I wish I remembered who first showed this little addition tome for my combustion kit. I have seen several on the internet lately, so be sure to Google it and see other ideas and methods. My first experience with this was some 30 years ago. It was one of my fellow team members back at Dyess when I was hanging with the Life Support guys. I was tasked with running the OPFOR or enemy trrops that were looking for downed aircrew members during the SAREX or search and rescue exercises in the west Texas wasteland known as Camp Brownlee. Not even sure the place exist anymore.
I was fresh back from Desert Storm, had done some work with the ParaRescue unit and had gone through the Royal Saudi Air Force Survival School at King Abdul Air Base. Desert Shield had “redlined” or killed my orders for my shot at becoming an Air Force Survival Instructor. I was determined to get back on the path of becoming a SERE Instructor, so I got to know the Survival Instructor and Life Support guys at Dyess pretty well. It didn’t take long and I was working with them running OPFOR teams and learning new skills that would help me if I ever got my shot. This is just one of the many tricks and tips they taught me. It was a fun group to hang with since we are all expected to learn and teach each other new things. Its where the concept of BushLab came from.
This little fire starter uses a straw, a cotton ball, petroleum jelly, a lighter, and a knife to create.
Begin by cutting the straws in half.
Next lightly dip each end in the petroleum jelly
Next tightly roll the cotton ball and straw paper and work it into the straw
Next finish off with a bit of petroleum jelly on each end, melt each the end of the straw and press to seal.
When ready to use, cur in half and pull one or both pieces of cotton out. You will have a fire starter that can light from a ferro rod and will burn for several minutes.
These make a great addition to the other items you have in your combustion kit.
Adventure IQ 