looking for something lightweight to carry in kit to help get fire going and is cheap

Ive have alcohol wipes in my BOB. I like the dual purpose of them and they light with a spark. Not only could they be used as tinder and cleaning wounds, they could also be used as sort of a filter if needed. They're lightweight, super cheap (picked up a hundred for a couple bucks at Target), take up very little space and usefulness is overlooked in a BOB. Though, you have to buy the highest concentration alcohol pads for them to be useful, mine are 90%+.

reply to post by proteus33

Bic lighter.
89 cents.

looking for something lightweight to carry in kit to help get fire going and is cheap.



Buy a box of old fashion strike anywhere white tip wooden matches, Blue diamond is my favorite brand.

But a package of paraffin wax. Tie several matches together with thread or string. Dip the matches in the

melted paraffin wax. Stow with your gear and you are good to go. I have not done his lately so I am not sure of the

cost, likely 3-4 dollars but it makes enough for several people. The coated matches are water proof and the wax will

help geat a blaze started

Cotton balls just loosen them up, and add a little bit of dry tinder and strike it with your flint. Keep the balls dry and water tight and you should be just fine.

All that is great and good, but there is an item many already carry that is the perfect firestarter, even in a wet environment:

petroleum based chapstick.

Anything coated in chapstick will light.

100ft roll of water proof cannon fuse and 2 packs of magnesium flashing signals
www.pyrocreations.com...
and 2 bags of pre-shaved magnesium fire starter with knife

bic lighters every where. one in every pocket, several places in your pack.
any where and every where, you can think to put one.
bic lighters are really cheap.and light, when they get wet they dry off easy enough.
if you know how to remove the safety cover over the striker wheel.
also flint starters and magnesium starters are good but save these for after bics are used up.

reply to post by Trublbrwing


I have to laugh at the "Bic lighter" people. I'm no expert, but relying on one Bic lighter in a SHTF scenario is dumb. If you don't have multiple ways of starting a fire, you deserve any misfortunes that befall you in a SHTF scenario. Matches, lighters and a flint all have a place in any BOB, along with multiple forms of tinder. What happens when that Bic lighter runs out of fuel or the flint doesn't work anymore or you lose it? You're basically up a creek without a paddle, or freezing your @$$ off without a fire.

reply to post by croweboy


did you read where i said every where you can think to put one, in other words more than one.
also i said to carry flint starters and magnesium. so you have a fall back. it's a lot easier,
to flic your bic than scrap your stick.

When you run out of man made items nature has a good variety to start fires. Items such as pine needles, pine cones, gum balls from those gum ball trees, dried grass, dried leaves all get the job done. Any garbage items floating around... by the side of the road. I have burnt gagbage off for twenty years. One match can get the job done, don't burn when its windy or incredibly dry. Line fire spot with rocks to keep sparks and flames from jumping out and catching other stuff on fire. Also, even wet stuff will burn eventually. The hard part in my opinion is keeping the fire going, that takes logs. If you don't have logs the sticks burn out quickly in a half hour or so.

Something I learned a while back and it works great.
Ingredients:
Nail polish remover (acetone)
Cotton balls
Candles

Melt the candles in an old pot.
Soak the cotton balls in acetone.
Soak the cotton balls in the wax and repeat a few times.
You can use Vaseline instead of acetone and it will last longer but it will burn weaker. Make sure that the balls are protected from crushing.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie


Well, funny thing about forums. While I'm writing a reply to a person about a particular thread, you too can be writing a thread. If I don't see you writing a thread about all the places you can hide a Bic (some places, I just don't want to know about), you can post a reply that I did not see until I posted my reply. To follow that up, you can then post a reply to my thread, telling me that I should read your reply before posting, which I hadn't read yet, as I was still replying to a prior thread.

Time paradoxes confuse me.

cotton balls soaked in vaseline. squeeze the ball until it's somewhat dry. the slightest spark will turn the ball into a nice flame that lasts at least 20 seconds

Cotton balls, vaseline and dryer lint all make for some great tinder. A year ago a friend of mine showed me how to make some tinder that is little different and requires a little more time. However, the end result is terrific.

All you need to purchase is a spool of Jute twine and a box of Gulf Wax Paraffin.(any paraffin will do, Gulf is just readily available at your grocery store)

Cut the Jute into 3 inch pieces

Melt a portion of paraffin over low heat in an old pot or left over tin of some sort. ( I do this on the side burner of my grill)

Once melted, drop the jute into the wax and let it soak for several minutes.

Pull it out with some tongs and let it dry on some wax or parchment paper.

You're now good to go. I pack mine in a fire starting kit contained in a waterproof mini Otterbox along with a stout fire steel a carbide scraper and some small splinters of fat wood just in case.

To use the jute, just grab a couple of pieces and begin to break up the many strands making what is called a birds nest. It takes a spark nicely and will smolder slow enough to get your main fuel source burning.

It's cheap, light, reliable and you can make as much as you want.

Or you can just burn some Fritos. Eat a few burn a few

Bic lighters are not the best at all.
and they can be a real pain.

If your hands are wet and have been for a while they become tender and it becomes painfull to use a lighter with a striker wheel. And the child safe one are worse.

Get a few piezoelectric lighters instead of Bics they are a lot easier to use when your fingers are wet and close to frostbite,

I carry about 10 piezoelectric lighters in my BOB/Hiking hip bag

reply to post by proteus33


Just get a zip-lock bag and a sh*t load of matches and at least two bic lighters.

2nd

www.firesteel.com

Bunker fire steel and some 'wet fuel' packs. years and years of use from that pairing.