Fire Kit Supplies , Ideas Needed

[2ADMNLOVER]

I've been saving these for awhile now and think I've got enough to make a few , if not a hand full of fire kits .

I've got about 20 TP rolls , a boat load of ammo boxes / the papers from inside , a coffee can full of lint (yes it took about a year ) and a bunch of NON storm proof matches .

Now I just need some ideas for some small fire kits for family BOB's and barter .

Any suggestions are welcome , thanks .

 

[CathyInBlue]

You didn't mention the fine steel wool you have shown there. How about a piece of firesteel? A bic? A an empty Zippo plus a small can of Zippo fuel? A last ditch book of cardboard matches? A wad of pre-made, pre-dried wood tinder? My wardrobe is too heavy on the polyester, not heavy enough on the cotton for the drier lint gag to work, but I'm saving all of the cotton wadding out of OTC medicines for the same purpose.

 

[gvsugod]

I have 2 firesteels, waterproof matches, a couple bics, bunches of dryer lint, some ignite-o things, cant remember what else.

 

[Bmrdude]

Don't forget a magnifying or Fresnel lens. Learn how to make a bow/drill out of wood. Never too many options for making fire!

 

[IndyBeerman]

Add this to the kit/

I'd throw in a bar of a magnesium fire starter already shaved up in a mixture of cotton balls, little bit of wax and small wood chips.

I have one in my kit and cotton balls, but plan on getting another one and making about 10 or so preformed fire fire starter balls about the size of a ping pong ball.

Magnesium will burn when wet and creates a flame heat source that's hot enough to get things burning.

 

[millsusaf]

Add this to the kit/

I'd throw in a bar of a magnesium fire starter already shaved up in a mixture of cotton balls, little bit of wax and small wood chips.

I have one in my kit and cotton balls, but plan on getting another one and making about 10 or so preformed fire fire starter balls about the size of a ping pong ball.

Magnesium will burn when wet and creates a flame heat source that's hot enough to get things burning.

That is a good idea. I have yet to not be able to start a fire (assuming my wood wasn't soaking wet) with lint and vasline soaked cotton balls but a little magnesium couldn't hurt.

 

[Survivalcookie]

Add this to the kit/

I'd throw in a bar of a magnesium fire starter already shaved up in a mixture of cotton balls, little bit of wax and small wood chips.

I have one in my kit and cotton balls, but plan on getting another one and making about 10 or so preformed fire fire starter balls about the size of a ping pong ball.

Magnesium will burn when wet and creates a flame heat source that's hot enough to get things burning.

You can also use cardboard egg containers...wax from candles and dryer lint...when my son was in boy scout many years ago we made these...I got the egg cartons from I-hop...lint from the laundry mat and scouted yards sales and ask for donation of old candles. I melted the wax in an old pant floating in a bigger pan of water...had the boys put the dryer lint in all the egg holes...making a peak of lint so I could ladle the wax in the egg holes and leave some lint sticking out as a wick. They also enjoyed making water proof matches from kitchen matches and the left over wax. lol wrong post But the flint is always great to have.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

You didn't mention the fine steel wool you have shown there.

It's actually dog hair / lint mix from washing his bedding , won't make that mistake again .

Fire rods , steel wool , batteries , lighters and magnesium , all good ideas .

 

[mrjarrell]

You need some fine steel wool and a 9 volt battery. It'll start a fire in the rain.

 

[CathyInBlue]

It's actually dog hair / lint mix from washing his bedding , won't make that mistake again .

Ewwwww!

 

[LtScott14]

Next trip to Subway, grab a couple of straws. Take home, cut in 3 pieces and roll some cotton balls w/ vaseline. Jam those in the cut off straws. Heat up the tip of your needle nose pliers and squeeze the ends to seal. You could use scotch tape also.

When you need tinder, cut the middle of the tube, and use you ferro rod or steel, and instant 5 min fire. Have your bird nest grass and small sticks ready. Use your Bic also.

 

[jeremy]

Easiest trick I use...

Remember those trick birthday candles you cannot blow out?!
They work great for a Fire Starter...
And they are mess free and fairly weather resistant...

 

[XDLover]

We took old teeshirts and cut them in inch wide strips about 4-6" long and dipped them 2/3 the way in canning wax. We made several for each BUG. We also did a bunch of cotton balls dipped. Testing them, they did well in adverse conditions, the teeshirt strips worked well but the cotton balls burned a bit longer (all in the 15 minute range)

Dryer lint is great, we stuff the TP tubes full and have them sealed in vacuum bags.
Also Tea Candles as a last resort are sealed up in vacuum bag with some wood matches.

Of course you have a Zippo too, as well as cheap Bic lighters and water proof matches.

A buddy took a duraflame log and shaved it down and vacuum sealed up several of those for the bottom of his bug bag.

 

[Dorky_D]

A buddy took a duraflame log and shaved it down and vacuum sealed up several of those for the bottom of his bug bag.

Aren't wood pellets about the same?

I got some new Zippos, but they appear to be drying out quickly. I keep re-adding fluid, but I did not know if it was just the cotton absorbing more and more, or if it is drying out. I now keep them in a plastic bag, and I put a wide inner tube rubber band over the seam in the cap/bottom to try to make it slower. Thoughts??

 

[Exodus]

Char cloth

 

[rhino]

A candle could be useful, especially to conserve matches.

 

[churchmouse]

You need some fine steel wool and a 9 volt battery. It'll start a fire in the rain.

Only if you keep a fresh Battery.....learned the hard way............


We are missing a few of the regular pyro's in this thread

 

[toad]

I saw a fire piston in the Backwoodsman magazine, been thinking about trying to make one. Has anyone done this, and did it work like they say it does.

 

[EOD Guy]

Another option is Potassium Permanganate. Just add ethylene glycol (automotive anti-freeze) and presto! Use limited quantities and any chemical reaction can surprise you.

It was good enough to start a fire between the legs of the "Underwear Bomber" in 2009. Just keep it away from organic material until you're ready to use it.

Lowes stocks this....I think the concentration level is enough as this is used in ponds.
Shop Summit Potassium Permanganate at Lowes.com

 

[WETSU]

Zippos dry out.
Bics and mini bics are GTG, but can break, run out, or malfunction at altitude
Hurricane or lifeboat matches are awesome
Strike anywhere matches, keep them in film canisters, straws, tiny ziplocks, nitro capsules, pill bottles, test strip bottles etc.
ferro rods and steel, they work even when wet
Magnesium bar and striker. Some people love them, some hate them. Practice. Also work wet.
Strikeforce or Gerber-good gear.
Blastmatch-they break, but you can still use the rod. I like Strikeforce better.
Bianary compound-powder and liquid, delayed fire.
Fresnel lense-they work, but , um, you gotta have sunlight. Less effective in winter. NO GO in overcast conditions.
Fire piston-they work, produce a spark, a neat trick but better ways to do it.
123 battery and steel cotton-wow, that works. Very hot. No flame, but a hot, hot ember or filament.
Cotton balls and vaseline. Make sure to get real cotton, not nylon
Dryer lint-make sure you dried cotton clothing/towels, not your polyester leisure suit. Pet hair is okay, but lessens the effect.
Candles or any type. I fire length force multiplier. Use one match and make many fires

A typical example of a small fire kit for me is: a bic mini, some dryer lint with fatwood sawdust in it, a few strike anywhere matches, a small ferro rod, and maybe a few small pieces of birch bark the size of my pinky. Fits in a very small ziplock bag. Smaller than half a deck of cards. Its enough to get a fire going in the rain.