need help with charcloth

[tx-hunter]

i'm getting sparks to land on the charcloth, but they go out just as quick as they land. The cloth was some that i purchased fro Jas Townsend. I've had it for a year or so, stored in the house. It doesn't feel damp, but i guess it could be.

Should i scrap it and try making some or am i doing something wrong?

 

[Black Hand]

I would try drying your char-cloth in the oven for a while and try again. If it still doesn't work, make your own......

 

[Norskie]

Is there any brown on your cloth? That can slow down ignition. If there is, cook it a little more.
Is your spark good and hot and yellow? Red sparks will work, but are not as hot, and sometimes go out. You have to blow on the spark right away, sometimes.
Try a burning glass once for fun. That little hot spot of sunlight usually sets charcloth glowing real quick.
Moose

 

[bnail]

I've had char that just wouldn't cooperate before and just can't figure why. take a look to see if there's even a hint of brown showing, it might be "under done" also, it is possible (albeit slightly) that it might be blended.
I'd say throw it back in a tin and cook it some more. I've never had good char adversely affected by ambient moisture.

 

[Many Klatch]

A lot of cloth today has fireproofing added to it. You have to be careful to keep from making charcloth with it because it really won't light.

Many Klatch

 

[Minuteman]

If yer gonna make yer own char material, I'd use some punky, rotten wood. It works pretty much the same as charred cloth 'cept it burns down into the wood as well as along it. It'll hold a spark for minutes (dependin' on the size of the piece) if you are brain dead and don't have yer tinder and fire all made up or you knock it over or somethin'.
I used some stuff that fell out of the top of a rotten Maple tree north of our house, the woodpeckers were working it over pretty good so you might start by looking for trees that have lotsa woodpecker damage and get some of the fallen stuff from beneath .
I made some stuff from a tee shirt once that wouldn't hold a spark worth a hoot. Thought it was cotton but mighta been wrong.

 

[J.D.]

Like some others, I have made char that would not take a spark. The cloth was well charred and dry, BTW, so I can't figure out why it wouldn't catch a spark.

You might get hotter sparks if you sharpen that flint.

For someone who is learning, I suggest making char from old 100% cotton blue jeans. I bought a pair of jeans at a yard sale for a quarter that makes excellent char.

Cleaning patches that have been used for cleaning BP guns often makes good char, depending on the cleaning agent.

Charred punkwood works real well for lighting fires, but it is harder to catch a spark.

One way to help that punkwood begin to glow is to get a spark on a thumb size piece of charcloth and insert that into a slit in the punkwood.

Punkwood doesn't always have to be charred to accept a spark transfered from charcloth. It does, however, need to be dry.

J.D.

 

[boar]

If the cloth is right, it should start to tear when you try to pull apart. If it don't, I would cook it somemore. I use a bag balm can, with a hole in lid and botton . I plug the holes with sticks or tinfoil after I cook it. Old cotton towels make good char. I have a wire around the can middle, to handle it, Dilly

 

[Enfield1]

Go to the sporting goods section in Walmart. Get the $1.97 pack of general purpose gun cleaning cloths. It will be a rectangular clear plastic package labeled "Cross Fire". I have found these cloths to make excellent charcloth for my flint and steel. Cook them in an altoids mint can with a small hole punched in it. When the smoke stops, take the can out of the fire. When cool, open it up and there is your charcloth.

 

[silverfox]

Go to your local textile shop and ask for MONK Cloth. Make you char cloth with it the fastest char cloth to catch a spark I've seen.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Cpl.Parker]

Minuteman, Please forgive my silly question, Do you have to cook the punky wood or just dry it? Thanks
P

 

[charcloth]

I usually "dry out" my charcloth and tow in a frying pan for a few minutes before hitting the trail. In damp conditions I'll do it daily while on the trail.

Charcloth.

 

[tx-hunter]

thanks for the suggestions. I haven't tried to tear it, but it does appear to be black. The sparks off my flint are red, not yellow. That could be the problem. I tried my ferro rod and the cloth caught the sparks off that. So it must be my steel.

I'll try making some new cloth from blue jeans foirst. If that don't work, I'll get a new steel.

Thanks again! :hatsoff:

 

[paulvallandigham]

You can put your oven on a very low setting, such as 250 degrees, to dry out the fabric you have. It should only take about 15 minutes to accomplish. Then test it. But, also look at the color. IF you do see brown anywhere, it was not cooked enough, and you need to put it back into a closed can, and heat it up above its flash point in that oxygen starved can. That is how all charcoal, and charcloth is made. Put a small hole in the can to allow the steam to get out, and simply watch that small curl of white smoke coming out of the hole. When the smoke stops, the cooking is usually done. However, if you have packed the can full and tightly with cloth, to get all the air out, you should leave it cooking for another 20 minutes to insure that all the fabric is fully charred. Do this kind of cooking outside, as the smell will win you no friends indoors.

 

[Norskie]

I had a steel once that would hardly throw a spark. At the time I worked in a factory that had a good lab. When I ran a mass spectro test on it the steel had some small amount of nickel in it. Beware of steels made from unknown sources.
Moose

 

[Minuteman]

For other's benefit, yes I char the punk wood. Works great .

 

[rogerpjr]

If you have any OLD terry cloth towels (dish, bath etc.) that have been washed till they are near threadbare, they make the most excellent char cloth. The fuzzy nap helps catch sparks. DON'T use cleaning patches or flannel from the fabric stores unless you are 100% sure they are 100% cotton and contain no fire retardant.

 

[spudnut]

I found really worn out red shop ragsWashed to almost threadbare and pink) are great too...Mark

 

[biliff]

In my very limitted experience with this, I finally got the char cloth/fire going by switching to a larger chunk of black english flint.
Not sure why that helped, but it throws more sparks and probably hotter sparks. Maybe the greater size of the rock lets me get more energy into it. At any rate, the same char clothe that wouldn't work for beans, now works just fine. I am a fire making whiz now.

 

[J.D.]

I finally got the char cloth/fire going by switching to a larger chunk of black english flint.

The size of the flint should not make any difference since it is the flint and not the steel that is struck.

A sharp flint WILL make a difference.

The most effective way I have found is to hold the flint in the left hand with a piece of char held on top of the flint with the thumb. The steel is held in the right hand and struck down onto the edge of the flint. Spark coming off the steel will be deflected onto the char.

It helps to fray the edges of the char.

The same technique, with a little modification, is used to light a candle.
J.D.