Advanced Survival Fire Making: Creating a Tinder Tube

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Dan

[@ATG19534]

"Is this the end I light on fire?" "Nope, I’m a frayed knot."

[@TheScoundrel70]

Frugal fellow tip: a great source for cotton rope is a mop head. You can either cut a few loops off a mop you already have and use, or source replacement mop heads at Dollar Stores, hardware stores, and often in the cleaning section of grocery stores. One mop head yields a surprising amount of rope. If you want it continuous rather than cutting shorter loops, just pick out the stitching and it will uncoil.

[@justinw9321]

I have found my mop heads at thrift stores, back in the day, doll like decorations using mop heads were big, now they are at thrift stores for like fifty cents, at least where I live.

[@waveman0]

the only problem with mop heads is the quality of the cotton, I have found many aren't 100% cotton any more and don't take a spark very well. To get the quality 100% cotton mops I had to spend money defeating the purpose. I tried this route when I was building tonteldoos as they traditionally used mop heads as their 'wick' component.

[@u4nature156]

Sterile gauze from a old first-aid kit works well too.

[@TheWtfnonamez]

Excellent idea. I actually have a kind of "lighter" that is basically like a cross between lighter and this device. (it looks like a brass lighter with a bit of cordage running through where the tank would be). I found the cheapest replacement cord was a dollar store "natural" clothes line. Its basically made of the cheapest non-synthetic fibre rope money can buy and it lights up brilliantly. (Fyi tampons are probably the most flammable material Ive ever used but people dont want to hear it. Seriously, slice a few mm off the end of a tampon and fluff it up, and you can light that with a spark from across the room)

[@waveman0]

@@TheWtfnonamez the rope lighter, or trench lighter, or Shepard's lighter is like WW1 technology, and probably one of my favorite lighter types.

[@24Hobbes24]

Great idea! I've made something similar in the past. Braid jute twine. Dip the braided jute in liquid candle wax. Insert thru 223rem case and use a ferro rod to light it. Burns like a candle. Water resistant fire starter.

[@Skrubb_Lord]

I was thinking of a very nice kerosene wick as well.

[@SouthernPatriot1]

I’ve made one of these and used an altoid tin “lighter”...it works great

[@dwightehowell8179]

Why not just carry a couple of birthday candles or a squeeze bottle you filled with alcohol, or a cotton ball saturated with Vaseline? A votive candle can really get a fire going.

[@24Hobbes24]

@@dwightehowell8179Everything you suggested could work fine as well. I'm not telling you what you should do. I was explaining what I had done in the past. In reality I use birch bark, fat wood and a ferro rod. Or a bic lighter when I'm lazy. 👍🏻

[@rallen7660]

My late uncle showed me a lighter much like this that he used to use in the Navy. It had a flint and wheel attached for a spark source, and the ocean breeze actually made it work better. His was all brass and very cool looking. Haven't seen another like it.

[@rickpollard1853]

It's not just what you are saying but how you say it that keeps me coming back to your channel. Nicely done.

[@redraven1604]

Agreed mate, seems like he'd be good laugh.

[@rossmezzanotte7196]

Same. Funny dude and he has a great, articulate way of teaching....especially in his trucker hitch tutorial. He dumbs things down nicely. Check it out

[@michaeldean5787]

Agreed, well put

[@tsmithkc]

One handy addition to one of these would be a long-shank fishhook with a big split sinker pinched over the eye. Hook the rope behind the charred end, and the sinker keeps you from pulling the rope too far out of the tube when extinguishing, and helps snuff the ember when you're done. It also provides a bit of a handle to expose the charred end when you need to use it again. Re-hook the rope further down as you consume the cotton. Plus, now you've got a handy fishhook and sinker stashed in your kit.

[@danielthompson6207]

I've got a trench lighter that uses this exact method for pulling the rope out and keeping it covered when you snuff the end 👍

[@phredphlintstone6455]

@@danielthompson6207 that's what I thought about from the description, and just duct tape an old bic to it for spark

[@lilvalentine545]

For those that can't find a bullet shell, I recently made a few of these using metal drinking straws. One straw made three lighters. I made some with waxed jute and some with cotton. I'm just a beginner with this stuff so I'm loving all this channel and all the valuable info thanks ❤

[@user-bh3ew6ii4g]

Very creative problem solving. It's hard to come by bullet casing where I am, but metal drinking straws are all the rage now.

[@jamesrhoades242]

I used a piece of copper tubing an old denim pants that are hundred percent cotton if you can't find the cotton rope cuz sometimes it's hard to find but the denim material works just fine hope you are having a great day

[@crgaillee]

Go to the grocery store and buy a mop head or a mop.

