Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 2 of 4 < 1 2 3 4 >
Topic Options
#243453 - 03/20/12 01:17 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: Phaedrus]
Snake_Doctor
Unregistered


I use an old hemostat to pinch a cotton ball in half and dip one side into meld wax and let dry. I call them bunny tails. One side is fuel, the other is the spark catcher. Lay them on thier side and they work well.

Top
#243454 - 03/20/12 01:21 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: gonewiththewind]
Snake_Doctor
Unregistered


White powder? Clear package with black print? I have a few somewhere. Just read an old article where a survival class tried to light the closed package with fire steel. Didn't work until they tore them open.

Top
#243461 - 03/20/12 03:06 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: haertig]
Taurus Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/26/07
Posts: 458
Loc: Northern Canada
Birch bark catches a spark well if shaved into thin strips. Pine resin also works great. If you combine both you have natural tinder as good as it gets.

Old mans beard works, but it has to be really dry.

Top
#243470 - 03/20/12 03:51 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: haertig]
Glock-A-Roo Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 04/16/03
Posts: 1076
I don't think you can beat PJ cotton balls for effectiveness, compactness, weight, waterproofness, availability, and cost. Make them fat & juicy, then package them individually in an aluminum foil envelope (as was discussed here lately). I would like to experiment with using wax instead of PJ as long as the wax is as effective.

Be careful about dryer lint. Its willingness to light from a spark depends heavily on whether or not there are a lot of fibers like polyester, rayon, and olefin in there. Anything other than cotton, no matter how dry, detracts from lint's performance.

Top
#243484 - 03/20/12 04:30 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: ]
Denis Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/09/09
Posts: 631
Loc: Calgary, AB
Originally Posted By: Snake_Doctor
[E]veryone seems to want the fire steel as a last resort. I say use it when the wheather is good and progress to matches and lighter etc as it gets worse.

I'm with you on this one; fire steels are my primary method for making fire. This also helps ensure I know how to get a fire going using this tool, where as if it was only my back-up I'd have limited experience with it which could complicate things if I did have to rely on it in an emergency scenario.
_________________________
Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen

Top
#243486 - 03/20/12 04:40 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: Glock-A-Roo]
Snake_Doctor
Unregistered


Thanks for the heads up about the lint. Never had a problem with it but good to know there is a potential for one. Wax works great and burns long and hot.

Top
#243488 - 03/20/12 04:41 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: Denis]
Snake_Doctor
Unregistered


My philoposy exactly. Sorry about the poor spelling today.

Top
#243490 - 03/20/12 05:39 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: ]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Good points on using the firesteel as your primary, and then BIC lighters, matches, etc. as your backups. Keeps your skills honed. I think I'll switch my choices based on this. I thought about why I had been choosing a BIC as my primary in the past. The only reason I could come up with was "because it's easy". Poor reason. Thanks for setting my head straight on this thought process. Firesteels definitely aren't difficult - so long as you have something that will catch a spark. You're not going to be lighting a wooden pencil with a firesteel (you might be able do that with a BIC - maybe).

Top
#243491 - 03/20/12 05:43 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: haertig]
BruceZed Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 01/06/08
Posts: 319
Loc: Canada
Cotton Soaked Tinder Cubes

My Recipe is to melt 1 lb of Wax (old candle ends normally) which I then pour in 1 cup of Kerosene (after I remove it from the camp stove). Then I dunk in half cotton balls and place them on a sheet of foil to dry. PS: I make these outside, not on my Kitchen stove.

These tinder cubes work just great and last 2 years at least. I store my bulk cubes in jars. I place the ones I take to wilderness in small baggies.

I rip them apart to light them with a striker. They light first try with nearly any striker and will burn for 2 or 3 minutes if you use the entire cube.
_________________________
Bruce Zawalsky
Chief Instructor
Boreal Wilderness Institute
boreal.net

Top
#243492 - 03/20/12 06:03 PM Re: Tinder that takes a spark: options? [Re: haertig]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
Magnesium shavings! Even though it burns quickly, it still ignites from a spark rather easily.

Originally Posted By: haertig
What all is out there that can be lit with sparks from a large firesteel?


By the way, the tinders mentioned in this thread can catch from a tiny firesteel also!
_________________________
If you're reading this, it's too late.

Top
Page 2 of 4 < 1 2 3 4 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 474 Guests and 15 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
Zippo Butane Inserts
by NAro
Today at 11:57 AM
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
03/27/24 11:21 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.