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Light Fires with Toothpaste
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bird crick
wonderhowto.com Views 101
Last edited 2 months ago
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The WonderHowTo Awards winners are in. The votes have been tallied.

Despite all of these devastating wild fires, pyromania thrives!!

Congratulations to Angel and his toothpaste potato fires for winning the 2008 Weird Science Award!!

This fire setting trick rivals MacGyver's ingenuity. The science is simple: make a potato battery, a la lemon battery. The wires then spark together, combusting the cotton.

We are still unsure as to the importance of the toothpaste, but we encourage your feedback. First person to explain the science in the comments section below gets a FREE T-SHIRT!

Make fire from potatoes, salt and toothpaste (FAKE?)
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Comments

+3
mcpaintball (3) 12/13/07 9:23 PM
Excellent, I just need to repack my 72 hour kit
+1
ryan (7) 6/17/09 12:26 AM
oh!
+1
lishellymili (6) 6/18/09 6:21 PM
real?i do not
+1
bankshelly (4) 6/19/09 5:28 AM
the way is good,i like this way.
+1
Mattex 12/15/07 6:59 AM
so this actually works?
+1
Lobsterkiller 1/9/09 6:12 PM
No, I tried it and it did not work. I was able to get voltage but the cotton wouldn't start on fire. I was able to get about 1 volt. I tried with vinegar and salt and got more voltage but no ignition or spark. Not sure what went wrong...
+1
blide (-1) 6/4/09 10:43 AM
Need of a bigger potato maybe? :-)
-1
Harukii (1) 6/5/09 9:48 PM
probably a specific potato(that may sound stupid to you)
-1
delaware (-1) 6/7/09 3:39 PM
or a riper potato, more fresh. or else this is fake nonsense. i would take the time to try but its labelled as F for fake or whatever so ef wasting my time.
-2
Anthonyk312 (-6) 5/24/09 8:15 PM
why not just use a 9- volt battery and connect the ends with paperclips. they make a spark when in contact.
+2
pyro dude (8) 12/15/07 10:47 AM
yes it dose work. it takes 5 mins for it to genarate. but after it had you can light cotton wool for about 4 hours wif it. you can also powder low L.E.D's. give it a go.
+5
robbace (9) 12/19/07 8:19 AM
HAHA i'm cracking up thinking about pulling out a potato to lite a ladies ciggy. This is awsome!
+1
blide (-1) 6/4/09 10:43 AM
LOL..yeah!
+2
Shaving Cream MAN! (29) 5/2/08 8:30 AM
I wonder if I can power my iPhone with this?
+1
andy (26) 5/2/08 11:10 AM
i'm skeptical. But i was also skeptical about allowing women to vote.
+2
imedbone (1) 7/3/09 8:46 AM
as well as allowing women to WORK; they took half our jobs away and only accomplished skyrocketing the cost of living!
+1
nualte 7/22/09 1:58 PM
besides they should be in the kitchen
+3
Ben (1) 5/2/08 11:40 AM
I call it the Irish heater.
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:42 PM
gwahahaaha. good one
+1
dononeblade 10/29/08 5:11 AM
This is pretty cool, Can you tell me how it works
+1
jakecake (8) 11/12/08 8:49 AM
nice one
+1
somebody 11/12/08 10:18 AM
good :)
+1
xlin85 11/18/08 6:06 AM
nice ....
+1
jon123 11/18/08 6:44 AM
very cool !
+1
Joel (11) 11/18/08 1:44 PM
This could be the renewable energy source that replaces coal and oil! Probably not...
+1
aaaccc 11/18/08 3:44 PM
nice:)
+2
redrocket83 (1) 11/18/08 4:55 PM
hmm yes
+3
mcharlton (2) 11/19/08 7:17 AM
the reason this works with the toothpaste is because it has an alkaline nature, which nicely conducts the electrons free when the salt becomes aqueous in the liquid toothpaste.
-4
cyrus_wiccan (-4) 1/10/09 4:36 PM
NERD!
+2
mr_vdat (2) 1/14/09 1:16 AM
and you are a stupid one who can call a clever person who can tell us the reason how its possible...
now i know what to take with me when im on a island :P
+1
mr_vdat (2) 1/14/09 1:20 AM
correction:
and you are a stupid one who can call a clever person as a nerd who can tell us the reason how its possible...
now i know what to take with me when im on a island :P
+1
pinney 7/11/09 1:43 PM
a lighter
?
+3
smokenator (4) 4/16/09 5:52 AM
lmfao! You're a wiccan and you're calling mcharlton a nerd? Priceless.
+2
4bucks (3) 4/21/09 6:03 PM
OMG i know right!lol i know 2 wiccans:both are over 200 pounds,spend more than 12 hours a day on the computer,have over 50 pimples on their face,and..theyre nerdy as fawk.
-1
wiccan817 (1) 7/7/09 11:25 PM
shut the #$%@ up, im wiccan and i only weigh 155 lb. so shut up and dont critisize #$%@. dumb #$%@
+2
wicccasucks (1) 5/5/09 6:22 PM
thats rich.. a wiccan callin ANYONE a nerd
+2
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:44 PM
oh gawd...all it takes is a couple bozo,s to get off subject this far...shut up already
+1
blide (-1) 6/4/09 10:46 AM
why toothpaste..water should do..
+1
belugas 11/21/08 12:33 PM
i was going to vote for the bra video but I just can't after watching how to make a fire from a potato. the potato gets my vote.
+1
littleone 11/26/08 9:12 AM
who would have ever known..lol
+1
Sir_Kalin 12/3/08 9:32 PM
Another cool Fire Trick: Lying.
You're pants will magically catch fire.
+1
gooor 6/10/09 12:51 AM
lol ur funny haha. lmao
+1
gooor 6/10/09 12:52 AM
liar liar pants on fire
+1
almighty 12/12/08 6:03 AM
Pretty cool!!!
+2
vhdcrusher (1) 12/14/08 1:22 PM
its cool, but at the beginning, they ask how to respond to pretty girl who needs a light.

