Making & Testing Tinder Tubes - & Review of Uberleben Tinder Tube

[@ehoenig]

great comparison - you even went the extra mile and not only tested your own tube, but also compared paraffin wax with bees wax - fantastic - thank you very much!

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you, Elmar.

[@JoeAnshien]

Nice - I saw another vid where he does Vaseline then wax. It worked great with flint and steel.

[@RomeoWhiskey692]

I made several of these back in my black powder days . Using flint and steel , I found cotton rope to be the best . I didn’t like much paraffin or oil , like petroleum jelly . I didn’t like beeswax at all ... sticky doesn’t describe how messy it is . Same with pine pitch or sap . It makes a mess in your strike-a-light bag . The cotton , just by itself , took a spark and made a good flame . Once charred on the end , it did great . . It was easy to fuzz out and hold against the flint . Pulling the rope into the tube saves the charred end for next time . I would pull it in , hold my thumb over the end of the tube to snuff it out , so the char wouldn’t turn to ash . With a bird’s nest handy , a fire lay already done , (the right way , with tinder , kindling and then fuel ... ) I could get a fire going even in rough conditions . Having reliable tinder in your gear is a must . I smoked a pipe back then , and the fire tube , with flint and steel worked as a “slow match “ to light almost anything... Saved a lot of store-bought matches . Only a second to strike a spark and get a hot coal on the end . I’ve seen these made out of reed , bone and tubing of every kind . Silver and brass were popular . Fancy ones with a little chain and cap . Some are works of art . I think where they gained a lot of use , back in the day , was with cannoneers , who needed a quick , reliable way to touch off a cannon , before fuze and percussion ignition became common . You can keep this kind of slow match smoldering, blow it into a flame , when needed ... light it quickly from a spark if it goes out ... Easy way to carry a coal , without getting burned . If you are around camp , charcloth is easy to use , but on the trail , a tube is the way to go . The great granddaddy of the modern cigar and pipe lighter .

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thanks for sharing, Romeo Whiskey. An interesting read.

[@nevisstkitts8264]

Excellent video! 5:45 one note on commercially-available jute: it is made by a machine that requires the jute to be oiled, and this oil reduces the flammability of the jute. If the jute is washed to remove the oil, it will take a spark better or more easily ignite by solar focus.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you. That's a super interesting note about the commercial jute being oiled, too.

[@Flashahol]

I made a few of those but much smaller. I have not been able to find decently priced cotton rope that does not have a synthetic core. Jute twine works for me, but you need to braid tighter and wax it plenty (I used 1/4" and 3/16" ID tubes BTW). You need to fray the end just as much to catch a spark and, yes, lose some wax.

[@donmoroz5502]

The ferro rod may have had magnesium in it's makeup, and could have lodged onto or into the fire wick when scraped by the knife, causing the sparks when ignited. You should have re-soaked the jute in wax when you took out the third strand. It appeared that quite a bit of wax was broken off when the strand was removed and a spotty performance was observed when burning. Good video; very instructive. NICE JOB!

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you. So true about lots of wax falling off! I'm bettin' you're right too about it being a bit of the ferro rod being in the wick making the sparks as it burned.

[@billbertrand7751]

Having great day watching you and Bill having fun

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you, Bill.

[@low-epilgrim8234]

A coat hanger or smaller diameter rope could help pull the rope/jute twine through. Outstanding info in this video. Thank you for sharing. Going to try this out.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you for watching and the kind words. Using a small rope as a pull through is an especially good idea.

[@BushcraftWoodsDevil]

Hold it downwards. . .heat rises, so holding it vertically, it will soon extinguish just as a match. Good test process. I enjoyed seeing the comparisons. Thanks for sharing!

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thanks for watching and for the suggestion.

[@grumpyuncle.]

That jute looks more like sisal. Similar materials, but jute seems to be a softer fiber. Excellent video! Well done!

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Interesting. Thank you.

[@arctodussimus6198]

I know some black powder enthusiasts who only use sisal. I found sisal to be stiffer and more challenging to take a spark.

[@hungryguyonabicycle]

The hemp rope was probably soaked in kerosene or some fuel before getting coated with paraffin wax.

