How to Start a Fire - Collected Wisdom

[Mdyk]

My go to fire starter is dryer lint. I always save it in Ziploc bags, put some vasoline or lanolin in the bag and squeeze it around a little. Pull off a wad and put under your kindling. It's easy to start with a lighter, striker, match, whatever. Burns well and has worked for me in wet weather.

 

[NW Adventure & Overland]

Many of us know that fire starter cubes, fire paste, pine needles, petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls as well as drier lint can start vamp fires when the weather is not cooperating.
I have also found that in a pinch, a good old car flare will work great to get a fire going, even if its raining. What tips do you all have that can help get someone warm, if its cold and wet?

[EDIT] Merged into existing "Fire" thread

 

[justjames]

Many of us have the 1-2 lb propane bottles with us for stoves and skottles. Get a torch attachment and it will light most anything.

 

[TreXTerra]

That's my solution. Harbor Freight has a cheap propane blow-torch that takes the same propane bottles as my stove. It is just a hose with a handle on it and nothing works better for starting wet tinder and branches.

It's the cheater's best friend.

 

[DividedSky]

Lightning Nuggets and a good 'ol propane torch have never let me down!

 

[Inthewoods]

I use the road flare on rainy days and those fire starter sticks and logs but I carry matches and flint starter too. An ax to chip away the wet wood and get to the dry wood.

 

[Smileyshaun]

I use my sunny personality and warm heart

 

[Road]

I use my sunny personality and warm heart

So you have some chilly nights then, eh?

Best answer.

 

[Cort]

If it can’t be soaked in water and still light I don’t trust it. Ferry rod and a cotton ball mashed with petroleum jelly is my go to. My back up is fat wood and stormproof matches, bic lighter is third.

Almost every commercial product I’ve seen has failed.

I’m going to test cotton facial discs soaked in a 2 to 1 ratio of petroleum jelly and canning wax.

 

[Inthewoods]

I been camping that was so COLD, that bic lighter didn't light jack so its my last choice to. I went to my waterproof matches while my dog just looked at me to hurry up.

 

[Cort]

A note about the dryer lint trick.... it doesn’t work like it used to.

This firestarting trick came about when clothes were all or mostly natural fibers ie cotton, todays clothes are mostly synthetics which melt instead of flame up. Not the best solution.

 

[Dakota Houligans]

Usually we use home made fire starters. The good old wood chips from the chainsaw in a paper egg carton and pour melted wax over it. works pretty good. I've even started fires on ice and snow with them.

Used steel wool and jumper cables once too. I always try to have more the one option to start fires.

 

[4wheelspulling]

I keep some steel wool and always have some extra batteries for my flashlight. Using the batteries touch the steel wool to both the positive and negative ends at the same time, it will light up the steel wool. Steel wool does double duty to clean my camping pots too. As others have already said, a propane torch works as the backup. Benz.

 

[Smileyshaun]

a sharp knife will usually get you all the dry materials you will ever need to start a fire ,shave off the bark and start widdling down till you get to the dry stuff . also you can toss some tinder in the cab in the morning and it should be plenty dried out by the evening fire .

 

[Cort]

Took a survival class this weekend. Rain followed by ice followed by sleet. Pretty much the worst conditions for fire building. I think the key like many others have said is prep. 1 Vaseline coated cotton ball and my ferro rod along with one handful of tinder found on hung up branches, two handfuls of small kindling, then on to larger pieces of wood and it burned like a champ. Once it gets going you keep feeding it and it will dry out the wood then ignite it. Another key is to build a base with dry wood so the wet ground doesn’t suck up all the heat and add moisture to the fire. The huge downed tree and my GI poncho shelter made for a really nice wind break/heat reflector too.

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[Steve]

I renamed this thread from "FIRE" to make it easier for members to find. Thanks for your contributions.