DIY Firestarters - Serious UPGRADE for vaseline cotton balls!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ต.ค. 2022
- Vaseline (petroleum jelly) cotton balls are one of the most popular homemade firelighters... but they're messy and need to be kept in a bag or tin.
Here's the solution!
The best ones that I've ever found: melt some wax in a container and then just keep stuffing cotton balls into it until all of the wax is absorbed. Take them out and let them cool separately. Once the wax is melted, you can do an entire bag of cotton balls in 10 or 15 minutes. You end up with cotton ball sized chunks of wax/cotton that you can split open and fire up. They are completely waterproof and burn for about 15 minutes. Much faster and a lot less messy than the straw method.
Sounds great, thanks for the feedback 😁
@@wildnessoutdoors packet of crisps is the best, irish fire starters we call them in the uk, any flavour light corner of pack and up it goes
I'd be too tempted to eat them lol
Too much work!!!!
Put de cotton balls with petroleum jelly into the zip lock bag and BOOOMMM!!!
that's it!!!!
And cleaning your dryer vent and filter is a good thing besides helping prevent fires the lint is also a great material to throw in also
best thing about these videos is everyone has their own way of making fire in the comments
thanks a mill for the video lad 👌👌
Yeah I'm loving the ideas. Outdoor people are the best! Thanks for watching 😁
A guy by the name of Gene Ward, who is dead now would saturate the cotton ball in the vaseline and wrap it in aluminum foil. Then take his knife and split it open and take some tweezers and pull up on the cotton ball and make a little wick out of it. He would then light it. He said they could burn up to 1 hr. They are actually sold on his website run by his wife and some friends. They say it will burn for 30-60 minutes. I am going to make my own. The straw looked like it worked well also. Thanks for the video.
That's interesting, might have to play around with that idea.
@@wildnessoutdoors I just saw his video a few days ago and have not tried it yet, but I am going to. He was a survival instructor in the Air Force. He traveled a lot and held seminars about survival. He actually walked across the U.S. continent one time.
Yeah I was just looking at his website there. Firestarter Nuggets are what he called them.
That is how I do mine, little squares of aluminum foil. Take your knife, cut an "X" then use the tip of the knife to pull out a little bit. Don't really need a match or lighter. Just throw some sparks from a ferro rod.... Instant fire.
Defo gonna try these!
Nice one!
I'd like to add a warning: burning plastics isn't healthy at all! Don't inhale it!!! For an emergency situation or for prepping: no one cares. It just doesn't matter. But, for having fun in the yard or in the woods, for making these things or for training, you should beware of it.
Stay healthy and have some fun!
Completely agree!
Yes, I was thinking the same thing too, especially as it is used for food...
@@markcocks5295 I have less concerns about food then about breathing... See...
The tinder doesn't burn as long. For cooking you need a hot flame in the first place. This flame will eat your tinder pretty fast. When your fire got big enough to cook, the tinder should be gone.
Imho, the risk is in having your face pretty close to the tinder while starting the fire. That's the moment, you inhale the burning plastics.
PS: on a scd thought for clearification - The tinder is supposed to burn a long time. And it WILL burn for a pretty long time. But, just as long, until you got a hot flame. Then it will burn fast, due to the hot fire all around your tinder.
The whole firelighter is completely incinerated long before any food goes near the fire.
Yh I was thinking the same... all you need and it's quicker is a small jar of Vaseline and a small bag of cotton wool balls, wipe it and then light it.. I would also make my own Vaseline that contains no Petroleum, cos it makes them better for your health...
We used to use sawdust soaked in a little paraffin. Just enough to make a firm paste. Lit easily and burned with a hot flame that resisted the wind quite well.
Never tried this but if it works, it works :) thanks for watching!
This is what I do, in a 1-gallon paint can I melt 1/4 to 1/3-gallon wax then quickly fill and mix in sawdust (avoid PT sawdust) I then roll it out on my Formica shop table to a thickness of about 1/2" then cut it into 1 1/2" squares. They make a nice large flame for a long time, great for starting your BBQ charcoal or any tinder. Hint: to make them light faster, I cut cotton balls in half, dip the end in molten wax and stick it to the side of a sawdust cube, also try to avoid using scented candles you will have to smell that every time you light one, ask me how I know.
