FireSteels work, No doubt. I have tried the wax modification as outlined----years ago but could not make it work. They soaked up the wax and also would NOT light, on anything and yes they are / were strike anywhere matches. Have I or am I doing something wrong?
As a New England coastal area Boy Scout in the late 1960's, we made these and were very happy when they worked for starting fires to cook with even when it rained.
Another device we used was sticking these untreated matches into corrugated cardboard strips about the width of a matchstick's length, that we then tightly coiled into a washed out tuna fish can. The hot wax was then poured into the can to cover the cardboard coil and allowed to cool. The contents of the can made an easily started waterproof stove to cook dinner (essentially a self contained candle) or a very effective fire starter that would help to ignite damp wood.
I like the fire starters better, and I use cotton balls soaked up in vaseline. Small pine cones soaked in wax are also excellent for fire starting. I have a friend that has relatives that are loggers and pitch pine is also an excellent fire starter. Cut up pieces are very long burning and can be lit with a match or fire starter, they are also water proof.
I don't have the patience to make fire cloth and all that stuff.
I have had poor luck water proofing wooden matches also. I carry several "BIC" lighters in my gear and other places... they are stuffed in every where and work most of the time. If they won't work I got my fire starters.
I have small parcels of soaked cotton balls and other fire starters done in a home vacuum sealer (Dazey) ... everything is water proofed that way. I do strike anywhere matches with them too. I have yet to have wet matches.
Matches had a short but useful life in the history of mankind. There are so many better, more reliable, more durable methods of fire starting now, even by primitive standards. +1 for FireSteel, Gerber StrikeForce, Wal-Mart magnesium block, or other derivative.
I like the fire starters better, and I use cotton balls soaked up in vaseline. Small pine cones soaked in wax are also excellent for fire starting. I have a friend that has relatives that are loggers and pitch pine is also an excellent fire starter. Cut up pieces are very long burning and can be lit with a match or fire starter, they are also water proof.
I don't have the patience to make fire cloth and all that stuff.
I have had poor luck water proofing wooden matches also. I carry several "BIC" lighters in my gear and other places... they are stuffed in every where and work most of the time. If they won't work I got my fire starters.
I have small parcels of soaked cotton balls and other fire starters done in a home vacuum sealer (Dazey) ... everything is water proofed that way. I do strike anywhere matches with them too. I have yet to have wet matches.
I use the cotton/Vaseline IAW magnesium fire type fire starters and that WORKS. No wind and 1 strike from the starter and fire is produced and it burns hot and long burn time especially for wet tinder. Another trick if smell does not bother you and you use a petroleum type weapons cleaner is save your patches and then soak them in Vaseline. Quick Fire! I use cotton strips/cotton balls and a mag. fire starter----Guaranteed fire!
The idea behind waterproofing matches is to provide another method to add to one's 'bag 'o tricks'.
Anyone who only carries one tool for fire starting is setting themselves up. Most folks (who are well versed in survival) I know carry a combination of lighters, strikers, matches, and have different types of tinder/accelerants, too, like those listed in previous comments.
Thanks for this - it's getting very hard to find 'Strike Anywhere' matches; here in rural middle TN, Wal-Mart carries only 'strike on box'. I do know a few outlets on-line carry them.
I will be experimenting with using both spray lacquer and spray enamel to try and waterproof, or at least damp proof some strike anywhere matches. I think the enamel will be better and less prone to chip off once coated.
I think applying the coatings in thin multiple coats so as not to saturate the matchhead might be better than the wax process.
When preparing my field gear for search and rescue years ago I did the wax process, and even used cotton sewing thread wound just below the match head to bulk it up and increase burn time......they worked for a while but eventually went bad and were difficult or impossible to light.
I would suggest that everyone det a few O-ring sealed match containers that are completely air and water tight to store their matches in for the field and something larger but just as tight for home use. I have found this to be the only way to assure the longevity and reliability of matches longterm. Be sure they are as dry as possible before putting them into the container so as not to trap moisture.
I also agree about having back up methods such as flint/steel, magnezium blocks with the flint on the side, ect.
Birch bark if available is excellent for starting a fire and will work even in soaking wet conditions. Combined with magnezium shavings, a pinch of dry grass or moss and a spark from a flint, the birchbark ignites readily and burns like almost like a piece of innertube and will light small kindling reliably.
I made up several small kits using 3x5 ziplock parts bags, each containing some dry pine sawdust, a few small cut pieces of birch bark (removed from downed trees not stripped off live ones)and always carry a few when hunting, camping or when I was out in the woods on search and rescue assignments.
10 comments:
I have a couple of the FireSteels advertised at the top right, and recommend them.
