Petroleum Jelly Infused Cottonball Tinder

[CharlesHarris]

[Lightspeed]

This was covered off when NR an God were both boys Charlie.

See NR Prepping guide pt 4
Intercontinental Bugging Out

or should that now be Bugging out for the incontinent NR??

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oops missed a comma and it kinda changes the flavour...

that should have read: or should that now be Bugging out for the incontinent, NR??

[Highlander]

It is actually a bit of a good reminder of how to do this,.. I remember many years ago when I first heard this, I took a jar of petroleum jelly and with sticky fingers tried to work some into cotton wool balls,.. I then packed them away

A few months on from that I had a chance to try one,..it didn't work, it seemed to have evaporated.

So of course I have learnt since, but others may not have, that to do this so that they do work well, the jelly needs to be heated and liquified, and mixed in well

[Rush2112]

i prefer to use parafin wax mixed with sawdust

[CharlesHarris]

Can the paraffin and sawdust cakjes be ignited with a spark from a ferro rod, or does it require a match or other actual flame?

[Dorset Lad]

I find that cotton wool balls well rolled in vaseline work best if ripped open to expose the inside and ignited with fire steel. The sparks seem to work better on the cotton which ignites the vaseline, but as Highlander says, they do seem to dry out and need to be re-rolled from time to time even when kept in an air tight container.

[Scythe13]

I use a similar system to DL above. I just roll the two together in my fingers then tear the mixed ball apart. Too much petroleum jelly and it won't ignite very easily.

To keep them from drying out, you can wrap them in cling film (it works with paint on paint brushes and rollers too) or you could do my preferred method. Just keep some lip balm next to some dry cotton wool balls. Then make them when you need them.

[Rush2112]

Can the paraffin and sawdust cakjes be ignited with a spark from a ferro rod, or does it require a match or other actual flame?

I take a cotton mophead string, dip in liquid paraffin, then roll in sawdust. It will take a spark as is, but I like to cut about 2 inches off, mash it and flatten it to get more area to catch the spark.

[CharlesHarris]

Good tip! Thx.

[Tezauzz]

I recently saw a way to seal the PJCB's once made, hopefully stop them drying out. Take a drinking straw, pinch one end with pliers and seal it with a lighter. Cut the straw into fire kit size lengths, then using tweezers stuff the straws with ripped bits of PJC. Pack it in fairly tight but leave enough room to seal the open end with pliers and a lighter.
Gives you some air sealed tubes which you only need to open as you use them.
I have ordered a little funnel so I can pour liquified PJ to another straw so I have a supply of pure vaseline in small quantities for medicinal use as well.