[dmp]

First step: Gather the supplies -

• Bulk wax
• Cotton discs/wafers
• wax paper for cooling
• old stainless bowl – will get waxy
• Sauce pan, 1/2 full of water
• Set the bowl atop the sauce pan – heat on medium-high, until the wax liquifies.
• I used chop sticks as my insertion/removal tool. As I removed the wafers – they only have to sit in the wax for a few seconds – the built-up wax on the chop sticks caused the wafers to slip and fall back into the bowl. If you are not good with chop sticks, an old fork would work great, or old spatula – tongs would be ideal.
• Let them soak for 5-10 seconds.
• Allow to dry on a sheet of wax paper

I stacked wood in the fire place, tore the wafer about half way along the center line – this exposes the cotton fibers. Apply flame to the torn portion.

Within 30 seconds the disc is burning well

Just a minute or so later, the flame is strong. You can see how the wax provides a lot of fuel for the young fire.

There you have it – easy, light, and inexpensive. I made about 100 FireWafers – I paid about $4 for the block of wax, and a dollar or so for the cotton discs. 100 fires for $5. Compare that to my previous method – Duraflame fire-starting bricks, at $11 for two dozen. I’m ahead financially with this – and these wafers are super-portable.

[KG7IL]

We make jam and jelly, sometimes seal it with Parafin Wax. This would be a great way to recycle the wax.
My wife will probably not like the idea, since it's one more thing I want her to save.

To ensure that I understood the directions. You use the chopsticks to dip the cotton, then let them cool on the wax paper?

[dmp]

the chopsticks the removal tool. You could simply drop them in by hand. Thinking maybe tongs or tweezers would work better to lift them out.

yes, just lay them on the wax paper to cool. Some fibers of the cotten may stick, but generally they come off pretty well.

[dmp]

Cooling, and the tearing

[Mosin]

I'll just throw this on here. I always have coconut oil on me. After cooking, or if the oil gets liquified (it's solid at room temp), just stick a piece of rolled up newspaper in it. Dries hard and burns like a candle. I use these to light my charcoal grill.

[Mosin]

To add. I'm sure coconut oil would work on these disks too.

[kytowboater]

Originally Posted by Mosin

I'll just throw this on here. I always have coconut oil on me. After cooking, or if the oil gets liquified (it's solid at room temp), just stick a piece of rolled up newspaper in it. Dries hard and burns like a candle. I use these to light my charcoal grill.

Why do you always have coconut oil on you? Like the smell lol

[Mosin]

Lol! My boyfriend... I kid I kid!!!

It's the paleo. It's a paleo oil, and cooks well on high heat, plus it's cheap at Walmart, has medical properties, and stays solid. Put a tablespoon in a cast iron pan and cook some eggs, slicker than Teflon! Plus it makes starting charcoal easier, and I made a candle once just to see if it would work.
High marks for the stuff! I've been using it exclusively since I discovered it a year ago.

[kfox75]

Just throwing a couple of ideas in.

1 Alcohol pads, in your first aid kit, used to sterilize wounds, are highly flamable. Can also use cotton balls and a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

2 Rain-x. Read the lable on the back, and you will find that it contains isoprople alcohol. Won a bet with it once, buddy said it wouldn't work and it did.

3 Dryer lint. Save the lint from your dryer's lint trap in a bag or a pill bottle. It is light weight, and will go up very easily if it is kept dry.

All of these will start the tinder, and light your fire.

[hiwall]

We all have cleaning patches to do this with. Even have different sizes. 22 caliber fire or up to a 12 gauge fire