Though the most important thing you need – bar none – while camping is water, fire also ranks very high on your list of priorities. Unprepared campers who only bring a lighter or a box of regular matches realize what a big mistake they made when the fail to make a fire once water ruins their lighter or match heads.
Creating Supercharged, Long-Burning, Water-Resistant Matches
Wow! I have never seen that trick before! I think most people are used to strike anywhere matches, “waterproof matches,” and protective cases for their matches, but this special trick takes the cake. Not only are they more water resistant, but they also burn for an extremely long time. If you use this amazing trick, you won’t have to worry about how you’re going to cook dinner if you drop your pack in a river or if a classic Missouri thunderstorm soaks your gear.
The best part is these matches are extremely cheap and easy to make. The only downside being that it can take a few matches before you get the hang of making them, but once you do it’s a snap.
A Cheap and Easy Accellerant
Most people already know that the ingredient in hand sanitizer that kills bacteria is alcohol – the alcohol is only suspended in a gel to make your hands smell better and to prevent skin irritation. As we all know, alcohol is a volatile accelerant – meaning it burns extremely easily. Because the alcohol in hand sanitizer is suspended in a gel, it will also burn for a relatively long time when compared to a regular match. Applying some to some dead leaves or tinder is a sure fire way to get your campfire lit. Be careful though, it is a little difficult to see when the alcohol has stopped burning.
Pencil Sharpener Trick
This handy little trick is, of course, well-known to camping veterans. However, novice campers don’t always know this fire-starting hack. The shavings from a pencil sharpener are highly flammable, and they make a fantastic tinder. And the best part? You don’t need to bring any pencils along with you. All you need to do is find a stick or twig that fits the size of your pencil sharpener, and in instants you will have the beginnings of a roaring fire.
Using Stormproof Matches
These are the heavy-duty variety of classic matches. Essentially, they are very similar to the homemade toilet paper and wax matches – except they have one additional incredible property. These matches will almost always continue to burn even if they come in contact with water after they have been lit. As you can see in the video, even after they have been submerged in water, the fire continues to burn. Regular matches can’t hold a candle to this solution, especially in a light drizzle. One advantage to these matches as opposed to the homemade variety made at the beginning of the video is that you don’t need to do any work. You only need to buy them!
good stuff,see yam on the river. Ed S.