Cotton Ball With Ashes Fire Starter - No Match Needed

[rbuoncri]

If you are at elevation, Bic lighters may not work. Electric (Tesla type) lighters will spark but you have to have something to burn. Do a quick on-line search for recipes on how to make the cotton/petroleum-jelly mix and how to store it. https://www.instructables.com/Cotton-Wool-Ball-and-Petroleum-Jelly-Firestarters/

If you add the ash, you are actually making a form of Nitrocellulose - Gun Cotton.

Flash Cotton (Nitrocellulose)

Flash Cotton (Nitrocellulose): Nitrocellulose is one of the best materials to use for low budget special effects, or just to have fun! This flash cotton can be used in many ways (as seen in step 4), and all of them are amazing to watch! They also make for amazing light paintings!…

www.instructables.com

 

[2Rope]

You can mix old 4895 or similar powder with acetate and it gets sticky. Roll into ball and store in a film canister or pill bottle after it dries. You still have to ignite it, but it burns hot!

 

[archeratlrg]

What about replacing cotton balls with lint from the dryer.

Lint works just as well s the cotton balls. Have used this for years in camp to impress newbies.

 

[archeratlrg]

You can mix old 4895 or similar powder with acetate and it gets sticky. Roll into ball and store in a film canister or pill bottle after it dries. You still have to ignite it, but it burns hot!

Is that acetate or acetone?

 

[Backwoods towny]

WHY? Are cotton balls too expensive?

No, just a house full of free lint. Lol

 

[2Rope]

Is that acetate or acetone?

Good question! In the past, I used the wife's fingernail polish remover…

 

[Calvin45]

Good question! In the past, I used the wife's fingernail polish remover…

Acetone

 

[markopolo50]

Learn something new everyday!!! Friction works wonders for many things

 

[Kingsgr8]

Take your wife's flat make up removing pads and place a couple of strike anywhere between 2 Of them. Then pour some melted wax and saturate the pads. After they cool you can place them in a ziplock bag. To start your fire just remove one- separate them to get your matches out light the waxy pads burns pretty good and hot

 

[Nuclear Worker]

Instead of cotton balls get the long rope of cotton that they use at hair salons. For wrapping around your head when they give a perm . Smear that in Vaseline then you can wrap it around your tinder burns better than cotton balls

 

[Dskiper]

There is something related to the friction of the cotton fibers.

I;ve used the cotton&vasiline for years! now I'll carry a barbacue lighter w/extended lighter length. ala! Dskiper

 

[Muddyboots]

Who ever thought 8 pages on cotton balls?

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

personally, I usually just drive somewhere warm... money is good kindling lately. it doesn't have much value anymore. you can flick a bic lighter and she'll fire over 10K feet up; I've lit a smoke on the Beartooth pass at the top before and it wasn't hard. Butane doesn't like extreme cold though, so keep the dang thing in your pocket if it's well below freezing.

 

[Muddyboots]

So a fire starting flare, burns 7 minutes at 2,000°! Buy 12 pack for little over $30. I carry a couple similar and used flare once to start a fire at outfitters camp that was damp wood. Holy cow did it get it going in eyeblink! Outfitter told me he was going give all his guides to carry as part of emergency pack. Best part is how easy no matter altitude etc.

https://www.etrailer.com/Camping-Tools/Orion/RN753-01.html

Edit added: screw the cotton balls!