That's some badass firelighting capabilities right there 👊
@@wildnessoutdoors Thanks, One other thing I just recalled against using scented candles for this, I had raccoons steal the bag of firestarters thinking they are getting people food, they don,t eat them, just take them to the edge of the wood and tear up the bag.
😯😯 thankfully we've no racoons over here. Foxes can be a pain in the ass though lol
I have been using plastic straws to store many different items for my backpack survival kit for years. Coffee, cream, sugar, salt, spices, spaghetti, rice, matches with striker, dried soups, powdered milk, mashed potato flakes, just to name a few. Take up very little room in the back pack and they are waterproof and float too. Thanks for sharing this video.
Thanks for feedback. Yeah they're a great option, you can just keep thinking of more and more things to keep in them!
that's crazy the amount of time and mess it takes you to fill and seal many up specially if you need a good amount of something, why not just use small food saver bags and vacuum seal what you need
Each to their own 😁
@@ARCSTREAMSindividually waterproof. Medicine bottles work and are resealable.
@@akbychoice what are you on about?
Recently found some of these stored away in a sealable tube in a box of my old things. Made them about 5 years ago. Still worked perfectly
Yeah I stash them everywhere and find them years later lol 😆
Pretty good container for easy packing and damp conditions. However, you're wasting one of the best traits of the cotton ball/Vaseline starter by massaging the jelly fully into the ball. A dry cotton ball will ignite easy with the spark from an empty Bic, but not if the jelly hinders it. Also, if you put jelly in one end of the straw, then press most of the ball into it you will get the best of both. To light, I snip the end off of the dry end, fluff some ball to catch spark, then you're set with almost guaranteed fire in all but the worst conditions.
Yes I know exactly what you mean. It does make it a bit harder to ignite with loads of jelly. I've done something similar to what you suggest by putting a little dry cotton in the middle to catch a spark more readily. I've not found it to be a major issue though. Thanks for comment!
For extended stays in the outdoors, you could actually leave the straw whole, pack it with a chop stick, seal either end then cut and reseal it as you need. Very cool idea. 👍🤝
Yeah true! Thanks for watching!
Watching him I was thinking Chop Sticks.
I sometimes use a slightly longer piece of straw and put cotton wool with Vaseline at one end and just cotton wool at the other end with a match or two and tiny striker in,so you have an all in one mini fire starter.These are great for survival kits or mini pocket tins.
Nice!
As a woman, I always carry tampons and a small jar of Vaseline in my hygiene/first aid kit. Tampons come sealed, but I store them in a zip lock bag for extra water protection. Don’t waste the Vaseline on your trousers, moisturize your hands/face/arms!
good point protecting lips and cheeks is really important in severe weather
Ugh hate vaseline on my face, I'm weird lol thanks for watching 😁
Ironic that you need 🔥 fire to make the Firestarter. Great idea though.
@@billsheehan4244 only spark with ferrorod
Tampons and condoms - Essential parts of many old old school survival tins/kits.
There are better solutions to water carrying and firelighting these days, but the older solutions worked well enough back in the day.
Thanks for the great tip and straw sealing demo. 👍
Also by the way, this comment section is amazing! I read 15 comments and each had their own fire starter recipe, learned a ton. ;) Cheers!
I know right!? Outdoor people are the best people! Thanks for watching 😁
Great video! These old timers in France were stacking tealight candles in a plastic tube and using one of them to start their fires. That and their old zippos and they were good to go for starting a fire. One of them swore by a little jar about 2/3 times the height of the tealight and he could hold twigs over the top to get them lighted. He said it works a dream in wind and rain.
Never question an old timer... voices of experience!!
