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How To Make A Fire Starter At Home | Homesteading Skills

How To Make A Fire Starter | Homesteading Skills

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Want to learn how to make a fire starter the easiest and quickest way? You’ve probably never seen a tutorial on how to make a fire starter as easy and simple as this. Trust me, you’ll be beefing up your self-sufficiency skills with this!

Learn How To Make A Fire Starter And Survive Off-Grid

Need a quick way to start a fire? Or maybe you don’t have a fire pit and you don’t want to leave a trace? This tutorial will show you how to make a fire starter using recycled materials that you most likely already have lying around your homestead. It is also a great survival candle considering it is practically for free. Now you will know you don’t have to rub sticks for hours to get a fire going. Just make sure you’ve got these fire starters ready if and when you do need to make a fire, so check out this tutorial now.

 

Let’s Get Started!

Supplies You Will Need To Make A Fire Starter:

Supplies You Will Need To Make A Fire Starter | How To Make A Fire Starter
All you need for a homemade fire starter are right in your home.
  • Easy open round tin can
  • 1-2 mm thick cardboard
  • Candles
  • Marker and ruler
  • Scissors or a box cutter

How To Make A Fire Starter

Step 1: Prepare Tin Can

Prepare Tin Can | How To Make A Fire Starter
Clean tin can thoroughly to make a fire starter medium.
  • Open a can or cans (You will be using an extra to melt candles in or you might want to make more than one fire starter) and empty all contents.
  • Wash the tin can thoroughly to remove all residue and traces or smell of the previous contents.

Step 2: Prepare Cardboard Strip Wick

Prepare Cardboard Wick | How To Make A Fire Starter
Use the height of the can to outline the length of the cardboard strip.
  • Place the can, sideways, on the cardboard box to outline the height of the cardboard strip. Do this on both ends of the cardboard to make the length of the strip.
  • Use a ruler to outline the cardboard strip for the fire starter wick.
  • Using scissors, cut through the outline to make the strips. You can cut a few more strips if you have a shorter piece of cardboard.

Step 3: Prepare Fire Starter Wick

Make A Fire Starter Wick | How To Make A Fire Starter
Making a fire starter wick is as easy as one, two, three.
  • Fold one end of the cardboard strips inwards to roll the cardboard strip.
  • Continue rolling the strip until you make the thickness which fits right in the tin can.
  • Insert the cardboard strip roll inside the tin can.

Step 4: Douse Wick With Melted Candle

Douse Wick With Melted Candle | How To Make A Fire Starter
You can also melt old candles or hardened candle drippings in the candle holders.
  • Break your candles into smaller pieces, then put them in another tin can.
  • Light up the stove and put it on low heat.
  • Place the can with the candles over the heat until the candles melt and turn into a clear liquid.
  • Use pliers or kitchen tongs to take the can off the stove.
  • Gently pour the contents of the can all over the cardboard wick.

Step 5: Test Your Homemade Fire Starter

Test Your Homemade Fire Starter_How To Make A Fire Starter
You can use matches, a lighter or you can also test your fire starter with a flint.

Now you are ready to light it! We hope we helped you learn how to make a survival fire starter using recycled materials!

 

You can follow the full tutorial on how to make a fire starter in this video: 

There you have it, homesteaders! The most simple and easiest way there is probably to make a fire starter with household stuff. Whether you’re learning this skill as a prepper or a homesteader, this will definitely come in handy. Have a fun time doing this experiment on your next camping trip!

Did you find this tutorial on how to make a fire starter helpful? Tell us all about it in the comments below! 

Going on a camping trip with your family? Make sure to check these classics yet fun family activities around the campfire!

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This post was originally published in June 2014 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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  • Dawn

    This is very helpful, thank you very much. Have a great day. : )

  • paul

    simpler way.

    Save card board egg cartons.
    Save dryer lint.
    pack lint into egg cups.
    melt wax same method or whatever, pour over lint in egg cartons. break off 1 single or cut up and use as necessary or store in cartons. works phenomenally!

    • Riley Carlson

      Great tips! Thanks!

    • Jenny

      if you cut your own wood, you can use the sawdust from that to use in the egg cartons instead of lint. I’ve used both. They are both great. My hubby (who used to be a store bought starter person) uses only these now.

  • GRAMPA

    an item I use for the spark is an ignitor for the propane torch. the cup will hold the material to ignite and the spring like handle provides a grip that will allow the hand in glove or stiff from the cold to ignite tinder. the tips are replaceable on this striker and extras are small and inexpensive. this item needs no special skill to use and is lightweight and mine is nearly forty years old so almost indestructible. Even small children could be taught to use one of these tools. US Forge Welding Single Flint Lighter #00506 is about eight dollars and the replaceable flints about five dollars. Most hardware stores have them in the plumbing section. The cup holds the tinder securely and allows the other hand to block the wind and feed more tinder. because it is made of metal fire has no effect on it. I do hope this will contribute an easy to start a fire for even young children. While it wouldn’t replace the skills needed if no normal items were at hand but it is certainly an item that could be carried without danger of it getting wet for it will work at all temperatures or weather which makes it a valuable tool for the woodsman /camper. I hope this has benefit for people in need of a nearly indestructible and inexpensive way to make fire.
    Grampa

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  • winkwink1

    I was expecting to be shown how to make a “fire starter” not fuel that requires a fire to start.

  • Judi

    How do you put the fire out once it is lit?

  • Sharon

    Love the egg carton idea! We have chickens and prefer cardboard cartons but they eventually wear out!!

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