Char Cloth

[NORD]

Howdy all,

How is char cloth made? What is the best way to make it?
How do you use it?

I think I have the basic idea but I would like input from the experts!

Thank you!

 

[musketman]

This link below explains the making of char cloth, also there are many older threads about this in the Accoutrements section...

http://www.northwestjournal.ca/I1.htm

I should also add that you MUST let the char can cool completely before opening it, otherwise the material will burst into flames before your very eyes...

Also try these threads...

Char Material

Fire, Let's make some

Flint and steel fire

 

[NORD]

OK thank you!

 

[musketman]

NORD, making char cloth is fun and you can experiment with different types of cloth too, however, shy away from synthetics like polyesters...

Over the years, I have made char from old blue jeans, flannel shirts, terry cloth dish rags, cloth diapers, linen and pillow ticking...

Linen was too fragile for my liking, but all the other material works fine...

Take an old candy tin and punch a vent hole in the center of the lid with a nail, this is the chimney for the smoke as the material is charring...

It will produce a flame from the hole as it goes, this is ok, the fumes are burning off outside of the can... (unless you open it while it's hot)

:imo:You should load the can in layers of pre-cut material (like playing cards in a messy pile), not stacked in columns, this way it will char more evenly...

 

[NORD]

Hey thanks again...I think I am going to try this weekend if I get some time. I think I will use some of my old jeans.

 

[Ridge]

Last charcloth I made I used a fairly heavy cotton material to make it. It smolders REALLY hot, but damn it's hard to catch a spark with it. I have to fray it to catch the sparks. Sound normal?

 

[Greg Walden]

The best cloth I have found lately for char cloth is the all-cotton gun patches they sell at Wal-Mart - the kind that looks like it might have been meant to be a diaper. Catches all over the place with just one whack of the steel and you have to stomp on that stuff to put it out.

Greg

 

[Rebel]

Old cotton T-shirts make pretty good char cloth.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

If you have access to tinder fungus (AKA bear $hit fungus) it makes a great fire starter with flint and steel.

http://www.zetatalk.com/shelter/tshlt06n.htm

 

[bezoar]

Wonder if its been UL approved for diapers?

"huggies" brand cloth diapers, 100% natural, 200% flammable"

 

[Greg Walden]

:crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

Dunno, my kids are just about growed up and I don't have any diapers laying around to use for a tinder nest!

Greg

 

[NORD]

Hey Musketman I made some char cloth this weekend and it turned out great!

Thank you for the advise!

:thanks: :front:

 

[musketman]

Hey Musketman I made some char cloth this weekend and it turned out great!

Thank you for the advise!

:thanks: :front:

NORD, you are now a member in the brotherhood of char...

 

[NORD]

Take an old candy tin and punch a vent hole in the center of the lid with a nail, this is the chimney for the smoke as the material is charring...

It will produce a flame from the hole as it goes, this is ok, the fumes are burning off outside of the can... (unless you open it while it's hot)

:imo:You should load the can in layers of pre-cut material (like playing cards in a messy pile), not stacked in columns, this way it will char more evenly...

My first batch of char worked ok but when making my second batch I noticed I had a huge flame coming from where the lid meets the bottom of my candy tin...so I took the tin off the fire!!! :redface: (The more I think about the first batch it had a flame coming from the side too.) I don't think this is normal...is there a good way to seal the lid to the bottom of the candy tin? I was thinking about using some aluminum foil to seal the lid better.

Any suggestions or has anybody had this problem before making char?

Thank you for your time!

 

[Black Hand]

Don't worry about it, it happens. Try the char, and if it works, then no worries. I personally like to use a small paint can with a press-fit lid that has a small hole punched in the center of the lid. I have a small tin I use in the field. However, I tend to use char-cloth in "emergency" situations (high humidity, wet rainy days, etc.). I usually use charred punk-wood/fungus under normal conditions. I find it is easier to find/make in the woods, is much more resistant to crumbling and works just as well.

Black Hand

 

[NORD]

Ok thanks!

Maybe I will try to find a small paint can...

:front:

 

[Stumpkiller]

The flame is normal. I light mine if it doesn't self-ignite to cut down on the smoke and (possibly) to draw a bit extra at the vent.

I use a Min-Wax can. The lid is a tight seal & they come in several sizes.

 

[prd0036]

I use an Altoids tin with a hole in the lid and then wrap copper wire around the box to hold it all closed. I have used a can with a press in lid as well. It seemed to me that the char in the middle wasn't done enough and that on the outside was to brittle. I prefer the Altoids tin.

 

[NORD]

The flame is normal. I light mine if it doesn't self-ignite to cut down on the smoke and (possibly) to draw a bit extra at the vent.

I know the flame is normal coming out the vent hole but I am getting flame out the sides of the lid of the candy tin...is that normal?

:hmm:

 

[NORD]

I use an Altoids tin with a hole in the lid and then wrap copper wire around the box to hold it all closed. I have used a can with a press in lid as well. It seemed to me that the char in the middle wasn't done enough and that on the outside was to brittle. I prefer the Altoids tin.

Do you get any flame out through where the lid meets the bottom of your altoids can?