this is supposedly the answer. its a cool trick and all but seroiusly, who carries a toothpaste+salt infused potato with two wires sticking out of it?
+1
sothrowedmex (-1) 5/15/09 6:01 PM
ditto. This is the same thing I was thinking lol
+1
danny100333 (1) 12/23/08 2:24 PM
thats preety cool
+1
alexander_k 1/10/09 8:53 AM
smart....
+1
cyrus_wiccan (-4) 1/10/09 4:37 PM
nice
+1
ssteven232 1/15/09 7:03 AM
10 bucks says hes in idaho
+1
seattled (1) 5/4/09 7:58 AM
lol idaho..funny dude...they have so much potatoe they don't even know what to do with it huh
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:45 PM
gwahahaha...now thats a worth while off subject comment...heh
-3
Xoebear (-12) 1/19/09 7:49 PM
Oh yeah, a girl asks me for a light. I don't have a lighter or a simple match, but I conveniently have a potato, salt, toothpaste, wires, and cotton. Oh, I'd never take the simple effort of walking and buying a 99 cent match box, I'll use this and I'm sure she'll wait like 7 minutes for the light instead of asking the other friend right next to her. This is great!

Seriously, what's the #$%@ing point of this video? >XD
+3
smokenator (4) 4/16/09 5:54 AM
The point to the video is that people like to have fun. You're obviously not one of them.
+1
nicknac1234 (2) 5/27/09 11:37 AM
and the point to this video is to have fun insted of doin jack #$%@ all day and its not like your really goin to light a cig wit it so just chill out and have fun if you no how to
+1
gooor 6/10/09 12:53 AM
lol seriously i was thinkin the same thing too
+1
darkreaction 1/28/09 5:10 AM
Great way of using alternatives on getting a fire but waiting 5 mins for flame to appear and the fire disappear shortly, not worth it, get a lighter at Wal-mart!
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:47 PM
i been stuck in the woods (at work)needed fire and youd be amazed at what you can come up with to make fire.
+1
x-plosivsera (2) 1/28/09 6:05 AM
Doesn't matter how long it lasts or how strong that is, it made me get fire out of a potato, it's a nice trick imho.
+1
xxkai 1/29/09 11:52 AM
what happens when you don't use the cotton?
+1
nicknac1234 (2) 5/27/09 11:38 AM
maybe you'll just get shocked or something... i dunno
-2
venom20078 (-1) 1/31/09 2:58 PM
i can nooooooot get this to work. It may have a voltage but not even a spark came out. This is sooo stupid.
+1
Sabre 2/7/09 9:26 PM
cool, facinating
+1
Nerdking13 (-3) 2/8/09 11:11 AM
wow, this really works!
+1
reeniz0174 3/5/09 6:20 PM
so if the person doesn't have a lighter what makes you think they have a potatoe, a knife, a spoon, salt, and two wires lol it still cool though i wanne try it
+1
rjrono 3/12/09 1:14 PM
josh.....simple good
+1
Lego677 3/17/09 1:11 AM
lol
+1
al_01 (1) 3/24/09 3:50 AM
awesome?1
+2
Ryucoin (1) 3/30/09 3:21 PM
there is a correct toothpaste? or can be any type?
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:48 PM
can you use another paste?
+2
eXoCheaterz (6) 4/19/09 8:59 AM
nice job,

but why would you bring salt, patatous and all off the rest with you to a date..?
+1
Shadowmaster 4/20/09 9:20 PM
wow. what if a terrorist found this out, and came to the us, and blew the #$%@ out of us?
+1
dutchman_999 5/24/09 11:39 PM
lol, I think the terrorist would have a better chance of just throwing the potatoe at us. :)
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:48 PM
yeah or his shoes
+1
dutchman_999 6/3/09 1:09 PM
lmfao, another repeat of president bush.
+1
armour666 (3) 4/21/09 8:29 AM
nice. but by that time the noce girl wood have left for somone which did have a lighter or maches.
+1
4bucks (3) 4/21/09 6:06 PM
lol well what if i happened to be chillin with sum hoes,randomly robbed Mr.Kings fruit stand for a potato,stole some salt from the kroger across the street(and toothpaste)and some small appliance,took out the wires,also stole some toothpicks.hell yeah
+2
Thedaylees (1) 4/24/09 2:29 AM
I tried this and couldn't get the cotton ball to catch fire...

