Variation on PJ and Cotton Tinder

[werewolf won]

Raw materials, Petrojelly, a bit of bee's wax (for anti melt properties in final product) a candy tin, cotton squares.

Melt the PJ and bee's wax in a water bath. I'm simply using a tuna tin.

Layer the cotton squares in the tin and pour in the now liquid PJ.

Pop the whole mess into the freezer for a while to set the PJ.

Wolf

Final product. The PJ will harden and you end up with a tin full of ready made tinder. To use simply pull out a saturated cotton square.

 

[Humpback]

Does the beeswax make the PJ less sticky or does it 'set' it?

 

[werewolf won]

Does the beeswax make the PJ less sticky or does it 'set' it?

The PJ will set back up with or without the bee’s wax in it, but I feel it does give the finished product a higher melting point so the PJ is less likely to turn into a sloppy mess if you leave your kit in the bonnet on a summer’s day. I also feel it extends the burn time of the tinder too, even more so if you replace the cotton squares with 2 x 2 gauze pads and bump up the wax to about a 50/50 mix. Do that and you end up with a tinder that acts a lot like fat wood without all the soot.


Wolf

 

[Shewie]

Do the prepped squares pull apart okay after setting?

What is happening in pic 3, are you just testing the size there?

 

[Toddy]

If you use the little pocket sized lipsyl vaselines and the small round make up remover pads; just 'butter' the cotton pads with vaseline and pack inside the tin. Doesn't leak, doesn't cause any grief and they peel apart just fine. Small and neat enough to tuck into a pocket or a pouch.

Not quite as heavy duty as yours though, werewolf won Thank you for posting the tutorial.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Kepis]

nice one Wolf .

 

[werewolf won]

Do the prepped squares pull apart okay after setting?

What is happening in pic 3, are you just testing the size there?

1. The cotton squares are pretty well woven so they do come out in sheets, sometime the separate into layers of material, but they are always well coated so it’s not a real problem.

2. Just showing the liquid PJ being added to the tin full of squares. Hot PJ is just like oil (thin and slippery). The stuff sets pretty fast, I was able to tilt the tin and snap the shot without spilling any as even at room temp it had started to go over already.

Thanks
Wolf

 

[Shewie]

1. The cotton squares are pretty well woven so they do come out in sheets, sometime the separate into layers of material, but they are always well coated so it’s not a real problem.

2. Just showing the liquid PJ being added to the tin full of squares. Hot PJ is just like oil (thin and slippery). The stuff sets pretty fast, I was able to tilt the tin and snap the shot without spilling any as even at room temp it had started to go over already.

Thanks
Wolf

Gotcha thanks

 

[Humpback]

Ok wolf I'm eating tuna tomorrow, guess why
Alan

 

[leighwill]

Hi there.
theres a guy on youtube who makes somthing similar to this, his youtube name is, Artisantony.
he uses hobbist candle wax cotton balls, he reckons he gets 15 min out of one.
By the way hope im not overstepping the mark being a newbie
Leigh

 

[werewolf won]

Hi there.
theres a guy on youtube who makes somthing similar to this, his youtube name is, Artisantony.
he uses hobbist candle wax cotton balls, he reckons he gets 15 min out of one.
By the way hope im not overstepping the mark being a newbie
Leigh

I’ve seen the all wax method on cotton balls. I watched a guy heat a canteen cup full of water for a cuppa over one in fact. They do burn long.

One additional side benefit of this premade tinder is that PJ has multiple other uses in the field, from anti rust coatings, waterproof leather dressings, to various first aid and skin/lip care applications as well.

Welcome from a fellow newbe too!
Wolf

 

[TheHighwayman]

These are a great idea, Wolf. Ever since you showed them to me, I've never gone back to the normal PJCBs.