[@frankysandoval5676]

Doesn't really needa be soaked in kerosene. I made one using some cheap jute from the dollar store and wax with a much smaller tube. Fluffed the jute out a bit n hit it with the Ferro rod (a cheap one) and it lit up almost instantly n burned for awhile.

[@WaschyNumber1]

Nice video and cute dog. 😊

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Aww. Thank you 🤗

[@pvmelite4230]

I might be late but if u mix parrifin lamp oil in addition to regular parrafin wax in like a 80/20 or 70/30 mix it takes a spark from a ferro rod super easy and it has a bigger flame

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Oooooo. Cool. That's a great idea. Paraffin lamp oil is interesting stuff.

[@grampawterry8957]

I have been thinking of making a few for our packs . Thanks for the tips ..

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

You're welcome, Terry. Thank you for watching.

[@GrdDog]

try adding magnesium shavings to the melted wax and the soaking the Jute twine

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Sounds like a great idea. That should catch with a spark!

[@mannihh5274]

Very thoughtful experiments, thanks for showing. Seems to me, you didn't heat up the wax enough - if the rope swims, it doesn't soak, the wax just covers the outside. After soaking you need to squeeze the excess off, or it will get sticky. To fluff the end, first cut along the grain (like you did), then tap it across the grain with the spine of your knife! I myself tried different types of wax and ropes and found no significant difference between cotton and jute, between paraffin and bees wax. BTW: Oldtimers used these since 16th century, in the US it's called "chuck-nuck". Merry Xmas and a healthy new year

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

That's all very helpful and interesting. It never occurred to me to squeeze the excess wax out of the rope. Brilliant! That will probably help better coat the fibers too. Thanks for stopping by. Merry, healthy and safe holidays to you.

[@mannihh5274]

@@wobblyotteroutdoors Soaking into the fibers is more a matter of temperature (yes, you have to be careful not to heat it to self-ignition - a thermometer helps), if it doesn't soak by itself, you don't squeeze it in, but squeezing the excess off helps against a sticky coating (which only occurs, if the wax isn't hot enough).

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Got it.

[@davebrown5440]

You could try salt petter days from cannon days.

[@farhad_tulip]

Very good thanks ممنونم خیلی خوب

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you, Farhad.

[@lukesouthworth9310]

Good job

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you kindly, @Luke Southworth.

[@tbrew8222]

I make my lanyards and handle wraps out of this with beeswax in case my tin runs out. If theres no dry tinder, you'll be glad to have it. Vaseline and chapstick both work as well.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Great ideas!

[@daphneraven6745]

T brew: even a crayon will do the trick for somebody who needs a candle, but I don’t know how quickly it would accept a spark from all the alternative source as opposed to a flame from a lighter. You could be used in a pinch where beeswax or paraffin might not be an option. That might be useful for anybody with little kids who have a whole bunch of broken off crayons that they don’t use anymore.

[@chuk11011]

Braid or twist a jute strand with a cotton strand, saturate w parrafin, should get easy catch and good flame

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you.

[@BowChickaHonkHonk1]

Thanks, that was great to see the comparisons. If you wanted to expand it, I'd like to see all of those samples go for a long swim, then try to recover the situation by exposing fibers and putting a spark to them. I'm a canoeist trying to keep a truly waterproof kit handy. I'm much more concerned about who is the winner on a bad day - I assume same as here, but I wonder if it plays out that way.

[@BowChickaHonkHonk1]

If you want to add more, I'd also love to see more of your knife work exposing fibers to take a spark. I'm wondering, as you play with it more, if you're finding you have to use the knife one way on one rope, but a different way on a different rope. Thanks again! Awesome stuff.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Great ideas! Thank you for the thoughts, suggestions and kind words.

[@deans9766]

Cotton cord treated with saltpeter aka potassium nitrate was used as a slow burning match for a long time for canons and matchlocks. The trick is figuring out how much saltpeter because the amount affects how fast it burns. I have a few bullet shells saved for a similar project, need to dig them out.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

That sounds like an interesting project you have in the works!

[@carls.6746]

Any update?

