Firestarter: replace Vaseline with Neosporin on your cotton balls. Both burn

[Gwoodak]

That's it.

 

[gmajor]

Intuition tells me vaseline (petroleum jelly) would be cheaper than neosporin, no?

 

[colonel00]

Well, I carry a straw or a few with Neosporin in it. Look up the handy uses for straws if you need to. Anyway, I have several of these little "packets" at the ready for both cuts and fire starting. I just don't pre-mix with the cotton. This also leaves the cotton balls for other uses too.

 

[Shrek]

Even better , replace with trioxane tabs. A third of a tablet is the bomb for fire starting.

 

[hntnnut]

How do you seal the ends of the straws? Also does anyone use carbide as a fire starter?

Richard

 

[colonel00]

Warm the end of the straw with a lighter and then just press together with pliers or whatever.

 

[rayporter]

i have started a lot of fires with a carbide light but i would not carry carbide to start a fire as routine. carbide has some negatives. while it is not dangerous you can get a burn if it gets wet. also it will not last forever even in a sealed container. it goes to dust in a couple of years. it would last for a few weeks and a few rocks do put out enough flame to start a fire. spit on it or get a few drops of water on it and it will light. barely. it will go out in a minute or two at the most. it is not wind resistant either. too much water and it will only burn a few seconds.

i still have dads and grandpas carbide lights. and they work.

carbide is expensive and hard to find now.

trioxane is the bomb. esbit is good too.


cotton balls are a distant fourth place if you need a fire.

 

[squeekieslayer]

call me lazy... I use "wetfire" tabs and they are crazy easy

Joe

 

[Rizzy]

Pine pitch...it's already there

 

[poisonarrow]

Soak your cotton balls in vegetable oil. It burns longer than vaseline. It burns with an even heat the whole time. You have to pull the cotton ball apart a little more to get it to light on the first strike with your flint.

 

[AXEL]

What brand names does one find trioxane under? I have heard about it for years, but, never tried any and have used other methods.

Soaked cotton balls are fine, but, a bit messy and dry tabs seem a better mousetrap.

 

[mtswampfox]

What brand names does one find trioxane under? I have heard about it for years, but, never tried any and have used other methods.

Soaked cotton balls are fine, but, a bit messy and dry tabs seem a better mousetrap.

Find under trioxane on ebay. Civilian and military versions

 

[Shrek]

Pick it up in person at most Army Navy stores. It comes in plain natural brown boxes and the tabs are in dark green sealed foil wrappers inside. Depending on the dryness of the fuel you are trying to light a third to a sixth of a tab is all you need to start a fire in just about any condition.

 

[gelton]

Since this is in the lightweight section I'll chime in cuz I used to use Vaseline soaked cotton balls but found that they can get pretty heavy once the Vaseline dries ( I melt the Vaseline and poured it on the cotton balls.)

I found the brand "wet fire" and they are WAY lighter than a Vaseline soaked cotton ball and do just as good if not better than Vaseline soaked cotton balls. Not sure what the active ingredient is but they flat out work and will cut weight as well.

 

[Jackelope]

Are vaseline soaked cotton balls really too heavy?

 

[greyghostnw]

Are vaseline soaked cotton balls really too heavy?

this^?

 

[gelton]

Didn't say too heavy I said heavier. Note: lightweight section.

 

[hooker]

Soak your cotton balls in vegetable oil. It burns longer than vaseline. It burns with an even heat the whole time. You have to pull the cotton ball apart a little more to get it to light on the first strike with your flint.

Interesting.. Thanks

 

[BCBowtech]

I take the lil tea lite candles once they are completely used... pack the silver cup with dryer lint soaked in vaseline and then put a layer of wax overtop just to seal it.. Throw 4-5 of em in a ziploc and they work as awesome fire starter pucks..

 

[16Bore]

I like the idea of neosporin as a 2 for 1 deal. The "price and weight" is a joke at best, when schlepping almost 2k worth of rifle and wearing $300 boots.