# Campfire Tricks



## David Chang

Here's a great trick I learned.  Dryer lint is some of the best kindling you can use.  I just stick the lint in a big old ziploc bag and bring it on camping trips with me.  It works awesome!

Here are a few other campfire tricks.  I hope you like them.  Whoop whoop!


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## SarahFair

I did that last time. I dont have a trash can near my dryer so I just use an old detergent box and put the lint right in it. I have about 5 boxes saved up. I just grabbed one when we went camping. Started right up!


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## flyfisher76544

Yeah dryer lint does work really well. Another one is to have a few cotton balls and coat them in petroleum jelly, keep em in a plastic bag and they will work in a pinch.
My favorite though is a few sticks of fat wood in a small altoids can.


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## GaMudd

I take the dryer lint one step further.  I stuff the lint into egg cartons and fill with melted wax and let them cool.  Pop them out and I have wax covered lint.  Works like a charm.


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## David Chang

Man you guys are good.  I thought I had an original idea here.  Guess I'm not as clever as I thought I was.  ;-)


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## Randy

I just use the lint from my belly button.


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## FX Jenkins

Randy said:


> I just use the link from my belly button.



now thats bushcraft....


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## Nicodemus

A candle is handy thing to have with you too.


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## F14Gunner

David Chang said:


> Here's a great trick I learned.  Dryer lint is some of the best kindling you can use.  I just stick the lint in a big old ziploc bag and bring it on camping trips with me.  It works awesome!
> 
> Here are a few other campfire tricks.  I hope you like them.  Whoop whoop!


Dryer lint in a paper towel tube, then melt some wax over it. cut into 1 inch lengths and use that way.
Another is a paper egg carton, A mixture of dryer lint and sawdust covered with wax.


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## shdybrady19

plain dryer lint is fine. Until it gets wet. The best thing, like stated before is petroleum covered cotton balls are best. Fatwood is second. Both are water proof and burn wet. A few cotton balls in 35mm film tubes are ideal


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## Ballplayer

What if I just go behind the house to the cotton field and pick some cotton instead of saving lint (sounds like work), won't that work too. Cotton is open now ?


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## Gaducker

I take sawdust from the wood shop and used motor oil from changes around the house and fill a 5 gal bucket with sawdust and over a few days I pour the oil into the sawdust. When the oil starts to pool on the top just skim the oil off and shovel the sawdust into small baggies and that stuff will burn for at least an hour.  I just dont cook over it when I start it this way.


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## David Chang

Randy said:


> I just use the lint from my belly button.



I use a Q tip to get the lint out of my belly button.


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## KDarsey

Randy said:


> I just use the lint from my belly button.



Randy, they was wanting a campfire...not a bonfire!


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## David Chang

kdarsey said:


> randy, they was wanting a campfire...not a bonfire!



kaboom!!


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## Nitram4891

You can pick the lint from your socks or pockets too.


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## BriarPatch99

I like the 9 volt battery and fine steelwool idea.


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## jcinpc

I make my own with cloth, I use an old tshirt and a tin can with lid and cut the shirt into squares that will fit inside the tin and lay those squares of shirt in the tin, about 4-7 will do. I poke a hole into the top of the tin lid close it and set iton my stove and turn it on high. The shirt inside will catch on fire and you will see a flame shoot out of the hole and when it dies down your done. You now have char cloth that you can use your striker or matches with, great for lighting your bundles. this is great with steel and stone












heres another one I like and have made alot of these, this is the easiest video out there to show you how to make them, this is a small stove made from coke cans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flY6DMCe4uM&feature=related


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## jcinpc

I also dont like to rely on mathces or a lighter and always carry oether my striker and some coral flakes or this, my beautiful fire piston. I have about 4lbs of chaga and always carry enough for a few fires, chaga is the real deal I love it, smells great too


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## GA_MTN_MAN

jcinpc said:


> I also dont like to rely on mathces or a lighter and always carry oether my striker and some coral flakes or this, my beautiful fire piston. I have about 4lbs of chaga and always carry enough for a few fires, chaga is the real deal I love it, smells great too
> QUOTE]
> 
> That is a beautiful fire piston. I will admit that you got me with "chaga". I am not familiar with that. What exactly is that and how do I make it?
> 
> I keep cotton balls and petro jelly in my hiking kit and in small fire kits strapped to my knives.
> 
> The only problem I had with dryer lint came from some fabric softener. It apparently resisted lighting and would not hold a flame. I don't remember which one we were using at the time. I switched to cotton after that.


