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Sticks and stones may break your bones, but they’ll take forever to start that fire. Here’s how to do it the modern way.

• Warning

  This video is for informational purposes only. You should never play with fire.

• 

  Step 1: Tuck steel wool into toilet paper

  Take a piece of steel wool and tuck it into the toilet paper.

• Tip

  Make sure several strands of steel wool are exposed. You’ll get more sparks that way.

• 

  Step 2: Touch the battery to steel wool

  Lightly touch the battery to the steel wool.

• 

  Step 3: Blow

  Blow.

• Tip

  This is a handy trick to know for camping trips, since steel wool will ignite even when wet.

• 

  Step 4: Put it out

  Now put that thing out, before the smoke alarm goes off.

• Fact

  When you touch the steel wool to the battery, you’re actually shorting it out, causing it to burst into flames.