Make a Natural Beeswax Fire Starter
Use natural bees wax, acorns, bark, dried herbs, other natural materials, and candle wicking to make great outdoor fire starters.
Servings 6
Equipment
- Double Boiler Pot
- Foil
- Small Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 8 oz Bees Wax Pellets melt the easiest
- Assorted Woody Natural Materials - Acorn Caps Bark, Small Pinecones
- Light Flammable Materials - Dried Moss Wood Excelsior, Straw
- 16" Candle Wicking Square Braid Cotton #2/0*
Instructions
- Melt wax over a double boiler.
- Prime the wick by dipping it into the melted wax and allowing it to cool. Cut the wick into eight 2" pieces.
- Cover the inside of a small baking dish with foil - 8 x 8 is a good size.
- Lay out the natural items on the foil.
- Place a wick or two nestled into the natural materials at roughly 1" - 2" intervals.
- Slowly pour the melted wax over everything in the dish. Double check that the wicks are still upright and that they are surrounded by wax.
- Allow the fire starters to cool for at least two hours and break them into 4-8 pieces.
- When you're ready to start your outdoor fire, place wood, kindling, and fire starter material as you normally would. Place the beeswax fire starter in the middle of the flammable material and light the wick. Monitor the fire and add wood as needed.
- Wrap remaining fire starters in parchment paper to store or to give as gifts.
Notes
* This size wick is often recommended for beeswax candles, however use whatever wicking you have. If your wick is thin, double or even triple the amount. Twist the extra wick together or braid it.
To help it keep its form, quickly dip the wick into the melted wax to make it stiff. When making candles, this action is called priming the wick and it simply helps the wick to burn well upon first lighting.
You could also break the fire starter fragments into eight pieces instead of four. It doesn't really matter as long as each wick is approximately 1"- 2" apart. This is a very adaptable project, so make as many fire starters as you have natural materials and wax to make.
To avoid any residue left in a fireplace or wood stove, use these fire starters for outdoors fires.