# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  How I make Char Cloth - the easy way.

## Kudos

Ok, this is my easy, virtually fool proof, way to make Char Cloth.

I am assuming that everyone here knows what Char Cloth is so it requires no explanation.

Ok, find that old pair of manky Paint covered jeans you always meant to throw out. 
I use Denim for my char cloth as it is stronger than cotton T-Shirt material and is less likely to break up when you handle it.
Cut up the jeans and remove all Pockets and seams so you just have flat material. 
Now cut that into 1 1/2 inch squares and stack it neatly.
Get a standard Altoids tin and make a 1/8" hole in the center of the lid.

Fire up your Coleman Stove or similar.
Be sure to do this outside because it throws out a lot of smoke.
Place six pieces of denim, in layers, into the Altoids tin, close the lid and place it on the Colman Stove.
Now sit back and watch the smoke rise.

As soon as the smoke stops, or diminishes to very little smoke, carefully remove the Altoids Tin from the Stove using leather Gloves to make sure you don't burn yourself and immediately place a spare piece of Denim over the hole in the lid and place a stone on it to keep it in place. 
DO NOT OPEN THE ALTOID TIN.

The reason for putting the piece of Denim over the hole is to prevent air getting in. 

Leave the Altoid Tin alone until it has completely cooled down.
I learned the trick of putting a piece of Denim over the hole after loosing a batch of Char Cloth as the hole was not covered and the entire batch simply smoldered away.
Once cooled carefully place the char cloth into a Zip Lock bag and there you are....you made Char cloth.

I found this to be the simplest way to make Char Cloth and in one afternoon made enough to last me a lifetime.
But, it is fun to give it to other Survival types especially as you can make so much from an old pair of Jeans.

I hope that helps someone out there.........

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## Rick

Poke a hole in the lid and the escaping gas will ignite. Once the fire goes out the cloth is char. Plug the hole with wax to keep out water. It will burn away the next time you make char cloth. You can also use a soup can inverted into a vegetable can. You can make a ton of cloth using the two can method. Same thing, poke a pin hole in the bottom of the soup can. When the fire goes out the cloth is char.

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## Kudos

The Point I was making Rick is that you have to keep the air out while it all cools down or there is a high risk that the Char cloth will smolder away

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## crashdive123

Yep - a hole (small) makes it efficient.




or with the Altoids tin - you can see the escaping gasses burning as Rick described.

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## randyt

that's the way I do it other than I have a all metal chew can with a hole in the lid, like denim too. One of these days I want to char up some cattail fluff and give that a try.

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## tjwilhelm

I discovered you can also make char cloth in a so-called "wood-gasification camp stove."  The idea seemed plausible to me, so I tried it, and it worked:




For anyone interested, here's a link to how I made the stove:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9bklAIquG4

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## Kudos

So many ways to do it...she cried

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## DSJohnson

All well and good as long as you do not mind burning up cotton cloth.  I am thinking cloth may be pretty darn dear in some scenarios.  Have any of y'all ever charred any fungus/tree mold?

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## Rick

I've never covered the hole and never had a problem. Seems unlikely air would infiltrate the can since outside air is cooler that that which is inside the can. In any case, I've never had a problem.

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## crashdive123

Never covered it either - never had a problem.

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## Old Professor

I have never covered the hole either.  I use cotton gun cleaning patches (shotgun size) to make char cloth and a round candy/cookie tin about 6 inches in  diameter.

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## Kudos

To be honest I never thought it would be an issue but I found that simply covering the hole in the cooling phase gave me a much better result.
I put it in the explanation really so that if you do have a problem with the Char Cloth smoldering you also have the solution.
It's a moot point really as long as you end up with good char cloth.

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## gryffynklm

What is the size of the hole in your container?

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## Kudos

roughly 3/32 to 1/8

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## Rick

That's a good point, Karl. I suppose the size of hole could make a difference. I try to to keep mine as small as possible. Generally the size of a pin.

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## hunter63

> I've never covered the hole and never had a problem. Seems unlikely air would infiltrate the can since outside air is cooler that that which is inside the can. In any case, I've never had a problem.


I'm in the "no plug small hole" group as well.

Altoids tins are not air tight, so maybe adding a hole does have too much air when done?

I use a cookie tin for bulk or , a metal snuff tin/ shoe polish tin, as carry tin as they are air tight, so the hole is used when making, then plugged with wax when carrying.

Some , I have heard use a small hole in the side of the tin,..... creates an opening for gasses....and by turning slightly cover the hole for water proof-ness.

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## Kudos

Are we not focusing on minutia Guys?
Basically, so long as the end result is good usable Char Cloth by whatever means is the end goal.
As I said, for me covering the hole provided a solution for me and for many it may or may not be necessary. I am beginning to regret ever having mentioned that I covered the hole LOL

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## hunter63

You brought it up, and mentioned that you had better results....
The rest of us just happen to disagree to an extent.

