How to Start a Fire - Collected Wisdom

[Winterpeg]

^ Not worried about attracting critters with the smell of bacon? For instance I know it can attract Canadians almost as effectively as beer, lol.

 

[Fatsquatch]

^ Not worried about attracting critters with the smell of bacon? For instance I know it can attract Canadians almost as effectively as beer, lol.

Well, it does tend to attract fat people (I oughtta know) but so far no Canadians, though we did catch ourselves an Australian over the weekend. Man, them Aussies have powerful appetites. Like they got tapeworm or somethin'. :D

We don't live in an area where giant furry murderous critters are a concern so it's fine for now. I do suppose when we venture into bear country we'll need to use other means like platroleum jelly or something.

 

[Billy "Poserlander" Badly]

Anyone have experience w/ the Snow Peak Firepit? It's expensive (especially when you start adding accessories) but it seems like a cool option for reducing fire impact...

 

[Rogue Beardsman]

I save up all my dryer lint and then cover chunks in Vaseline. Then i pack a few in a ziplock. Easy fire starters. I also keep a firesteel, bics, waterproof matches and other strikers.

One time i started a fire with a bottle of water just because i read about it. It was not a quick or easy way to go about it.

 

[WJ - Firefly]

I save up all my dryer lint and then cover chunks in Vaseline. Then i pack a few in a ziplock. Easy fire starters. I also keep a firesteel, bics, waterproof matches and other strikers.

One time i started a fire with a bottle of water just because i read about it. It was not a quick or easy way to go about it.

I remember watching a fellow scout scramble an egg on a paper bag over the fire coals, during Order of the Arrow. That was pretty cool.

 

[Kelly]

5 Gallons of gas and a road flare.
Done! ;-)

 

[IronPercheron]

Recent discovery

Clean burn heater

Soak roll of toilet paper in rubbing alcohol and place in steel coffee can.

Add 1 more bottle of alcohol and carefully ignite.

Burns clean for approx 1 hrs before scent and smoke become notable.

Old man told me he uses it in his deer stand. When his buddy heater quits.

 

[RaggedViking]

I have redundant sources of fire available, but don't always have all in the vehicle with me. These have been accumulated ideas from years of backpacking, car camping, hiking, etc.

steel wool and a 9-volt battery
dryer lint in old medicine bottle
vaseline soaked cotton balls
Crisco soaked cotton patches (from my blackpowder days)
waterproof matches in a waterproof case
Bic lighters and CountryComm mini lighters
BlastMatch fire starter
Esbit solid fuel tabs and pocket stove
Jetboil stove
MSR WhisperLite stove
Coleman stove

I have a basket of empty toilet paper rolls by our clothes dryer and I fill them up while I'm down there doing laundry.
Our fires smell like the Snuggle bear...
I usually store them in a paper bag inside a dry bag.

And I never go anywhere without my JetBoil...
I used to use it at work to heat up soup for lunch.. The initial "boom" when you light it up always got people to pop up out of their cubicles.

I've yet to try these bad mamma-jammas out but they look pretty insane: http://ucogear.com/sweetfire.html
In person they're a lot bigger and denser than what translates in picture.

 

[RaggedViking]

5 Gallons of gas and a road flare.
Done! ;-)

That's what I'm talking about!!!!!!
Title this: "How to start a fire in a downpour."

 

[Winterpeg]

^ Also works in a pinch when it's -40 and you have sub-par wood and time is running out....

 

[Kelly]

Recent discovery

Clean burn heater

Soak roll of toilet paper in rubbing alcohol and place in steel coffee can.

Add 1 more bottle of alcohol and carefully ignite.

Burns clean for approx 1 hrs before scent and smoke become notable.

Old man told me he uses it in his deer stand. When his buddy heater quits.

What's the total burn time? It seems like a lot of space, for an hour or two of heat. Also, any concern about containing flammable fumes with a plastic coffee can lid? Could changes in altitude, or temperature, pop the seal?

 

[Kelly]

For emergency heat/light, I've become a big fan of devotional candles...

Yes, they're glass, but it's really tough glass. You can get 7 (tape them together and they won't tip over) in the space of a coffee can. They're $.99 each. Burn time: 80 hours!

 

[IronPercheron]

What's the total burn time? It seems like a lot of space, for an hour or two of heat. Also, any concern about containing flammable fumes with a plastic coffee can lid? Could changes in altitude, or temperature, pop the seal?

He doesn'take an attempt to re use. Burn it, dump it, save the can

 

[Kelly]

He doesn'take an attempt to re use. Burn it, dump it, save the can

Copy that. It sounded like "Soak roll of toilet paper in rubbing alcohol and place in steel coffee can" meant he was doing that at hone before the trip. If you "Add 1 more bottle of alcohol and carefully ignite", not sure why you would bother soaking the toilet paper in the first place.

 

[Lassen]

Problem with that pic is each log is going to roll a different direction than the one below it, and drive the one above in the same direction as the one below it. This greatly increases the chances of the whole shebang coming down in one pile and ruining the engineer's day.

I was a machinist. My job was to point out to the engineers what could and couldn't be done and why.

I've seen that video, works pretty well. Seems more like the logs kind of slide more than roll, though. It's a clever idea.

 

[Captain Josh]

Or throw some Doritos in the pit. Swear by it...

I do keep a small snack bag of those in my rig...

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

What is your favorite gear? tips and tricks?

Of course you can use a trangia/spirit stove, propane whatever..... lol

Im talkin "we are up shite creek without a paddle its cold as balls out here for the love of christ we need a fire"... fire.

I ALWAYS have a but load of bucket load of bic lighters stuck EVERYWHERE for this purpose... and in each ziploc wit the bic is a lil tiny unscented flat candle, i call em biscuit candles. Wicked easy way to get things going.

I recently started using flat round cotton facial wipes (like a cotton ball but flat - 2 inches around and 1/8 inch thick) i use them to soak up bacon grease while the pan is still HOT after cooking... pull bacon out, toss pads in... stir around till they are soaked, pull em out n let em cool, then vaccuum bag em and you got yourself one mean fire starter lol AND it smells like bacon!, burns good in wet materials conditions and dont take up alot of space.

Best part

This idea was shared with me! I read it somewhere that i cant for the life of me remember... may even be here on OB... whoever it was... he changed camping life for this Texan forever. I am grateful. I think he said "you may be lost, cold, and alone but you can smell bacon."

My wife and i tried it and loved it. The poncho tent was like a slice of home when we could smell bacon in the cold n wet it really lightened the mood :-)

Lets hear what ya got folks!



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One more we can


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[Rubiconcruiser]

One more we can


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Let's take a walk here. Bacon grease great idea. This too can be added to my go bag. In line of campfires and beers. Toilet paper rolls ( Empty) filled with dryer lint also serve well as a fire starter. Let's get out there


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[Winterpeg]

We use the cardboard/paper type egg cartons, fill each cavity with dryer lint, and then coat it all with candle wax. We then break off a section for each fire.

 

[Kelly]

100% Burn. No wasted wood. Working on v.2 with Hog Wire for more stability...