Complete DIY Fire Starter Kit for Camping & Survival

When you’re out in the wilderness, there’s nothing more reassuring than knowing you can make fire whenever you need it: whether it’s to cook a meal, stay warm, or just enjoy a cozy campfire under the stars. For this project, I set out to create a complete DIY fire starter kit that combines reliability, portability, and a touch of fun engineering.

The kit has three components, each designed for different firecraft needs:

Pull-Pin Fire Starters – Compact units with an ignition core, wax barrel, and petroleum jelly barrel. Just pull the pin, and you’ve got instant flame on demand—no lighter required.

Fire Plugs – Rolls of tissue paper wrapped around cotton wool and soaked in wax. Waterproof, easy to pack, and perfect for steady ignition in windy or damp conditions.

Fire Paste – A blend of sawdust and petroleum jelly that can be smeared onto tinder or wood shavings for a longer, hotter burn. Great for stubborn kindling or damp wood.

Together, these form a versatile fire starting system that covers quick ignition, waterproof storage, and extended burn time. It’s simple enough for beginners, effective enough for campers and survivalists, and fun to make with everyday materials.

Whether you’re prepping for your next backpacking trip, building a bushcraft kit, or just love experimenting with outdoor DIY, this project will give you the confidence to spark a flame anytime, anywhere.

Tissue paper roll

Cotton wool

Pure petroleum jelly vaseline

Candles

Matches

Leather sewing thread (nylon, so as to prevent it soaking water into the fire starter)

Paper tape

Cellotape

Ruler (for folding the tissue paper)

This step covers building the ignition core — the internal “match and striker” mechanism that ignites when the pull-cord is yanked.

Materials & parts used: wooden matchsticks, a strip from the striker side of a matchbox, strong tape (cellotape), and a rip/pull cord.

How I built it:

1. Lay out three matchsticks in a row (heads aligned) and place a second identical row directly on top so you have two layers of three matchsticks each.
2. Between the two layers insert a folded strip cut from the rough striker surface of a matchbox so the striker faces both layers of match heads. Fold the striker strip in half so each face contacts a row of match heads.
3. Tighten the assembly into a compact “sandwich” and secure it firmly with tape so the match heads and striker remain in intimate contact.
4. Attach a rip cord to the striker strip so that a firm pull drags the striker across the match heads, producing friction ignition.
5. To reinforce the striker and prevent tearing, adhere two overlapping layers of cellotape to the backside of the striker strip where the cord attaches. This backing prevents the striker from splitting when the cord is pulled forcefully.

The finished ignition core is a compact, single-action module: pull the cord, the striker scrapes across the match heads, and the resulting sparks ignite the tinder or waxed core surrounding it.

NOTE:

1. Build and test outdoors in a controlled area.
2. Don’t compress the match heads so tightly that they rub together unintentionally—secure, but not crushed.
3. Use strike-anywhere matches or match heads with a suitable composition for friction ignition; be careful handling match head material.
4. Keep finished units in a sealed metal tin while transporting to prevent accidental ignition and to contain sparks.

This step creates the fuel jacket around the ignition core: a lower wax-embedded body for long, steady burn and an upper petroleum-jelly (Vaseline) cap that ignites easily and transfers flame to the wax below.

How I made it:

Prepare the ignition core and have it ready to insert.

Wrap a rectangular “skirt” of cotton wool around the lower ~75% of the ignition core so the cotton forms an even, compact cylinder around the shaft. Leave the top ~25% of the core exposed.

Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler (low heat). Never heat wax directly over open flame and avoid overheating.

Submerge or carefully brush the wax into the cotton-wrapped lower section until the fibers are fully saturated and the shape is supported. Use a small mold or a snug-fitting tube to hold the waxed cotton in position while cooling so the jacket solidifies with a neat outer surface. Allow the wax to cool and harden.

Once the wax body has solidified, apply petroleum jelly to the exposed upper ~25% of the cotton core. Press softened Vaseline into the fibers so that it forms a tacky cap. The Vaseline section acts as an easy-to-ignite wick: it lights quickly from the ignition core and burns long enough to melt the wax below and hand off the flame.

Trim and tidy any loose fibers. Optionally, dip the entire assembly briefly into a thin layer of wax (avoiding the rip cord and striker area) for extra waterproofing—leave the rip-cord channel clear so the pull mechanism works.

Why this works:

1. The Vaseline cap provides fast, reliable ignition because it soaks into the cotton fibers and lights readily.
2. The waxed cotton body provides a slow, sustained burn, acting like a solidified tinder/fuel block that keeps coals and embers alive for several minutes—enough time to catch kindling.