All good, just expect comments when a subject is posted.

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## Rick

I don't think it minutia to toss around different ideas. Someone mentions something that someone else didn't think of. Someone else mentions a different way. No one is suggesting your way is wrong we've just found different roads to the same place and are offering those routes.

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## crashdive123

I agree that it's not minutia.  You (we) have to remember that there is a lot of experience on this forum and your mileage may vary from the next person.


or...........for a lot of us - this ain't our first rodeo.   :Winkiss: 



Discussions like this may give an inexperienced - or even an experienced member a new way of looking at things.

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## randyt

I keep my hole covered.

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## gryffynklm

No one is criticizing you or saying that you are doing it wrong. Can't we have a curiosity over why you have better results by covering the hole when others don't feel a need. Can't we discuss the preparation of the container on the outside chance we can learn something. You should be happy that you have provoked a discussion with the goal of understanding the making of char cloth and possibly finding a better way. Too much air can result in a continued burn. If your hole in the container was too large the air coming back in could cause continued combustion. 

Besides I like menudo.

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## Rick

You, sir, are a sick, sick puppy.

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## gryffynklm

The soup not the band.

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## Rick

I knew that. No, really. I did.

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## DomC

If you look at an ALTOIDS TIN closely, you'll see there are two slits where the hinges are located. These slits will suffice so cutting a hole in the lid is redundant. I use it as is and never have a problem...

DomC  :Smile:   :Wink: 

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## Rick

Wait. With 2 slits wouldn't it be redundant redundant? 'Cause one slit would be redundant so .... well, you get it. I guess mathematically redundant​2.

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## scout185

I have used an altoids tin with no extra holes and have charred anything from t-shirts to jute twine and even small pieces of wood and it works perfectly.

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## chngdmymnd

What is char cloth?

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## DomC

Courtesy of Wikipedia :
Char cloth (also called charpaper) is a swatch of fabric made from vegetable fiber (such as linen, cotton or jute) that has been converted via pyrolysis into a slow-burning fuel of very low ignition temperature. It is capable of being ignited by a single spark that can in turn be used to ignite a tinder bundle to start a fire. It is sometimes manufactured at home for use as the initial tinder when cooking or camping and historically usually provided the "tinder" component of a tinderbox. It is often made by putting cloth into an almost airtight tin with a small hole in it, and cooking it in campfire coals until the smoking slows and the cloth is properly charred.

DomC  :Smile:   :Wink: 

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## Chuk

Great ways to make char, but you forgot the Cigar and three fingers of good Single malt. Two very essential components of char making. I use tins bought at the dollar store,they don't have to be round or square. Find a pair of jeans that need holes in them turn you tin upside down trace out the tin shape,repeat the process until you have enough cloth to start a fire at a rendevous for everyone there. Punch a hole in the top on the tin take a sip if single malt and a puff on the cigar, put your cloth in the tin put it in the fire you made using your fire piston. Take a sip of single malt,puff on the cigar. When the smoke stops coming out of the hole in the lid pull it off of the fire and when cool seal the hole up. Relax enjoy life and refill your glass the cigar has another hour of bliss.

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## DomC

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crosman pellet tin w/ holes aligned.
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crosman pellet tin w/holes closed with a twist of the lid.
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tin filled w/horseshoe fungus cooking on Esbit stove.
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finished product: charred horseshoe fungus.

I have made charred punkwood using the same method. Both materials will take a spark from a ferro rod or Flint n' steel. My favorite is charred cotton denim though....

DomC  :Smile:   :Wink:

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## Kudos

I like that idea a lot. The only point I would make is that you obviously have to wear gloves to twist the hot can to close the hole.
None the less, a good idea.

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## DomC

I used a rag, but gloves would definitely work...

DomC  :Smile:   :Wink: 

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## Rick

Nice! I like that a lot. Great idea.

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## scout185

I have never thought of that but an altoids tin with no extra holes has never let me down.

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## WhiteHorse3340

> I keep my hole covered.


lol, had to go there, huh?

Any way...

I made my very first batch of char cloth today, in a celestial seasonings tea tin (no holes) and I used a 100% cotton white t-shirt.  It doesn't take that much flame to make...I did it in a citronella candle bucket, and to light the fire to make the char cloth, I used some cotton and mulch, and it got hot enough to do the trick.  Once the tin was cooled (which didn't take long, it's only like 16 degrees outside atm), I checked the cloth, and it worked wonderfully.

About a half an hour later, curiosity got the best of me, so...

