Made my first char cloth!

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Micke

Member
Sep 22, 2014
32
0
Cambs, England.
So, small victory and all, but I tried making char cloth last night and succeeded. I made two lots.

I was worried at first that the hole I'd drilled in the tin was a bit too big, but it worked out OK. One thing I did learn about that though is that in the future, given the opportunity, I'll definitely use a smaller hole to try and avoid the few bits of ash or anything that could invite an ignition to the interior.

The first lot actually set fire. I'd been doing it in a patio burner, so tried to position the wood so that nothing was above it, but a piece fell and it almost looked like a gas lamp lol. Either way, I took it out, extinguished the flame expertly (I dropped it on the floor and it landed hole-side down) and it turned out OK.

The second batch I was mindful to put the wood in to form a consistent bed of embers to seat the tin on and just let it do its thing as they died down.

I packed the tin the second time and it still only took about 10-15 minutes. So I might try a bulk load next and use one of those huge Christmas sweet tins and put a whole load in there and see how that works out.

Either way, on the whole, pretty pleased I learnt even a basic skill that will enable me to practice even more.

Also, is it just me or does it kinda smell like caramel?
 

crosslandkelly

A somewhat settled
Jun 9, 2009
26,265
2,212
67
North West London
Good feeling when it works for you. Unless you are making it for a lot of people, I would suggest keeping to small quantities, you can always make more in the field. You could make charcoal in the biscuit tin though.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Don't worry if you get a jet of flame from the vent hole - its just the pyrolising gas burning off. Block up the hole when the flame and smoke dies off (to deny oxygen to the charred cloth as it cools) and all will be well.
 

Tom Gold

Forager
Nov 2, 2012
153
0
Scotland
www.thetreeline.co.uk
Good skills Micka! I find using char cloth is one of those very pleasing makes-you-look-wise bushcraft skills. What type of cloth did you use?

I got lucky last year and found a large coil of sash cord that the previous owners of my house had left in the garage (although you can also find it in B&Q). Its made of cotten and when its 'charred' and sparked it lasts for several mins and burns like the end of a cigar.

It does sometimes come with a thin nylon core that has to be extracted prior to charring.

Thanks for posting mate,

T
 

woodpoet

Full Member
Mar 16, 2012
1,419
2
Walthamstow
Well done. I really like making char cloth. Always test a piece from each batch. So good when it takes a spark first go.
 

Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
great that you took the time to actually test to make some char cloth, it is now another skill that can be put on your list 'been there, done that' :)

now try experimenting with different materials (jeans, which makes very firm, thick char cloth that smolders longer, very thin handkerchiefs, which makes char cloth that can catch the tiniest spark, natural materials).
 

Alreetmiowdmuka

Full Member
Apr 24, 2013
1,106
13
Bolton
great that you took the time to actually test to make some char cloth, it is now another skill that can be put on your list 'been there, done that' :)

now try experimenting with different materials (jeans, which makes very firm, thick char cloth that smolders longer, very thin handkerchiefs, which makes char cloth that can catch the tiniest spark, natural materials).

Seen a good vid on you tube the other day
http://youtu.be/WYLlcH8LFW4


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Stringmaker

Native
Sep 6, 2010
1,891
1
UK
Well done, I remember the first batch I ever made; it is great stuff.

As Red said, it doesn't matter at all if the gas ignites at the hole, the cloth inside is not burning. You will definitely find that some cloth is better than others, depending on how heavy duty your source fabric was. Window sash cord and lamp wick are both superb, holding a lot of heat and letting you get the surrounding primary tinder going every time. When I was first learning the dark art of charcloth I sometimes used too small a piece and lost the spark too early.

Your next step is to experiment with charring natural materials like punkwood and thistle down and reed mace heads and anything fine and fluffy!

Have fun.
 

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