Survive this: How to make a Scandinavian log candle for outdoor emergency lighting
Want to make a long-lasting wooden “candle” for outdoor emergency lighting, warmth and cooking? All you need is a log and saw!
by Leon Pantenburg
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It takes a lot of wood to build and maintain a bright, warm campfire. But what if there isn’t much wood available, you want to stay warm and also be able to see in the dark? One possibility might be to make a log candle.
These three Scandinavian log candles will provide light, warmth and a cooking area for several hours. (Pantenburg photos)
I was camped along a popular lake in Central Oregon recently and noticed a man at a campsite working on a four-foot long log. He had already done some work with a chainsaw, cutting six pie-shaped cuts about 18 inches lengthwise into the end of the log.
“It’s a Swedish candle,” he commented, while poking pine pitch into the saw cuts. “I’m making it for a wedding present.”
The idea, he said, is to make a controllable fire that provides warmth and light. The base doesn’t heat up, so the fire won’t melt down through the snow and put itself out.
The log is prepared by cutting lengthways with a chainsaw, he said, for about 18 inches. Height can be whatever you want.
There was a chainsaw in our camp, along with unlimited firewood logs from blowdowns of Ponderosa and Lodgepole pines. It didn’t take me long at all to make a candle.
In camp, we had a Swiss ski instructor, and he was very familiar with the log-torch concept. The torches are very popular at winter events in the Scandinavian countries, he said, because they provide warmth and light. But he couldn’t narrow down the country of origin, so I’m calling it a “Scandinavian log candle.”
Here’s how to make one.
Once the cuts are made, the top is packed with pine pitch and lit. The melting pitch will spread the flames down the saw channels.
- Find a log about eight-to-12-inches in diameter.
- Bury one end about knee-deep in the sand or dirt, so the log is securely anchored and immovable. In deep snow, it would probably be best to stomp down the snow, and then dig a hole for the log.
- With a saw, cut lengthwise down from the top in pie-piece segments. It didn’t seem to matter exactly how long the segments were. The fire stops at the end of the cuts.
- The cuts are then loaded with pine pitch or other tinder or kindling and this is lit to ignite the log segments. Don’t pack the cuts too tightly, or the air flow will be blocked.
The first candle was such a hit that we made more all week. We used pine pitch to ignite the first candles. But once we depleted the campground’s pitch reserves, we were forced to use lamp oil brought in for the bamboo Tiki torches.
It didn’t seem to matter. Once the wood was ignited, the candles could burn from one to three hours. Fire longevity was directly related to the length of the cuts.
Saw channel length determines flame height and how long they last.
In a survival situation, this log candle technique could prove to be invaluable. In the dark aftermath of a disaster, light might be critical, especially if there was no electricity or artificial means of creating illumination.
In that scenario, a person with a chainsaw and access to a downed wooden telephone pole could quickly make a few of these candles for lighting. I didn’t try it, but there is no reason you couldn’t cook or boil water on top of the candles. And think about this – if the ground was saturated, or there was standing water, a log candle could burn without being affected by excessive moisture.
An added benefit is that the log candles are fun to make. Every night of the campout, the kids in the party would arrange a different pattern for the candles, and an adult would do the chainsaw work. Then, after dark when the torch were lighted, the kids hung out around them.
Cleanup was easy: In the morning, when the fire was out and the logs were cool, the stumps would be dug up and used later for campfire wood. We also picked up trash left behind by other campers. The beach and campsite were left cleaner than when we arrived.
Check out the video to see what the candles look like in use. We had to use some lamp oil to get them going, since all the pine pitch had been used up!
You can use an axe or large knife and split the log partially and wedge it open like Christopher said. They can also be shorter and you can cook on them as well. Great post. Thanks.
A utility pole would not be my first choice to cook on. But if you needed light and warmth, you might be forced to improvise. You could also use branches from downed trees. Once the green wood got lit, it would burn a long time.
I would be concerned about using a downed power pole to create this type of candle. The creosote and other chemicals typically used in poles are likely toxic to inhale.
Without a chainsaw, a good hacksaw and some patience should get the job done.
Not sure if I’d use these made from utility poles to cook on. Thinking about the chemicals, etc. used to preserve them…
I’ve seen these made somewhat shorter where you can cook on the top of the log. I think that would be cool too. Maybe one shorter and a couple longer if you want a campfire afterward?
Here’s Ray Mears’ version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR7N5zuC8WI#t=1280s
Smart idea!
As far as doing without the chainsaw–if a person used a chopping tool (large knife or axe) and wooden wedges (made from sticks) to split the log, and then prop the splits open with small sticks, would that work?
It might be necessary to wrap the log with wire or rawhide or something to keep the splits from going too deep, if you want to keep the fire up out of the snow.
Need to try!
I have a Marples pull to cut hand saw that doesn’t make as thick of cuts like a chainsaw, but could cut them them with less effort than other saws while being more practical overall. They are compact enough for a bookbag, light, and while not made here in the USSA, are at least not made in communist China. Made in Japan.
You could make these easily without a chainsaw using a 2 person bucksaw
Good question! It would be an arduous job without a chainsaw, but a good crosscut saw might work. Any suggestions out there?
How do you make these without a chainsaw? In a survival situation you may not have gas to run the chainsaw.
If I can get hold of a chainsaw, I’m going to make a few for out family reunion on the sandbar.
I love this idea.
It is!
Have to try this, looks like fun too!
I had never heard of or seen a log candle until last week, and now I’m hooked. They are easy to make, and safer than a conventional campfire, and use less wood. Oh…and they’re cool to play with!
Really neat idea. Have seen these in old pictures and always liked the way they looked, but never knew exactly what they were. Seems very practical for the beach also.