[@JapanScott1]

I've made a couple of these after seeing a video by Felix Immler. I also bought a commercial version... I think they called it a "sailors lighter".

[@waveman0]

very similar concept, rope lighter, Shepard lighter, trench lighter, I love those lighters, a very simple and effective system.

[@robertraab4909]

I keep a Tonteldoos (south African tinderbox) with my kit. Works much the same way but has a cap at both ends to keep out moisture and smother the ember when you're done. Made mine from 3/4" copper pipe to give me a lot of exposed char for sparks

[@RickMidds]

Good informative video. A little helper is to use a paper clip bent on each end. One to pull up the rope and the other to keep the paper clip from being pulled in the cartridge. 😉👍

[@Detman101]

Soooo much more convenient and durable than carrying around a tin of char!! Thank you!

[@larryholloway2869]

Im going to do this one with my kid great little project.

[@johnfoster4414]

You sound like a good dad. Keep it up, buddy

[@laurelrunlaurelrun]

That is slick. This channel is so legit. And as a matter of fact, I still do have the casing i used for my first buck.

[@justinw9321]

I had been using these for years using a copper tube, did not know what it was called, thanks, and I like the idea of utilizing an old bullet casing. Thanks for this video. Really enjoy your channel!

[@sarkybugger5009]

When my elderly neighbour passed away in the 70s, I inherited a WW1 trench lighter, which was basically a length of saltpetre impregnated rope with an attached rotary flint striker, very similar to this. It was intended to light cigarettes, without attracting the attention of snipers, who were strongly anti-smoking. Or something. ;o)

[@VK2DMH]

Just anti-breathing. Your continued breathing, that is. ;-)

[@publius1776ad]

That was hilarious.

[@Mike-gt1cs]

Smoking will kill ya

[@allanf4756]

That was absolutely awesome took me back to my childhood when I was in the Boy Scouts loved it And I totally forgot about that fire starter thank you

[@alanhelton]

I have to say I used a 22 Winchester Magnum rimfire casing and paired it up with hemp cordage and I have made a similarly effective tool. Cotton isn’t the only fiber you can use.

[@mlsknnr]

Thanks Dan, I was taught this over 50 yrs ago and completely forgot about it. Your video made me remember.

[@robbyjessica84]

Amazing, first time hearing about this. Thank you brother

[@Halligan515]

Very cool. It reminds me a bit of a tonteldoos, which, hint hint , would be another cool video.

[@waveman0]

I love the tonteldoos, or south African tinderbox, and you are right similar concept.

[@grayeaglej]

Get like a 9mm or .40 case to act as a snuff cap and to protect the charred end.

[@cavtroopermunoz]

Excellent video, I can't wait to make some of these with my kids. I like that you included the most important part at the end. Here it is, working.

[@leesonoutdoors]

Very cool I love old Boyscout books and manuals I collet them every time I see one I don't have

[@donnienewman9141]

Very cool!!!

[@kevinwhite4101]

Nice idea got lamp cord and casings now. Can do this eveng with my little one. Think you fir a great idea to do with kids more of them to come I hope

[@danielkutcher5704]

I experimented with stainless tubing and carbon plumber's felt. I always carry alcohol as fuel for my stove, so I figured I'd cut a strip from the plumber's felt and stuff it into the tube. If I want to start a wood fire, especially if it's damp, I simply dip the end of the tube and felt into my alcohol and spark it up. You get a long burning alcohol flame. Dumping alcohol on a pile of sticks uses way too much fuel. If you don't mind carrying extra weight, you can use a long piece of tubing and use it as a fire bellows. Oh, a broken antenna from a portable radio makes a good telescopic bellows! Good tips here, thanks, Dan. 👍

[@MrSIXGUNZ]

Heck yah great idea Sir!

[@Nobody-sp9xj]

Awesome idea, thanks

[@walterric]

Great idea! Thank you.

[@donprosser7039]

Awesome and insightful!

[@ragingreek]

Brilliant!!!

[@redfaux74]

Incredible..... thanks.

[@tinsoldier5621]

Cool trick! Thanks

[@edgoad7129]

Very cool. Thanks again.

[@tgiere9082]

AMAZING!!!!! Thank You!

[@shawn2045]

That was cool AF..I gotta look to making that. Thanks for that

[@josephbraskie4070]

Great idea

[@Hoonozit]

Cool. Thanks for the video.

[@TRSI]

Nice tip, thanks a lot.

