[dezertdude]

I really don't like this stuff too much probably because I have a really hard time lighting a fire with it unless my tinder is almost self igniting, but I thought I better make some for a last ditch backup.
I used a pellet can with a hole drilled in the center of the lid as a "roaster", cut some 1 1/2 inch squares out of some old cotton t-shirts laid about 10 sheets in the can and started a fire in my paint can wood gas stove I made. The cloth burned maybe 10 minutes and shot a small flame out of the hole while charing the cloth. When the flame on the can died down I removed it from the fire and let it cool. When I opened the can it came out perfect, completely charred but still flexible. It catches a spark really well so I might learn to like it a little more in the future. Here are some pics if you want to see how I made mine. I hope you like them.

[vthompson]

Seems like you did a mighty fine job, thank's for posting the pic's.

[Bowman1911]

Like the paint can stove! Mighty fine!

[dezertdude]

Thanks that stove will burn almost 40 minutes on about 3 handfulls of small broken pine twigs and branches. The coals stay hot way longer than that.

[kevin]

desert I find it easy to blow a 2"x2" piece into flame inside any kind of shavings, leaves, dead grass etc. sometimes its lots easier than igniting the same stuff directly w/ firesteel!

[dezertdude]

really? I catch a spark put the cloth inside a nest of needles and leaves and I blow on it soft, blow on it hard, from above, from below it does not matter and nine out of ten times the ember goes out. LOL

[tjwilhelm]

Originally Posted by dezertdude

I really don't like this stuff too much probably because I have a really hard time lighting a fire with it unless my tinder is almost self igniting, but I thought I better make some for a last ditch backup...

Nice setup, dezertdude! As best I understand, the most common uses for charcloth are when your ignition source is a bit weak, siuch as the few small sparks from a flint-and-steel set, or sparks from the "flint-and wheel" of an empty BIC lighter. Once you get an ember in the charcloth, then you DO NEED to have the best quality tindernest you can find/make. You're right! With one of Ron's ferrocerium Firesteels, you should be able to light your tinder nest without charcloth. The charcloth is there if you only have a weaker igniter.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

[kevin]

Originally Posted by dezertdude

really? I catch a spark put the cloth inside a nest of needles and leaves and I blow on it soft, blow on it hard, from above, from below it does not matter and nine out of ten times the ember goes out. LOL

you meant the ember goes out before the entire chared piece is consumed? if cloth is charred enought this will not happen, no matter how hard you blow. remember my video of a couple days ago lighting fire w/ firesteel on heartwood shavings? I had a hard time even with finest shavings; sure if I went with char cloth I'd have been easible able to blow the whole thing into a fire ball. I'll have to do a video demo so show you what I mean; firesteel direct vs. char cloth w/ wood shavings

[SwampRat1]

i've used it to light dry grass that was wet from rain before. i make a nest with it and put the charcloth in a hollow inside. i've always had real good results from it. i think kevin may be right though, if your ember is going out before the charcloth is consumed then it needs to be charred longer. i make mine in an altoid tin, i just throw the whole thing in the fire and leave it till the next day.

[dezertdude]

I guess I'm gonna have to make another fire tomorrow and char it longer. I stopped as soon as it stopped flaming out the hole in the tin which was only about 10 minutes. I guess it won't completely burn to ash as long as the tin is closed tight so I'll try it more tomorrow. Thanks guys.