I went out to smoke, lit my cigarette, took a piece of char cloth and placed it in the middle of a small bundle of dryer lint.  I then held the end of the cigarette up to the char cloth until I saw it take the ember, and blew that into a flame.  It was so easy, I was surprised how easy it was.  My next step now is to try to get the char cloth to light through a pair of binoculars, which hopefully I can do this weekend, not sure...they are predicting more snow..again..like anywhere from 6-10 inches...bleeeehh.  But anyway, I'll try that sometime and let everyone know how it goes.

I still have several more batches of char cloth to make, and I'll be using some of that in an upcoming post about a tool that many on this site seem to have overlooked when it comes to starting fires.   :airhorn: 

Prepare what you can, when you can, WHILE you can.

When you hear this sound a-comin',
Hear the drummers drumming,
I want you to join together with the band,
We don't move in any 'ticular direction,
And we don't make no collections,
I want you to join together with the band.

Do you really think I care,
What you read or what you wear,
I want you to join together with the band,
There's a million ways to laugh,
And every one's a path,
Come on and join together with the band.

Can't get that song outta my head today, and it seems to go quite nicely with the bit of sagely advice I gave above.   :Yes:

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## WhiteHorse3340

Okay, here's an update...

I tried to light it through a pair of binoculars, I have the type where the lenses are not removable, and that was a no-go.  I then tried it with a magnifier similar to a jeweler's loupe and that lit it within seconds, VERY easy to light with that.  I've also taken the reflective part of a flash light and placed the char cloth in the middle, took a little longer than the magnifier, but still successful.

...on a side note,

..."and I'll be using some of that in an upcoming post about a tool that many on this site seem to have overlooked when it comes to starting fires."

I am going to start construction of this tool very soon.  Matter of fact, I'll be stopping by a hardware store later on today to see if I can find a few pieces there cheaper than what I priced them at a different store the other day.

When I start construction, I will be sure to take plenty of pictures, and probably post a few videos.

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## hunter63

> Okay, here's an update...
> 
> I tried to light it through a pair of binoculars, I have the type where the lenses are not removable, and that was a no-go.  I then tried it with a magnifier similar to a jeweler's loupe and that lit it within seconds, VERY easy to light with that.  I've also taken the reflective part of a flash light and placed the char cloth in the middle, took a little longer than the magnifier, but still successful.


Have you tried eye glasses, yet.....
Good job on the success.....never know till you try.

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## Lamewolf

When I make char with an Altoids tin, I don't put the hole in it.  The tins are leaky enough to let the smoke escape and no need to worry with plugging the hole.  Works great for me and when its cool, I just toss the tin and all into my fire kit.  Along with my Bic lighter of course ! :Devil2:

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## MiddleWolf

I've got a bunch of little round button sized magnets plastered on the front of my roll away.  Could always drop one on the hole just for the fun of it.

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## ninjasurvivor

The problem with char cloth is that it is not tinder. It's not even along the lines of cotton balls or dryer lint. It's basically half of an ignition device. Useless by itself, but compatible with a sparking device. However, it still requires tinder, and good tinder at that. You pretty much will need a birds nest with very dry, small, burnable fibers. A little red ember on a patch of burnt clothing doesn't produce much to get a flame going. 

Therefore if you have the char cloth on hand, AND a sparking device, then you still have to go out and find your tinder. Why not just keep cotton and your sparking device on hand? A char tin full of cotton will last just as long, only you won't need dry tinder either, you can light sticks directly with the cotton. 

To me, char cloth would be one of those rare things that you would create on the fly when you had limited materials on hand and weren't sure how you'd get your NEXT fire going. It's definitely not something you should carry out in the field to get your FIRST fire started. I mean you can, it won't hurt anything, but I find it pointless.

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## hunter63

If you are using a ferro rod I agree that char cloth is an unnecessary step.

Now if using flint (rock)and steel (knife blade or striker steel....NOT ferro rod) it will catch a spark much, MUCH, easier.
Flint and Steel does NOT produce the shower of intense sparks a ferro rod fire steel does.

To totally discount it is very wrong....as store bought ferro rods are not always around, flint (a generic term for any sparking rocks) and be picked up off the ground in many places....You just need a piece of steel to strike.

Any and all fire starting methods require some sort of tinder..........even if it an esbit tab.

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## crashdive123

> The problem with char cloth is that it is not tinder. It's not even along the lines of cotton balls or dryer lint. It's basically half of an ignition device. Useless by itself, but compatible with a sparking device. However, it still requires tinder, and good tinder at that. You pretty much will need a birds nest with very dry, small, burnable fibers. A little red ember on a patch of burnt clothing doesn't produce much to get a flame going. 
> 
> Therefore if you have the char cloth on hand, AND a sparking device, then you still have to go out and find your tinder. Why not just keep cotton and your sparking device on hand? A char tin full of cotton will last just as long, only you won't need dry tinder either, you can light sticks directly with the cotton. 
> 
> To me, char cloth would be one of those rare things that you would create on the fly when you had limited materials on hand and weren't sure how you'd get your NEXT fire going. It's definitely not something you should carry out in the field to get your FIRST fire started. I mean you can, it won't hurt anything, but I find it pointless.


