DIY charcloth - EPIC FAIL! :(

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almac

Forager
Oct 13, 2010
157
0
Okanagan, BC CANADA
so i tried to make some charcloth last night.
i used a small metal tin that sealed pretty good, and poked a very small hole in the top.
cut the white cotton tee shirt, place strips inside, then sealed it up and put it on my BBQ.
DSCF0077.jpg

when the smoke stopped flowing out of the hole, i removed it from heat, and put a coin on the hole to stop the air from going into the tin.
this is the result:
DSCF0079.jpg

DSCF0078.jpg

my first try was even worse. when i opened the tin, all the cotton was very frail and charred to bits.
because this batch is mostly brown, can i assume that i didnt cook it long enough?
all the black edges crumbled when i touched them...
i'm not really sure what i'm doing wrong here.:confused:
can anyone help?
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
To much cloth over not enough heat which 'cooked' unevenly. I don't bother with char cloth now but when I did I cooked it on a camp stove.
 

Buggane

Member
Jul 30, 2012
45
0
Isle of Mann/ Liverpool
You don't need to plug the hole once you're done when making charcloth, i never have and it's never not worked. I think you probably didn't get it hot enough because my tin after its first go looks like a bombs gone off next to it.
 

Chiseller

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 5, 2011
6,176
3
West Riding
Why put a hole in a good tin ? You can get the required result without a hole. Just a matter of trial an error with quantity/material and timing . Have fun :thumbup:

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
 

mereside

Nomad
Aug 21, 2010
254
36
hornsea
as others have said ,dont put too much in and leave the hole unblocked i like to use a gas camp stove and turn off as soon as smoke stops ,leave to cool and your done,atb wayne
 

Angst

Full Member
Apr 15, 2010
1,927
3
51
Hampshire
www.facebook.com
yo.....yup you need a lot of heat...put it straight onto the flame/coals....to start just try 6 or 8 smallish pieces, not a great thick wad....i do use a hole and a coin and it works fine but as chiseller said.....no tins entirely air tight so the holes probably not necessary...but you do want it as air tight as poss....i stick mine straight onto my camping stove and get the bottom of the tin red hot...and yes its gotta be 100 percent cotton and clean too....

a

ps keep trying
 
Jan 15, 2012
467
0
essex
Try again and this time put it in the fire. I would not say there was to much in the can, i fill my cans right up and all comes out good. i dont block the hole up after, just turn the can upside down on the floor.
 

lannyman8

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 18, 2009
4,005
3
Dark side of the Moon
Try again and this time put it in the fire. I would not say there was to much in the can, i fill my cans right up and all comes out good. i dont block the hole up after, just turn the can upside down on the floor.

thats how i do mine and it works a treat, i like to use old jeans though, i prefer the thicker strands when im striking, it also lasts a little longer when burning...:)
 

hobbes

Forager
Aug 24, 2004
159
0
Devon, UK
I would not say there was to much in the can, i fill my cans right up and all comes out good.

thats how i do mine and it works a treat,

Yep, me too. You're trying to drive off all the water and other junk, but not actually combust it; this is achieved by excluding oxygen. But then if small quantities work for others...

But yes, from the picture it looks like it hasn't been cooked enough - the white cloth has turned brown, but not yet black. The cotton will all be "very frail" though. But also all black, not brown. Get it hotter probably.
 

HillBill

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 1, 2008
8,141
88
W. Yorkshire
This is the last lot i made about 2 weeks ago. Straight on the fire, though round the edges not in the middle. I wait until the gases coming out of the hole ignite and burn themselves out then take the tin off and just leave it. Job done :)
P1010952.jpg
 
Jan 15, 2012
467
0
essex
thats how i do mine and it works a treat, i like to use old jeans though, i prefer the thicker strands when im striking, it also lasts a little longer when burning...:)

If i use a 22 airgun pellet tin with jeans i cut the jeans the highth of the can in long strips and roll it like loo papper, with out the hole, so it fills the whole can. if using a golden syrip can i make about 6 rolls and and pack it out, a big can full like that takes time to do. get it in the fire dont worry about getting it to hot. big can i start off with the bottom down for 30min and then move the can on its side turning it so to gets cooked all round.
 

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