Those of us who work in biological labs always have parafilm around to seal flasks and test tubes. It is a thin waxy sheet material that is ductile and waterproof. My co-worker and fellow looney mentioned in passing that he used to use it as a firestarter in the Kenyan bush. He wrapped it around a few sticks to start his fire. So we lit some with a match from my EDC. Burns well!

More importantly, parafilm is great for sealing things. From now on I will be sealing my kits with parafilm both for waterproofing and as a backup firestarter.

Is this like Glad Press 'n seal?

No, Press'n Seal is plastic with a tacky adhesive.

Parafilm is a type of plastic (polymer) that will stretch several times its length, is very flexible, has no tackiness, and has a coating of wax, which is probably what makes it a good firestarter. And it's juch more expensive.

Sue

Burncycle:
Parafilm is 50% paraffin. Think of it as a sheet of paraffin that streches like taffy.

Good idea! Will it light up with a spark after it gets wet?

That is one problem with regular waxed paper, say from one's sandwich. Great tinder, but if soaked it does not reliably light from a spark.

I know it will not seal a bottle of chloroform, eats through the parafilm. I wonder if it will seal deet and other rather active substances? I doubt many would use if for that, but it might have an indirect impact, say if one's PSK was sealed with it and a container of deet leaked in one's kit, onto the parafilm sealed PSK.

dunno. Maybe I'll try out of curiosity.


dunno again. My guess is it would. Easy to test. It is very chemically resistant (acids, bases, ethanol, salts, etc) except for things like toluene, chorinated solvents, benzene.

It does melt at 60^C!

chemical resistance of parafilm

It probably isn't gas tight, so repacking iodine and chlorine compounds with this won't help. Assuming they don't attack it anyway.