Making cotton tinder

[eou_edu]

Hello survival forum. I just joined today and this is my first post. I would call myself a newbie to this forum but an intermediate to survival stuff. Currently I'm looking into tinder.............I realize this is a can of worms and my search function does in fact work but I'm looking for a special kind of tinder I was unable to find from searching. Currently I use either Wet Fire®, or cotton balls soaked in neosporin or my prescription poison oak medication (basically 95% petroleum jelly with a little bit of medicine added). Now I'm looking to add to that as a backup fire tinder. I would like to use cotton treated with a flammable chemical. Something that has a very long shelf life where the flammability won't wear off, can float around in my kit without making a mess, waterproof, and flexible. Almost like a T shirt I could wear but I have no plans to actually wear it. Vasoline is disqualified because of the mess it would make. Paraffin, or fuse cord is out because it would make it too stiff. Hairspray works exceptionally well for the first 5 minutes it treated then wears off after that. I was thinking of possibly using a waterproofing agent you used to treat canvas? Or doing the homemade stuff with beeswax, lineseed oil, and turpentine. Anybody have any experience with any of those or any other ideas? Possibly a good napalm recipe? BTW I will be using a Ferrocerium rod/striker to start it. Thanks in advance and here's to learning as much as I can on here and contributing where I can as well.

[welderguy]

Try this http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Alternative+lon...g+tinder+ideas

[eou_edu]

Thanks for the link but I should clarify first. I am only looking for something to treat cotton with and no other kind of tinder. Google has failed me thus far so I thought I'd check here for some other methods people are keeping to themselves.

[RangerXanatos]

I don't know if you'll find anything like that. I think most stuff would be messy or dry out relatively quickly and me useless. Only thing I can think of that may fit the bill is charred cloth without the tin. I saw a youtube video of it done with a stick next to a fire by a historic reenactor of the more stricter traditional kind. You can char the end of a piece of cotton that will catch a spark and on the other end, not quite charred but will blow into flame.

[crashdive123]

Petroleum jelly works fine. Watch this video to see how to individually wrap them. They'll keep for as long as you want.

[Sarge47]

How about a nice intro 1st? You can go here:

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...r-Introduction

I like some info on folks before I start telling them how to set fires.......

[eou_edu]

Sorry about that, didn't know about the intro but just posted there.

The Petroleum Jelly does work very well........I actually use Neosporin or my poison oak medication (still trying to decide which one of those has a better second use) which is basically just Petro Jelly. I've tested them side by side and all three do the same exact thing. It works fine but for my second fire starter I'm looking for something less messy than that. I don't mean to make this sound like a riddle but it would take too long to describe exactly my intended use. So just think something that can treat cotton, dry, and you could basically wear it with no problems at all.

[intothenew]

.............but it would take too long to describe exactly my intended use...........

I've got your answer, but it'll just take too long to post.

[pete lynch]

If you are a firefighter you must know someone that could tell you what you want to know. Arson investigator or fire marshal or your local chief or captain.

I don't mean to make this sound like a riddle but it would take too long to describe exactly my intended use.

You only raise suspicion when you make those kind of statements. This is a wilderness survival forum (mostly) and the only purposes for starting a fire to survive in the wilderness( that I can think of off the top of my head) would be for:
warmth
cooking
signaling
drying wet clothing
warding off critters at night

[kyratshooter]

Here's a trick from the reenactment world.

Go to Lowes or Home Depot or any garden supply center and get a bottle of "stump remover". That stuff is about 90% salt peter, the oxygenating componant of gunpowder.

Make a solution of as much stump remover as will disolve in a volume of water, then soak the cotton material in that. It does not have to be a tee shirt, which is actually part polyester. Pure cotton rope will work, as will an old fasioned "kerosene lamp wick".

Soak the material and allow it to dry. It will be oderless and still flexable.

It will also catch a spark and smoulder as a coal until you force it to go out. This was what shooters used on their matchlock cords and their fire tinder from about 1200 ad until just before the American Civil War when modern matches were invented.

I keep a piece of the treated lamp wicking in my gear. I keep s piece of sisal rope treated this way in my reenactment kit.

I have seen rope fibers treated in this way almost explode when used with an ald fasioned flint and steel. Use of tinder treated in this way is illigal for competition in the "mountain man world". I am sure it would be fantastic with a ferro rod.

[Sarge47]

Nice intro, thanks. Now we need more details. 1st, is what you're planning illegal? 2nd, are you wanting this for an SK, BOB, or backpack? 3rd, why so close-mouthed on your intent? We got nothing but time here to chat so speak up! (I swear, one of these days I'm gonna move out of my Mommie's basement and get a life.)........

[Sarge47]

Here's a trick from the reenactment world.

Go to Lowes or Home Depot or any garden supply center and get a bottle of "stump remover". That stuff is about 90% salt peter, the oxygenating componant of gunpowder.

Make a solution of as much stump remover as will disolve in a volume of water, then soak the cotton material in that. It does not have to be a tee shirt, which is actually part polyester. Pure cotton rope will work, as will an old fasioned "kerosene lamp wick".