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## dawg2

jcinpc said:


> I also dont like to rely on mathces or a lighter and always carry oether my striker and some coral flakes or this, my beautiful fire piston. I have about 4lbs of chaga and always carry enough for a few fires, chaga is the real deal I love it, smells great too


Nice fire piston, I like the design.  I have two wooden ones and they always raise eyebrows for folks that don't know what they are.


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## jcinpc

GA_MTN_MAN said:


> jcinpc said:
> 
> 
> 
> I also dont like to rely on mathces or a lighter and always carry oether my striker and some coral flakes or this, my beautiful fire piston. I have about 4lbs of chaga and always carry enough for a few fires, chaga is the real deal I love it, smells great too
> QUOTE]
> 
> That is a beautiful fire piston. I will admit that you got me with "chaga". I am not familiar with that. What exactly is that and how do I make it?
> 
> I keep cotton balls and petro jelly in my hiking kit and in small fire kits strapped to my knives.
> 
> The only problem I had with dryer lint came from some fabric softener. It apparently resisted lighting and would not hold a flame. I don't remember which one we were using at the time. I switched to cotton after that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> heres the internet info on chaga, its a fungus/mushroom thingy. Here the thing about it, its like the multi tool gimmick of the woods. You can take a chunk of it and brew it for an awesome tea with medicinal properties and then you can let it dry and burn it, its probably the best inscense I have ever smelled and it bruns solid and slow, thats why they are the best for fire pistons.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaga_mushroom
Click to expand...


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## Wheeler686

Pretty impressive responses.  I have a small letal box in which I keep a firesteel/striker, bic lighter, zippo lighter, a small ziploc with 10 petroleum jelly coated cotton balls, and some steel wool.  The firesteel does a number on the steel wool.

Wheeler


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## GONoob

Chlorine and brake fluid!


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## David Chang

jcinpc said:


> I also dont like to rely on mathces or a lighter and always carry oether my striker and some coral flakes or this, my beautiful fire piston. I have about 4lbs of chaga and always carry enough for a few fires, chaga is the real deal I love it, smells great too



Wow, this is incredibly impressive.  Remind me to go with you next time I go camping.


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## Ole' Dad

*Fire starter*

That is a very impressive looking tool you have there!!!! Try not to give me a hard time, but I havn't ever seen anything like it. How does it work? Is it something that is easy to make, or where can I buy one? I love handy tools like this that not many people have ever seen.


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## doenightmare

Bic lighter, backup Bic lighter - lighter fluid. Works great.


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## westcobbdog

doenightmare said:


> Bic lighter, backup Bic lighter - lighter fluid. Works great.



well yeah its always gonna work INSIDE your camper.


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## doenightmare

You still gotta light the lint - it ain't like spontaneous combustion because its lint.......


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## jcinpc

Ole' Dad said:


> That is a very impressive looking tool you have there!!!! Try not to give me a hard time, but I havn't ever seen anything like it. How does it work? Is it something that is easy to make, or where can I buy one? I love handy tools like this that not many people have ever seen.



This is a fire piston, and on the end of the stick part its cupped out to hold your tender, I use chaga. The end is threaded and I use a dab of vasoline to give it a better seal and insert the stick part into the hollowed tube shaped piece about an inch, then you pop these 2 together real fast and the friction of the air lights the tender, you then put the piece in your "nest" and stoke your fire. Mine is made from antler and cocobolo wood , they make them with metal also.

check out this forum Im on, its called Paleo Planet. Its an awesome site with some good people and info. Heres the thread on fire makng stuff

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/forums/8


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## jcinpc

heres 2 links to a island guy making a fire piston, about 20 minutes of video, but there are other links from here to find out more about them. this dude, is awesome using only a knife and screw driver and a block of wood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NKq4ChNOew&p=CC910FC70FE07A48&playnext=1&index=11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK2yqcKdUZc&feature=related


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## Miguel Cervantes

doenightmare said:


> You still gotta light the lint - it ain't like spontaneous combustion because its lint.......