AND THEN.....................

** After many attempts... I finally got it to work (after placing a 9v battery inside the potato and connecting the two wires to each terminal) touched the wire to the wire in the cotton ball......and then VIOLA ... FLAMES !!!!
+3
papawook (2) 4/28/09 3:00 AM
I think I'm going to quit smoking,this time for real.
+2
Shanjid12 (1) 5/1/09 4:43 PM
awesome!!:p
+1
dogbunnyabc (1) 5/5/09 1:01 PM
hi people
+1
ebaker (1) 5/6/09 5:30 PM
lmao...i'd do anything for a guy that lit my cigarette like that
+1
egzon22 (1) 5/11/09 4:00 AM
i tried this 2 times but sumthing wrong i cant do it ...:(
+1
danish8693 5/11/09 5:08 AM
i tried but nothing happens
-1
anarchy_420_74 (3) 5/17/09 10:05 PM
I LIKE FIRE..........i got to try this....only maybe on a larger scale......muah hahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa
+1
lovetruth 5/20/09 11:59 AM
and what if the fire doesn't start exactly when you're trying to give her the fire? :))) (like in previous failed cases... :-" :)) )
+1
dmeon (-4) 5/20/09 7:25 PM
When I tried this my toothpicks broke, so I got toothpaste all over her skirt.
+1
zealthedestroyer 5/20/09 7:29 PM
cool man...you could cook a pea with it
+1
mrannoyalot (-1) 6/10/09 4:20 PM
haha a pea ya know haha. thats funny.
+1
dominator 5/21/09 11:39 AM
Nice...
+1
sid200 (1) 5/23/09 2:49 PM
A girl came up to me with a fag in her mouth and said do you have a potato ?????
+1
Tikki 5/24/09 6:26 PM
Do you use copper or silver wire. I had a potato clock as a kid and one wire was copper and the other silver. That thing ran just by putting the leads in the ground, beer all sorts of stuff.
+1
fcvcxvcv (5) 5/27/09 6:45 PM
awesomeeee
+1
gortail 5/30/09 4:53 PM
So...

Girl: Can you light my cigarette?

You: Well, I don't have my lighter or matches... but wait! I have big pockets, so I carry around a bunch of junk. Let's see... Good news! I've got all the stuff to make a fire.

lol not the best scenario.
Cool experiment though...
+1
lard oh (-19) 6/1/09 3:27 PM
you could smoke a dubie with out a lighter or mathches
+1
lard oh (-19) 6/1/09 3:27 PM
the south shall rise again
+1
mastersduhgree (1) 6/2/09 9:50 PM
i think its actually down for the count
+1
mrannoyalot (-1) 6/10/09 4:21 PM
hahahaha
+1
minimoonpie 6/11/09 12:47 PM
see, i just wouldent lite a cigarette for anyone but if i had to and i didn't have alighter i would use a match
+1
minimoonpie 6/11/09 12:48 PM
but I have to admit this is cool
+1
CRAZY EMINEM FAN (3) 6/22/09 5:52 PM
thats intresting... is it the salt that reacts with the toothpaste though?
+1
Chaotic Hopes (3) 6/22/09 9:12 PM
That's pretty insane. I wonder who thinks to do this, lol.
+1
dscottt (1) 6/23/09 10:38 PM
I'll teach my patients at the hospital on potato day
+1
descoverynizer (1) 6/30/09 10:20 AM
I've just tried it out but there are allmost 0.07 volts...
+1
crawforduk 7/6/09 4:20 AM
Good stuff lol
+1
XrayMan (1) 7/10/09 8:44 PM
I can't believe that there are so many uneducated morons on this planet who can be fooled by such nonsense. P.T. Barnam said it best... "There's a sucker born every minute!"
+1
pranthavar 7/14/09 11:45 AM
Please be very careful doing this. Using my giger counter I found that certain potatoes are radioactive and those are the ones that will light the cotton the best, but the radioactivity jumps up very high, maybe as much as 100 X-rays. Watch out especially for the greenish tinted potatoes, they are the highest.
+1
ih8boyzzz 8/6/09 6:20 AM
it didnt work!!! :(
thanks to this video we got 0 in science!
:(
+1
raghav3k 8/9/09 2:29 PM
u'll cut ur fingers if u chop a potato dat way.. prety cool experiment though.. it DOES work!!!! nn does a midget hooker charge half d price?
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