[Karsten]

Recently hunting with friends....I was more there to ride my ATV they couldn't get a fire started due to wet/damp wood from 4 days of rain. I was asked if I had anything to get a fire going and I top out a WetFire Tablet, cut it in half and 15 minutes later the fire was going strong.

Ultimate Survival Technologies

Wetfire also has a compact stove available for a hot meal or beverage on the trail.

I also have a few Esbit Stoves as well as Esbit Fire Tabs that work great.

Note, there are a few Round Txiox style tablet that don't work so well.

Karsten

 

[glhadiator]

I checked these out and I think I'll order some and try them out.

When I was teaching I would take students in the mountains in rain storms and teach them how to start a fire. After they all became proficient at starting a fire in very wet conditions I would then introduce them to firestarters. Both commercial and homemade types. As long as you include a few in your bag you're ready for emergency conditions.

 

[GRNDHOG]

Weber ( the grill company) sells something similar. I'm going to guess the same. You can get the cubes anywhere that sells grilling supplies.

Shop Weber 24-Pack Paraffin Wax Fire Starter at Lowes.com

 

[pharmer14]

One thing I do ever since my days in the scouts is make water proof fire starters. If you get eggs in the paper cartons, you can fill the cells up with sawdust and then pour melted wax over it. The wax serves to keep the saw dust packed together in the cells, and helps with water proofing. You can then tear a couple off and put them in strategic locations (car, BOB, bug out location, etc). They work pretty well and haven't let me down yet.

 

[kyletx1911a1]

Thanks

 

[Wallimiyama]

This stuff is getting some bad reviews on Amazon for storability...won't light well after a year of storage...

 

[The Punisher]

From the description, it sounds like the Wetfire starters contain magnesium, which will actually burn hotter when doused with water.

Here's a YouTube video of fun with magnesium:

(These guys are idiots... but that's what makes it so much fun to watch!)

-- Paravani

Wow....

 

[alanvt]

Antibacterial soap works to light fires, have used it in our pellet stoves.
Alan

 

[Counterintelligence]

Antibacterial soap works to light fires, have used it in our pellet stoves.
Alan

Really? I will need to try that on my pellet stove.

 

[Karsten]

This stuff is getting some bad reviews on Amazon for storability...won't light well after a year of storage...

The Wet Fire I have been using is well over two year old and I haven't had any issues. I did buy a couple packages of Coghlans that were most likely old stock, they don't even come close ot yrh flame a half a Wetfire gives off.

The Wetfire is sealed in a foil wrapper where the Coghlans is wrapped a plastic film, 12 pieces per wrapper. The Wetfire is oily/waxy to the touch where the Coghlans is dry like it has dried out.

Karsten

 

[AvengersAssembled]

Thanks for the advice on the Wetfire, I'll have to pick some up now!

 

[RShultz210]

Weatherproof and Waterproof Firestarters.

I am a newbie here, but perhaps I may something here that would make a good contribution. I call these little dooeywackers "Firebugs" mainly
because that's all I've ever heard them called and I've been making them since my Boy Scout days over 30 years ago. They are unaffected by weather, and waterproof to the point that you could drop one in a stream and chase it for 2 or 3 hundred yards and when you catch it, the little
little darling will still work. I have a PDF file but since I can't figure out how to attach it to this thing I guess I'll have to write the instructions and stick a picture of one in here. First a list of things you need to make them: (ANY emphasis will have to be uppercase I guess because I can't make any of the bold, italic, or any other of the buttons work, sorry)
1- Small Double Boiler and a stove.
2- A large box of Diamond Brand Kitchen size strike anywhere matches.[THEY MUST BE STRIKE ANYWHERE, THIS IS ESSENTIAL]
3- A 1lb block of paraffin wax.
4- A LARGE box of waxed dental floss.

CONDENSED VERSION OF INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Bundle 10 or 12 matches together head ends all pointing one way and lash them with about a one inch wide fairly thick layer of dental floss.
Leave enough floss to hold them by as you dunk them in the wax.
2. Put enough water in the double boiler to keep it warm for quite a while and put it on LOW heat. When it's hot, melt the block of paraffin in it.
3. Start dipping each bundle of matches in the wax long enough to soak a good amount of wax into each one.
4. After they are thoroughly soaked in wax start dipping them just long enough to get a good layer of wax onto each one.
5. Keep doing this until you have trouble seeing the matches through the wax. Make sure you have extra wax on the head end of the matches.
6. Cut the floss off so it is not in the way.

TO USE THEM:
1. Make a good fire lay and have a supply of kindling and fire wood ready. Tinder is completely unnecessary.
2. Rub the head end of one firebug against a dry flat rock until the paraffin wears off and the little bugger ignites.
3. Shove it under the fire lay and pretty soon you will have a fairly good fire going.
4. You can make quite a few of these with just the amount of material I have suggested.

I could not get this whatever-it-is to insert an image of one, so you'll just have to imagine what one looks like.
Trust me they WILL work better than anything you can buy in a store and they will burn vigorously for 8 -10 minutes.

 

[HuntingHawk]

Wait! ATVs that have gasoline, oil, & grease & they can't find fuel to start a fire? I think they need to stay home & play video games.