@@wildnessoutdoors I'm surprised Sir, because I cant think of seeing a bushcrafter on youtube with a candle, but I think it must be a really good idea. Being wax, candles are waterproof. Plus if you get a big fat candle and you only light them long enough to get tinder going (2 mins) they could surely last for 100's of fires?
edit: Just googled it, a large thick candle can last 40-60 hours, a very big one (too big for backpacking probably) can last up to 100 hours! That must make for a LOT of campfires
@DamienNeverwinter I keep a few tealight candles in my kit but never really use them tbh
I use paraffin- dipped cardboard that I get free at the grocery store. It's used to ship some vegetables. Talk to the greengrocer. These boxes are not recycled with regular cardboard because of the paraffin. For easiest lighting, peel up a bit at a corner.
Nice! Thanks for posting 😁
Well done. I like the way you explained the process and showed us. You “Savage” . 😂
Haha thanks, keep it savage lol
Good idea! I make my firestarter out of round cotton pads and soak them in wax. No mess, easy light and burn long and hot.
Yeah that works great too! Thanks for watching 😁
You can also use Q-tips with a little vaseline on them.
great idea! I have also used birchbark (common in northern and central Minnesota) and wooden splints soaked in a mixture of kerosene and wax.
Birch bark is my number one natural resource. Loads of it available in my area 😁
Thanks for watching 👀
I look forward to the reveal of the entire kit. The minimalist kit is well developed and tested, by all appearance. Thus far, I am impressed by the videos and the presentation. Press forward!
Thanks!! I'll get the full kit documented at some stage, I'm still learning the fine art of TH-cam content creation!!
Cotton wool and petrolium jelly are two items I always put in any survival kit along with tea lights. Definitely making some of these for my tinder pouch.
Thanks for watching 🙂 good luck!
FYI, you can use alcohol wipes , very cheap 100 for about $7 , just unfold them and crumple them up , they burn for about 4 minutes and light with just a spark , plus you can use them to clean yourself or gear, pre-made and light&easy
Thanks for the tip 😁
Where do you find alcohol wipes?
@@markm8188 at the drug store , individually wrapped , plus if you have any alcohol based hand cleaner , it’s like gel firestarter , put some on some tinder, poof
I find they do work well but don’t burn that long and can be unreliable as they tend to dry out over time.For that reason I wouldn’t rely on them in a survival kit.
@@kuzinit2374 Alcohol hand gel works great,very similar to Firedraggon fuel gel.
I sometimes use it light my stove at home - just squeeze a bit on the kindling 👍👍
Great idea! I keep cotton balls w/ Vaseline in a Ziplock, but I like to give them a light dusting of magnesium just to be sure they will start and generate some good heat!
I've considered adding some magnesium powder to mine for extra oomph, maybe the next batch lol thanks for watching!!
Where do you obtain that?
I find gunpowder works a treat 💥
I like it. And as you said, the idea of sealing straw pieces can be used for storing other things. 👍
Defo! Thanks for watching 😁
On a tangent,if you blacken cotton wool with charred wood powder it will light using a fresnel lens (you need strong sunlight obviously)
Ooo interesting idea!
THAT is a great method for everything from fire starters to food and coffee. Waterproof, light, and would float if dropped in water. WELL done.
Thanks 😊
Wow, that was incredible. I’ve never seen that before. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment 😀 😊
There’s loads of videos out there 👍
Thank you for sharing this. I will be making a pile of these for storage and usage.
Nice one, thanks for watching!
I seal pre-threaded needles in straws with a mini paperclip (to improvise buttons) and 2 mini safety pins, I have a couple on me at all times. My straws are in color so I add a label on the outside mentioning the color of the nanocord (mini paracord ~a millimetre in diameter).
I have to widen the eye of the needle with a very small flat screwdriver, cheap needles will break if you even try but the ones from fabricville (here in Canada) work fine.
Pre threading needles is a great idea 💡👌
Neat idea
I do a similar thing. Only I use triple antibiotic ointment in place of Patroleum jelly. Makes them multi-purpose. In my mind that's what it's all about.
Excellent idea!
