Fire-starters:
One of the most important elements of backwoods camping or park camping if allowed is being able to start a fire in less than perfect weather. It’s extremely important to have a reliable method of starting the fire.
This is when you need to have adequate, dry fire-starters. Here’s a simple tip that you can use to make your own fire-starters.
What you’ll need:
1. A box of wooden kitchen matches. These are the self striking type that is, they can be lit by striking them on any rough surface like a rock.
2. Canning paraffin wax, which is available in grocery stores where canning goods are sold .
3. A roll of string.
4. An empty soup can or similar can. This can will be discarded at the end.
5. Some paper towels or old newspaper.
Instructions:
Take a cooking pot and fill with 1”-11/2” of water. Heat the water.
Cut up the paraffin into chunks and put it in the empty soup can. Take note that you will be dipping the matches into the paraffin, so keep this in mind when selecting your can.
Remove the pot from the heat or turn it off. Set the can of paraffin in the heated water. Be sure the can sits upright on the bottom of the cooking pot throughout this process and does not tip-over.
Take 5 or 6 of the matches, and with all the strike heads facing the same direction, tie them together leaving a tail of string above the knot about 9” long.
Prepare a space close to the cooking pot where you can put the fire-starters and not drip wax on your counters or stove. Cover any area with old newspaper or paper towels.
Once the paraffin has melted, while holding the end of the string, dip the match heads into the paraffin covering the matches about 1” up the match. Lift the matches out of the paraffin, but hold them over the can of paraffin until the wax has set-up. Then lay it down on the paper towels or newspaper you prepared in advance. Once the wax has totally set-up cut the string off near the knot.
Continue the process, and make as many fire-starters as you think you’ll need.
You now have a waterproof fire-starter which should start your fire in almost any weather.
To use the fire-starters just strike the match heads on a rough surface like a rock.
Enjoy your fire.
