A few months ago I went for a walk with my Dad and Monty into the woods north of Oakville. We sat with a beer and a sandwich and I tried to make a fire with a Ferrocerium rod.
It took me about 20 minutes and wore half the rod away with my knife until we finally got a leaf to light, and to make a little campfire. The trouble was that there were no Birch trees anywhere around which would have solved this issue - a fire would have been had within seconds.
Well, I read often that folks use cotton balls with vaseline to make excellent tinder. I rummaged about and Spring gave me some cotton makeup remover pads. They're small, and even without vaseline or paraffin, they light like jetfuel - amazing.
Try it - you'll like it.
