Question about PJ cotton balls?

[jhnnymwr75]

I searched threw the forum and didn't really find what I was looking for. I was looking into making them, but I was wonder what brand is the best for this? I also looked into the first aid portion and all im getting is that its good for sealing of wounds to avoid infections, so is this something I could mix with say, tea tree oil to make it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and such (tea tree oil burns at 122*F from what i've gathered)? .

Also, how much PJ do I need for each cotton ball? I remember seeing a video of someone melting it in a cup (about a fourth of the cup was full), then letting the cotton balls soak, but that's all I remember sadly. Any help is appreciated!

Plus, would this be something I could put in a B.O.B or on a shelf and not worry about it expiring any time soon? i've researched that it does expire but some say that its still good after 20 years or so.

[wtrfwlr]

I searched threw the forum and didn't really find what I was looking for. I was looking into making them, but I was wonder what brand is the best for this? I also looked into the first aid portion and all im getting is that its good for sealing of wounds to avoid infections, so is this something I could mix with say, tea tree oil to make it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and such (tea tree oil burns at 122*F from what i've gathered)? .

Also, how much PJ do I need for each cotton ball? I remember seeing a video of someone melting it in a cup (about a fourth of the cup was full), then letting the cotton balls soak, but that's all I remember sadly. Any help is appreciated!

Plus, would this be something I could put in a B.O.B or on a shelf and not worry about it expiring any time soon? i've researched that it does expire but some say that its still good after 20 years or so.

I have not found that any one brand is better than another. The idea of warming the jelly up first is a good way to make them. I don't soak them. What I do is warm the petroleum jelly in a shallow dish and then dip only half of the cotton ball in the liquid just to get it damp. This gives it one half that is not coated and the dry portion can still be fluffed up and is much quicker to catch a spark or ember and light. You still have the other side that will prolong the flame without burning up so quickly.

I can't give and advice of the medical side of them.

[hunter63]

I just smear a cotton ball about 1/2 in the jar, same reason, some fluff, soom PJ....go a really big bag at the dollar store.

[Rick]

The brand of cottonball doesn't matter. Just make certain it's 100% cotton and not synthetic. If you want a medicinal version then coat your cottonballs in Neosporin or Bacitricin. The base for both is petrolatum or petroleum jelly. It will be quite a bit more expensive than plain PJ but otherwise the same stuff with the added medical ingredients.

[Mstanley999]

I spoon about 1/4 cup of PJ into a small ramekin dish then micro for about 5 mins (best to open micro door occasionally so you don't get splattering), this makes enough liquid PJ for about 8 balls of cotton. Haven't used anything other than 100% cotton, but I can tell you that mine burn for approx 20 mins (sometimes longer) and ignite with the first strike of the firesteel. Also, I had 6 PJ balls stored in a small air rifle pellet tin in the bugout bag, I took them out after about 3 years to replace with a new tin because the metal had begun to rust slightly, I took the old PJ balls with me on a camping trip, they burned just as long and took a spark just as easily. Can't comment on medicinal use, but I would caution against burning chemicals without first making sure it is safe. Hope this helps!

[kyratshooter]

More mumbo-jumbo over a cotton ball smeared with PJ than I have ever seen!

This is not rocket science.

The cotton balls will ignite without the PJ, it just extends the burn time so any amount you use will work.

Dip the cotton ball in the jar of PJ and smear it well. Leave enough fiber to fluff out and take a spark.

It's cheap cotton balls and cheap PJ. Make one, sit it on the BBQ grill and throw a spark on it. If it catches you did it right. If it does not work use more or less PJ. Try it till it works, then make as much as you need.

Store them in a perscription bottle or a zip lock bag. I like to roll the cotton balls up and slide them into a large diameter soda straw, then seal the ends of the straw for use in PSK efforts.

Do not confine the PJ cotton balls to use with the ferro rod. They are good general purpose fire starters when used with matches, lighter, sparks from a flashlight batery, the cigerette lighter in the car or any other device.

[wtrfwlr]

[QUOTE=kyratshooter;357574]More mumbo-jumbo over a cotton ball smeared with PJ than I have ever seen!

This is not rocket science.[/QUOTE\

Really?
The guy had a question and asked for help and answers. This just might be MUMBO JUMBO to this fellow. Some are not to the level that you are and they are wanting some honest reliable information from some place other that a random search engine. You obviously have a excellent grasp on this as well as many other topics but some others out here do not, and even though it may have been discussed before it is well worth MY time to make a productive comment to help. We all got to start out some where. You are a teacher no?

