Lighting Candles

[Trench]

Can anyone suggest a way to light a candle without starting a campfire first? I've been experimenting, but haven't figured out a way yet.

I've been using tinder tubes directly on the wick and that just doesn't seem to work.

 

[gearheart]

Not necessary to start a campfire but you do need a flame. Maybe get some birch bark going and light the candle from there?

 

[LRB]

If you get the wax to melt and get some on the char it will flame. Lonehunter just tried it with good success. Maybe he will go through the process for you.

 

[George]

I usually start flame in a small ball of tinder, cedar bark for me, light the candle from that.

I can usually but not always light a candle from char wood. If you start with a pretty big chunk of wood and blow on it vigorously with the wick in direct contact it will frequently work. I can't usually do that with char cloth.

Spence

 

[jbtusa]

Roll up a piece of charcloth into a tight roll, get an ember going on the end and hold next to the candle wick. Blow so that it gets hot enough to melt wax onto the charcloth and it will ignite. Then light the wick.

You can do the same with a charred piece of rotten punky wood. Incidentally, charred punky wood makes an excellent substitute for charcloth. And, charred wood is documented as historically correct, charcloth is not.

 

[BillinOregon]

Jbt: I had not heard that charcloth is not HC. Can you tell me more? Not trying to start a war, just curious.

 

[mudd turtle]

Take a couple of pieces of your char cloth and roll into a tube. Place the lit char cloth next to the wick and on the candle in such a way that the ember will melt the wax. When the melted wax is hot enough it will burst into flame. you will have to practice this method. it works for me. Mudd Turtle.

 

[token tory]

I know you can light cotton fibers with a little Vaseline on them with the sparks from a steel match ( flint & steel), could you use a small amount on the wick & tease it & then strike sparks directly onto the wick?
Probably not "right" I don't know when petroleum jelly was invented & used first. :idunno:

 

[token tory]

DUH! Follow up thought.
Carry little cotton balls (about 1/2 the size of a modern Q-tip)or one ball & tear off little bits as needed. Sit one in the top of the candle & then strike fire-starter. :yakyak:

 

[lonehunter]

Here ya go trench!
Hope this works, Sorry about the light.

 

[Flint311]

Neat vid, thanks!

 

[Trench]

Well, that puts in to pictures what everyone else has suggested. Gotta get that wax on whatever is smoldering to get a flame. Got it!!! :thumbsup:

 

[jbtusa]

Charcloth not being historically correct for the western rendezvous era has been well discussed here and on other muzzleloading forums. Charcloth cannot be documented as being historically correct for use by the western beaver trappers in spite of all the personal attacks made against me for saying so. No one has been able to show documentation to prove this statement to be incorrect. This lack of documentation is also the consensus of the American Mountain Men. Now just watch the vitriol about to be spewed at me again for saying this.

 

[Trench]

Charcloth not being historically correct for the western rendezvous era has been well discussed here and on other muzzleloading forums. Charcloth cannot be documented as being historically correct for use by the western beaver trappers in spite of all the personal attacks made against me for saying so. No one has been able to show documentation to prove this statement to be incorrect. This lack of documentation is also the consensus of the American Mountain Men. Now just watch the vitriol about to be spewed at me again for saying this.

A lack of documentation is a lack of documentation. I Don't see anything to argue about there, However, his name escapes me, but there is an individual on here that has shared the definition of "tinder" out of an 1820's edition of Websters Dictionary that includes the mention of charred linen.

 

[J.D.]

Roll up a piece of charcloth into a tight roll, get an ember going on the end and hold next to the candle wick. Blow so that it gets hot enough to melt wax onto the charcloth and it will ignite. Then light the wick.

You can do the same with a charred piece of rotten punky wood. Incidentally, charred punky wood makes an excellent substitute for charcloth.

Yep, I have found that char made of heavier fabric works better than char made of light fabric. I prefer char made from old cotton blue jeans when you really need a fire.

The same technique works for using a candle or scrap wax to light a fire. Just lay the burning char on the wax. The char will act as a wick to provide a reasonably long lasting flame that will help damp kindling catch a flame.

And, charred wood is documented as historically correct, charcloth is not.

I do believe one of the better researchers, don't remember which one, has, indeed, found documentation to suggest that char cloth was used during the western fur trade.

There is documentation to indicate that char cloth, in the form of rag material, was used in the East, in the 18th century too. I'll see if I can find it.

That said, it IS beneficial to know as many alternate items that can be used for char and as many alternate means of making fire, in the event one's fire kit gets dunked and you need a fire really badly.

God bless

 

[Many Klatch]

I once saw a candle lit this way. The black used wick extended about 1/2" from the candle. The guy wrapped his charcloth around the wick and lit the char. The candle lit in seconds.

I accept that charcloth was not commonly used by the Beaver trappers west of the Mississippi and it probably wasn't used by the longhunters either. Since I don't do either of those I use charcloth by preference but I have learned to use charred punk as a backup.

Many Klatch

 

[hoochiepapa]

Wow! One strike on that flint! :bow:

 

[matt denison]

WAY COOL!! Excellent. Thanks for posting that.
:hatsoff: :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

This was a very interesting/imformative post with no personal attacks or uncalled for comments about any differing ideas, my hat is off to you gentlemen it is good to see this happening and a 7 page thread can be coverd in two or three as a result, again my sincere reguards to all participants, and thnks to all for sharing theri experience/views.......I use a Bic :v

 

[LRB]

OMG TG. Say it ain't so!! Yeah, me too.