Fire starter

**rebel** · 08-09-2010, 07:48 AM

I found this product at the grocery store. I haven't tried it out yet. http://gratechef.com/grilling-accessories/fire-starters

**tacmedic** · 08-09-2010, 10:11 AM

I use them for lighting my bbq. They work great, and you don't get that petrol taste from all the lighter fluid. I have thought about adding some to my survival gear. They are small, don't weigh much, and catch fire easily.

**your_comforting_company** · 08-10-2010, 05:49 AM

I just wonder what industrial processes are required to make this stuff. How much pollution does the manufacture create.

I'm sticking with fatlighterd heart pine. It doesn't leave a petrol taste either, and the good lord made it for us without polluting our streams and lakes. Doesn't take much to light a fire unless you are like my dad and think you start a fire with 6" dia. logs...
just my 2¢

**rebel** · 08-10-2010, 09:02 PM

Sorry 'bout all that YCC.

I tried one of these packs for starting charcoal and ended up using some fluid. It started easily and lasted for about 10 minutes. I think it would help with starting wet wood. I like the size. It's about the size of a tea bag. It would be a nice addition to a Survival kit in that it packs small. It cost $3.xx for six bags.

**your_comforting_company** · 08-10-2010, 10:23 PM

I'll let it slide this time

**Calex1976** · 09-19-2010, 12:15 AM

My son had a project to do on recycling a while back, so we made fire starters. All we used was old candles, fat lighter shavings(from chain sawing some pine), and lent from my drier. All you need just melt the wax in a double boiler, add the lent and shavings, then pour it on a paper plate. it should be about a 1/4 inch thick or so. Just let it dry then break it into what ever size you want. It burns well and is basically free to make. Use a old pot for melting the wax because it will not be usable unless cleaned very well. I would imagine old bars of soap would also work as a wax substitute. It works well and also gets kids interested in being self reliant. Best of all it did not come from Wally World.

**Rick** · 09-19-2010, 07:42 AM

There are several threads on making your own fire starters.

**Calex1976** · 09-19-2010, 10:52 AM

Sorry, I am still new and have not got a chance to look around too much.

**pgvoutdoors** · 09-19-2010, 02:21 PM

I bought something like that three years ago from Walmart, but they degraded after two years. It must have been the packaging.

It work good as a fire starter but I never tried them with charcoal.

**crashdive123** · 09-19-2010, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Calex1976

Sorry, I am still new and have not got a chance to look around too much.

No worries. We often talk about things more than once. We often talk about things more than once.

**rwc1969** · 09-19-2010, 10:27 PM

I think it's a good idea to have several fire starters, but feel that natural tinders like fatwood and Birch bark work best especially in wet conditions.

They both light with a few sparks, resist moisture and can be easily gathered, or purchased, after a pouring down rainfall and used almost immediately with little or no processing. Although, they do give off lots of black soot which I can't imagine is good for your health or food.

My only exception to this is charcloth. It works as good or better than the best piece of Chaga, but neither work reliably in wet weather. Chaga burns much longer though.

**your_comforting_company** · 09-20-2010, 05:30 AM

For me, there is no substitute, and nothing better than fatlighter. A 1" x 1" x 3" long piece will start about 4 or 5 fires. Once the fatlighter is burned up and you have a bed of coals, there is no more danger of "black soot" getting on the food.

I only cook with wood. I quit using charcoal years ago and haven't bought a bag since. I start a fire the same way every time.. a few splinters of fatlighter and some twigs, no matter how wet, add larger twigs, and larger, and larger, till you have worked up to sustainable log size. I can't stand the taste of lighter fluid and won't even eat food that has been cooked with it.. sorry.. something about eating petroleum rubs me the wrong way.

Getting the fatlighter lit is the easy part. Ferro-rod, bic-lighter, and friction fire. Still not sure why we would "substitute" something so abundant and clean, for something that has been manufactured, through countless processes, using countless resources and creating countless pollutants, to do something that is equivalent to a natural item. Why put extra work into making a "lighter candle"?

Maybe I just don't understand the logic. Sorry If I'm speaking out of place.. I'm lazy and if there's an easier way to do something, that's what I like to do. I carry thistle fluff for catching sparks, which will flame up, and catch my fatlighter, which will sustain hot fire long enough to ignite the wettest of tinder.

dangit.. I tried not to get on my soapbox, but I did anyway.. sorry.

**hunter63** · 09-20-2010, 09:02 AM

Ycc, got to agree with you, material found materials make a lot of sense, then having to buy something.
I'm a big fan of fat wood as well, one of the "watch for" items while out and about.

That being said, it's still good to know about other methods, materials, tools, kinda of a mental collection:
How many ways do I know, to make fire?
And importantly:
How many ways have been successful?

Work on both.

**campnut** · 11-21-2010, 06:37 PM

All I use is wax, cardboard egg carton and drier lint

**Wise Old Owl** · 11-21-2010, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Calex1976

My son had a project to do on recycling a while back, so we made fire starters. All we used was old candles, fat lighter shavings(from chain sawing some pine), and lent from my drier. All you need just melt the wax in a double boiler, add the lent and shavings, then pour it on a paper plate. it should be about a 1/4 inch thick or so. Just let it dry then break it into what ever size you want. It burns well and is basically free to make. Use a old pot for melting the wax because it will not be usable unless cleaned very well. I would imagine old bars of soap would also work as a wax substitute. It works well and also gets kids interested in being self reliant. Best of all it did not come from Wally World.

You don't need dryer lint and some of the lint is polyester.

Use a non stick pot and it cleans up well.
Shavings of kiln dried pine works best.
poor into paper egg cartons and the break up is easier.

**Batch** · 11-21-2010, 09:27 PM

Petroleum is as natural as turpentine. I'll use either to start a fire. I'll burn both off before I cook on the fire. If pine is all I have to cook then I cook in only coals.

I use a chimney for charcoal only so that I can add charcoal without any lighter fluid flavor. My grill also had a propane coal igniter when cooking at home.

**almostbarefoot** · 11-22-2010, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Batch

I use a chimney for charcoal only so that I can add charcoal without any lighter fluid flavor.

I'm with you on that one. I also use a combination of natural lump charcoal and wood. As for starting fires I prefer charcloth to catch a spark and leaves, dry grasses and such to build up to lighting kindling.

**Rick** · 11-22-2010, 02:39 PM

Not are charcoal are those briquette thingies. You can buy actual wood chunk charcoal. I think it's far better than the Lunsford's type stuff. And you don't have to use lighter fluid. I think the worse thing ever invented was charcoal that contains lighter fluid. That stuff is the pits.

**almostbarefoot** · 11-22-2010, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Not are charcoal are those briquette thingies. You can buy actual wood chunk charcoal. I think it's far better than the Lunsford's type stuff. And you don't have to use lighter fluid. I think the worse thing ever invented was charcoal that contains lighter fluid. That stuff is the pits.

The natural lump also burns hotter and imbues a bit of smokey goodness to whatever you're grilling!