Easy fire starters

[Big B]

No matches or lighter.
Several years ago I was taught to keep some extra fine steel wool in the bottom of my flashlight under the spring. When you need to start a fire just stretch out some steel wool and touch it to the positive and negative ends of the battery and presto the steel wool will start burning. Be sure to have something ready to put on the steel wool it can burn fast.

Pine knot.
When a pine tree dies the core of the tree retains the oils. The outside layers will just fall off a tree that has been dead for a while. The pine knot is hard and usually has a few knots on it. A few small pieces of this and you are good to go.

Pine pitch
The pine pitch or sap has the same oils in it as the knot. Find a place on the tree that is leaking that sticky smelly stuff. Roll it into little balls and light.

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Can and fuel
You can use a can with some dirt in it and pour in a little coleman fuel or some other type of fuel. Just enough to moisten the dirt. A little bit goes a long way. Put your can in the fire ring and get your kindling ready.

Fritos.
Fritos and other types of chips will get a fire started but are not the easiest thing to light.

Water proofing matches.
There are many ways to water proof a match. I start out with strike anywhere matches. I will coat some with a thin layer of wax. The other thing I use is clear fingernail polish. Just coat the tip with either one of these. I use the wax in the winter because it will melt in the heat of summer.

[Big B]

Newspaper log.
First thing you need is newspaper. Roll the paper up as tight as you can and as big as you want. Now put some rubber bands on the paper to hold it together. Now wet the paper really well. set it in the sun and let dry. Remove the rubber bands and you have a newspaper log.

TP roll.
Take a used toilet paper or paper towel roll and stuff it full of paper as tight as you can without busting the roll. Put them in a ziplock bag and use as needed. I was told that you can coat the paper and roll in wax but thats too much work for me.:smile2:

[Bayoubear]

easy fire starters we use around here are to take old pine cones and tie about a six inch string to it then dunk it in melted wax. great use for old candle stubs. work well in the fireplace as well as getting the big BBQ smoker pit going.

[jtrew]

Waterproofing matches is simply a way to keep them dry. A waterproof match safe will accomplish the same thing. Instead of buying one, make one out of one 12-gauge and one 20-gauge shell. Cut off the crimp end, and the smaller shell will slide tightly inside the larger, creating a watertight container that's great for matches.

[SubnetZero]

Another fire starter, Take sawdust and put in coffee can. Soak it in Kerosene.
You can keep it in the can or zip lock bag.. Put a little under you kindling and your good to go. You can make a fire anywhere with it...

[coalminer78]

I like to use dryer lint works good for me

[River Outlaw]

All great ideas I've read & most I've used. Here is just 1 more using items from around the house.

1. Take a piece of aluminum foil approx. a couple/3 in. sq.
2. 1 cotton ball
3. petroleum jelly

All ya do is coat the cotton ball w/ the petroleum jelly, and fold it up in the foil. The foil keeps things dry on wet ground. When ya unfold the foil to use the sides can be used as a wind break. It will usually hold an open flame for 45 min. to an hour depending on how much jelly ya use. This can be lit w/ flint & steel or spark box and such. My Zippo does the trick for me. I usually make up 8-10 & put em in a zip bag.

I think I covered it all, if not feel free to ask.

[Scott Daw]

I remember a trick I learned as a boy that I had to use once after high school. Wild grape vine bark. Its the first wood to dry & makes good kindling. We couldnt get a fire started for the life of us and almost had to leave for town to get something to burn to start a fire when I remembered it on the last match.

[Katmandeux]

All of these fire starters are fine, and I'm as guilty of using them as anyone, but....

I've taught all of my buddies' children how to build a fire with one match, and whatever kindling they can find. It's a skill worth cultivating.

Now, if I could just learn how to do it with a stick and a string...:embarassed:

[River Outlaw]

Interesting fire starting tips here

http://wildwoodsurvival.com/index.html