Soak the material and allow it to dry. It will be oderless and still flexable.

It will also catch a spark and smoulder as a coal until you force it to go out. This was what shooters used on their matchlock cords and their fire tinder from about 1200 ad until just before the American Civil War when modern matches were invented.

I keep a piece of the treated lamp wicking in my gear. I keep s piece of sisal rope treated this way in my reenactment kit.

I have seen rope fibers treated in this way almost explode when used with an ald fasioned flint and steel. Use of tinder treated in this way is illigal for competition in the "mountain man world". I am sure it would be fantastic with a ferro rod.

Thanks Kyrat...I'm going to check that out myself!....

[eou_edu]

Here's a trick from the reenactment world.

Go to Lowes or Home Depot or any garden supply center and get a bottle of "stump remover". That stuff is about 90% salt peter, the oxygenating componant of gunpowder.

Make a solution of as much stump remover as will disolve in a volume of water, then soak the cotton material in that. It does not have to be a tee shirt, which is actually part polyester. Pure cotton rope will work, as will an old fasioned "kerosene lamp wick".

Soak the material and allow it to dry. It will be oderless and still flexable.

It will also catch a spark and smoulder as a coal until you force it to go out. This was what shooters used on their matchlock cords and their fire tinder from about 1200 ad until just before the American Civil War when modern matches were invented.

I keep a piece of the treated lamp wicking in my gear. I keep s piece of sisal rope treated this way in my reenactment kit.

I have seen rope fibers treated in this way almost explode when used with an ald fasioned flint and steel. Use of tinder treated in this way is illigal for competition in the "mountain man world". I am sure it would be fantastic with a ferro rod.

Thanks for this tip! I will get right on that. I was aware of salt peter but didn't think it would work because it would make the fibers stiff. I'm glad I got the opinion of someone that has used it before. So I will check into that today. For those not aware salt peter it also has the benefit of being able to burn without getting oxygen from the surrounding air, as the oxygen is in the fuel. Not sure of all the benefits of survival application but I'm sure you could start a pyramid fire without airflow and airspace being totally crucial, at least right at first............I'm sorry for all the closed mouth, hush, hush type stuff. I'm actually trying to patent a survival tool that is related to this. As I made the mistake once before of talking about a patent before i've actually patented it. If I post about it somewhere online it basically becomes worth nothing. When i have a patent product I will have no problem talking about it, come back here and hopefully all judge it, tear it apart, tell me you hate it, whatever. Thanks for all the help.

Definitely not illegal, just a fire starting method for a survival kit. The basics of it are a wilderness survival tool, fire starter, with another use. Most things in my survival kit have more than one use. It will be floating around in a backpack, coming in contact with several other things in the kit. It will also need to remain flexible. The salt peter idea seems like a great lead and I'm going to try that out today. Thank you again.

[hunter63]

Don't forget where you heard the tip, and I'm sure residuals would be appreciated.......
Good luck.

[eou_edu]

I always try to make things right somehow. Tracking down everybody that gave some advice on the subject would be impossible but doing something to help the community cause would be an appropriate action..........But despite what some people think about patents, 99% of them do nothing but loose money. It's a tough game to play but I love it. It makes the lottery look like a sound investment. Either way you will hear from me again.

[hunter63]

Just giving you a bad time......
Inventions are quite a maze, I agree.

Going thru an uncles estate, found paper work concerning several patents he had recieved for a heated hand grip for firearms, bow and fishing rods....but it seemed he sold it for a few bucks to a company that either sold or manufactured the products....and he was supposed to get like 1/10 of the royalities....if they ever made them excatly like his patent....
No money.....So like I said.
Good luck.

[JPGreco]

Just some advice, if you have stuff randomly floating around your pack and randomly coming into contact with unintended items, your pack is packed incorrectly.

[kyratshooter]

Just some advice, if you have stuff randomly floating around your pack and randomly coming into contact with unintended items, your pack is packed incorrectly.

Guess I have been doing it WRONG for several decades then.

Pack disorganization is an imminately survivable situation but if I am now grounded for "messy pack" how long do I remaon home from the woods?

[Sarge47]

I always try to make things right somehow. Tracking down everybody that gave some advice on the subject would be impossible but doing something to help the community cause would be an appropriate action..........But despite what some people think about patents, 99% of them do nothing but loose money. It's a tough game to play but I love it. It makes the lottery look like a sound investment. Either way you will hear from me again.

Trying to patant and then market something of a combustible nature will more than likely involve the federal government...just sayin'............

[JPGreco]

Guess I have been doing it WRONG for several decades then.

Pack disorganization is an imminately survivable situation but if I am now grounded for "messy pack" how long do I remaon home from the woods?

I just find it odd that for long trips, you wouldn't pack with some thought. Or maybe its just something from scouts burned into my brain. Largest heavy items packed center. Clothing would be packed around that. Items that you need to get to would be in side pouches, etc etc. I'm not saying things won't touch each other, but I would have a pretty good idea of what was coming in contact with what.

But yes, you're grounded, now go sit in the corner and face the wall until you're ready to play nicely.