Using a candle to start fire?

[running horse]

So I have herd that there are some that carry a candle with there tinder and they some times use it to start there fires. How do you do it without a match, lighter, or starting the fire first then lighting the candle with the fire you already started? Any info would be great. Thank you

 

[Ranger1759]

The way is......yes, you have to get flame in your tinder first...then light the candle.....now you have a flame if your tinder goes out....and to use to light you bigger tinder pile....a candle is easier to keep lite then tinder sometimes....

 

[necchi]

You can get a char/tinder hot enough for a wick to ignite,
Or you can blow a char/tinder in a nest to start a nest on fire and catch the flame,
Or you can shave wax on damp tinder to help catch the char/tinder,
Or the candle can be carried in the kit to use as a candle.

Member ike and I where on a woods walk a few years back and one station was to lite a candle (timed from first strike of the steel), I caught a spark with char and blew a nest of tow in to flame with ike holding the candle,
We had the candle wick burning in 11 seconds.
p.s. It works better if the candle has been previously lit and extinguished.

 

[LRB]

I believe Lonehunter posted a video here showing him lighting a candle from char. Maybe he can show it again.

 

[running horse]

Thanks every one that makes a lot more sense I just couldn't see how some one could blow a candle to flame

 

[Brokennock]

I haven't had the opportunity to try one myself, has anyone been able to catch a spark with one of those cotton rope "tinder tube" things and light a candle off that?

 

[BrownBear]

However you light the candle, it's about the best thing that ever hit wet wood in serious rain country. Sustained heat long enough to dry the small stuff, then get it burning. A candle is standard gear in survival kits up here just for that.

 

[lonehunter]

Here ya go RH

 

[Brokennock]

That's a great video. What was the char?

 

[lonehunter]

That's a great video. What was the char?

Cloth of some sort.
I think I was playing with pillow ticking at that point. Don't honestly remember.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Along the lines of this topic, not how to light it but how well the candle works! Before I ever got interested in BP firearms I did a lot of camping.
I made some candles out of 75% beeswax and 25% paraffin wax. I poured them in an old paper towel tube, with one continues wick that ran through it!
Once poured and cooled I cut them into pieces about an 1" long and shaved down the top about 1/8+ to expose the wick! Light them just long enough to get the wick to burn and then put them out. It will make them easier to light when you actually need one to start a fire.
Wrap them in parchment paper to keep them from getting all over everything else, and throw it in your pack.
When you unwrap the parchment paper acts as a fire starting material. Parchment paper is actually HC correct.
When its wet and you get it lit, it will generate enough heat and flame to get damp stuff going when starting a fire! Those kind of candles make a great fire starter!!!

 

[AZbpBurner]

I try to always buy eggs in the paper cartons. Just fill the bottom sections of the carton with sawdust, or even dryer lint, then pour over melted canning paraffin. When cooled, you can break off a piece, light it however you want and start your fire.

 

[MSW]

did the same thing with the paper egg carton material ... fill with some sawdust or dryer lint, put a small pinecone on top ... coat / fill with paraffin and there you go ... if that won't get your campfire burning, you're in need of some serious help!

make good smoke!

 

[running horse]

Don't usually have an issue starting one with flint and steel or bow drill but I had been reading about it and it didn't make sense. Though there have been times where it seams impossible to start a fire even with every thing dry don't know if it is a pressure thing or a quick change in humidity (no it wasn't raining that day)

 

[Old Creek]

The way is......yes, you have to get flame in your tinder first...then light the candle.....now you have a flame if your tinder goes out....and to use to light you bigger tinder pile....a candle is easier to keep lite then tinder sometimes....

Exactly !! my grandsons and me were building a fire last weekend with very little dry stuff available, we went through the oldests tinder without getting the kindling going, if we had had a candle in the kit we could have saved the tinder out of the younger ones kit but since we didnt we used the tinder from both kits. I have a candle in my kits and will be putting one in theirs before our next trip in april.

creek

 

[Rifleman1776]

I saved the short stubs from my lantern candles and just put them in the fire material when I was starting. As it heated and melted it acted as fuel to get things going, even when a bit wet.