Opinions certainly vary.  I find that most people that discount char cloth or charred material have very little experience with it.

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## DomC

> The problem with char cloth is that it is not tinder.


I beg to differ. Tinder is easily combustible material used to ignite fires by rudimentary methods, thus char cloth is considered as TINDER. 

DomC

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## crashdive123

> I beg to differ. Tinder is easily combustible material used to ignite fires by rudimentary methods, thus char cloth is considered as TINDER. 
> 
> DomC


Very good point.




> tin·der  [tin-der] 
> noun
> 1.
> a highly flammable material or preparation formerly used for catching the spark from a flint and steel struck together for fire or light.
> 2.
> any dry substance that readily takes fire from a spark.


 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tinder

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## randyt

I hear from a good source that charred cattail fluff makes a good spark catcher. Been going to try it but usually end up with a pocketful of fluff which ends up making a mess. LOL. This is before I get a chance to char it.

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## crashdive123

> I hear from a good source that charred cattail fluff makes a good spark catcher. Been going to try it but usually end up with a pocketful of fluff which ends up making a mess. LOL. This is before I get a chance to char it.


Charred cattail fluff makes a great tinder.  I read on-line about somebody using it and thought - "No way.  It'll just burn up".  So I tried it - works fantastic.

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## randyt

> Charred cattail fluff makes a great tinder.  I read on-line about somebody using it and thought - "No way.  It'll just burn up".  So I tried it - works fantastic.


Sounds like a plan, anytime I can resupply from the land, that is a good thing.

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## ninjasurvivor

> I beg to differ. Tinder is easily combustible material used to ignite fires by rudimentary methods, thus char cloth is considered as TINDER. 
> DomC


It's considered tinder by definition, but char cloth can not be brought to a flame by itself. They consider paper tinder too. It's also very difficult, if not impossible, to bring to a flame from a spark. I've done it with paper towel, but regular copy paper is very difficult. 

I just watched a guy last night demonstrating his char cloth skills. First off, he started with a tinder nest of really fibrous dry material that he brought from home. He strikes the char cloth with the flint and steel. It gets an ember. He blows it into the nest and it eventually goes out. This was his "demonstration" video, and he was experienced. It's just not that easy.  He eventually got it lit, but it's a really impractical way to make fire.

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## Rick

I suppose you could watch someone waste three matches or empty their BIC and come to the same conclusion. There is far more at play than just the combustible material. Moisture content, type of tinder, wind and experience are just a few of the things that will impact success. In the end, if you don't like a given method then don't use it. Fire good. I don't care how you make it.

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## hunter63

> I just watched a guy last night demonstrating his char cloth skills. First off, he started with a tinder nest of really fibrous dry material that he brought from home. He strikes the char cloth with the flint and steel. It gets an ember. He blows it into the nest and it eventually goes out. This was his "demonstration" video, and he was experienced. It's just not that easy.  He eventually got it lit, but it's a really impractical way to make fire.


1) Just because some one make a video doesn't mean they are anything except 1) a guy, 2) guy with camera ...that's it.

2) Impractical way to make a fire?.....LOL...Char cloth has been around since , Oh I don't know....Fire?....So there is a valid reason to make and use it.

All ways are not for everyone.....some have better luck with some ways than others.
So I'll put you down as...
Ninje...char cloth bad.

Personally I think fire pistons are just silly........

Some day I may relate my char cloth cigarette lighter story.

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## ninjasurvivor

I guess what I'm trying to get across is that char cloth is better served when used as a means to get future fires going once in the field. Not as something to start out with it. 

Sure, if you want to test skills and use flint and whatnot then that's fine. But it's not like you'll ever stumble upon flint in the wild and happen to have charcloth and a piece of steel on you. That's a completely unrealistic scenario.

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## hunter63

> I guess what I'm trying to get across is that char cloth is better served when used as a means to get future fires going once in the field. Not as something to start out with it. 
> 
> Sure, if you want to test skills and use flint and whatnot then that's fine. But it's not like you'll ever stumble upon flint in the wild and happen to have charcloth and a piece of steel on you. That's a completely unrealistic scenario.


That's just a wrong assessment.......You don't like char cloth, I get it....
Carry on.

