#58326 - 01/16/06 08:46 PM
Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Addict
Registered: 06/08/05
Posts: 503
Loc: Quebec City, Canada
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This weekend, I decided to make some cotton ball firestarters while watching a boring movie.
I tested one of them and found out that they burn with a nice flame for about 3 minutes. I am now moving to this firestarter instead of dryer lint! One downside : boy these balls can be messy! Since my survival containers are flat, I put the soaked balls in a small Ziploc bag; I guess the film containers would work fine also (lots of members here use that).
Bottom line : gross, cheap, VERY effective. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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#58327 - 01/16/06 09:02 PM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Old Hand
Registered: 09/12/05
Posts: 817
Loc: MA
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Thanks for the report. I've been thinking of making some as well. I just need to get to the local drug store to get the supplies.
Just had a thought, would Q-Tips/Vaseline work? I know they wouldn't burn as long, but their shape, like matches and twigs, might lend itself to more control over the flame. Has anyone tried that?
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It's not that life is so short, it's that you're dead for so long.
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#58328 - 01/16/06 09:08 PM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Enthusiast
Registered: 09/05/01
Posts: 384
Loc: Colorado Springs, CO
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I have tried the Fuji film canisters, and have had a problem with them. I left them in an ammo box that I use for my "car kit." The heat tended to melt the petrolium jelly, and the stuff ran out between the canister and the lid. It made a mess all over the inside of the kit. So I wrapped a layer of electrical tape around the seam to fix this problem.
The Fuji canisters are the clear ones. The black canisters with the grey lids are Kodak. I have not tried those. Any experiences with leaking on those?
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#58329 - 01/16/06 09:35 PM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Registered: 09/04/05
Posts: 417
Loc: Illinois
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If you're getting that much leakage, you've got too much PJ. Remember, when making these things, a dab'll do ya, I usually put about a teaspoon of PJ in a quart ziploc, along with about thirty cotton balls, knead it in, carry it in an inside pocket for a day, and the cotton balls'll come out saturated, but not gummy, and fluffed up, I've gotten burn times of over four minutes (can't seem to break five regardless of how I mix 'em up) <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Troy
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#58330 - 01/16/06 11:59 PM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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journeyman
Registered: 08/29/05
Posts: 93
Loc: Lower Fla. Keys
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Although I carry Q-tips in my Get Home Bag, when useing Vasiline soaked cotton balls as a fire starter I prefer to tear them in two. I fluff one half to take a spark. The other half I wrap around the end of a twig (sort of like a Q-tip) and light it from the first half. I then have better flame location control when lighting a prepared teepee of kindleing.
Scott
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Scott
"Tryin' to reason with hurricane season"
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#58331 - 01/17/06 02:47 AM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Geezer
Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
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The vasoline on a Q-tip burns okay, a little slower than a regular match, then they die shortly after the flame gets to the dry stick. I used the fiber stick ones, not the hollow plastic tube, which might fall off as a glob of burning plastic.
The cotton balls don't need to be totally saturated with the Vasoline.
Sue
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#58333 - 01/17/06 08:51 AM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Addict
Registered: 02/18/04
Posts: 499
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I've never liked keeping stuff in film cans. The tops pop off too easily. Countycomm has some $1.00 screw-top gasketed plastic match cases about the same volume (taller but narrower) as a film can. Those seem good for stuff like this. I posted a "review" a month or so ago--yeah, found it: http://www.equipped.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Board=campfire&Number=56209
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#58334 - 01/17/06 09:29 AM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Old Hand
Registered: 12/07/05
Posts: 781
Loc: Central Illinois
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Your post and I believe it was Susan's from another recent post reminded me of one of my favorite short stories of all time. Jack London, I'm sure a familiar literary figure to those who frequent this site, put down one of the most telling and satisfyingly dark works in "To Build a Fire" (If you haven't ever read it, I strongly recommend you do). My point is that whenever I'm planning on being out in the wild, I'm going to be equipped mentally and physically. Not only will I be carrying matches, sparklite, ferro rod, and lighter along with a quick fuel source (not just tinder), but I'm also going to make damn sure that I have some large motor control fire sources like a flare and big trigger lighter (BBQ style ones). I don't think I want my life depending on my ability to unscrew a match vault when my fingers are so cold they couldn't hold onto the match. Maybe a pushbutton ignition camp heater/propane tank hanging off my belt at all times? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.
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#58335 - 01/17/06 10:08 AM
Re: Cotton balls soaked up with petroleum jelly
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Enthusiast
Registered: 06/19/05
Posts: 233
Loc: West Kentucky
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Why not include about six or so of the propane torches with the long, slim propane bottle? They would make a nice clanking sound in the woods and ward off the bears. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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"The more I carry, the less I need."
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