How to Make a Primitive Candle Lantern

In a disaster situation, it can be helpful to be able to carry fire from one place to another relatively easily. Also it can be helpful to be able to make a candle lantern or illumination device if you run out of store-bought candles. One way to do this is to utilize fibrous materials and animal fats to create a primitive candle lantern that can be used for lighting your way or for carrying fire from one place to another.

To make your own primitive lantern you will need a couple of basic materials. First you will need animal fat or oil of some kind. Then you will need a wick. A wick can be obtained from a fibrous plant like dry bamboo pieces, or a wick can be devised from cotton shoe string. Lastly you will need a container to hold your primitive candle lantern. An old tuna can or a pot or bowl fragment can be used for the container. Once you have everything together, you can begin making your own primitive candle lantern.

The first step to making your primitive candle lantern is to completely clean your container. Do this by rinsing it in water and then drying it out. If you can’t rinse it with water for some reason, then use sand to clean the container out.

Next, pour the oil or animal fat into the container. This will serve the purpose of being the fuel for your primitive candle lantern.

Finally, coil your wick into the animal fat or oil in the container, and allow the wick to absorb as much of the oil or fat as it can hold. Then place more oil or fat into the container to replace the oil or fat that the wick soaked up. At this point the primitive candle lantern is ready to be used and can be lit with a flame from an existing fire.

I have found this primitive candle lantern to be most useful when facing a situation where I needed to extend the life of my candles. I have also used this when I was out of candles following a natural disaster like a hurricane. This simple yet effective lighting device is one of the best tools that you can create to help yourself when needing to transport a fire or needing a way to get light but you don’t have a candle. In the end, knowing how to do this is definitely going to help you should you ever face a situation like the aftermath of a major hurricane.

Sources

Personal Experience

“Primitive Illuminations,” Backwoodsman Magazine (September 2011 issue)

“How to Make Primitive/Grunge Candles,” Candle Cauldron


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