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## Rick

Well, rocks that spark are just about everywhere. It wouldn't be unrealistic to have charcloth and a knife or cut up the bottom off a T-shirt and make charcloth. If you were in the proverbial, "gone to survive in the woods with only a knife" you could certainly make it happen. Not unrealistic at all. In fact, knowing how to do just that when you have only a knife would be one way to save your bacon. You'd obviously have to get your first fire going with flint and knife but the rest would be pretty easy to do. Just a matter of heating the cotton cloth until it off gases without letting it catch fire. I doubt Grog carried an Altoids tin with him back in 6000 B.C. or whenever. And....if you are in the habit of carrying charcloth it would be snap.

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## ninjasurvivor

While I've not personally tried this, or needed to do it, I heard that scraping denim can yield a fluff of cotton which can be used to catch a spark and turn it to flame. This would be a step up from an ember. Might as well do that with the fabric rather than turn it to char cloth, since either way you'll need a way to put a spark to it.  

I'd love to take some of you guys out to the desert with me sometime. It's nothing but rocks as far as the eye can see. Small rocks, big mountains, and everything in between. I'd then send you out into the vastness and say "You go find me the rock out there that sparks on your knife". By the time you come back with it my body will be nothing but a bleach white skull and scattered bones, that's how long I'll have been dead for.

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## hunter63

Now you are just being silly......

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## crashdive123

> I guess what I'm trying to get across is that char cloth is better served when used as a means to get future fires going once in the field. Not as something to start out with it. 
> 
> Sure, if you want to test skills and use flint and whatnot then that's fine. But it's not like you'll ever stumble upon flint in the wild and happen to have charcloth and a piece of steel on you. That's a completely unrealistic scenario.





> While I've not personally tried this, or needed to do it, I heard that scraping denim can yield a fluff of cotton which can be used to catch a spark and turn it to flame. This would be a step up from an ember. Might as well do that with the fabric rather than turn it to char cloth, since either way you'll need a way to put a spark to it.  
> 
> I'd love to take some of you guys out to the desert with me sometime. It's nothing but rocks as far as the eye can see. Small rocks, big mountains, and everything in between. I'd then send you out into the vastness and say "You go find me the rock out there that sparks on your knife". By the time you come back with it my body will be nothing but a bleach white skull and scattered bones, that's how long I'll have been dead for.


We get that you don't care for char cloth, but you are just flat out wrong about its usefulness to countless others.  As has been said - it won't be everybody's cup of tea.

I must say though that it seems as if you are arguing just to try and prove you are right and those that disagree with you are wrong.  I don't believe that is the point of disagreements in this thread, although if somebody posts something that is "flat out wrong" they will be called on it.  An example of that would be my posting about the expiration date on Quick Clot.  I was glad that somebody corrected me, as it may certainly help me in the future.  Everybody will have their preferred methods of doing things.  All that means is that they personally prefer doing things a certain way.  It does not mean that your fire, my fire, or the next persons fire is any better or worse - just started in a different manner.

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## DomC

> I'd love to take some of you guys out to the desert with me sometime. It's nothing but rocks as far as the eye can see. Small rocks, big mountains, and everything in between. I'd then send you out into the vastness and say "You go find me the rock out there that sparks on your knife". By the time you come back with it my body will be nothing but a bleach white skull and scattered bones, that's how long I'll have been dead for.


 I would'nt have to venture far...I'd open my Hudson Bay Tobacco tin and produce my steel striker, pieces of chert, charcloth,  jute twine and spark you up a fire...

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You see, it pays to be prepared and survive. Being an ex submarine sailor I learned that every valve on that boat had a backup valve. The back-up to this is a BIC & LMF ferro rod in my pocket...

Dom

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## hunter63

Great kit, Dom......like the brass box my self.
I have dug up a piece of a rock (I gonna call it flint as it did spark) and was used to start the camp fire for the weekend.

Walk around on any roof that has a rubber room cover with "washed river gravel) and I gonna guess you can't walk 10 ft before you fine a rock that will "spark".

One of my patch knives is also a "fire steel"...(NOT a Ferro rod)

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I'm gonna sign off this thread as we are in the downward spiral toward the drain......
Y'all have a good one.

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## alaskabushman

Actually, it's the steel that produces the spark not the rock...but you all knew that.  :Big Grin:

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## hunter63

> Actually, it's the steel that produces the spark not the rock...but you all knew that.



LOL....yeah, "I Stand Corrected"...
Actually two pieces of pyrite will spark by striking them against each other......an I suspect this was a very early "find" many eons ago.....before steel.

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## alaskabushman

> LOL....yeah, "I Stand Corrected"...
> Actually two pieces of pyrite will spark by striking them against each other......an I suspect this was a very early "find" many eons ago.....before steel.


I was just giving ya a hard time.  :Big Grin: 
I have managed the same thing with two pieces of quartz, but was unsuccessful at getting it to catch charcloth, maybe I should try again.

