This trick, like many, should be old hand, but like a lot of techniques if you don't practice it, or see it in action, it's a lot harder to do in a crisis. Click here to watch a quick video on the ridiculously easy and long-lasting cotton-ball-and-Vaseline fire-starting trick.

ok..i'm sold.i have always been down on make-do replacements for the real thing like military heat tabs and such but that seems to work as advertised--

Ive always heard about read about these but never tried them. What would be the best way to store them in your vehicle?

I now keep a bunch in in a simple, small, plastic, used Vaseline jar.

I'm experimenting with cotton ball and wax right now, which seems to start fire just as easily and not messy. I can toss a few into my pocket and not worry about it if I wanted to.

I would think even in the Summer in Canada it gets warm enough to make wax pretty sticky--especially in your pocket. Plus, it's harder to use wax to keep your lips from getting chapped.

One old suggestion from here on the forum years ago was to stuff PJ soaked cotton balls into plastic straws, then plug off the ends or heat seal them. You could even tie a string around the ball for easier extraction (as with a feminine hygiene product).

That's the tricky part, you have to get the right mixture thus hardness, soft enough to easily fluff up with finger and hard enough to not messy.

Besides it's not really a problem unless you leave it in the car, air temp is typically below 35°C in summer.

Metal matches are fine, so long as you have two good arms.

Whilst I carry and use a metal match, I much prefer a lighter or lifeboat/REI type matches in an emergency. Both of whom can be employed one handed.

If you want to use a metal match buy a one handed variety. Like the Blast match.

Try using an empty film container, for those fossils that still use 35mm film.

whistles innocently - wanders off - DW has the 35, I don't take pics