Firestarting: Cotton Balls and Vaseline?

From Franklin at http://www.survivalforum.com

I never heard of this before.... "If you soak cotton balls in vaseline they are a great fire starter. Also the lint from a dryer is super combustible and works great.

Also, if you add a little bit of salt peter, they'll ignite faster. This is important if your using only spark to ignite them."

Anyone know this to be true? If so, sounds very simple and a good way to have "fuel" if you are in the woods.

-- Franklin (webmaster@survivalforum.com), March 27, 2002

Answers

Don't know about that, but I do know that powdered coffee creamer is flammable. It's lighter, less bulky to carry.

-- Wendy A (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), March 27, 2002.

Finally, a good use for powdered coffee creamer.

-- Mac in AK (nospam@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

I use dryer lint when starting a fire with a hot spark or flint. I am a Scout leader and always tech the boys to keep a film container of dryer lint with them for firestarting.

-- Emil in TN (eprisco@usit.net), March 27, 2002.

Wonder what dryer lint, creamer and vasaline would do?

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 27, 2002.

From Franklin:

Coffee creamer is flamable? I didn't know that...do you know if it there is a specific kind that is flamable or all of them?

Franklin

-- Franklin (webmaster@survivalforum.com), March 27, 2002.

leanred that in cub scouts 101

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), March 27, 2002.

the coffee creamer packets that come in MREs are the most common use of that idea.

I've found pine needles to be good starter in the woods. You can only pack so much on your back. A hot day will spread that vaseline all over your pack if it's not sealed, same with wax.

Saltpeter(potassium nitrate) will degrade quick from moisture. I'd recommend a magnesium mil-issue firestarter for survival situations.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), March 27, 2002.

The rangers at Glacier National Park are big on cotton balls and vaseline as a fire starter. They suggest putting them in a pill bottle. I went to a couple of survival talks where they taught this.

-- Peace and Carrots Farm, Vermont (wsm311@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

Cotton bals dipped in vaseline works great as a fire starter. They can be put into a baggie and compressed so they take no space and weigh next to nothing. Just fluff one up when you want to use it, they burn for about five minutes or so. They can also do double duty as part of a pocket first aid kit for minor burns, chapped lips and scrapes.

-- JJ Grandits (JJGBDF@aol.com), March 27, 2002.

didn't someone once say that Doritos corn chips are good firestarters too? Something about the grease in them. And a snack

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 27, 2002.

A 9 volt battery and a piece of steel wool makes a fast fire. Also a cigerette lighter and a flame thrower will make a real hot fire!

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), March 27, 2002.

Living where cattle free range, we used the dried manure to start fires when camping.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 28, 2002.

My hubby did a craft project with his den of scouts a few years ago and I believe that they took dryer lint,wood shavings and parafin? I think thats what it was and poured this into egg cartons(cardboard) to harden then divided the carton up into smaller sections,worked great!

-- Julie (nelson3@bright.net), March 30, 2002.