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## hunter63

I haven't done it either....just the spark part.
Around here pyrite isn't found normally, so I haven't pursued this either.....
Have seen a vid......but that really doesn't prove anything.

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## Rick

Actually, two rocks will spark with no steel. Try chert on chert or granite on granite. Unfortunately, it's just piezoelectric and you'll probably never capture it. However, you can spark tourmaline, quartz and pyrite along with flint and chert. I've read that jasper and agate work but have never tried it. I suppose if you were in a survival situation and had some carbon steel of some type tapping on a few rocks might be in order.

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## ninjasurvivor

First of all, fire making is a much ado about nothing situation. It's either super easy or incredibly difficult, depending on circumstances. If you are approaching it with the proper kit, then obviously you should have no problem. Things like making fire with rocks with a hardness of 7 or greater, or using fire pistons, and bowdrills....that's getting into the esoteric methods of fire making that are not really applicable in most circumstances. 

Everybody has all these fire kits (myself included), but it's like how many ways can you reinvent the wheel? My personal opinion is that the leather pouch, birch bark, flint and steel, char cloth stuff is a throw back to the old school romantic notions of fire craft. Again, if that floats your boat, that's fine. I just don't see any point under any circumstance of running around with char cloth. Aside from creating it after you've already made your first fire, in that highly improbable survival scenario mentioned earlier.

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## hunter63

Tic toc, tic toc

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## Rick

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## alaskabushman

Survival has a lot to do with being prepared. Being prepared means having the proper knowledge and skill required to keep yourself and others alive. Most of us on here like to have _multiple_ skillsets, its just a smart thing to have in the wild. Being thrust into a survival situation rarely (I submit never) happens slowly, your canoe flips, your plane crashes or your vehicle goes up in flames. We all like being prepared for whatever may come but there are times we may not have our beloved survival kit. Do I know how to start a fire with charcloth? Sure. Do I do it every time I start a fire? No way, but I'll tell you this, I want to know how anyway! If I flip my kayak 20 miles from nowhere and my firesteel winds up in 60 feet of water I want to know what my other options are. I love firesteel and lighters and propane torches and flamethrowers, they are great; but sometimes, these things are not available. Maybe someday they wont be available anywhere, whether it be global nuke wars, super virus, or good ol' fashioned wrath of God. Might be nice to have cooked food during those times. Firesteels wear out, butane gets used up and matches can get wet. No matter how much "more" effective something else is, its somehow comforting to know how to start a fire with a piece of charred cotton, chunk of metal and a rock.
Thats all I have to say.

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## ninjasurvivor

> Survival has a lot to do with being prepared. Being prepared means having the proper knowledge and skill required to keep yourself and others alive. Most of us on here like to have _multiple_ skillsets, its just a smart thing to have in the wild. Being thrust into a survival situation rarely (I submit never) happens slowly, your canoe flips, your plane crashes or your vehicle goes up in flames. We all like being prepared for whatever may come but there are times we may not have our beloved survival kit. Do I know how to start a fire with charcloth? Sure. Do I do it every time I start a fire? No way, but I'll tell you this, I want to know how anyway! If I flip my kayak 20 miles from nowhere and my firesteel winds up in 60 feet of water I want to know what my other options are. I love firesteel and lighters and propane torches and flamethrowers, they are great; but sometimes, these things are not available. Maybe someday they wont be available anywhere, whether it be global nuke wars, super virus, or good ol' fashioned wrath of God. Might be nice to have cooked food during those times. Firesteels wear out, butane gets used up and matches can get wet. No matter how much "more" effective something else is, its somehow comforting to know how to start a fire with a piece of charred cotton, chunk of metal and a rock.
> Thats all I have to say.


Well said sir.

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## ElevenBravo

Thanks for all the tips folks, I need to give char cloth a try!!
EB

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## phreshayr

> ..............Things like making fire with rocks with a hardness of 7 or greater, or using fire pistons, and bowdrills....that's getting into the esoteric methods of fire making that are not really applicable in most circumstances.


It is not rare at all here in Alaska for people to find themselves alone and lost in the wilderness with basically what they are wearing at the time.   See Ray Mears video on Alaska for a true life situation exactly like this.  It is a tremendous comfort to me to know that I can light a fire using "esoteric" methods even if Im "naked and afraid" lol.  

I do agree to an extent on the char cloth.   Char cloth is another skill that is great to learn and fun besides.   But how neccesary to "survival" is it?   If you have to remember to carry your charcloth with you so that you are capable of lighting a primitive fire in a survival situation,  you can just as easily remember to carry your BIC lighter.    One really hasn't learned **SURVIVAL** fire lighting techniques until one can light a fire totally from things gathered about him.   