[@daphneraven6745]

I hope you’ll make a video when you go to do it. I for one would love to see you do that, please. :)

[@LosRiji]

Thanks for the comparision. Very useful. Would've love to see if they lit after submerged

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

You're welcome, Ritchie. Thanks for watching and the idea. We've tested other tinder after water submersion but just didn't think about it for this one.

[@clarklindquist8137]

Just found ya. Subscribed and notified.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

@Clark Lindwuist glad you're here. Thank you much for subscribing.

[@planecrazyish]

Great video :-D

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you kindly.

[@williamdroom5789]

If you make one with cotton rope and no wax it will take a spark with a ferro rod or flint and steel and will create an ember like a glowing cigarette that you can stick in your tinder bundle and blow into a flame.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Perfect! Will be trying this.

[@earlelzy7243]

Even though the rope didn't have a flame it is still good if it smolders for a tinder bundle. I'm glad I watched because I made a few tinder tubes and bought some recently. I didn't soak them in the wax but I think I will now because it seems it would work better. Paraffin or candle wax? Are they the same?

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thanks for the insight. I'm glad the video was helpful. I didn't know the differences between paraffin and candle wax. I found this and it helps. There is a nice comparison chart near the bottom of the page... www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-paraffin-wax-and-candle-wax/#:~:text=Candle%20wax-,Paraffin%20wax%20refers%20to%20wax%20derived%20from%20coal%2C%20petroleum%20or,from%20any%20type%20of%20wax.

[@daphneraven6745]

Earl Elzy. Believe it or not, rope lighters are intended to produce a spark, and not so much a flame. But I guess the wax thing is taking everything up a whole other notch. Lol. The beauty of the plain rope lighters that strong winds build the ember, so I guess I’ll have to wait till the next storm to get out there and test the difference between the two.

[@popskullunruly3442]

Hi, great video! I was wondering if you have a link for the farro rod you use in this video?

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Hi, @PopSkull Unruly. Thank you. Yes, here's the link to the one used in the video as well as a similar one of the same brand. These are Wobbly Otter affiliate links with Amazon, and we may make a commission from items purchased. Ferro Rod, 1/2" x 6" (as seen in the video): amzn.to/3ChGmFT Ferro Rod, 1/2" x 5", set of 2 (same brand as in video, though shorter): amzn.to/3qxGYVH

[@crispychicken2743]

And what do you do with this . ????

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Tinder tubes can be used as a match that can be extinguished by pulling the burning end into the tube, and reused.

[@clarklindquist8137]

I've used these as char tinder firvflunt and steel too

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Niccccce.

[@irwindrew]

How long will your rope burn ? I think uberleban claims a hour which if it was your only fire source could be real important to.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Good question and an important point. I don't know. Will have to test it.

[@WaschyNumber1]

I'm wondering why no salt and borax have been used to make a slow burning Wick. 🤔

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Hmmm. Interesting. Will be checking this out.

[@rlav2000]

I'm not understanding the benefit if you have to light it with a lighter every time.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

I can appreciate that it seems like it's adding an additional middle step. The benefits of a tinder tube are that it works as a reusable match that burns for an extended time, while itself being easy to light with a spark. If you need to light only one fire and have fire tinder that will easily take a spark, then the tinder tube doesn't provide a benefit. If the fire tinder is wet, or otherwise not easy to light with a spark, then a tinder tube is beneficial because it will burn for a long time, making it very easy to get the fire going. Tinder tubes are good for lighting multiple lanterns. Originally, they were also used as a convenient way to light a pipe.

[@lrodd247]

Question is, where did you get that ferro rod from..?

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

It's from Amazon. Our Amazon affiliate link: amzn.to/31ehtv1

[@lrodd247]

@@wobblyotteroutdoors Oh OK. Thanks! Have a good day 👍

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

You're welcome, Luis. Hope you have a good one too.

[@scottfergusson8411]

Just plain cotton untreated is easier to light. Just make sure it’s chard.

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

So true. Got it. This was a bit of a test.

[@clarklindquist8137]

100% cotton rope I've found is best for these

[@wobblyotteroutdoors]

Thank you for the insight. I'm learning just how incredible100% cotton can be for fir starting uses.

[@lamarcarter6699]

Your supposed to use it with a flint or a Ferris rod to spark it