DIY Survival Gear: How to Make Your Own Fire Starter

When it comes to survival situations, one of the most essential skills is being able to start a fire. A fire provides warmth, light, a way to purify water, and can even signal for help. While there are plenty of commercial fire starters available, making your own can be both cost-effective and a great way to add a personal touch to your survival kit. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to create a few different types of DIY fire starters that are easy to make, lightweight, and could save your life when the need arises.

Why Make Your Own Fire Starter?

Before diving into the "how," let's briefly talk about the "why." Fire starters are a key component of any bug-out bag or emergency kit because they help ensure you can reliably start a fire when the environment is damp, windy, or when you're in a stressful survival situation. While store-bought options are convenient, making your own allows you to tailor the fire starter to your specific needs, use materials that are readily available, and save money.

 Materials You’ll Need

The beauty of DIY fire starters is that many of the materials you’ll need are either cheap, recyclable, or easy to find. Here are some basic supplies that will be common in several DIY fire starter recipes:

- Cotton balls (or any absorbent material)
- Vaseline (petroleum jelly)
- Egg cartons (cardboard or styrofoam)
- Wax (beeswax or paraffin)
- Old candles
- Paper towels or toilet paper rolls
- Charcoal briquettes
- **Dry twigs, pine needles, or shredded bark

You’ll also need basic tools like scissors, a hot glue gun, a knife, and something to light your fire starter with (matches or a lighter).

DIY Fire Starter #1: Cotton Balls and Petroleum Jelly

This is one of the easiest and most popular DIY fire starters. Cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly burn for a long time, even in damp conditions.

What you’ll need:
- Cotton balls
- Petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
- Small container for storage (like a zip-lock bag or small plastic container)

Steps:
1. Take several cotton balls and fluff them up a bit to increase surface area. This helps them catch fire faster.
2. Scoop out some petroleum jelly and rub it into the cotton balls until they're fully saturated but not dripping. You can also roll them in the jelly to make sure it's evenly distributed.
3. Store the finished cotton balls in a zip-lock bag or small airtight container. This will keep them dry and ready for use when you need them.

How to Use:
When you're ready to start a fire, pull apart a cotton ball and place it under kindling. Light it with a match or lighter, and the petroleum jelly will keep the flame alive long enough to catch your wood.

**Bonus Tip:** You can also carry these in a small Altoid tin for a compact and convenient option!

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 DIY Fire Starter #2: Egg Carton and Wax Fire Starter

Egg cartons are a great material to repurpose for survival gear. By filling the compartments with flammable material and coating them in wax, you create a long-burning fire starter that’s easy to use.

What you’ll need:
- Empty egg carton (cardboard or styrofoam)
- Wax (beeswax or old candle stubs)
- Dryer lint, sawdust, or shredded paper
- A pot and a stove to melt the wax

Steps:
1. Cut the egg carton into individual compartments.
2. Fill each compartment with dryer lint, sawdust, or shredded paper. These materials will catch fire quickly and burn well.
3. Melt your wax in a pot over low heat. You can use beeswax, paraffin, or even old candles you have lying around.
4. Once the wax is melted, carefully pour it over the materials in each egg carton compartment. Make sure the wax saturates the filler material, but don’t overfill it.
5. Allow the wax to cool and harden. Once it’s solid, the fire starter is ready to use.

How to Use:
To use your egg carton fire starter, simply break off one compartment, place it under your kindling, and light it. The wax will slowly burn, giving your kindling time to catch fire and spread.

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 DIY Fire Starter #3: Toilet Paper Roll and Dryer Lint

This is another straightforward DIY project that uses simple materials you probably already have in your home. The toilet paper roll acts as the perfect mold for the fire starter, and the dryer lint is an excellent kindling material.

What you’ll need:
- Empty toilet paper rolls
- Dryer lint
- Beeswax, paraffin, or any leftover candle wax

Steps:
1. Collect dryer lint (this is a great way to recycle lint from your dryer).
2. Pack the lint tightly into the empty toilet paper roll. You want it to be dense but not packed so tightly that air can’t get through.
3. Melt your wax in a pot, then pour it over the packed lint. The wax will soak through the lint and bind everything together.
4. Let the wax cool and harden before storing the fire starter in a dry place.

How to Use:
When you need to start a fire, just break off a piece of the toilet paper roll, place it underneath your kindling, and light it. The lint will burn hot and fast, and the wax will provide a long-lasting flame.

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DIY Fire Starter #4: Pine Cone Fire Starters

If you're in an area where pine trees are abundant, you’re in luck! Pine cones are naturally flammable, and when paired with wax, they make a fantastic fire starter.

What you’ll need:
- Pine cones
- Wax (old candles or beeswax)
- A pot for melting the wax
- A baking tray lined with parchment paper

Steps:
1. Collect several pine cones, ensuring they’re dry and free of debris.
2. Melt your wax in a pot over low heat.
3. Dip each pine cone into the melted wax, coating it thoroughly. You can also drizzle the wax over the pine cone using a spoon if you don’t want to submerge it completely.
4. Place the wax-coated pine cones on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allow them to cool and harden.

How to Use:
To use the pine cone fire starter, simply light the tip of the pine cone with a match or lighter. The wax will slowly burn, helping the pine cone catch fire, which in turn helps ignite your kindling.

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 Conclusion: Fire Safety and Storage

While it’s exciting to create your own fire starters, don’t forget that fire can be dangerous. Always practice safety when using these DIY fire starters and ensure you're lighting them in a controlled environment. When storing your fire starters, keep them in a dry, airtight container to protect them from moisture.

Creating your own fire starters not only adds a personal touch to your survival kit but also ensures you have reliable, cost-effective solutions when you need them most. Whether you're out camping, facing an emergency, or just preparing for the unexpected, having these DIY fire starters on hand can give you the peace of mind you need in a crisis.

Stay safe, stay prepared, and keep those fires burning!