I'm experienced and comfortable lighting fires by flint and steel (literally Quartz in my area) using my carbon steel knife (no char cloth used)  I have also lit fires with sparks generated from rock on rock (no char cloth used) as well as many many different varieties of friction fire such as Eskimo strap drill (using multiple found natural cordage), bow drill and hand drill.   I'm confident I can light a fire using at least one of these "esoteric" methods if the need arises.    How do I normally light my utility fires you may ask?   With a BIC lighter.   Hee hee.   

Char cloth is another bushcraft skill that is great to know and just plain fun to use but not very practical for "survival" when there are better options IMHO

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## ElevenBravo

I dont think we have rock around here to make a spark, but its worth playing with on a play day.  Otherwise I will be sparking my char cloth with a ferro striker.
EB

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## alaskabushman

> Char cloth is another bushcraft skill that is great to know and just plain fun to use but not very practical for "survival" when there are better options IMHO


I agree. I see traditional flint and steel as more a "primitive living" skill than a strictly survivalist one. I think it's good to know how to do it, but if I'm lost or in a hyperthermic state I really just want the quickest easiest method of fire building possible. 

I actually went out yesterday and built a primitive fire with flint, steel and charcloth, while it might not be the ideal survival way of making fire it's definitely satisfying when you take the time to make it work.

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## hunter63

In the rendezvous world...Mountain man re-enactment and earlier, you don see ferro rods use in the open.... only flint steel and char cloth....even have primitive fire starting contests ....most would use a match (called Lucifer's)....or a BIC........under cover.

Never owned a ferro rod till about 5 years ago....and to this day have started many, many, more fires with flint, steel, char cloth, than ferro rods.

Even lite my smokes (not any more now) with a steel snuff can, full of char cloth, flint, and a small steel....strike a spark get a coal, light your smoke, the close the can and snuff it out.

Showed a bartender how to use F&S for lighting his smokes and had given him a kit while on a "road trip" at  rendezvous one year.......Stopped back all dressed up in buckskins the following year and the bartender wife, kicked us out of the saloon........hollering some thing about her stupid husband starting the drapes on fire the year before....showing off his kit we gave him.......

So I just find it hard to believe that any one would just flat discount this method....as it does have the, can be found in the bush, more so than say... a ferro rod.

Anyway, loading my primitive gear today for a outing.....will being bringing my Kit, but probably won't use it much as I quit smoking....

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## 1stimestar

> *It is not rare at all here in Alaska for people to find themselves alone and lost in the wilderness with basically what they are wearing at the time. *  See Ray Mears video on Alaska for a true life situation exactly like this.  It is a tremendous comfort to me to know that I can light a fire using "esoteric" methods even if Im "naked and afraid" lol.  
> 
> I do agree to an extent on the char cloth.   Char cloth is another skill that is great to learn and fun besides.   But how neccesary to "survival" is it?   If you have to remember to carry your charcloth with you so that you are capable of lighting a primitive fire in a survival situation,  you can just as easily remember to carry your BIC lighter.    One really hasn't learned **SURVIVAL** fire lighting techniques until one can light a fire totally from things gathered about him.   
> 
> I'm experienced and comfortable lighting fires by flint and steel (literally Quartz in my area) using my carbon steel knife (no char cloth used)  I have also lit fires with sparks generated from rock on rock (no char cloth used) as well as many many different varieties of friction fire such as Eskimo strap drill (using multiple found natural cordage), bow drill and hand drill.   I'm confident I can light a fire using at least one of these "esoteric" methods if the need arises.    How do I normally light my utility fires you may ask?   With a BIC lighter.   Hee hee.   
> 
> Char cloth is another bushcraft skill that is great to know and just plain fun to use but not very practical for "survival" when there are better options IMHO


Yep, this is from our paper just a couple of days ago.




> *Alaska National Guard rescues Kobuk River rafter*
> 
> 
> Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 8:28 am
> Associated Press |
> ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Air National Guard has rescued a hiker who had been rafting down the Kobuk River when his raft overturned in the Gates of the Arctic National Park.
> Capt. John Romspert with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center says the man contacted the National Park Service with a personal locator beacon able to transmit text messages. The beacon also sent out a signal transmitting his location.
> 
> 
> ...


He actually had his gear but very easily could have lost it all.  Even WITH all his gear, he still had to be rescued.

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## Rick

That's a big piece of water in a very remote location. You have to give the guy credit for knowing when to call it a day. You know he had to agonize over that decision made worse by the fact he left the raft and gear behind. No small decision in his part.

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## Lamewolf

I use an Altoids tin to make char with but have never made a hole in mine - the lid isn't air tight so the smoke escapes very easily.  Once its cool, I just wipe the tin off and toss it in my pack.

