Another alternative is rubber cement! i dont know if it ignites from a spark, someone is gonna have to try this... I burnt up my last bottle

I am disappointed and underwhelmed by the flamability of your common hand sterilizing alcohol gel. It burns, but not really intense nor impressive. I was unable to lit it with a spark at room temperature. I think it's 70% alcohol or so, my bottle doesn't list it. For this stuff to really BURN I guess you have to heat it so more volatile alcohol fumes are released.

I tried smearing it on cotton balls to see if that was an improvement. It was - but you all know how the cotton ball catches a spark and ignites like crazy. Nothing revolutionary there. Alcohol gel cotton balls are much inferior to petroleum jelly cotton balls.

So - nothing impressive in terms of alcohol gel. Having heard the urban legend about the guy who managed to set his own hands on fire after using alcohol gel I really expected it to be a bit more volatile. Nope. So the H1N1-virus aftermath does little good in providing good fire starters everywhere

I guess it still is an option if nothing else is available. Keep that "else" option available, that's what I say.

Your comment was interesting as I thought that sanitizer (70% alcohol) would readily ignite from a spark. I tried quite a few times with my Swedish Steel (which you barely see in my hand the top left of the photo) and could not get the sanitizer to light up. It was only when I put a match or lighter to it that a flame resulted. This is good to know as I always carry as small bottle of sanitizer in the kit and now know what works and what doesn't work..

BTW, that is my fav backpacking dinner plate. Cheap ($2.97), very light and very versatile 6" aluminum pizza pan...

Here is a little video of the Halfords Rubber cement taking a spark from a Swedish firesteel. (it also doubles up as a way to fix a bicyle puncture if you have some patches as well)


http://www.amfearliathmor.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/DSCF3001_reduced320.avi (2.8 Meg)

How about a small bottle of nailpolish or nailpolish remover (acetone)? Anyone tried that?

Clear nail polish can be used to treat cuts. It also kills germs, but I would feel safer with New-Skin (available at Walmart)

Many nail polish removers aren't acetone any more.