[@markdale8301]

That’s really neat. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻

[@evanf1443]

Similar to slow match or sailor’s match I think, though I believe slow match was impregnated with saltpeter. I’ve made and have carried something similar to this, I braided some jute twine over itself and impregnated it with tallow. Instead of a shell casing because I didn’t have any tools to cut it with, I used the thinner metal from a soda can. I cut a strip, rolled it into a cylinder, and held it’s shape with duct tape.

[@ogi22]

I was just going to write this. I made such slow match with jute dipped in wax :D But i love that idea with a char and i will make that... chuck knuck? Lol, sorry not a native english speaker.

[@evanf1443]

ogi22 I’ve found that the charred end of the version I carry can be used as char with a ferro rod or even flint and steel if I fluff out the fibers a little. From there my thought is that I can blow it into open flame, though I’ve yet to personally try it that way and usually use it to save fuel from my lighter. I’ve never heard it called a chuck nuck though.

[@waveman0]

the slow match is superior to these IMHO and easy enough to buy. Plus you don't have to worry about the shell casing (or snuffer) with the slow match, I just use a piece of flint and my striker to put my slow matches out (you just squeeze the ember out between the flint and striker)

[@evanf1443]

Orion theoretically you don’t need the snuffer for this either. It’s for protection as much as anything. Plus I like experimenting with things I can create myself rather than purchasing new materials

[@waveman0]

@@evanf1443 I've fooled around with these a fair bit and quite often they fail, and the charred end won't take a spark consistently. For it to work consistently I think you should treat it like a a true slow match and you should treat the cotton rope with potassium nitrate though that is often difficult to get being one of the primary ingredients of gun powder (and thus regulated by governments agencies) You can buy proper treated slow matches though and I use them for this application rather than normal untreated cotton rope.

[@BMazeing]

Very cool idea

[@busdaddy1547]

Badass idea.

[@SheepDogActual]

Very cool. Time to take some brass to my scouts and have them make one.

[@jeremyhicks6367]

Thanks Dan!

[@jaypadulchick1355]

That's cool!

[@johnndavis7647]

What you are looking at is an 18th century BIC lighter. When voyagers or workmen took a smoke break someone would strike a spark on one of these and light his pipe with it. He would then pass it around so the other men could light their pipes. The French voyagers worked for the fur company and were allowed a smoke break every two hours. This was much faster and more efficient than starting a fire and picked up an ember with tongs and placing it in the pipe. This was often done in the evening for the after supper smoke around the camp-fire. An eight inch piece of cord would light hundreds of pipes and last for several months.

[@dusttodusthomestead]

What a great idea! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@richardsplker303]

Nicely done

[@JugglesGrenades]

Great idea.

[@470blp911]

Very, very cool! Thank you for all of you time and effort to keep us informed.

[@krishoogstraat6866]

Very Cool

[@shanhutchison7332]

Sweet! Thanks for the tip!

[@JustBeAdude]

That’s pretty slick.

[@TheTrakker]

Very groovy!

[@robbyjessica84]

Great video bro

[@mikegrossberg8624]

I bought an 18 inch copper tube at a hobby store, $2.00. I then bought a package of 6 foot long cotton sash cord(that would be a nice tight fit in the tube) at a fabric store, $3.00. Cut the tube into 2 inch lengths, twisted one end of the cord into the tube until it came out the other side, then cut the cord about 6 inches long. For 5 bucks I made EIGHT tubes(in buckskinner's catalogs, they go for about 2-3 dollars each).

[@timterrill6318]

I really enjoy your videos. Another great tip! Thank you! Keep up the great work.

[@bigfatpear]

bloody good video.

[@Chris-yg5vh]

Nice! Very cool video, definitely gunna have to make and add one to my flint kit.

[@JustBrowsing777]

Your channel is great 👍

[@herbsmith6871]

Very cool 🤠

[@ButterASMR]

That's a really cool broach

[@mitch60mccoy]

Simple, clever, fun, and smart. Thanks for sharing.

[@parapicktog7734]

A bunch of cotton balls soaked in paraffin is waterproof, smaller, easier to light with flint and steel (or even wood friction), produces a flame not just an ember, and is cheaper. Just store them in an old tin or a small container.

[@dschott1083]

Love it

[@jeeper426]

really cool idea, i'd never heard of such a thing and now i kinda want to make one to keep in my fire kit, great vid bro

[@Calibri57]

Ha! Look at that! Another eye opener...keeps me coming back to your channel. 🙂

[@buffplums]

That’s a great idea

[@thomasmcmillian8554]

You make for a great teacher

[@marjiecleveland]

That's really neat. Never heard of a chuck nuck before, and both my boys were scouts. Very useful. Cool!

