erm ... correction fluid!?

[isotonicpies]

I’m sitting here in work (very quiet day in the humdrum of the office) which is not a particularly bushcrafty thing I know! I am reading a bottle of Tippex Correction Fluid (I’m very bored you see) which states “keep away from sources of ignition”. I’m now thinking could stuff this be a very portable and long lasting waterproof chemical tinder. In other words, using a small wet blob of the white stuff & a sparking stick will I get a flame to get some kindling going? I know it’s a long shot but has anyone else tried this? I’ll have a go later at home and let you know as soon as I’m back on the site.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

Some of the older formulations contained toluene.

 

[isotonicpies]

Some of the older formulations contained toluene.

I take it that's bad?

 

[Brian]

isotonicpies,

Toluene is part of Trinitrotoluene which is commonly known as TNT, so not being very chemistry minded I would assume that its quite flamable/expolsive in some way. Hopefully someone else knows more.

Brian

 

[Jamie]

isotonicpies,

Toluene is part of Trinitrotoluene which is commonly known as TNT, so not being very chemistry minded I would assume that its quite flamable/expolsive in some way. Hopefully someone else knows more.

Brian

 

[isotonicpies]

isotonicpies,

Toluene is part of Trinitrotoluene which is commonly known as TNT, so not being very chemistry minded I would assume that its quite flamable/expolsive in some way. Hopefully someone else knows more.

Brian

I'll pop my goggles on and give it a go later, cheers!

 

[Keith_Beef]

isotonicpies,

Toluene is part of Trinitrotoluene which is commonly known as TNT, so not being very chemistry minded I would assume that its quite flamable/expolsive in some way. Hopefully someone else knows more.

Brian

Toluene is an organic solvent, it has quite different properties to tri-nitro-toluene.

Toluene is quite volatile, and the fumes ignite easily, like acetone and benzene. We used to use it in chemistry class in school, but two or three years later, it was banned as being carcinogenic (as benzene had been earlier banned for the same reason)...
http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/vchemlib/mol/simple/fuels/toluenebak.html

Read this article, for interesting history of TNT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Trinitrotoluene


Keith.

 

[innocent bystander]

We use barrels of the stuff at work, and one unfortunate was moving a drum of it - unfortunately the 2" bung was loose. He managed to pour about 25 litres of the stuff down his front. Apparently his gonads were rather sore for a while.

 

[jason01]

If you really need a liquid firestarter meths is much cheaper and doesnt have all the nasties in it

Having burned petrol/meths and many other things that are even remotely flamable over the years Ive come to realise its usually much easier/safer and more satisfying to light a fire with natural materials anyway

 

[shona]

Don't think toluene is carcinogenic but it is toxic and may harm the unborn child - it is definitely not environmentally friendly - it doesn't mix with water and so will spread to cover a large surface area, though it is biodegradable. (TNT is a much more explosive derivative of toluene)
Not the sort of thing I would expect to be recommended as a fuel in this forum.

Much better to work on your fire by friction skills...

 

[anthonyyy]

Toluene is a benzine ring with a CH3 added. TNT has 3 nitro groups added.
It is the Nitro groups that make it explosive. No way is toluene explosive.

Tolune is toxic - probably carcinogenic - but less so than benzine which is present in high concentrations in unleaded petrol (the maximum allowed is about 5%).
In short I would say that toluene is no more toxic than petrol - but then petrol is pretty toxic

 

[Spacemonkey]

Tippex thinners used to contain 1.1.1 trichloroethane which is a nasty if it gets on the skin. It can be absorbed and can lead to blindness amongst other things. We used it as a thinners for washing greasy hair when water wasn't available or suitable. Then we changed to trichloroethylene as it was marginally safer, but now we use bromopropane whic although it smells the same, is supposed to be even safer still, but still feels hot when on the skin, so always use nitrile gloves, as it goes straight through latex, as does phenol, which is even nastier, but smells lovely. I got some splashed in my face once when injecting a hand. My eyes burned so much for so long I thought I'd be blinded, but after half an hour my sight returned and a little later was clear. Jees, I was worried! Had bad chemical burns to my face for a week after. Never inject it now. Anyway, yes, it does burn well, as does it's replacements, but meths or acetone burns just as well with less health risks. Oh, and if you take @*$%@$% then reflux it a couple of times....

 

[anthonyyy]

Tippex thinners used to contain 1.1.1 trichloroethane which is a nasty if it gets on the skin. It can be absorbed and can lead to blindness amongst other things. We used it as a thinners for washing greasy hair when water wasn't available or suitable. Then we changed to trichloroethylene as it was marginally safer, but now we use bromopropane whic although it smells the same, is supposed to be even safer still, but still feels hot when on the skin, so always use nitrile gloves, as it goes straight through latex, as does phenol, which is even nastier, but smells lovely. I got some splashed in my face once when injecting a hand. My eyes burned so much for so long I thought I'd be blinded, but after half an hour my sight returned and a little later was clear. Jees, I was worried! Had bad chemical burns to my face for a week after. Never inject it now. Anyway, yes, it does burn well, as does it's replacements, but meths or acetone burns just as well with less health risks. Oh, and if you take @*$%@$% then reflux it a couple of times....

nothing like it for donking a digestive biscuit in at elevenses

 

[Spacemonkey]

I prefer the fruity taste of ethyl ethanoate myself...

 

[Graham_S]

can't beat a bit of methyl-ethyl-ketone.

 

[Tantalus]

as far as i remember the thinner in tippex is either trichloroethane or carbon tetrachloride, neither of which are very flammable

Tant

 

[ESpy]

Tippex is actually really useful in other areas - as a soldering/brazing resist, for example. It contains a lot of titanium dioxide, which doesn't break down at high temperatures... Tippex thinners used to contain 1,1,1 trichloroethane as the main component; I haven't any handy to be able to say what the modern stuff contains.

It's only the solvent vehicle that is flammable, the rest of it you'll not get to burn.

 

[bambodoggy]

Don't think toluene is carcinogenic but it is toxic and may harm the unborn child - it is definitely not environmentally friendly - it doesn't mix with water and so will spread to cover a large surface area, though it is biodegradable. (TNT is a much more explosive derivative of toluene)
Not the sort of thing I would expect to be recommended as a fuel in this forum.

Much better to work on your fire by friction skills...

I'm with Shona, this has got very little to do with Bushcraft imo.... maybe this threads run it's course.....course now I've said that everyone will be joining in... funny old world....

All these long chemical names....what's the point? didn't somebody once say that a Geek shall inherit the earth?

Have fun....

Bam.

 

[Spacemonkey]

He did, and his name is Gates....

 

[bambodoggy]

He did, and his name is Gates....

Lol....