Corn chips as firestarter..

[Jay H]

Saw a show on some discovery channel I think... Discover-Science? called "Survivorman" and it mentioned using corn chips (aka fritos) as firestarters because of the oils (surely hydrogenated oils, the bad kind) in it. Has anybody tried this.. If I had some corn chips around, I would, it sounds interesting in an ultralite sort of way. I figure one could always eat the stuff you don't use as firestarter in wet/damp conditions.. Has anybody tried this?

Jay

 

[poison ivy]

I actually tried this for the first time last weekend after we had some trouble finding dry kindling. The chips do indeed light up pretty well but didn't really help us much... they burn out pretty quickly... not enough to dry stuff out. We finally resorted to using a bit of newspaper, which worked a lot better.

It was a fun experiment though!

-Ivy

 

[Jay H]

Thanks Ivy... Maybe we can try something with more oils? Perhaps cheese doodles or maybe even tortita chips...

BTW, the guy was in the Utah canyonlands and using it with some really nice kindling so perhaps that was more helpful than using it to dry wet wood.

Jay

 

[Mr. X]

Hey,

If you guys are having trouble starting a fire, look me up. I like big fires, and lighter fluid!

 

[brianW]

NO WAY! Fritos taste to good to burn. Instead I would eat the chips and start the fire with duct tape.

In my pack I have carry a candle to help start fires if needed. Flake a few pices off in a smoldering fire helps it get going.

 

[sli74]

Doritos, I forget which flavor . . . work well as a fire starter. I had a bunch of drunk grad school friends light a campfire using them once, just couldn't believe it.

sli74

 

[dr_wu002]

Corn Chips did not work for me. I tried this in Baxter State Park recently, at the Abol Campsite. I tried cornchips and they seemed difficult to light and didn't do a whole lot in terms of staying lit or getting hot. Urinating on them afterwards did not seem to help either.

-Dr. Wu

EDIT: Ahh, Sapblatt pointed out to me that the consumption of lighter fluid beforehand will aid a fire starting situation. Thanks, Mike.

 

[John H Swanson]

A friend was making Nachos in the kitchen. From the hallway I heard. "we've got fire" I asked, "fire? like real fire?" "Yup" came the answer. When I entered the kitchen the corn chips with cheese was en route to the sink with 12-18" flames on top! So they do burn, quite well. Of course they were lit by a gas broiler.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Maybe while car-camping, but for backpacking, why would I carry a firestarteer that I must keep dry, that attracts rodents-bears, that is fragile, when I can carry something like was covered dryer lint, that can be submerged, taken out, shaken then lit?

To me it's a party trick, just like using your filter to show them that you can drink water from thehost's toilet*.

 

[spaddock]

BTW, the guy was in the Utah canyonlands

For anyone interested, the guy's name is Les Stroud. He's a fellow Canadian. I've seen a few Survivorman episodes and they are pretty entertaining. You can check out his website at: www.wildernessfilms.ca

Back to corn chips, I too have started a fire while making nachos. In the backcountry I imagine they would help, but I wouldn't be counting on it.


-Shayne

 

[post'r boy]

birch bark works for me,i'll save the chips for eatin'!

 

[charlos]

do Vaseline dunked cotton balls work? it may not be odd but i have neither, plenty of film canisters to hold them though.
thanks, charlos

 

[NewHampshire]

There is also the old standby:a litle 0000 steel wool.
Brian

 

[BorealChickadee]

To me it's a party trick, just like using your filter to show them that you can drink water from thehost's toilet*.

There goes dinner.

What kind of parties do you go to Pete? Pur Porta potty parties ?

Burn your chips? If I carried those darn things I'd sure as heck eat them, not burn them. Even if I had to lick the thousand little pieces out of the bottom of the bag.

 

[jbreen]

I use sawdust and candle wax. Mix together and press into the chambers of a cardboard egg carton. One compartment never fails to light a fire and is small, waterproof, and doesn't mess up anything if I just toss one in my pack or pocket. Of course it probably doesn't taste as good as Fritos.

 

[Davehiker]

I've read that Alaska bush pilots bring corn chips in their lunch, because they can be used for firestarters...but what if you crash after lunch?

I, too, use sawdust with wax melted into it..looks like a brownie. Back in my Boy Scout days, we cut thick corrugated cardboard into little squares and added wax. Those work well, too.

 

[Stan]

Never tried it but a wise old Native American skilled in these things told me his favorite fire starter was chips from those artifical fire logs they sell in grocery stores.

I always have a candle to help start a fire if necessary but constructing the kindling right is the best way to get started. Birch bark and balsam fir (even green) ignite pretty well.

 

[clg898]

Dryer lint with smooshed into melted wax works for me. The sawdust idea sounds good... I just have plenty of dryer lint laying around.

 

[KMartman]

do Vaseline dunked cotton balls work? it may not be odd but i have neither, plenty of film canisters to hold them though.
thanks, charlos

I use it and for me it WORKS....lightweight. I ALWAYS keep 2 drenched in vasilene in a ziplock in my pack.

M

 

[onrhodes]

The last month's issue of Backpacker had outdoor tips from guides across the world. One of them was to use potato chips because they lit up nicely.
Have not tried it, but I can easily believe it.