GoingGear.com just got a cool new product in- check out the Smokey Mountain R&D Rapid Fire Capsules Chemical Fire Starter they just got in. It's capsules of Potassium Permanganate with a vial of glycerin, along with waxed jute to extend the fire. This might be a handy way to carry the stuff, and it's not too spendy.

I wouldn't really bother with this product. As Eddie Stone has indicated this form of fire lighting is purely for an extreme survival emergency when no other forms of firelighting are available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU1VDzqo8T0

I would put it in the same category as the wire wool and 9V PP3 battery firelighting SERE tacticool fire lighting trickery. A cheap Chinese made $3 Butane Windproof Lighter from DX is a much more sensible proposition.

Thank you for the tip. It's always good to have options, and that looks pretty cool.

If I may critique... It says the extended burn time is about 30 seconds if you use wax coated jute. In comparison, I have tested the burn time of one cotton ball infused with Vaseline. The amount of Vaseline was a little less than the size of a pinky finger tip. I used a ferro rod to start it. It burned for over 4 minutes with a big flame. Again, however, it's good to have options if you want to use something besides a ferro rod, a lighter or matches.

Regarding Goinggear.com, I noticed these capsules for $2 that cost me $5 at my local pharmacy. It's even less expensive after I added shipping...Grrr

http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page...4c655b0ab7cc041

The main thing is that GoingGear.com offers free shipping on orders over like $40 or $50, can't recall the exact amount. It even applies to the PP. Since that has to ship Ground, I've found with most eBay sellers that the shipping is more than the product. Overall it's still cheaper per gram but who needs 5 lbs of the stuff? I agree that the 'steel is about the best fire tool out there but the PP would be a nice backup, especially where dry tinder is an issue.

BTW, I had a really surprising cotton ball failure while camping last week. I tried a new method of dipping them in a pan of melted wax instead of dribbling wax over them. As it turns out, that batch had too much wax too far into the ball. I guess I shouldn't say it "failed"; it did take a spark and burned enough to get my kindling lit. But then the cotton ball went out! I was pretty shocked- I've never seen that happen. But in looking at that batch they felt like pure wax. I needed a knife to open one! But hey, that's why I was using them in a State Park, and why I had half a dozen tried 'n' true tools with me. You don't learn without trying out new stuff but you don't want to learn in a situation where the lesson can kill you, either. I've had great luck with waxed balls, but I will have to go back to my old method of making them.

I've had a few of those in my shopping cart for a couple weeks, just getting ready to place my order soon. Those would be pretty nice to keep PP in too, as would Baby Soda Bottles.

BTW, using the little PP capsules in conjuction with cotton balls would also work. In very wet conditions if your balls get soaked (no snickering! ) an open fire would still light them and get the PJ burning.

Just tossing it out there.

Sweet, me likey very much!!
-Blast

Along the same line, another good one is a trick candle and a cotton ball. Light the cotton ball by using a ferro rod, and then light the trick candle from the burning cotton ball, which won't burn that long. You could also light the trick candle directly by using a lighter. (My favorite, of course, is Vaseline cotton balls lit by using a ferro rod.) By the way, it's easy to light cotton balls that have been drenched with water. Here's an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrTBjgIkSeg

I Think that's Cool!You can NEVER have Too Many way's to Have Comfort & Security,Also Could be an Excellent Educational Tool for People starting out,Kids,etc.& At that Price,No Big Worries!This could go Real Well with Blast & The family camping trips,One of his kid's telling another kid"My Dad is a Scientist,Watch how he Makes Fire!":)