FireSteels work, No doubt. I have tried the wax modification as outlined----years ago but could not make it work. They soaked up the wax and also would NOT light, on anything and yes they are / were strike anywhere matches. Have I or am I doing something wrong?
Chris
III
As a New England coastal area Boy Scout in the late 1960's, we made these and were very happy when they worked for starting fires to cook with even when it rained.
Another device we used was sticking these untreated matches into corrugated cardboard strips about the width of a matchstick's length, that we then tightly coiled into a washed out tuna fish can. The hot wax was then poured into the can to cover the cardboard coil and allowed to cool. The contents of the can made an easily started waterproof stove to cook dinner (essentially a self contained candle) or a very effective fire starter that would help to ignite damp wood.
I like the fire starters better, and I use cotton balls soaked up in vaseline. Small pine cones soaked in wax are also excellent for fire starting. I have a friend that has relatives that are loggers and pitch pine is also an excellent fire starter. Cut up pieces are very long burning and can be lit with a match or fire starter, they are also water proof.
I don't have the patience to make fire cloth and all that stuff.
I have had poor luck water proofing wooden matches also. I carry several "BIC" lighters in my gear and other places... they are stuffed in every where and work most of the time. If they won't work I got my fire starters.
I have small parcels of soaked cotton balls and other fire starters done in a home vacuum sealer (Dazey) ... everything is water proofed that way. I do strike anywhere matches with them too. I have yet to have wet matches.
Matches had a short but useful life in the history of mankind. There are so many better, more reliable, more durable methods of fire starting now, even by primitive standards. +1 for FireSteel, Gerber StrikeForce, Wal-Mart magnesium block, or other derivative.
thank you for the history lesson-via the post below-re: Midway---
also-for the lesson on water-proofing matches---
thank you for honoring our BEST (those serving and who have served in our military)
carol-CS
Blogger Dakota said...
I like the fire starters better, and I use cotton balls soaked up in vaseline. Small pine cones soaked in wax are also excellent for fire starting. I have a friend that has relatives that are loggers and pitch pine is also an excellent fire starter. Cut up pieces are very long burning and can be lit with a match or fire starter, they are also water proof.
I don't have the patience to make fire cloth and all that stuff.
I have had poor luck water proofing wooden matches also. I carry several "BIC" lighters in my gear and other places... they are stuffed in every where and work most of the time. If they won't work I got my fire starters.
I have small parcels of soaked cotton balls and other fire starters done in a home vacuum sealer (Dazey) ... everything is water proofed that way. I do strike anywhere matches with them too. I have yet to have wet matches.
I use the cotton/Vaseline IAW magnesium fire type fire starters and that WORKS. No wind and 1 strike from the starter and fire is produced and it burns hot and long burn time especially for wet tinder. Another trick if smell does not bother you and you use a petroleum type weapons cleaner is save your patches and then soak them in Vaseline. Quick Fire! I use cotton strips/cotton balls and a mag. fire starter----Guaranteed fire!
Chris
III
The idea behind waterproofing matches is to provide another method to add to one's 'bag 'o tricks'.
Anyone who only carries one tool for fire starting is setting themselves up. Most folks (who are well versed in survival) I know carry a combination of lighters, strikers, matches, and have different types of tinder/accelerants, too, like those listed in previous comments.
Thanks for this - it's getting very hard to find 'Strike Anywhere' matches; here in rural middle TN, Wal-Mart carries only 'strike on box'. I do know a few outlets on-line carry them.
I will be experimenting with using both spray lacquer and spray enamel to try and waterproof, or at least damp proof some strike anywhere matches. I think the enamel will be better and less prone to chip off once coated.
I think applying the coatings in thin multiple coats so as not to saturate the matchhead might be better than the wax process.
When preparing my field gear for search and rescue years ago I did the wax process, and even used cotton sewing thread wound just below the match head to bulk it up and increase burn time......they worked for a while but eventually went bad and were difficult or impossible to light.
I would suggest that everyone det a few O-ring sealed match containers that are completely air and water tight to store their matches in for the field and something larger but just as tight for home use. I have found this to be the only way to assure the longevity and reliability of matches longterm. Be sure they are as dry as possible before putting them into the container so as not to trap moisture.
I also agree about having back up methods such as flint/steel, magnezium blocks with the flint on the side, ect.
Birch bark if available is excellent for starting a fire and will work even in soaking wet conditions. Combined with magnezium shavings, a pinch of dry grass or moss and a spark from a flint, the birchbark ignites readily and burns like almost like a piece of innertube and will light small kindling reliably.
I made up several small kits using 3x5 ziplock parts bags, each containing some dry pine sawdust, a few small cut pieces of birch bark (removed from downed trees not stripped off live ones)and always carry a few when hunting, camping or when I was out in the woods on search and rescue assignments.
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