forget lint, use sawdust. Take a cardboard egg carton and pack some saw dust into it . Go to the local lumber yard and bet a bag or two for free. Got used candles? If not get some wax, parafin, (canning supplies) at the store. Melt the wax, using a double boiler, pour the hot wax on to the egg carton that is filled with the sawdust. Into the 'egg holes', the ones with the saw dust. Don't burn yourself. Light it up and you can heat a can of Spagetti O's with one. Start fires in VERY bad conditions. Total cost is uh, cheap. snowbyrd
I have considered doing that just because the saw mill where I get slabs (the bark and outer parts of the tree they throw away) for our wood stove has HUGE piles of saw dust about 30-40 feet tall. I also get the industrial band saw blades they are throwing away to make blades out of.
Boy does that work well! I heard it first here, some time ago, and with kid-like ignorance and curiousity thought I'd try it... POOF! Good thing I was standing on rock when I let go of the instant-flaming ball. Gee... whoda' thought it'd work so well?!
Magnifying lens I keep a magnifying lens in my BOB. Even though it only works on sunny days, it will last forever.
...and it's good for killing bugs, too . Now there's something I didn't have. Thanks! Welcome to Survival Monkey!
A lense is great to havebut would only use it as a back up redundancy. Nice sunny days is the only time they work which is the least likely time for you to realy NEED a fire. Murphy just gets to much oprotunity if its all you have for fire IMO.
Better late then never........ In the pic you will notice a small firelighter log. Costs $.33 cents at WalMart. A one inch slice off this will burn for approximately 22 minutes. Also, the Coghlan's Firesticks work right nicely too. I sent some to a friend in Scotland. Former Para and part time Ghillie. He's used them in the Highlands and has asked for more. Just my nickles worth....no change required.
I used small muffin paper wrappers (about 1 inch wide at the bottom). Instant, individualy wrapped, fire starters
I am learning the art of the bow drill ,boy is it fun. Working the end grain actually was faster. Mostly pithy wood this one is poplar . I use the serrated edge of the knife making the drill because it helps the string bind better .
well I will have to try this we burn lots of candles and I do a lot of wood working so their is no shortage of either here thanks for the info.