# A modern tinder box



## oldvet (Jun 29, 2010)

Making a small tinder box that can fit in your pocket.

Get yourself a small metal box about 2 1/2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide and 3/8 inch thick, an Altoids box is just about perfect.
You can buy a "Mini-Match Magnesium Firestarter" (alot of the outdoor/survival type stores carry them) that fits nicely in the box. Get yourself a (very small) zip lock type bag and fill it with as many vaseline soaked/coated cotton balls that will fit into the box along with the Mini-Match. Make sure that when you get everything in the box, you are able to close it completely and get a good seal.


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

Modern plastic "snuff" or dip cans (Kodiak/Grizzly) work really well, too. Not sure how a mini-match would fit in one, but I carry a Swedish fire steel in my pocket knife for the same basic effect of 4500 degrees flying all over the place.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Mine is an altoids can with a mini purell bottle(full) in it with some tissues in a small zip loc baggie and a mini bic lighter.. even if the bic fuel runs out you can still strike a spark for quite a while with them. Purell burns really well. Even in a high wind.


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

The Everclear in my GHB works wonders for spitting flame, cleaning wounds, filling the zippo, making hunch punch, lots of stuff! hahaha.


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## BasecampUSA (Dec 26, 2010)

I've never had a problem with a BIC butane lighter... and there is always some kind of tinder laying around.

... Everclear - yeah... multi use -- fuel, disinfectant, anesthetic - good stuff... it's just that in this state, you get caught with an opened bottle of drinkable alcohol in the car and your license is history.


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## forluvofsmoke (Jan 27, 2012)

Claymore5150 said:


> The Everclear in my GHB works wonders for spitting flame, cleaning wounds, filling the zippo, making hunch punch, lots of stuff! hahaha.





BasecampUSA said:


> I've never had a problem with a BIC butane lighter... and there is always some kind of tinder laying around.
> 
> ... Everclear - yeah... multi use -- fuel, disinfectant, anesthetic - good stuff... it's just that in this state, you get caught with an opened bottle of drinkable alcohol in the car and your license is history.


In my BHB, I have a 4-oz squeeze bottle (insertion tip) of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. It's a great multipurpose carry item as well...I use it regularly for cleaning eyeglasses/sunglasses, it's obviously a good antiseptic/disinfectant (not in open wounds, of course), and burns quite well when added to tinder (sterile saline for wound cleansing is my ticket, at least for temporary use). Isopropyl only takes a few drops, depending on wind and tinder moisture content for tinder starting. You get excellent application control with the squeeze bottle and small hole in the tip. It will take a spark in sub-freezing temps, too. Combine that with my magnesium fire starter, and we have a reliable fire source. The bow drill is do-able with a few old boot laces or other cordage I carry, so I'd use that method first to save my resources as much as possible.

Lastly, no worries about open container laws. If you still wanted to carry the liquor, just keep a closed and sealed bottle in your bag or vehicle until the need arises for it in specific (SHTF). You can play around to your heart's content with the Isopropyl until then without worry, and when the day comes.


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