How to Build a Fire Can

Making fire can be difficult in adverse conditions. Thats also when they are most usually needed. Your wet as well as everything needed to make a fire and you may be going hypothermic.

There are a ton of fire starting stuff on the market. They tend to cost money which you would rather spend on other gear. So why not make the stuff at your house- like vaseline and cotton balls. While they are excellent you may need something a little more substantial. Well we are going to help you with that today.

This is the Fire Can and can be made by a few household products.

Here is what you will need:

• A tight sealing can such as: a shoe polish tin, air pellet tin, Altoids tin, or anything similar
• Cardboard- preferably the ribbed kind
• A candle
• Scissors
• Lighter or match to light the candle

1. You will first cut your cardboard into long thin pieces that are as wide as the can. If its ribbed cut across the grain. This will leave pockets that will hold the wax

     2. You will then coil it around in the tin very tightly until the entire tin is filled with coils of cardboard. 

      3. Then light the candle and let the melting wax drop into the can saturating the cardboard. make sure it                

       fills up the can and soaks into the cardboard. Stop once its been filled to the top and allow the wax to 

       harden.

When using the fire can you will need to light the edges of the exposed cardboard. Do be careful because the can will become hot. Essentially this is a waterproof tinder element that can be used over and over again. It can also be used to start fires and then put away to be used again. Seeing that most of us have this type of gear sitting around the house its pretty much a free fire starting element. Make a few up and throw in your pack for your next adventure or your bug out bag.