Great idea. I did this over the weekend after watching. I picked up the straws from the gas station
Nice! Thanks for watching 😁 👀
Indeed, the straw idea is a winner.
Thanks for watching 😁
Nice upgrade!
Thanks my dude!!
I just tried this because it looked like fun. However it's very messy. I found out that too much Vaseline on the cotton inhibits you from getting the cotton ball into the straw. Leaving both ends of the straw open when inserting the cotton makes it easier to go in. The ends will not seal if there are any cotton strands left at the end of the tube. It was kind of fun but I'm gonna stick with soaking makeup cleansing pads in Beeswax - it's not messy, they are waterproof and they work great. I used them every morning in Idaho for 5 weeks.
Thanks for feedback, whatever works best for you!
I'd rather get a bit "messy" than freeze to death.
An incredibly good idea!
Thank you!
Wow that's amazing and definitely making. Gained a subscriber today. I will be featuring them on my channel as well and will definitely give you full credit. Awesome idea.
Thanks!! Will check out your channel and subscribe back. To be fair, I doubt I'm the first person to think of this method.
I really like the idea of using the straws to store other things as well; soap, spices, oil, etc. Neat and versatile. Thanks for the upload, cheers!
Yeah loads of uses! Thanks for watching.
That's a great idea!!!!! Well done
Thanks!! 😊
Very nice job on making this. Thanks
Thanks 😊
Thanks for sharing, will definitely be trying this.
Good luck! Thanks for watching 😊
Nice demo on that mate
Thanks mate!
awesome tip. It keeps it nice and dry too
Yup! Thanks 😁
Cool idea! Thanks!
Thanks for watching 😁 👀
learned somewhere along the way, take a plastic ziplock sandwich bag, put a handful of cotton balls in, and enough vaseline to saturate them.... close the bag and mush the vaseline into the cotton balls inside the bag. No annoying mess and you can make enough at one time to last a good while.
Nice! Thanks for watching 😁
I make mine waterproof by using wax instead. Heat up some wax using a double boiler or a woman's hot wax kit, dip the cotton in the wax, set on waxed paper to cool and dry. They also work as fuel to heat water over in a pinch if your stove breaks.
Both methods work great, thanks for watching 😁
I did something very similar. I bought some plain white candles and some cotton rounds at a local dollar tree. Melted up the wax dipped them in and let them cool down on some aluminum foil. Then if I ever need to use it I can just tear it up into little pieces and I have a great little fire starter. And since they are soaked in wax I never have to worry about them getting waterlogged
@Kokopelau - if you don't seal them in, they will melt and make a mess in hot summer conditions, e.g. leaving it in a parked car.
If you burn the tip before dipping it in the wax, starting it with a ferro-rod gets a lot easier.
@ManniH H I carry mine in a ziplock bag and I also carry them in an Altoids tin they've never melted on me, so I don't know, maybe I use a different kind of wax than you do but even candles don't melt in the hot sun as a general rule. I've left them in my car all summer at 105° plus and they haven't melted. You can burn the end but if you do they will get wet, wet cotton won't burn. I just take and break off the wax when I want to start it then I can light it with the fero rod. I also use canning wax or beeswax neither of which generally melt on me. I learned that trick from my grandfather who was born in 1885 and was a beekeeper. He also used beeswax to waterproof all of his bullets around the primer and the seat of the bullet. If you can't find wax a crayon works nicely also.
I also have a one foot section of braided twine in a metal tube that I have dipped in wax as a long fire starter it will burn for hours, it has never melted in the car where I keep my emergency fire kit. That is also coated in canning wax.
@@kokopelau6954 - I indeed use a quite soft wax from "eternity lights", used in graveyards, they already melt in your hand. Beeswax and other harder waxes get really hard and brittle in the cold and don't light well in winter, so I switched to softer wax. I'm still surprised that you never experienced melting, I once carried five firestarters waxed from ordinary candles side-to-side in a plastic bag in my ruck during a sunny fall day and they all were melted together to one solid block at the end of the day. We also had to switch to plastic LED-candle-lights for outdoors, because real wax candles with a LED-light insert always bend and looked crooked alfter a while.
