Um... where did you find this job and are you hiring? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've never made char cloth. Sounds like I need to add it to my list of activities to introduce at our Scout meetings/campouts. I did find a PDF file with simple instructions.

How to Make Char Cloth Tutorial

What do you folks store you char cloth in for personal carry?

Tinderboxes, of course. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If you want something a little lighter, lots of folks use candy tins (with the paint burned off) to both make and store char cloth. Use one without the hole to store it to keep it dryer.

Char cloth works very well, but some folks consider it almost cheating. You can make good char from some fungus, or from punk wood as well. The problem with them is that they only support the technique of striking sparks into the char, not the holding style you use with char cloth to light a pipe... which is also a lot faster, once you get the hang of it.

Char cloth isn't cheating if you use a hand drill to build the fire that you use to make the char cloth. LOL <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hi, Willie!

I carry mine in the tin. I use a nice round tin that 177 pellets came in - which required the addition of a pinhole. I layer all the cloth flat before charring and just peel off a piece from the top of the stack when I need one. I suppose I should drop the tin into a ziplock, but it's been fine in a zippered pouch kept inside whichever pack I'm using. Altoids tins work great as-is - the hinge holes are quite sufficient to vent off the gasses. Need a good hot fire the first time to burn the paint off Altoids and other painted tins, and then a quick dry scrub after cooling with a green scrubbie (3M pad) to remove the loose paint ash residue.

I suggest practice with a bird's nest made by untwisting sisal/jute/manila 3/8" line - down to individual fibers. A piece about 6" - 8" long is handy until you get the hang of it. Make the nest, put char cloth in the nest, spark, fold, blow like crazy (I hold above my head and blow on it from below - I miss most of the smoke that way). Bursts into flame like magic, but it may require some practice until you get the hang of it. Scouts are VERY impressed with themselves when they learn that. Then teach them how to use in situ natural materials - usually takes more prep. Don't let them decide they must carry hunks of rope - I always start off by chanting "imagine this is dried grass... imagine this is dried grass... imagine this is dried grass..." I consider cotton balls phase I, char and rope phase II, char and natural tinder phase III... etc. - at least, with the Scouts. Char works great with flint and steel, btw.

Have fun with this and practice a lot before you show the scouts.

Regards,

Tom

Willie,

By coincidence, I just made my first batch of charcloth last week. I used an old 35mm film container for storage.

I suppose the round Altoids Citrus Sours can would work as well with a pin hole. Is it truly a pin hole? And do you let the gasses catch fire? Some accounts say that's a no-no while others let it burn. About how long does it take in an Altoids tin?

I like the step up approach as it'll build their skill and confidence at the same time.

From: Pete_Kenney

Pete,

I’m a student again and do not have time to get into a possible running dialogue on the ETS forum. Thus, because of your background and recent posting on cotton squares I’m dropping you a PM which you can run with if you like. I too picked up some cotton squares this past weekend--they work fine with Vaseline. Cody Lundin mentions using the Vaseline for chapped skin/lips, as a lubricant, etc.

For PSK type items, I’m trying to use the SPEC.-OPS.™ T.H.E. TACTICAL CHECKBOOK WALLET™ ( http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/tame.e...2Fresults%2Etam ). The only normal item in the checkbook are the checks. Thus, whenever possible, I want credit card sized items—e.g., a floss card (with needles, fish hooks, T-pins, etc. taped to the back of it). Otherwise, I look for flat items such as 6” x 6” Aloksaks ( http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/aloksak_6x6.html ) folded once, Stretch Island 100% fruit leather, or flat individually wrapped Slim Jim jerkies.

At a craft store I found some 2” x 3” zip lock bags. Such will hold the cotton cosmetic pads (actually 1 and 1/2 pads). These bags seemed strong; but, the Zippit brand bags “seem” stronger. I called a local fishing mail-order house this morning and they have this size Zippit bags ( http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Content.aspx?src=home.htm ).

In the spirit of multifunctional equipment, why not use other petroleum items instead of Vaseline? Vick’s Vapo-Rub could be used as a nasal inhaler and fires up well. Does Vick’s have any analgesic properties? Alternately, a pad could be impregnated with an oil based insecticide or sun screen. I’m not sure about the fumes any of these products might give off.

Beyond the cotton pads: I picked up some liquid bandage in a squeeze dropper vial (48 drops) for $5. I do not like Liquid Bandage as well as (I think) New Skin. LB forms a thinner layer--although that may be an advantage. So I put some New Skin in a small 40 drop dispenser found at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/microdrop_dropper_bottle.html.

At any rate even using New Skin, if the bleeding has not stopped, the blood will bubble up under the “bandage”. So I went looking for some type of styptic pencil. I found Flents Styptic Powder at Sally Beauty Supply, a national chain ( http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/product.asp?pf%5Fid=897000&dept%5Fid=1950 ). This appears to have the same off-yellow color as the blood stopper that comes in larger plastic bags. But, who wants to rip open such a bag to get a small amount for EDC? I read a review on this once (cannot find again) and I think blood stopper was developed by a guy with a shaving wound. Both a dropper dispenser of New Skin and some Flents (poured into even a small vial) could be put in the change purse part of the checkbook. Other bandages, etc. would in a small zipper bag in a credit card holder of the checkbook.

As you have some medical background there is one other item to toss out: People often talk of putting small hard candies in a PSK for energy and comfort. Why not make these multifunctional also? For years, people have used ginger ale and soda crackers to help nausea. In the bulk food area of a local health food store I found Gin-Gin Ginger candies ( http://www.gingerpeople.com/order_sweets.html ). On the wrappers of each candy, it says that they can be use to reduce motion sickness. An alternate, multiuse “candy” might be Halls Defense Multi-Blend Supplement Drops, Harvest Cherry ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det...1&s=hpc ). These contain Vitamin C, Echinacea, and Zinc. Zinc of course helps the immune system. My druggist tried to explain Echinacea to me and said it should be taken when one thinks they are coming down with a cold.

Sorry to talk your ear off.

Later,

Pete

Willie,

The sours tins work fine, and a small hole is all you need - a 4dwt or 6dwt nail makes a large enough hole.

It doesn't matter if you burn the gasses or not, but it's very stinky to not burn them, LoL! It has zero effect on the finished product either way. When we make charcoal for blacksmithing, we port all the gasses into the flames under the retort to add their fuel value to the process, but that's insignificant for making small amounts of chared cloth - you can't tell the difference. Anway, you don't really have much choice when doing this in an open campfire or in a fireplace - they are going to ignite.

It takes mere moments to char this small amount of cloth - just jump and and make some. Heck - it depends on how how and large your heat source is. Might take 30 seconds on a big bed of hardwood coals or 5 minutes in the cool flames of a poorly burning fire of damp wood. If you cool off the tin and find brown char inside, close it back up and toss it back in - no harm done. We're talking deep, deep black here. As long as you don't melt the tin (it has happened with bellows assist), the char won't be harmed by staying in longer than it needs to be.

Don't do it indoors unless in a fireplace with a draft going - your wife will justifiably get upset with you otherwise.

Have fun!

Tom

I made some charcloth today in a tin very similar to a sours tin. Poked a very tiny hole in the top w/ a finishing nail and tossed it in the fireplace and forgot about it. About and hour or so later I pulled it out and let it cool and had some very nice charcloth made from 100% cotton cloth squares. The type typically used for swabbing firearms' barrels. I never watched or waited for smoke or paid attention to whether or not it caught fire or if it ever even smoked at all and I got some very nice charcloth. I guess the point here is that there is no need to try to make an exact science out of it. It's really not that tuff to make.