 With a fire piston it is...


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## BowArrow

I like a cup of gasoline and a strike anywhere match. Works every time.


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## knappermike

One of the best firestarters I have come up with is by using a chainsaw to make several cuts in a fat lightered log.  Place a tarp underneath to catch the shavings.  Then place the shavings into a cardboard egg carton. Make them level with the top.  Then melt some wax and cover the whole thing until the carton is soaked.  Then when you need a fire just break off one egg cup.  each one will burn 10-15 minutes.  Also if you have one of the chimney type charcoal starters, you can just place 2 cups under and light.  No lighter fluid needed.  (I know what fun is that  one more tip:  if you can find an old fry daddy at a yard sale buy it and throw away the basket.  keep your old candle wax in it and whenever you need to make firestarters just turn it on.  This also keeps the wax from catching fire on the stovetop or from having to use a double boiler.  I hope this helps.  Mike


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## bronco611

the quickest easiest way to start a fire is with a road flare, commonly known as fuses. they will start a fire in the rain, snow wind etc. just pile up your kindlin wood and anything else you want to burn ,fire one off and stick it into the kindlin at the center / base of the pile and stand back instant fire!!!


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## Sugar Plum

A trick I learned for the matches: light a candle and drip the wax onto the tip of an unlit match. Takes a few minutes to do, but waterproofs the matches so you don't have to worry about losin' them. Then you can just toss them in your safety kit or fire kit.


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## david w.

..My mom always told me that if i play in the fire,I will pee on the bed.....


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## Capt Quirk

BowArrow said:


> I like a cup of gasoline and a strike anywhere match. Works every time.



Not always. We had some mighty wet days during the first 6 months we were here, and some mornings even gas wouldn't cut it. 

Lately, I have started using one of those air mattress pumps and pine needles. If you can get the needles to start, hold a piece of pipe or tube to the pump, turn it on, and point the other end towards the burning tinder. It works like a champ.


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## shakey gizzard

knappermike said:


> One of the best firestarters I have come up with is by using a chainsaw to make several cuts in a fat lightered log.  Place a tarp underneath to catch the shavings.  Then place the shavings into a cardboard egg carton. Make them level with the top.  Then melt some wax and cover the whole thing until the carton is soaked.  Then when you need a fire just break off one egg cup.  each one will burn 10-15 minutes.  Also if you have one of the chimney type charcoal starters, you can just place 2 cups under and light.  No lighter fluid needed.  (I know what fun is that  one more tip:  if you can find an old fry daddy at a yard sale buy it and throw away the basket.  keep your old candle wax in it and whenever you need to make firestarters just turn it on.  This also keeps the wax from catching fire on the stovetop or from having to use a double boiler.  I hope this helps.  Mike



I prefer to use lighter knot instead!


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## LEON MANLEY

Gaducker said:


> I take sawdust from the wood shop and used motor oil from changes around the house and fill a 5 gal bucket with sawdust and over a few days I pour the oil into the sawdust. When the oil starts to pool on the top just skim the oil off and shovel the sawdust into small baggies and that stuff will burn for at least an hour.  I just dont cook over it when I start it this way.



Instead of throwing out your old deep fryer oil use it instead of the motor oil and your fire will be "cook friendly".


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## medic1

Here is a youtube video demonstrating the cotton ball/petroleum jelly firestarter.  Video must be embedded.


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## BBS

Hand sanitizer works good and other purposes also.


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## Browning Slayer

GaMudd said:


> I take the dryer lint one step further. I stuff the lint into egg cartons and fill with melted wax and let them cool. Pop them out and I have wax covered lint. Works like a charm.


 

try and take it one more step further.. After pouring your wax insert a trick candle (the ones that won't blow out) and have the wick about 1/4 of an inch from the top of the melted wax and lint. Light it and walk off to gather more wood. Really nice on a windy day or if you have wet wood to dry out. Always carry one in the pack when I'm on the AT.


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## FX Jenkins

I keep 10 petroleum cotton balls in a waterproof match container with a built in flint...and that usually stays in my bugout bag and goes with me on out west hunts...

Bottle of Kingsford is just to convenient for around home or car camping fire starter...


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