How To Make Simple DIY Fire starters
Features of these very simple DIY homemade fire starters:
Why do we need fire starters anyway?
When your out backpacking or camping or when wild camping, a fire is essential for many survival tasks.
Being able to light that fire both quickly and efficiently is essential especially if your fuel (wood) is damp or wet.
A fire starter will give you the edge over the elements and make things a lot easier and simpler, allowing you to focus on the jobs in hand.
Spending unnecessary time and effort to get a simple fire going is poor prepping management, but having firestarters, whether homemade or shop bought will ease that pressure right from the off.
In this article: I cover how you make your own 'custom' fire starters using very basic materials. These materials you already have in your home and within no time you will produce dozens of functional fire starters to store and use when out in the wild camping.
How To Make Simple DIY Fire Starters - Materials & Equipment
You only need two components and a melting can:
Firstly, get yourself some wax, I use Clear Wax Blocks that I bought for Ebay.
But you could also use any old wax.
You can even use wax crayons, that way you'll have pretty snazzy fire starters at the end.
Clear Wax Blocks
Secondly, you can use an old mop from the cupboard or go out and buy yourself a nice new one.
Old Mop Head
I used an old, used mop and it works fine.
Cut off strips to the size you want - I cut mine at 2" long, just the right size to fit in my fire starting container,
Fire Starter Storage
To see the full, start to finish process, take a look at the video below:
One thing I must mention:
I used a tin can directly on my ceramic hob to melt the wax. Although it worked well, I've been told there is a chance of the wax overheating and possibly catching fire!
I now melt the wax by putting the tin can in a bowl of boiler hot water instead.
It's a lot slower, but in hindsight probably the better way, especially if you don't pay attention or get distracted!
I hope this article on how to make simple DIY fire starters was helpful:
These DIY Fire Starters were easy to make and worked very well.
I now have yet another means to successfully light a fire when out in the woods or backpacking.
Steve Hart - UK Preppers Guide
3 comments
Just looked at the how to make firestarters video.Useful info !The only thought I had was maybe you could light the 2″ starters at both ends once your tinder is prepared,to get your fire going quicker.
I’m fairly new to prepping. Only a few months, so need lots of ideas, and guidance. Was great to find your site, was starting to feel like the only prepper in the uk. Everyone else thinks I’m crazy.
Maybe better to say camping skills !!
That way others may not expect you to have a secret stash of food etc