[@Jacfuster]

Informe Spain you can find "chisqueros" or "mecheros", that have similar form of work, and includes one ferrocerium and a rasp wheel.

[@garyminick1050]

Cool idea too

[@VK2DMH]

Muchas gracias, amigo.

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Thanks Dan, I have a couple of these, but only used it once. Take care.

[@SignalOutdoors]

Gosh dang this is a binge worthy channel. Coalcracker is hands down a new favorite channel of mine. So good!

[@davishlamburnt3734]

Thanks for the video man. I ordered one of yours but never could get the hang of it so I need to give this another try.

[@shimoda3339]

This is one of the coolest and useful survival tricks I’ve seen.

[@nickster5286]

Coalcracker.... Love the videos my friend. You have a really good rhythm with how you present material. Keep the vids coming!

[@dominicschmidt4988]

Awesome Tip as always, Go one Dude☺️👍

[@rodneybetts6086]

Awesome Video. Thank you for this information. I did not ever know about these Tinder Tubes until now, but I can see how they would be an excellent addition to my survival knowledge.

[@pnyarrow]

Hi Dan.. Great idea, thanks for sharing. stay safe. ATB. Nigel

[@stroker840]

Cool. I'm gonna make one for this weekend training.

[@geoffallert1921]

You've made a gunners match. Well done.

[@brgaskill]

Great addition to my fire kit. Corporal Kelly put me on to you.

[@markpoore3260]

Great video I made one using lamp wick and a 7.62x39 casing

[@honorableoutfitters]

Awesome brother, thank you for this great idea. I will take this to my Scouts, they will love it. Thank you!

[@johnnyrebel5458]

Never thought about using a shell casing. I’ve always used copper or brass tube nice little tip.

[@AOSChrisMiller]

Got "Coal-cracked" again! Thanks for sharing!

[@trishthehomesteader9873]

Whaaaat?! That is So cool! I'm gonna try this maybe with some waxed cotton fabric rolled up. Thanks Dan!👍💜

[@starlingblack814]

COOL!

[@grinninggoat5369]

The slow matches used on old type of matchlock weapons that the trigger lowered into the flash pan was soaked in lead acetate and dried. It would smoulder slow and consistantly with uncharred natural fiber. Charring itself along the way, no need to pre char a new or damp cord on a dewey/misty morning. Back in the day, Lead acetate was basically procured by lead shavings boiled in vinegar then strained for the liquid. Evidently, it was considered slower than saltpeter soaked into the slow match but kept it lit in damp air. But hey... lead warning nowadays.

[@barnaclebill1615]

Nice idea Dan. I definitely wouldn’t waste my money on the Uberleban brand. But was thinking about using a tent pole repair piece & pulling jute through it… cut to the size of my fire Kit tin. Nice video though & always enjoy the channel. 😁👍👍🇺🇸

[@hiddenwoodsben]

in "wah-to-ya and the taos-trail" there's a chapter where the author, only accustomes to pipes, describes his experiences with the shuck-cigarillo. more than the cigarillo, though, he talks about the curious lighting device everybody in taos seems to carry, though himself never saw it before. here, you have a nice demostration of exactlyy that.

[@jessierobbins6308]

Thank you for the great info now I have to make me one .

[@xpdcmetalwolf]

Wow, Amazing 🔥👍

[@twobrothersbushcraftandsur8723]

Very cool! I just carry lamp wick for this method. Cool part is if you look hard enough you can actually find these with the zippo type striker on the end of them

[@jacobperkins2986]

I love these things, the most know name I’ve seen for them is a sheperds lighter. Perfect if it’s too windy for a flame and you just need an ember to ignite material. Sailors and pirates used to use these a bunch to light their tobacco pipes because it was so windy on the open sea.

[@haroldarmstrong6288]

Lovett old boy scout stuff.

[@rickybritton7212]

Very cool Brother, I love it, I like using oil lamp wicks, or anything 100% cotton, that's belts ect. Great idea Thank you, I just subscribed to your channel. Sincerely your freind from Mo Rick and God bless you and your family 👪

[@jizzlemack9927]

Just found your channel today, and I’m enjoying your content man. The name “coalcracker” leads me to believe we’re in the same neck of the woods. I live in West Virginia, the heart of coal country lol. Keep up the cool stuff though, subbed.

[@joeday4498]

Awesome! I saw those just today on your website. I think I'll still but one, too many other projects underway right now.