I love our readers, always asking interesting questions. Lately, a reader asked about making DIY waterproof matches. I know I have a few boxes packed in my camping gear, I also know I have a lighter and a fire steel. A gal likes to have her options.
I had never thought about DIYing the matches though, and it’s a GREAT idea.
Start with some Strike Anywhere Matches.
Set up a work space. You need someplace out of wind, well ventilated, with a way to dry the matches. I saw one set up that used some double sided tape to hold the matches while they dry. I saw another set up that used corrugated cardboard set on edge, with a match in each hole.
Dip the matches, head first into some shellac. Only cover about half the match. Let the matches dry, heads down, on the sticky tape.
Voila! When dry you have waterproof matches. The shellac is much nicer than the wax coating some people recommend. That wax coating can melt, it can crumble, it’s generally just a mess. Shellac avoids a lot of that. Clear nail polish works similarly to the shellac, if you happen to have that on hand.
Don’t forget to make some NO FAIL TINDER while you’re DIYing your fire kit.
Grab some dryer lint, add some flammable liquid to it, either some wax or paraffin. Let it dry into little ball and then pack them SAFELY into your emergency kit.
No need to spend crazy money on this, but do get it done, fire is too important to ignore. Exposure will kill you every time, especially up here in cold country. :-D
- Calamity Jane
Folks it’s fire week here at SHTFblog. Somehow Jane and Jarhead seem to be on the same page (atleast the same book) again. DIY lamps, firestarters… You know your a prepper when you save drier lint. I saw one guy who put drier lint an a cardboard tube , PT or TP, then poured used candle wax in. After it hardened up he made thin slices of it. He used it to light his rocket stove. People also sell pinecones soaked in wax for decorations and fire starters (sneaky way to prep around unbelievers). Keep up the good work peeps. I don’t have a boring life but I do look forward to this blog everyday.
D’ja’c….I was sitting down on the thrown yesterday and I used up the last of a role of tp and had the tube left. I said to myself if I’m smart enough to urinate on a cotton wick ….i’m smart enough to figure out what to do with this tube???? Thanks for saving me some Brain matter time….great idea….I will give this a try el-pronto. Rusty
All hail King Rusty ;-D
I like to save old vitamin jars and use them to hold my DIY WP
Matches. Keeps them nice and dry and organized
I always keep a bottle of Ronsonol lighter fluid in my kit .
Drier lint or cotton balls with petroleum Jelly rubbed into them makes a great fire starter.
Calmady Jane….thank you for advising me about the shellac…I have a gallon of it in the shed and would not have thought of using it for matches in a hundred years….great idea thanks. Rusty
Great idea! I had heard about wax coating used for making waterproof matches. But using shellac is a different and better idea.