Make Your Own Incredibly Easy and Fun Camping Fire Starter 

All right very nice video Pete and at the end of the video whether you realize it or not you kind of pull all the different ideas and concerns together. People that made me feel they don't have the time or they're not that interested in making homemade fire starters can just go to the store and buy those packages of commercial Fire starters. Now you're single desk lasted 8 minutes which is really long enough to get fine Tinder started. If we're thinking about saving money or making the fire starters last for an Extended Stay in the woods then it makes sense to make a single layer and maybe even cut it in half and start with half and then if you need more you can always throw in another one. The fire starters that lasted 15 minutes or more would be a waste to use if you have good tender and dry wood. Of course if you are going camping or you were packing a kit for survival you could have different ones so you can have some that lasts just a few minutes and then maybe have a couple more for situations where maybe there's limited Tinder or it has rained and most of the wood is wet. So I would buy some commercially made stuff but I like the idea of being able to make your own so that you can decide if you want a little fire starter that lasts just three to five minutes or you want one that last more than 10 minutes and if it gets hot enough you could actually make some fire starters to boil a small cup of water or to heat up a can of soup. You've got a lot of flexibility if you make a few of your own

I added some of the wax from toilet bowl seals because it’s sticky, maybe 1 ring to 3 lbs of paraffin wax. Several different wick materials, 3/8” twisted cotton rope, 3/8” jute rope, cotton makeup rounds and round cotton dental plugs.

I like the diy fire starters too. We used to do the Vaseline and cotton balls with them. Easy, safer, and less messy than the wax method.

Thanks for sharing this information and DIY project. I have actually done something similar years ago with cardboard egg cartons and various items, like dryer lint, pine needles, pencil shavings from a crank pencil sharpener and even pieces of pine cones. Heated up wax and covered all that. I did several test burns to see what was the longest burning fire starter. I am glad I stumbled onto your video here, even if it is 2 yrs old, because I have a whole bag of those makeup remover pads that I was going to also make into fire starters. I see for a longer burn instead of one, use 3 or 4 at a time. I, like you, like DIY projects. I even made a candle mold with 100% pure silicone and corn starch so I can make candles for my UCO candle. My wife likes to melt those scent square wax cubes, and instead of letting her throw those away when it has lost the scent, I save them so I always have some wax. Again, great video, thanks for sharing and I sub'd to the channel and will be checking out more of your videos. Juddie

Very much enjoyed your video. When making the cotton disk fire starters, the addition of citronella oil, paraffin oil, and the like, will aid in the starting of the cotton disk. As your demonstration shows, oils may cause the medium to burnup faster, always tradeoffs. You mentioned the use of a lighter over a ferro rod, I agree. However, cold weather is the downside to the lighter. Cigarette lighters use Butane which has a boiling point of -2 degrees Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit). It is the reason butane gas cylinders might not work as effectively in colder weather as low temperatures make it difficult to produce gas vapor. Whereas Propane has a boiling temperature of -42.04 Celsius (-43.672 Fahrenheit), thus using propane for fuel better than Butane. My suggestion to campers and Bushcraft folks, also bring a ferro rod and matches.

Amazing the thick pad lasted 17 minutes. That’s probably long enough to dry wet wood. Thanks for the video!

Two ingredients. Easiest. Fastest to make. Excellent burn time for the thick rounds. 👍👏👍👏👍👏👍

80 year old weekend woodsman here. That essentially means I have few, if any, bushcraft skills. After watching your tutorial, I realized I’ve overthought the whole concept of dyi fire starters. Thoroughly enjoyed your presentation. While I smiled at my “aha” moment, I’ll remain a tenderfoot, but still use multiple cotton pads. I subbed, and look forward to more content from you. Can you tell me what lighter you used to ignite the starters? Looked like a torch lighter. All good wishes to you.

Thanks for the valuable information

Fascibating! I also appreciated the final aha moment. Thank you. P.S. Vaseline and cotton pads are also a great option. One pad folded in half like a taco, or two stacked like an oreo, with Vaseline inside.

Use waxed paper as a cooling pad. It's made of wax, so it will burn too. You just cut out out the cotton circles. Scouts make newspaper rolls, and tie it with cotton string, then dip it in the wax. Don't forget to make some tinder char cloth by cooking some cotton cloth strips in a closed soup can on a fire.

Very good video. Thank you for the demonstration. If you are a woodworker of any skill level you can save the sawdust from your projects and add it to your wax along with any small pieces of wood, tiny pieces of paper, stuff like that to the point of mold ability and shape it however you want or just press it into whatever shape/mold you have. Because that’s what the commercial firestarters are, sawdust and wax.🤪

Really good information, thank you

Great Share Thanks. Blessed Be and Stay Safe.

Can't help myself, I had to comment. Here is my method of making fire starters. It is free and makes use of items that would, under other circumstances, be sent to the dump. I make rags out of my warn out socks underwear, t-shirts, etc. I use these rags to clean up motor oil and diesel. To make additional oil soaked rags I soak them in used motor oil. Those are the wood stove or camp fire fire starters (the oil soaked rags). I put them on top of the load of wood for a top burn down which gives much less initial smoke. They work every time. If the wood is dry enough very little kindling is needed. One flick of a lighter is all that is needed to get the fire going.

This is the trick you’re looking for; Use liquid paraffin lamp oil, 1/3 cup:1lb gulf wax or candle wax and NOT more than 1/3 cup because it will make the wax runny and messy. Forget the round cotton, fill paper ramekins with cedar chips and pour the melted mixture over them and cool in freezer for a half hour. 👍🏼

The cold lamp oil froze some of the wax.

Try adding a high concentration rubbing alcohol to the wax

Just dunk it in cold water it'll harden instantly

Obviously the one with more fuel will last longer. Thanks for sharing