This final step seals and protects the pull-pin starter by wrapping it in multiple layers of tissue and dipping the whole assembly in melted wax. The tissue shell keeps moisture out, adds structural body, and—once wax-impregnated—becomes additional slow-burn fuel that extends the starter’s burn time.

How I did it:

Fold two tissue sheets down to the same diameter as the starter so they wrap snugly around the fuel jacket and ignition core. Fold once or twice if the tissue is very thin to avoid tearing.

Carefully roll the tissue around the starter, covering the fuel jacket while leaving the pull-cord channel and striker area clear and accessible. Make sure the rip cord is not trapped under waxed tissue—keep it free for a clean pull.

Hold the wrapped starter with tweezers or a skewer and dip it briefly into the melted wax. Alternatively, brush the wax onto the tissue until the fibers are fully saturated. Rotate to coat evenly.

Place the waxed starter on a heatproof tray or hang it on a rack to cool and harden. If you want extra waterproofing, repeat the dip or brush step once the first coat hardens.

Inspect the unit: trim any excess tissue, ensure the rip cord moves freely, and confirm the striker area is not wax-sealed. Label the ignition end if desired.

Finally, lightly dip the ignition end in wax so that only a thing film of wax covers it, ensure the rip cord aren't dipped in wax. This provides complete waterpoof seal for the unit.

Store finished starters in a waterproof metal tin or sealed container to keep them dry and prevent accidental abrasion of the striker surface.

Why this matters

1. Waterproofing: Wax-impregnated tissue prevents moisture ingress so the starter works even after exposure to damp conditions.
2. Extra fuel: The waxed tissue itself becomes slow-burn material that helps sustain flame long enough for kindling to catch.

To make the fire plug, I started by cutting a short length of cotton wool and rolling it into a compact lump to form the inner core. I then took a piece of tissue paper, folded it in half for strength, and wrapped it neatly around the cotton wool core to hold everything together. Once this was done, I dipped the entire piece into melted wax, making sure the cotton and tissue were fully saturated, and then left it to cool and solidify. The result was a small, solid plug that’s both sturdy and waterproof.

The purpose of these fire plugs is to extend the burn time of the pull-pin fire starter in challenging conditions, such as when logs are damp or difficult to ignite. They can also be used on their own as a simple and effective fire starter. To use one, you just pry open one end to expose some of the inner cotton fibers. Once fluffed up, the fibers catch a spark or flame very easily, whether you’re using matches or striking a ferro rod. From there, the combustion continues as the waxed tissue and cotton burn together, giving you a steady flame to get kindling going.

To make the fire paste, I started by gathering a handful of fine wood shavings and sawdust. I then placed a scoop of pure petroleum jelly (Vaseline) into a small metal can and gently melted it over very low heat until it became liquid. Once melted, I added the wood shavings into the jelly and stirred everything together thoroughly so the fibers were completely coated. After mixing, I let the paste cool down, thicken, and set into a sticky, flammable blend that’s easy to store and carry.

The fire paste is especially useful for helping stubborn tinder catch flame, particularly when it’s damp or when you’re working with small twigs that don’t want to burn. To use it, you simply scoop out about a teaspoon-sized portion, place it under your kindling, and light it with a match, lighter, or even a ferro rod. A teaspoon of paste made with wood shavings usually gives me around four to five minutes of steady flame, which is plenty of time to get a campfire going.

To use the pull-pin fire starter, all you need to do is grab the unit firmly and give the rip cord a sharp, forceful pull. This action ignites the matchstick core, which then transfers flame to the petroleum-jelly-soaked cotton at the top. That quick-burning cap provides a strong initial flame, which soon passes down into the wax-saturated cotton body. Once the wax catches, the burn becomes hotter, steadier, and long-lasting. Place the ignited starter beneath your fire logs or kindling, and it will easily bring even damp or stubborn wood to life. In my tests, the pull-pin starters burn for roughly 17 minutes thanks to the cotton’s fibrous structure that holds extra wax and channels it efficiently to the flame instead of letting it drip away.

Together with the compact fire plugs and the versatile fire paste, you now have a complete fire starter kit that covers different outdoor scenarios. Each piece is completely waterproof because of the hydrophobic properties of wax and petroleum jelly, so you can confidently make a batch, store them for months, and know they’ll still be reliable when you need them. Whether you’re lighting a cozy campfire, dealing with wet wood in the backcountry, or just want a dependable backup in your survival kit, this DIY set will be ready whenever the outdoors calls.