QuietJourney Forums - DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube

Jul 17^th, 2026 at 11:54pm (UTC)

QuietJourney Forums › Boundary Waters / Quetico Discussion Forums › Strictly Gear - Gear specific reviews and ideas. › DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube

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DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube (Read 9216 times)

solotripper Inukshuk Offline Posts: 8119 Location: clarkston MI Joined: Mar 14^th, 2005	DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Apr 11^th, 2017 at 4:34am	Quote Print Post
	Like most people, I use a lighter to start most of my campfires. A little Birch Bark and some dry split wood and I'm good to go. However, there are times the fire just doesn't want to take off and that lighter gets hot and you use it up fast. I did a little research and think this is one of the better ideas and how-to-videos. I made one up over the weekend and it works just as advertised. Will be going on trips from now on. Check it out. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)


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Old Salt Inukshuk Offline Posts: 4871 Location: Crossville, TN Joined: Jun 17^th, 2004	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #1 - Apr 11^th, 2017 at 2:30pm	Quote Print Post
	Propane torch usually does the job.


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solotripper Inukshuk Offline Posts: 8119 Location: clarkston MI Joined: Mar 14^th, 2005	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #2 - Apr 11^th, 2017 at 3:30pm	Quote Print Post
	Old Salt wrote on Apr 11^th, 2017 at 2:30pm: Propane torch usually does the job. Slip it in Wally 13's pack he'll never know it


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TomT Inukshuk Offline Posts: 1052 Location: Chicago Burbs Joined: Aug 26^th, 2007	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #3 - Apr 11^th, 2017 at 11:38pm	Quote Print Post
	That's a really cool video. It's also a product that this guy should get massed produced and sell. Or just sell them out of his garage. Looks like something I would definitely take with on trips. But - I also know I'm too lazy to build one. I usually just take a bag of dryer lint and also commercial sticks (Coughlins?) of firestarter.


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solotripper Inukshuk Offline Posts: 8119 Location: clarkston MI Joined: Mar 14^th, 2005	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #4 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 2:57am	Quote Print Post
	Quote: It's also a product that this guy should get massed produced and sell. The problem with that is that there are literally dozens of videos out there all a variation on the same idea. I don't know how you could protect your idea from being copied by others or if the cost would be worth the effort. From start to finish it took maybe 30 minutes to make it. The longest part but easy was making the initial jute braid. The tube is a piece of 1/4" flared steel tube from auto parts store I cut to length, the wax part was easy too.


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TomT Inukshuk Offline Posts: 1052 Location: Chicago Burbs Joined: Aug 26^th, 2007	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #5 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 5:16am	Quote Print Post
	solotripper wrote on Apr 12^th, 2017 at 2:57am: Quote: It's also a product that this guy should get massed produced and sell. From start to finish it took maybe 30 minutes to make it. The longest part but easy was making the initial jute braid. The tube is a piece of 1/4" flared steel tube from auto parts store I cut to length, the wax part was easy too. Hey, if you ever get bored..... What's a good price with shipping for one maybe with a foot long jute rope? All you need is the initial tube right? So a kit could be maybe three sections of waxed rope. Then you could sell replacement jute packs. I think if you had a customer base from loyal friends on message boards it might be a source of extra income for someone with time on their hands. On another board someone makes sheaths for a particular saw. On Hammock Forums there's a whole bunch of cottage vendors with all kinds of homemade accessories. I could see myself doing it for others if I wasn't so dang busy.


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DentonDoc Voyageur Inukshuk Offline Posts: 3468 Location: Central Texas Joined: Dec 27^th, 2003	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #6 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 5:55am	Quote Print Post
	Yep. I whipped together some of these about a month ago just to have something to fiddle with. I think I probably also saw the same video. Unfortunately, the only jute I had available was very thin, so I did three 3-strand braids and then braided those three into a single larger strand. (I needed the practice since it has been quite a while since I braided anything.) However, the consequence of this was a substantial bundle of jute fiber in a reasonably small diameter (still would fit in the tube). Easy project and excellent results. I even saw one demo where the person dunked the wax impregnated jute cord into water for a couple of minutes while he talked. Then, he slung the water off, fluffed the tip, hit it with a spark and it fired right up. This will get stuffed in a baggie and into a pocket for my next trip.


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db Web-lackey Inukshuk Voyageur Offline Posts: 5462 Location: Just off the beaten path. Joined: Sep 14^th, 2002	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #7 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 6:37am	Quote Print Post
	Am I the only former alter boy here?


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solotripper Inukshuk Offline Posts: 8119 Location: clarkston MI Joined: Mar 14^th, 2005	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #8 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 11:55am	Quote Print Post
	Quote: I even saw one demo where the person dunked the wax impregnated jute cord into water for a couple of minutes while he talked. Then, he slung the water off, fluffed the tip, hit it with a spark and it fired right up. This IS that video This same guy has a YouTube site where he talks/shows a lot of things like this. He winter camps and paddles too. He knows what he's doing that's for sure. You can also use PURE cotton rope, but that is more expensive and harder to find. IF the rope ISN'T pure, then it melts to ITSELF and doesn't FLUFF like you need to ignite with a ferro rod/striker. Quote: Am I the only former altar boy here? I wasn't an altar boy but now that you mention it, I can see the connection. Good enough for that, good enough for me.


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Jimbo Voyageur Inukshuk Offline Posts: 4603 Location: Florida Joined: Oct 6^th, 2002	Re: DIY Braided Jute/Wax Firetube Reply #9 - Apr 12^th, 2017 at 12:17pm	Quote Print Post
	TomT - I agree with you about this being suitable for message-board "garage business." It's kind of like those "Bungee-Dealee Bobs" made & marketed by a fellow on one of the other canoeing message boards. You just KNOW folks have been making variations of those things at home a lot longer than he has been selling them. Nevertheless, kudos to him as HE saw the niche market, went after it and is making a few bucks on them. I could see this fire-starter product going the same route. I, for one, would surely buy one versus going to the all the trouble of procuring materials and then putting it together... which is exactly what I tried to do yesterday. I limited myself to what I could find in my garage... which wasn't everything I needed. I simply wasn't motivated enough to get in the car & head to the hardware store to pick up the rest. Besides, carrying a baggie filled with dryer lint and/or Coughlan's fire-starters hasn't been all that burdensome in the past. On the other hand, this would be a neat, space & time conserving option if I could simply buy it on-line somewhere or at CanoeCopia booth (like those Bungee-Dealee Bobs). Would I buy one that was reasonably priced? You bet. Jimbo


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