The DIY Slow Match

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

 I received an email from Creek Stewart the other day where he was advertising a "slow match": a length of cotton rope with a piece of brass tubing around it. To operate it, just stick the cotton rope through the tubing until a sufficient amount is revealed, then light it (with a match, lighter, or even sparks off a ferro rod). The match will burn as long as there is exposed material; when it burns past the brass tube, the fire runs out of oxygen and extinguishes itself. 

https://www.survivalonthe7th.com/

While you could pay $8.95 plus S&H for this, I think it would cost less and be more fun to assemble such a thing yourself. The cotton rope can be found in most hobby & craft stores under macramé supplies; Hobby Lobby charges $2.29 per yard of 1" rope. One inch is probably too thick, but as you can see this rope is made by twining other smaller ropes together; you can unravel those. 

Without knowing the thickness of that sub-rope I can't tell you exactly what type of brass tube to get, but I think that this 1.5" long, 9/16" wide macramé tube (10 for $6.99) looks ideal. 

Doing it this way, you pay close to the same price as one ready-made slow match ($2.29+$6.99 = $9.28), while giving you enough material to make several. Add them to every fire kit and Bug Out Bag you own, or give them away as Christmas presents to your prepper friends!