Waterproof Matches & Fire Starters

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/candles/fire-starters.shtml

Recycled Wax Fire Starters

Copyright © 2006-2009 Jane Lake

Collect all your wax candle scraps and mix with the wood chips to make wonderful fire starters.

These are easy bazaar crafts that sell very well at my local charity thrift store, or package a few as a nice homemade gift for Dad on Father's Day!

Recycled Wax Fire Starters

Supplies:

cup cake papers or paper muffin cups meant for baking

wax candle scraps, wax crayon stubs or left-over paraffin wax

wood shavings

muffin pan

Wax Fire Starters

Instructions:

1. You will need a safe method of melting candle or crayon scraps. I use a large coffee can, which I fill with wax chunks from leftover candles and crayons. You can melt the wax by heating the coffee can in a saucepan of boiling water, or maybe an old double boiler would work for you. I sometimes do this by placing the metal can close to a small, contained camp fire until the wax melts. Whatever method you use, please make absolutely sure it is safe for yourself and for everyone else - remember that wax is a highly flammable material and must be treated as such!

2. If you don't have a ready made supply of wood shavings, you can purchase bags of wood shavings in pet supply stores - it is sold as nesting material for small animals. Add wood shavings to the melted wax in the can until the wood shavings are completed coated.

3. Place the cup cake papers into a muffin tin. Fill each cup cake paper with the melted wax and wood shavings mixture, packing down with an old spoon until the paper cup is quite full. If you are making these to sell at a bazaar, you might want to press a few extra wood shavings into the top of each fire starter. This is not a necessity, but it does look nice.

4. Let the fire starters cool and solidify completely.

5. When you want to start a fire, put kindling in place and nestle the fire starter in the middle of the kindling. Set fire to the paper cup to make a small burn that will last about five minutes. By then, your fire should be going very well.

Caution: These fire starters are NOT recommended for interior wood stoves or fireplace inserts. Only you can determine whether these fire starters are safe for you to make, or whether they are safe to burn for the purpose that you have in mind. Please realize that you use the directions in this craft project entirely at your own risk. If you are making the fire starters to sell, then make sure you include appropriate safety warnings in the package.

http://tipnut.com/camping-treats/

How To Make Waterproof Matches & Fire Starters

*First published March 26, 2007 and moved to this page for better organization

BoxHere are different methods to waterproof your own matches and make fire starters, you should use wood stick matches rather than the cardboard sticks.

Although they’re waterproof, make sure to store them in a sealed, waterproof container. Ziplock bags, old prescription bottles, film canisters and small tins should work just fine.

Waterproof Matches

Method #1 Dip the first half of the match in melted wax. You can use old candle stubs or canning wax/paraffin wax for this. Dry, then dip the other half to completely seal the match.

Method #2 Dip the first half of the match in clear nail polish. Dry, then dip the other half to completely seal.

Fire Starters:

If you want to pack away some fire starters for camping or ‘just in case’ you get stuck in the bush when backpacking or biking, fill the holes of an empty egg carton with sawdust, or dryer lint, or fabric scraps. Pour melted wax over each and let cool. Store in sealed ziploc bags.
To make waterproof ones, tightly roll newspapers or fabric scraps about 1 1/2 inches thick and 3 inches long, wind string tightly around the roll to hold the roll together. Completely submerge in melted wax. Dry then store.

After dipping the matches and rolls, lay them on a sheet of clean wax paper to dry thoroughly. After they are dry, place them in the waterproof container (or ziploc bag) and store away until needed.

Quick Tips:

Nut Shells: Don’t toss away peanut shells or shells from other nuts. Store them year round in a big tub and take them camping. Toss the shells in amongst the kindling and they’ll act as wood chips.
Lemon & Orange Peels: Save your peels from citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. You can toss them in the fire to give a nice, fresh smell.
Alcohol Soaked Corks: Soak wine corks in rubbing alcohol (stored in a sealed glass jar). Toss a couple corks under the wood before lighting the fire.
Candle Ends: Use the ends of candles by placing a couple in the middle of a wood pile and start the blaze with a little kindling.

http://jjmatheshikes.blogspot.ca/2011/11/i-like-fire-and-im-always-interested-in.html

Not long ago my friend KP gave me a baggie filled with cotton pads coated with wax that resembled wafers. KP makes and uses them for fire starter or tinder. I had to try them out and was very impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of these wafers. The wafers can be used in whole, broken in half or quarters depending on the quality of kindling and how dry it is, the larger the piece the longer the burn time and better for damp kindling.

Here’s how I made the wafers.

Materials needed: a used candle, tweezers or other device for picking up small objects, cotton cosmetic pads sold in grocery or drugstores, they’re sold in packs of 50-100 and a pan that you don’t mind melting
wax in.

Place the candle in the pan over low heat until you get about 1/8 to 1/4-inch of melted wax.

Place cotton pads in the pad to and allow each to absorb the wax, this only takes 2-3 seconds.

With tweezers or other devise remove the pads from the pot and place on a sheet of wax paper to dry. Use caution when removing the pads they are hot.

When the wafers have cooled to room temperature package in a small zip bag and you’re ready to go.

Before lighting make a small tear and expose the cotton fibers.

I wanted to test this batch for burn time, I did five burns for an average.
Wind- 8-10-mph, Air temp 43°F, Humidity 87%
Full wafer- 4.25-min, 1/2 wafer- 3.0-min, 1/4 wafer- 1.75-min

I weighed 20-wafers for an average weight of 4-grams. Yes, there are lighter options available, but for the price, effectiveness and long burn time IMO it's hard to beat these DIY fire starter wafers.