[Graf]

Related to this thread. If you are a Zippo lighter carrier, replace the wicking with 3-4 cotton balls. I have found they do a better job also if you run out of fuel remove a cotton ball and just spark it with your Zippo works great. I know many are going to say Zippos leak, like I have suggested many times put a bike inner tube ( like a rubberband)around the cover where the top and bottom meet you will be surprised how long the fuel will last, I alwayys store 2 extra flint in with my packing as well.

[Rick]

I don't understand why folks go to the extra trouble of heating the pj. I do the same as KY. I just roll the cotton ball in the pj, shove it in a 35mm film canister and done. Nothing wrong with heating it but it just seems like extra work to me. Mine work fine just smeared in the pj.

[crashdive123]

I searched threw the forum and didn't really find what I was looking for. I was looking into making them, but I was wonder what brand is the best for this? I also looked into the first aid portion and all im getting is that its good for sealing of wounds to avoid infections, so is this something I could mix with say, tea tree oil to make it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and such (tea tree oil burns at 122*F from what i've gathered)? .

Also, how much PJ do I need for each cotton ball? I remember seeing a video of someone melting it in a cup (about a fourth of the cup was full), then letting the cotton balls soak, but that's all I remember sadly. Any help is appreciated!

Plus, would this be something I could put in a B.O.B or on a shelf and not worry about it expiring any time soon? i've researched that it does expire but some say that its still good after 20 years or so.

It's a pretty simple process once you've done it, but pictures are worth a thousand words. I'll do a quick video to show you one way (there are several) to do it.

[jhnnymwr75]

I don't understand why folks go to the extra trouble of heating the pj. I do the same as KY. I just roll the cotton ball in the pj, shove it in a 35mm film canister and done. Nothing wrong with heating it but it just seems like extra work to me. Mine work fine just smeared in the pj.

I thought the reason behind it was to get more PJ in the cotton ball rather than the outside in case it breaks off. I haven't attempted this yet but i'm going to go with both ways at first to see which I prefer. Thanks!


It's a pretty simple process once you've done it, but pictures are worth a thousand words. I'll do a quick video to show you one way (there are several) to do it.

That's going the extra mile! its much appreciated!


I have not found that any one brand is better than another. The idea of warming the jelly up first is a good way to make them. I don't soak them. What I do is warm the petroleum jelly in a shallow dish and then dip only half of the cotton ball in the liquid just to get it damp. This gives it one half that is not coated and the dry portion can still be fluffed up and is much quicker to catch a spark or ember and light. You still have the other side that will prolong the flame without burning up so quickly.

I can't give and advice of the medical side of them.

Thats basically what I was thinking in my head, but if I would have done it before hand i would have soaked the whole cotton ball. Thank you!

[crashdive123]

As promised.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5OSyEqFn3E

[jhnnymwr75]

As promised.

Wow, great video! that helped a lot, thank you so much. :w00t:

[Batch]

I heat my PJ in a pot and dip my cotton balls and then wrap them in foil. I pull and fluff the cotton and it takes a spark from a ferro readily. I use them as candles and as fire starters. I use just standard ferrosium rod from firesteel.com.

[Kamel]

I used cottonballs from walgreens and walgreens brand PJ. I held the cotton ball in 2 fingers. stuck it in the jar, used 1 finger to smear about 3/4 in pj and stuffed in a film canister, thanks to the rick suggestion lol. they light with 1 good spark and the flame burns a while.

[hunter63]

I used cottonballs from walgreens and walgreens brand PJ. I held the cotton ball in 2 fingers. stuck it in the jar, used 1 finger to smear about 3/4 in pj and stuffed in a film canister, thanks to the rick suggestion lol. they light with 1 good spark and the flame burns a while.

It really isn't rocket science...that's pretty much the way I do it.......

[Artzi]

Thanks for video crashdive123!

I have been putting my PJ cotton balls to duct tape using simple 'put ball in middle and seal the sides' - technique I saw somewhere. When you wanna use them, make just small cut to tape and pull some cotton fibres out. Good thing about this storing method is that duct tape burns too with cotton ball, so no trash left!

[finallyME]

I don't mix mine before hand. I store the PJ in a little container (carmex screw on lid container) and my cotton balls dry. Then when I need it, I smear some jelly on the ball and lighter 'er up. This way I can use the dry cotton balls for first aid, and the pj can be used for rashes and such as well.

[ElevenBravo]

Any brand of cotton ball, as long as it is really cotton. Any brand of PJ, as long as its PJ.

I just swab a cotton ball around in the PJ jar until it is generously coated. I dont want the CB to absorb much of it, mostly coat the outside.

What happens here is akin to a candle. The wick burns the melted wax. The cotton ball is the wick, and the PJ is the wax.

The best way to light a PJCB is to tear it open, to expose the uncoated center of the CB, fluf out some of the cotton... it will take light usually right away on the first ferror rod strike, or with matches.

Here is a comparison I did a while back, HTH..

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Andrew