You just want him to visit you, so the both of you can play with fire together.

I was thinking of this morning....I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning and was also thinking that gunpowder + hand sanitizer + firecrackers = big boom, big flames.... I like it!

Um yeah, the kind of stuff a terrorist can carry onto a plane, right?

Sherpadog did a brilliant demonstration of aftershave. Perfumes and hair products are often just like that.

edit: airport security has relaxed a bit, but 2 years ago the airport security was confiscating lipsticks including chapstick from people just because they didn't know what was allowed or not allowed.


Edit: One list of permitted and prohibited items from 2 years ago.

Increased security and restriction of carry on baggage to/from USA
UPDATE:17AUG.2006
Dear Customer
Thank you for flying Japan Airlines.
In accordance to directions received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, we wish to advise that the following restrictions have been placed on carry on hand baggage for all flights departing to/from USA.
Applicable Flights: All flights departing to/from any airport within USA (both International and Domestic)
Note: The same restrictions will apply to passengers after arriving at any airport within USA when connecting to other flights.
1. No liquids, gels, or aerosols are permitted in accessible property or on one person past the boarding gate hold area or the boarding gate except:
a. Baby formula/milk and baby food in small containers if a baby or small child is traveling
b. Prescription medicine (liquid and gel) with a name that matches the passenger ticket
c. Essential other non-prescription medicines not to exceed 4 oz. (120ml) per container, to include saline solution and eye care products such as eye drops and contact lens solution
d. Liquids (to include juice) or gels for diabetic passengers who indicate a need for such items to address their medical condition. Quantities are limited to no greater than 5 oz. (148ml) per container.
2. Passenger must NOT be permitted to take liquids, gels, or aerosols purchased inside the sterile area onboard the aircraft, except those items identified in 1. above.
3. For purposes of this direction, liquids, gels and aerosols include beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gels, hair spray and other items of similar consistency.
4. Additional security check for all passengers and cabin-baggage shall be conducted at boarding gate.

I frequently fly with a test tube sized spray bottle of hand sanitizer that I picked up at Walgreen's. At 10ml it's well under the 3-oz. size limit allowed in carry-ons. (now is the time to use your new conversion calculators!)

I know current regulations require one to carry all your liquids in a ziploc and pull them out and put them in the tray for the TSA to easily see. However, I've forgotten more than once and the TSA never notices it.

This sanitizer is a liquid as opposed to the gel sanitizer that was tested above and it includes Aloe and vitamin E. The active ingredient listed is 65% ethyl alcohol. After giving it a test, I'd say much of the non-active 45% may be water. It would not sustain a flame on its own. Things would pop and sizzle and the flame would get bigger, but once the match was pulled away, everything would stop.

I have some hand sanitizer here that says it is 62% isopropanol alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and it burns nicely, but it is liquid in a pump bottle.

I guess the 65% alcohol sample you have not burning means people need to check their products like Sherpadog did, to make sure before trusting they will work.

I don't have any tiger balm salve around to try, but since it contains camphor, menthol, cajuput oil, mint oil and clove oil it might burn nicely.

Clove oil, the stuff for tooth aches, burns like lighter fluid does.

Round 3

I tested a few more ideas from this subject thread today. The reason why? While many people have some ideas how/what to use as for fire starter/tinders, there also many people who have not tested these ideas at home or out in the field as practice. With this testing the last couple of days it is plain to see that these ideas for fire starters/tinders are not going to help when you need it the most.

Of all the items I tested, there is only two that I always carry in the backpack, camping gear etc and that is a candle of some sort and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. All the rest that I tested, are in my opinion are not worth the time and effort to carry.

I would think that the biggest suprise to people is the complete uselessness of PJ coated cotton....whether it be cotton balls, cotton from the end of Q-Tips or a piece of old t-shirt. As you will see once again below, once PJ coated cotton gets any water on it, it will not light again. The old adage that cotton kills now also has a new meaning... at least to me.

Once again I would like to see other people's results of any testing they have done. My testing is only person's method, your testing may provide different results.

All the products tested below were purchased new today (needed them anyway) to ensure that no old products tempered the results.

In the below photos, you can see that I don't have that "used to be" nice plate from last night and the backdrop is not a clean white counter top either.....Don't ask, but taking test lab photos outdoors suddenly appeals to me.

Chapstick
Chery flavor was all the drugstore had.


As you can see, I cut the chapstick up into small pieces and tried to light it. All would do is melt then harden up somewhat just like candle wax.



Blistex Lip Balm.


Some people said lip balm would work, however it will not burn/catch at all, instead it eventually melted to a liquid.


PolySporin Ointment


I seen a couple of people mention the ointment makes a good fire tinder but I had no luck with it.


Vaseline...back to this again. The Vaseline I tested last night expired in early 2006. To be fair, I purchased a new container of it today.


Just like last night, no luck in lighting it up with a match.


Using a piece of cotton t-shirt with plenty of PJ on it, will light. ...but don't be fooled. It is not the PJ that catches, it is the cotton that actually burns and melts the PJ away as seen in the small puddle on the right foreground of the photo. Notice above the burning cloth, Less then 1-1/2 TBSP of water is being slowly dribbled directly onto the material and flames.


This little bit of water was enough for the cotton to soak up and kill the flame. Again after squeezing the small amount of water, the cotton will not light due to being wetted with the water above. This also serves to show that the PJ is not being helpful in starting a fire....which is contrary to many claims on many websites and forums that cotton whatever covered in PJ will burn even when wet.

We're glad to see that you survived the last experiments, keep up the good work. How 'bout trying some of the above added to
"tinder," to see if it will help the tinder take off and burn? As I previously stated, GI insect repellent won't burn by itself, but added to some twigs they really take off...

I could try that....couple of little problems though. I am a former firefighter and live just a couple of blocks from a fire hall...some members there know me and I know them. I also have a large amount of dead brush/tinder in the yard that would be perfect for testing with....You get the picture?

Maybe add this to the project


Fire Extinguisher
And if you keep performing experiments indoors try this wife extinguisher
Wife extinguisher

"...you get the picture..."

That's easy, just get some of that "dry smokless wood" that the hero in the Louis L'Amour novels always used...