I call BS on vaseline soaked cotton balls

[Rick]

You just had to jockey that in there didn't you?

[crashdive123]

It was either that or weave it into the thread with my (using my best James Bond voice) loom, fruit of the loom.

[bulrush]

This weekend I tried lighting with a spark, both regular real cotton balls, and "fake" cotton balls. Both caught a spark the first time but both burned only 4 seconds, not enough time to light your tinder/kindling. So I think the vaseline is to keep the flame lit long enough to light the tinder.

[Rick]

"Xactly. It's the petroleum base in the Vaseline that keeps the flame alive.

[jeff_c]

I did this just the other day with a cotton ball and vaseline using a fire steel. Light after the first strike and stayed lit plenty long enough to get tinder going.

Worked like a charm for me.

"Xactly. It's the petroleum base in the Vaseline that keeps the flame alive.

[Schleprok]

Keep mine in a 7 day pill box. Two per day. Kinda crammed in there. Fluff before lighting.

[Tundrascout]

I have a confession to make.
I had never tried to light a cotton ball before, so I took it upon myself to give it a try while sitting at my computer. Do NOT do this unless you actually intend to start a fire!

So does this work with plumage from a cottonwood tree just as well?

[2dumb2kwit]

I have a confession to make.
I had never tried to light a cotton ball before, so I took it upon myself to give it a try while sitting at my computer. Do NOT do this unless you actually intend to start a fire!

So does this work with plumage from a cottonwood tree just as well?

Now that's funny!

[crashdive123]

And I must confess - I've never tried it with plumage from a cottonwood. One way to find out though. Oh yeah - and I try to stay away from lighting my computer on fire even though on occasion it would give me a great deal of pleasure.

[oldsoldier]

Try milkweed pods they work better than some tinders but the cotton balls work best.

[nilespathfinder]

i have an altoids tin with a thick layer of vas on the bottom and about 10 too 15 cotton balls, 3 or 4 strikes with ferrel rod and woosh, thats what i trust only a ferrel rod, as far as sparking devices.

[crashdive123]

Ferrel rod - is that one you found in the wild? sorry - couldn't resist.

[hunter63]

i have an altoids tin with a thick layer of vas on the bottom and about 10 too 15 cotton balls, 3 or 4 strikes with ferrel rod and woosh, thats what i trust only a ferrel rod, as far as sparking devices.

Hope you don't loose it, a wise man carries or at least know how at least 3 ways to make fire. IMHO

[Rick]

It was a feral child named Rod. Rod carries a BIC lighter everywhere.

[nilespathfinder]

i know several ways to make fire hunter, cary 3 like you said , i just choose the quickest one is all, just my opinion, thats all. wow

[Wildthang]

Soak them in gasoline before applying the vaseline! It lights veeeeeeeeeeery quickly.............!

[hunter63]

Do not like that idea at all........
I don't want to be the subject of the news coverage of the local of the latest "impromptu burning man" celebration.

Road flares, road flares....what ever happened to road flares?....When something really need to burn.....road flares!

[crashdive123]

Do not like that idea at all........
I don't want to be the subject of the news coverage of the local of the latest "impromptu burning man" celebration.

Road flares, road flares....what ever happened to road flares?....When something really need to burn.....road flares!

Don't you mean AGAIN?

[hunter63]

Yea....Yes...Yes.....everyone forgets about road flares....big fire......road flares!

[Beans]

BS i doubt it.

Like everyone states, they should/must be 100 % per cotton. I saturate the cotton balls with PJ and store them in a plastic baggie. I have never had one that I couldn't light as long as I had it out of the direct wind and rain.