How I make a simple fire starter.

[bubbadreier]

Okay so I am sure you have seen or read about these, they are cotton balls with petroleum jelly rubbed into them, but I have a different way of making them. I used to make these by taking the cotton ball and tearing it apart, then putting it in an old soup can with a glob of petroleum jelly (PJ), and mashing them together with a spoon. With this method I was getting a burn time of about 3-6 minutes, which is awesome but I wanted more. Well when burning these I noticed it left a puddle of PJ melted around the cotton ball and that it would turn back into solid PJ after sitting for awhile, which led me to my new method....

1. First thing first I removed the beveled edge of the soup can and all paper on the can. (you can use an old sauce pan if you would prefer)

2. Next I turned my burner halfway between low and medium.

3. I dumped in an entire jar of PJ.

4. While the PJ was melting, I covered a plate with wax paper.

5. I counted out 50 cotton balls (I bought them at Dollar Tree)

6. After the PJ had melted, I dipped the Cotton Balls all the way into the melted PJ. (I held them with a cheap pair of pliers)

7. I let the melted PJ soak through the whole cotton ball.

8. I laid them out of the plate to solidify over night.

9. I placed them in a ziplock bag ready to to!

Now with this new method (or should I say new to me) I get 10-15 minutes of burn time out of the cotton ball, PJ mixture. Just thought I would share this method with you guys, its extremely cheap and it lights up with just a few well placed sparks.

 

[Colt 1911]

Okay that is killer, great idea. Going to make a batch tonight.

 

[DannyboyDS]

I wonder if then dipping them in wax would make them a little less gooey, wax burns nicely too, ever chucked a wax coated cardboard box on a fire?

 

[gimpdog]

I wonder if then dipping them in wax would make them a little less gooey, wax burns nicely too, ever chucked a wax coated cardboard box on a fire?

I dont think that the wax will Ignite as easily as the PJ with just a few sparks, but I like the idea of less gooey.

 

[gimpdog]

Bubba, Thanks for the awesome Idea. This type of thing is what the forum is all about...... Sharing of knowledge.

 

[bubbadreier]

Anytime mate!

I saw someone try the wax.... The cotton balls got way to heavy and collapsed in on themselves, and then he had to hold a lighter to it until the (very thick) wax melted away to get to any of the cotton. Burn time was about the same but with a very small flame compared to a huge flame from the PJ.

 

[DannyboyDS]

damn, oh well I like the PJ.

 

[Chicknladee]

I'll have to try this at home