5 Homemade Fire Starters

My husband and I have longed to learn and teach our children as well as ourselves survival skills. We love nature and spend a large amount of our time hunting, hiking, and camping but that alone isn’t enough. You see, we need to practice the skills it would take to survive any situation that nature throws at us.

Starting a fire might seem like a no brainer to most but keeping that fire lit and active is actually not that easy. We know this to be true because for the past two months we have been heating our home with firewood. Oftentimes, we would start the fire and then walk away to find that a few minutes later the fire has died down. In order for a fire to burn it needs heat, oxygen, and fuel.

Our main concern in a survival situation is shelter, fire, water, and food.

Below are five different fire starters you can make at home. These fire starters are all waterproof. Some of these fire starters are large and bulky and are best made or used at home while others can be put in a survival pack and taken with you.

We use our fire starters to start our fireplace but they can be used to boil water, cook food, warm a shelter, and signal rescuers.

All of the fire starters we will share with you require that you use some sort of wax. We used wax from old candles we got at our local thrift store for pennies.

Cotton Fire Starter

This fire starter only require two things : wax, and round cotton. It is the easiest starter to make and can be stored away neatly. You will also want to use parchment paper while making all of the fire starters.

To melt the wax you will need to create a double boiler. A larger pot filled with water and a smaller metal bowl (which you don’t care about) filled with candle wax. On low heat you want to heat the water. The heat from the water will melt the wax. Once the wax is melted carefully remove the bowl from the water. Dip the round cotton into the melted wax. Remove the round cotton and place on parchment paper to dry.

Once it is dry place in a box. If you want to use the cotton fire starter simply break it in half and light a match to it.

Uber Match Fire Starter

This fire starter is perfect to pack away in your survival pack. You will need cotton pads, wax, thread, matches, wax paper and scissors. Melt the wax. While the wax is melting, place a match on a cotton pad. Make sure that the top of the wax is visible. Roll the cotton pad and add another match. Roll more cotton. Wrap the bundle in thread. Then dip the bundle in wax. Then place on the wax paper. Let dry and put away or use.

Pinecone Fire Starter

For this fire starter you want to use open pinecones, candle wax, and string. Melt the wax. Wrap the string into the pinecone and go around it. You want the string to be long enough so that you can hold it and not have your fingers touch the wax while you dip the pinecone.

Egg Carton Fire Starter

This time you’ll want to reuse items that you would likely throw out egg carton and dryer lint. Melt wax. Place the dryer lint inside the egg carton and then cover it with hot wax. This is a perfect fire starter to have around the house.

Paper Roll Fire Starter

Get a small silicon container and place cut up paper roll inside. Melt wax and once melted cover the paper rolls. You will want to add as much paper rolls as possible. Let dry and use at home.

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