But however, everyone should use what works best for him.
As I said, the charring of the tip has of course to be done before dipping it in wax, so it's waterproof. But igniting charred material is a lot easier - I could never get a fire started with a lens until I first charred the tinder.
nicely done.
Thanks 😊
Fantastic idea! Thank you 👍🏻👍🏻
You're welcome, thanks for watching 😁
Great work on video mate 👍👍
Thanks 😊
Great video hope you do more vids! Like your ideas!
Thanks! Loads more videos planned!
That's pretty simple and genius. I like it and will use the idea!
Thanks for watching and commenting 😊
Thats cool also small pieces of straw like that make really good little fishing floats too.
Thanks for watching 😁
Good info. Keep the vids coming so us campers can review our skills and for people new to camping or prepping.
Will do!
Brilliant Sir. I would love to get one of those lighters.
If you mean the torch lighter, it's a Soto Micro Torch, I did a full video about it 😁 thanks for watching.
Never seen this before. Great tip. Thanks 👍🏼
Thanks 😊
That’s an idea I haven’t seen yet & I’m going to make some of those today! Thank you so much! 🥰Be safe & God bless! 💗✝️💗
Excellent! Thanks for watching 😁
Great idea.
Thanks for the tip
Glad you like it, thanks for watching!
I use Cotton wool vaz balls, but this idea is fantastic to keep one maybe in your wallet or somewhere just in case. Great video, cheers
Thanks 😊 I stash them everywhere lol
Excellent
Corn chips make great firestarter aswell. Also tostitos chips.
👍🎄🇨🇦
I've used Doritos before!!
Someone needed to make a video showing this method and thanks for doing it. All the best in all future endeavors and Happy Holiday Season.
Thanks 😁 You too!!
Great idea mate , thanks 😁👍
Thanks 😊
What a great idea! Thanks
Thanks for watching 😁 👀
I use a 50/50 mixture of Beeswax and 160F melting point microcrystalline wax. I use it as a bullet lubricant and fire starter fuel.It's not very tacky to the touch and can easily be formed and manipulated. It will not render gunpowder inert and is very waterproof. Vaseline is a very low melting point form of microcrystalline wax.
Nice!! Very inventive.
Vasoline is a mixture that contains some microcrystalline wax and heavy mineral oil. Actually a fairly complex naturally formed mix of refining leftovers but basically various grades of those two main compounds.
Great tip - thanks!
Thanks for watching 😁 👀
Loved the appearance of a Leatherman Juice. The best UK legal carry multitool.
Man I cannot believe they discontinued the Juice! Absolute best wee UK legal multitool.
Love this idea!
Thanks 😊
Great idea.
I have a black strat too lol
I’ve made these for years. Still one of my favorite ways to make and store my homemade fire starters.
Definitely agree there 👍 thanks for watching 😁
Clever. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching 👀
Thank you for making this
Hey thank you for watching and commenting!
Greetings from the North coast fella.,great tip......subscribed😉
Cheers. Usually try to get a hike up the North Coast every summer but didn't make it this year unfortunately. Stunning part of the world.
@@wildnessoutdoors Have you hiked Binevenagh Mountain near Limivady, stunning views up there!
Yeah, years ago and I'm long overdue a return! Dunseverick and Whitepark too, totally stunning.
@@wildnessoutdoors camped at dunseverick Harbour last year, the weather was fantastic and so was 🍺....chuckles😀
We camped just up behind Whitepark beach. Waking up to the sound of the sea was just sublime!
Nice work. Fantastic way to waterproof!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks 😁
I like the idea of containing the messy petroleum jelly, have to make some up,,,
Go for it! Thanks for watching :)
well done mate !
Thanks 😁
Love this idea will use
Thanks for watching!
Great idea
Thanks 😊
Thank you for the video, very informative. I learned something new today.
Glad to hear it, thanks!
