it on axis allows the wax to melt more quickly. Care must be taken to keep the flame a safe distance from the cotton pad so as not to ignite it during the melting process.

I only saturate about three quarters of the length of each strip so that the last quarter can be “fuzzed up” when needed to catch sparks from a ferro rod to ignite it. Once the dripping process is completed I extinguish the candle. The wax is warm and safe to handle so I fold the ribs of the pad together lengthwise and press it tight. This creates a “stick” as it cools that is easily stored for use. How many ribs wide to cut or not for this purpose is subjective but the more wax that is infused, the longer the flame will burn once lit. Not only does the fire starter host the flame by it’s self but as the wax melts it can saturate the materials beneath it that helps to enhance the fire starting process. The jar lid in this case is just a convenient way to catch any errant drips of wax but is not a necessity. For clean-up It can be simply discarded or kept for the next time these fire starters are made.

I have come to value fire starters as a back-up tool for building campfires. It is always wise to be prepared for adverse conditions. Due to the convenience of this production method combined with the ease of storage to carry I heartily suggest that you make some of your own so that you will be prepared for your next fire building project.

Toilet Paper Tube Firestarter

Ken — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 12:00:07 +0000

An ideal campfire can be lit with a single match. It depends on the construction of the fire lay and whether the materials are dry. Sometimes the only available tinder is damp and is difficult to ignite, that’s when it’s handy to have a little help from a “fire starter”. A fire starter is not an ignition source but rather a device to sustain a flame long enough to dry out damp material or heat larger material long enough to ignite.

The other day I had finished some paper work in my bathroom and ended up with an empty toilet paper (TP) spool. These cardboard tubes have been used in a number of crafts and I pondered the possibilities of it’s application. Being a firecraft enthusiast I recognized the hollow cylindrical shape as an element often used in making rocket stoves. All it needed was a low level point of air intake above which a platform was needed to hold tinder, and what better tinder could there be but dry toilet paper tissue.

I made two perpendicular cuts on either side of the cardboard spool about an inch from the bottom end and then pushed in the lower edges. This created airways while at the same time provided support for material placed above. Then I took a two foot strip of toilet paper and lightly stuffed it inside from the top.

I set up a lean-to fire lay and placed this new fire starter beneath the kindling. It had rained the night before and the small twigs were slightly damp. I took a match and lit the fire starter at each of the slit holes and watched the ensuing flame as it ignited the TP tinder and kindling above it.

This may be more of an impromptu fire starter but it could come in handy for a campfire at a campground or backyard fire pit. For those folks who plan ahead for campfire activity this just might be a convenient solution for a good start.