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Thread: I call BS on vaseline soaked cotton balls

  1. #41
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    The you're not trying hard enough. They are pretty easy to not light if you try.
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  2. #42

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    I always melt the Vaseline over low heat and then soak the cotton balls in it to get it well saturated and then wrap the balls in aluminum foil squares for future use after squeezing the excess Vaseline out of them. To use them, open one up and fluff some of the cotton up well so that there is lots of air space between the fibers and then hit it with the sparks and it will burst into flames. The Vaseline burns hotter and longer than dry cotton allowing more time to get your main fire going.
    Lamewolf

  3. #43

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    Want a fire when things are wet, and better than cotton and vasoline? If you must have firemaking materials with you, buy on Amazon, Potassium Permanganate crystals. For water purification add one crystal at a time under water turns pink. For wound cleaning and burn treatment, add more crystals until solution blue.

    Now for atomic firemaking, and please stand back when you do this!

    1. Put potassion permanganate crystals on top of kindling
    2. Drip radiator fluid, or glycerine on crystals, and then stand back
    3. There wil be an explosion of fire, and then add more wood. This substance is a potent oxidizer, and ignites immediately. This is better to have with a small jar of glycerine or radiator fluid to ignite the crystals, and good for the above other stuff too. Tampexes are better than cotton balls for lighting without the Vasoline, are sterile, and can plug wounds, and be used as a water filter if you suck through the straw. (Only use a sealed, new Tampex for water purification straw, and not a used one)

  4. #44
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Harry View Post
    Want a fire when things are wet, and better than cotton and vasoline? If you must have firemaking materials with you, buy on Amazon, Potassium Permanganate crystals. For water purification add one crystal at a time under water turns pink. For wound cleaning and burn treatment, add more crystals until solution blue.

    Now for atomic firemaking, and please stand back when you do this!

    1. Put potassion permanganate crystals on top of kindling
    2. Drip radiator fluid, or glycerine on crystals, and then stand back
    3. There wil be an explosion of fire, and then add more wood. This substance is a potent oxidizer, and ignites immediately. This is better to have with a small jar of glycerine or radiator fluid to ignite the crystals, and good for the above other stuff too. Tampexes are better than cotton balls for lighting without the Vasoline, are sterile, and can plug wounds, and be used as a water filter if you suck through the straw. (Only use a sealed, new Tampex for water purification straw, and not a used one)
    Good to know.
    Seems like a lot of stuff to carry in the bush, to me........
    Why not a Bic? ...or road flares,(when something really needs to burn)
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  5. #45
    One step at a time intothenew's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Harry View Post
    ............Tampexes...........are sterile............and be used as a water filter if you suck through the straw..........................

    Doc,

    Can you cite any external source to reinforce the claim that they are sterile? Can you cite any micron filter rating, and the ramifications of such?
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  6. #46
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    Never had to use vaseline soaked cotton balls....in our neck of the woods we've got ceders and pines....

    The bark of downed ceders can be broken into fibers that make for great bird's nest simply by rubbing the bark briskly in the hands....add pine pitch from a Jack pine and it's a cinch to start a fire

  7. #47

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    Heres the details:

    Lighting with a Bic, Zippo, Match, etc... The cotton ball may be heavily saturated in PJ. If the PJ is all the way to the core, it will "only" match light.

    Lighting with a spark rod.... *COAT* the cotton ball in a bunch of PJ, but do NOT saturate the core with PJ. When ready to strike, TEAR OPEN the cotton ball to expose the dry, inner fibers. Strike with a rod... if it doesnt catch the first time right away, chances are it will catch the second or third for sure. This is how I prep my PJCB.

    Experiment, you will find my discoveries to be exact. I cant for the life of me think anyone would need a video on this, but I have one on my list of upcoming productions.

    During the summer the PJ may over saturate the cotton ball due to heat. My preferred method is to carry the really small travel size of PJ and a bag of cotton balls, I can then "make one fresh" when needed. And by the way, PJ is great for treating and/or preventing crotch chafe from hot & sweaty conditions. Anti Monkey Butt powder, baby powder, etc.. NONE of this works. PJ works every time for several hours. So now there is a dual reason for carrying the supplies separate.

    Also, Ive lit a few fires with simply a plain cotton ball... When you have ideal conditions, a cotton ball burns long enough to get very small kindling burning very easily!

    HTH,
    Andrew

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by le Metis View Post
    Never had to use vaseline soaked cotton balls....in our neck of the woods we've got ceders and pines....

    The bark of downed ceders can be broken into fibers that make for great bird's nest simply by rubbing the bark briskly in the hands....add pine pitch from a Jack pine and it's a cinch to start a fire
    Amen.......kind of hard to find a Walgreens out in the middle of no where if you're stranded.

  9. #49
    Senior Member old2531's Avatar
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    would soaking them in pariffin wax give u same result

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by old2531 View Post
    would soaking them in pariffin wax give u same result
    It can, but you have to be more careful. In order to use it with a spark, you will need to have some of the cotton that is free of the wax. It's really the same as with the petroleum jelly, but with melted wax it is easier "over due it". Of course it using a flame (bic or match) then it is not so much of an issue.
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  11. #51
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    I go the full soak route. Use a skillet and melt the vaseline down and then put the cotton ball in their to soak.

    If you pull a corner away or a piece of the cotton ball it lights very easily.
    Last edited by roar-k; 02-21-2013 at 09:05 AM.

  12. #52

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    You guys will love what I have to say about vaseline cottonbals in this video.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D4o3sOym4Q

  13. #53
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    Oh yeah, and make sure you check to see if it is scented vaseline or not.....It really does not smell that well when it it burns if scented...

  14. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist View Post
    You guys will love what I have to say about vaseline cottonbals in this video.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D4o3sOym4Q
    Great Vid AS. Glad to see you back here.
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  15. #55
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    AS.........Well, well, well, look who's back......been a while.......Good to hear from you, always enjoyed your posts.
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  16. #56

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    Thanks guys. I'm having a lot of fun making video's. The world is changing and doing my best to keep up.

  17. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist View Post
    Thanks guys. I'm having a lot of fun making video's. The world is changing and doing my best to keep up.
    Don't tell this to KYratshooter.......just sayin...

    I was watching some of your other videos. Good job. You sure do use big rope for your hammock.
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  18. #58

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    Actually I carry that rope for climbing obsticals I hope will leave others behind. Getting double duty from it means I don't have to carry line for the hammock saving weight. Same with carabeneers and TI-BLOC.

  19. #59
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    First make sure the balls are 100% cotton and not a blend. Then I sort of pull the ball apart some and sort of "stuff" them like a porkchop. And fluffing them some as mentioned above to get fibers sticking up can help. Some Vaseline on the surface is good too.
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  20. #60
    Junior Member Walking Bear's Avatar
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    Mine lit with effort but lit with a ferro rod. I do allow mine to marinate; saturate and sit in a Medicine Bottle so the vaseline has time to soak into the cotton ball; mine are 100% cotton.
    Last edited by Walking Bear; 03-21-2013 at 02:45 PM.

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