The straw method has been around for sometime and it is handy and a lot less messy to deal with.
Plastic straws are, or was, I guess they still are, available in different diameters. I even found 1/2” diameter plastic straws. They can be used to create spice kits, pill holders, match holders, fishing kits, ammo, etc. You could even stash or cache cash in those larger straws and keep it moisture proof.
Agreed! Thanks for watching 👀
I use the large diameter milkshake straws to store .22rimfire ammo for my single shot rifle..holds an average of 6 to 9 rounds depending on how long the straw is.
Good idea! Thanks!
Thank you!!
Excellent video Mate 👍👌
Thanks for watching!
That's a winner. Thanks mate.
Thank you!!
My favorite firestarter is a bag of plain Ruffles or Doritos.
I use a few to start the fire, and have a snack.
I, too, am fond of the Ferro Rod.
Especially when it's in a Bic.
I'd only end up eating them all 🤣🤣
@@wildnessoutdoors That's why I do plain. Sour Cream and Chives would never last.
Lmao 🤣 🤣
Superb hack and clear demonstration --- thanks! BTW, where'd you get that lighter?
Thanks 😊 it's a Soto Micro Torch, really good piece of kit, defo recommended 👌
This way is messy but works. I used to fill egg carton sections with dryer lint and used candle wax (melted). Let them harden and then break off each individual section...worked great😃
Yeah definitely a good option, thanks for watching 😁
Brilliant thanks.
Thanks for watching 👀
I do the cotton ball Vaseline and I make up like 3-4 cotton balls and store them in an old prescription bottle. Then I just pull one out when I need it. Lighting them with a ferro rod is good to know too. Cheers.
Nice! Thanks for watching 😁
Hey same here with the pill bottle! You can stuff a whole bunch of them in there. I usually just pack mine until I can't get anymore in it and then I make some more when it's empty or close to.
Diabetic test strip containers work well too. Plus, you can open them one handed if need be.
You may to try rolling the cotton ball like using a rolling pin by running the palm of your hand over it. I made a few of these as per your idea & found making the cotton roll out like sausages was a bit easier. But these are a brilliant idea to add to any fire kit or survival tin. Bloody Brilliant simple ideas like this are the very best. Good On You :)
Thanks for the kind words!! 😊
Great tip, thanks.
Thanks for watching 😁 👀
Awesome, thanks.
Thanks for watching :)
Real good idea.
Thanks 😊
I like this concept somewhat better than putting several in a tin . Do to the fact these are small . You can carry many of them at one time and they're water proof.
My thoughts EXACTLY!!!
I keep them in a tin, in a ziplock...
Good for mini ‘survival’ tins.
Nice tip thank you !
Thanks 😊
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.
Thumbs up ~John
You're welcome 😊 thanks for watching 👀
Thanks PJ....
Cheers Captain!
Excellent Buddy. many ways to skin a cat so to speak. I have been packing as many as I can into a plastic 35 mm film canister, which are always free from any camera shop. And they are about as waterproof as you can get. I really do like these being individually packaged as you have done. Next time at the Dollar Store, I will have to see if I can find some larger drinking straws as you have. During a down pour, it is always possible but more difficult to find dry fire starter material. And I have always liked the fact, as you mentioned, that these can have a rather long burn time.
Yes I agree there's usually something dry in a downpour if you look hard enough, and feathersticks are always an option. But having a reliable waterproof option is always wise. Thanks for feedback.
I use cotton flat rounds, dipped in wax, stuck to birch bark round, with Vaseline sticking all together. Being disabled had time to make a dozen. Use fat wood mini sticks over fire.
Nice!
Realmente a melhor opção 🇧🇷👍
Obrigado 😁
Best that I've ever seen! Cheers.
Thanks for kind words!!!
I found the best straws are "milk shake" straws for making these waterproof firestarters.
I get mine from eBay or Amazon 😁
Nice. I'm totally stealing this 🌞
Haha go for it!
What a great idea. Defo gonna give it go
Excellent! Thanks 😊
Nice I will thank you
👌👍