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## Serious Fun

If you're using a hinged tin, like an Altoids tin, you don't even need to poke a hole.  That's only necessary with a tight fit like a shoe polish tin or a paint can.  Otherwise there's plenty of spots for off-gasses to escape.

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## hunter63

> If you're using a hinged tin, like an Altoids tin, you don't even need to poke a hole.  That's only necessary with a tight fit like a shoe polish tin or a paint can.  Otherwise there's plenty of spots for off-gasses to escape.


Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.
There is an intro section at

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

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## pete lynch

H63, are you pulling newbie herding detail today?

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## hunter63

> H63, are you pulling newbie herding detail today?


Naw, not really, ........but been working outside...hot and humid....and I can't go as long and hard as I used to these days....I guess....so work a while, come in take a break, may be catch a nap....check the forum....then head back out for a while.

I had hired a guy to weed whack the bank in front of the cabin....called him two weeks ago, but was busy....so he waited till today, and I just started in doing a little at a time......lo and behold, he shows up......LOL

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## kyratshooter

> Naw, not really, ........but been working outside...hot and humid....and I can't go as long and hard as I used to these days....I guess....so work a while, come in take a break, may be catch a nap....check the forum....then head back out for a while.


Welcome to the work ethic world of them that has had their tic-toc go spaz on them!!!

I work a half hour, rest an hour.

It does shoot your post count way up there real fast.

Just wait until winter and you discover that the blood thinner meds freeze you to death!  

You can put on everything you own and still be cold, inside the house!

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## sjj

revised.....

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## hunter63

> Welcome to the work ethic world of them that has had their tic-toc go spaz on them!!!
> 
> I work a half hour, rest an hour.
> 
> It does shoot your post count way up there real fast.
> 
> Just wait until winter and you discover that the blood thinner meds freeze you to death!  
> 
> You can put on everything you own and still be cold, inside the house!


Bhohahahaha....No Ship....Really good guess....to bad it's not even funny.....just frustrating.

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## pete lynch

Summer came back to the East Coast this holiday weekend so I too hopped in and out of the house. Went looking for bait early but low tide and a short net handle forced me to use fake bait. Ground is too dry to find crawlers underneath the usual places. Fish weren't hungry anyway. Swam right past my bait.
Home by 10am to check the venison in the slow cooker and made a partial sleep debt payment: woke up and lunch was ready.
Back out to check the tidal creeks and bay at high tide for crabbing but the crabs were where I wasn't. The big fish aint hit the ocean beaches yet so it was back home, ball game on the tube, intraweb paddlin and getting my brain back in work mode for tuesday.

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## hunter63

I least I don't have to put up with the 4 letter word.......work...unless I want too....Saturday again today.

Rained again this morning, so just taking my time.....little bit of putting stuff away, finish cleaning out the deer stand.....me vs the mice, sweep out one more time and bleach the plywood floor....hate mouse pee.

Then back to the city house for a week or two, and catch up on grass leaves/ fall stuff.......pick up the 4 wheeler,(was in shop) then head back out here to "The Place" around the middle of the month.

Yeah, life is good, but slower...but still frustrates me to have to slow down......still have a big oak dead fall, in the ravine to chunk up an split...can't run the saw for any longer than about 15 -20 min......and I still need to split what I cut last fall.

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## tsitenha

A bit late. I made my charcloth generator from scrap copper pipe; hammered shut on one end and a copper cap with a very small hole one the other. Work's ok, I drilled a hole in the flattened end to allow for it to be hooked out of the fire. Use it for rope, rolled cotton, any organic material should work.

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## Fort fireman

I use a small shoe polish tin with that handy little lid popper thing on them. They have a pretty tight seal. I punch the hole on the lip when the lid is on. That way when it's done I can just turn the lid a bit and it closes off that hole for storage. The past few times I've used just the cotton gun cleaning patches that are round for a flintlock. They fit in the small tin perfect. I usually do a batch while sitting out back with my daughters at the fire pit.

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## NightSG

> If you look at an ALTOIDS TIN closely, you'll see there are two slits where the hinges are located. These slits will suffice so cutting a hole in the lid is redundant. I use it as is and never have a problem...


This; I use the mini tin, and pack it in a Ziploc with two burns worth of charcloth in it, (about 8-10 pieces) and wrapped in some old t shirt for more as needed.

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## hunter63

Hunter 63 saying Hey and Welcome......
There is an intro section if you would like to stop and say Hello at:
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

That small tin doesn't't give you a lot of room, but any Altoids tin work well as do the bigger standard tin....or bandied box...not pretty but works.

My favorite is a tin snuff can....with one nail hole...
Small candle fins in the can, to melt and seal the hole to make it water proof.
In the tin is the flint and steel, so the whole works is water proof until needed, then the wax will melt out when heated....making your vent hole.

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