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Author Topic: Steel Wool Firestarter  (Read 4908 times)

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Offline rconnely

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« on: October 16, 2003, 04:09:52 PM »
If you take a pad of steel wool (weighing nearly nothing) in your pocket on your next trip it could come in handy.  Providing you also have a battery with you from a flashlight or other, all you have to do is touch some wool across both Pos.& Neg. It will burn instantly and turn amber red. You can use this trick many times off of one pad.
It does seem to work best with the higher volt Battery especially the little 9V's
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Offline Loader 3009

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2003, 02:26:32 PM »
Believe it or not, FRITOS make an even better fire starter......because if you don't use them all, you can eat the rest.  It's the oil in them that makes them burn so hot.
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Offline briarpatch

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2003, 05:05:48 PM »
I dont think you can beat a bic lighter or pack of matches with that trick.
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Offline willis5

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2003, 06:47:54 AM »
:)  to stock up on some chili cheese fritos right now!
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Offline rdc in MN

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2003, 06:05:56 PM »
You can also use the lint that you clean out of the lint screen on your dryer :grin:
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Offline Neanderthal

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2003, 11:26:22 AM »
Avoid dryer lint from childrens' clothing.  Quite often it has been treated with flame retardant.
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Offline IntrepidWizard

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Steel wool and Magnesium Bar
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2004, 05:09:28 AM »
carry these,wet or dry and you will get a fire.Mag bar with strikers are cheap and Steel wool can be carried anywhere.
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Offline rickyp

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2004, 04:32:59 PM »
Quote
Avoid dryer lint from childrens' clothing. Quite often it has been treated with flame retardant.


What they do not tell you is the flame retardant can  wash out is as little as 5 washings.

 given the right temperature and conditions  anything can burn.
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Offline stork

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steelwool firestarter
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2004, 07:44:13 PM »
and if your really good at starting fires (like me :-) ) you use a wet sock and a lighter.
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Offline Gatofeo

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2004, 07:09:44 PM »
In my pocket-sized survival kit I carry half a dozen of those trick birthday candles.
You know the kind, blow them out and they relight themselves. This can save valuable matches.
I started carrying these birthday candles in my survival kit back in 1973, as a member of Spokane (Washington) County Search & Rescue.
Never saw anyone else do the same, but word spread quickly when I demonstrated the candle's relighting property.
Was I the first to use trick candles in a survival kit? I don't know.
I'd like to think it was a flash of inspiration but perhaps it was just a brain-poot  :roll:
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Offline EastKY_DO

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Vaseline
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2004, 10:39:53 AM »
I always carry in my pocket a 35mm film can filled with cotton balls soaked in vaseline.  I just roll the cotton balls in vaseline until they are thoroughly impregnated and stuff them in the can.  The vaseline makes the cotton slightly adherent to surfaces, lights easily and burns somewhat slowly giving more time for the flame to ignite the tinder.  The vaseline also has the benefit of being good for chapped lips, minor scrapes, etc . . .

 :D
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Offline Swamp Fox

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2004, 05:02:37 PM »
Do you think navel fuzz would work in a pinch?
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Offline longwinters

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2004, 07:06:25 AM »
Be sure to take it out of your naval first.  For some reason I picture a guy laying on his back with some twigs piled on his naval with a lit match :lol:

Long
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Offline rickyp

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2004, 11:18:53 AM »
If you hae that much you need to shower a lot more. :-D

Now dryer lint will work real well.
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Offline maddmaxx

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fire
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2004, 02:48:18 PM »
Save the peanutbutter from your MRE's. The oil from it will burn anything.
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Offline Daveinthebush

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Duct Tape
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2004, 04:24:35 PM »
Actually duct tape is excellent and if you have any ducts that need repairing it comes in handy there too! :)
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Offline Doc T

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2004, 06:21:37 AM »
The individually wrapped alcohol pads the nurse uses on your backside before you get a shot make the best fire starters.  Tear one open and put it under your tinder and twigs.  One match is all you need.  The pads burn HOT for a couple of minutes each.  They are flat, light, and pack well.
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Offline thejanitor

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steel wool
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2004, 06:34:40 PM »
I have to say that IF you had no matches or lighter the steel wool is a pretty good back up as long as it is kept dry. With most any caliber gun that makes a flash at the muzzle you could shoot through the steel wool at point blank range (pointed in a safe direction)  and add it to dry tinder and have your fire. It is difficult to put out once it is going.
   Also some of the old push style lawn mowers have magnesium decks the motors are bolted to, Our transfer station recycles them, separating the types of metal. I bought part of one from the kid who works there for 5.00 and when you use a SHARP drill bit you can drill fine shavings, (at home before you get lost... don't bring the drill and all gets kind of heavy) add that to some of the steel wool and its kind of like having your picture taken while you light your fire. Would make great signal fire material. Brent
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Offline Dusty Miller

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #18 on: January 01, 2006, 08:13:34 PM »
One of them Bic lighters and a blast of methane will light up a lot of flammables, if you know where to get a blast of methane!! :-D  :)  :-D  :)  :-D  :)  :-D  :)
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Offline clodbuster

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fire
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2006, 12:58:20 PM »
Who'd'a thought starting a fire would be such a funny subject? Thanks for the laffs guys! :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D
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Offline Steve P

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #20 on: January 08, 2006, 10:16:29 PM »
Don't rely on the dryer lint because not all of it will burn.
I have the relighting birthday candles, windproof matches, and the magnesium with striker.  Have had to light a fire one.  One of the windproof matches and the right pine moss, bark and needles worked perfect.  Had a roaring fire in minutes and clothes steaming just as fast.

Dont get lost in the wood and find your steel wool in one pocket and dead battery in the other.... :)

Steve   :D
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Offline corbanzo

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Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #21 on: February 26, 2006, 11:25:38 AM »
I always have a flint stone with me....  because anything metal and you have a spark.. its one of those just in case type of things.  I always bring "storm proof" matches.  You can throw them in a puddle, and they will still stay lit for a couple of second, just crazy.  If its really cold and wet out, we sometime just use road flares   :D
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Offline Mack the Knife

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Re: Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #22 on: July 18, 2006, 03:22:45 PM »
What ever happened to bending a bullet out of its case & using GUN powder, I here tell it burns rain or shine.
 Mack the Knife
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Offline Dee

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Re: Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2006, 09:43:04 AM »
All I carry is zippo lighter. I make a tepee of very small twigs and lay progessively larger twigs an stick to the side before I light the zippo and set it under the first described twigs. As soon as they start burning I retrive my lighter. I know its a lack-luster method of starting a fire but, I have used it with 100% success for 50 years. And, unlike bic lighter zippo's fuel is not censitive to cold and doesn't have to be held to keep the flame going
P.S. I also carry spare flints in the bottom of the lighter under the felt pad.
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Offline Dalton Masterson

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Re: Steel Wool Firestarter
« Reply #24 on: July 21, 2006, 02:39:52 PM »
One word of caution about carrying steel wool and a 9volt battery. Keep them separate till you need them. Ever had a really hot sensation in a pocket!!!
Also, dont let the dog sniff the 9volt too much, although funny, its not nice ;D  DM
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