Kelly Kettles

[JeremyH]

What are peoples experience of Kelly Kettles?

I use one regularly to drum up when birding/kayaking/canoeing with clients or friends. However the other day we had zero wind and it took the kettle and inordinate amount of time to boil. Ok as were we monitoring a Hen Harrier Roost but even so... I was using old wood that had been in the back of the the landy but the tinder was good (Cotton wool and vaseline). Any suggestions?
Ta
JeremyH :-o

 

[sargey]

http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=126

i suppose that you have more surface area on the outside being cooled by the wind, than you have surface area on the inside being heated by the fire, perhaps it needs a little jacket! flame proof ideally

cheers, and

 

[JeremyH]

Thanks Sargey,

Looked at the link. Very good. Maybe I just rushed the wood chipping/flakes - silly me. I'll try it again - rare to have no wind here in the Hebrides!
Cheers
JeremyH

 

[martin]

I've got one and swear by it. I light mine the same way (cotton wool and vaseline) but I keep my wood in an old ammo box. If theres no wind then its hands and knees and blow time!

 

[Tony]

I go with the hands and knees and the big puff! Once it's going it is fine as the hot air leaving the top draws more air in and so it creates it's own wind.

 

[Raz]

That what leave blowers were invented for

 

[gurushaun]

Tip that I've posted before, get 4" of copper brake pipe (1/4") stick it in the end of 1 meter of 5mm clear plastic tube (B&Q) and you don't get mud on your face when you are blowing on your embers :-D

Cheers

Shaun

 

[Adi007]

I've never had to blow my Kelly Kettle :shock: :-D

I've been using a KK for years now and rearly have a problem with it. If I do, I usually just get a bit of paper, twist it into a long length and light one end and drop the paper in unlit end first, so that the lit end is uppermost in the chimney. This creates air flow and gets the job done without black faces!!!

 

[Hoodoo]

Translation please: what does "drum up" mean? :wave:

 

[Adi007]

Drum up = to make a brew (tea not beer!)

Translation please: what does "drum up" mean? :wave:

 

[JeremyH]

Top tips and handy hints - thanks alot guys... :-D
JeremyH
:super:

 

[Adi007]

What's your favorite fuel for a KK?

Mine has to be fatwood but it's wasteful so I tent to burn mealtime wrappers :-D

Hexy is really good too! :-D

 

[Andrew Middleton]

[I go with the hands and knees and the big puff!]

Tony, are you sure you've got the correct type of website?

I got a KK from Santa. Great fun and my boy can use it too. This makes Sunday walks in the country more fun for him, since he is always itching to do his Ray Mears impression and burn down the entire Surrey Downs.

 

[Andrew Middleton]

Sorry, completely cocked-up my attempt at putting a quote in.

 

[Roving Rich]

I tend to keep mine primed and ready to light. Scrumpled newspaper in the bottom, sticking out the hole for that light the blue touch paper effect. Then a bit of birch bark and twigs loaded from the top. Works every time once that birchbark catches you get loads of black smoke and a roaring fire! Definetly quicker than the gas one in the caravan.
Cheers
Rich

 

[TAHAWK]

A bit of a warning. On eBay, someone is selling the small size as "one quart," and this is not a mistake since he has been informed and has elected to retain the inaccurate description -- at least to this point.

 

[Jack]

We use ours daily in the wood and have done for the last 10 years.

What we do is to collect all of the small twigs ( branchlets) off the standing hazel as it is of the ground so it is dry. As long as the twigs are small enough and dry then you shouldn't have a problem.

Cheers.

Jack.

 

[Andy]

i cant find it now so i think ebay may have taken it off

 

[Brynglas]

I've held out for a long time, and this weekend I've managed to get hold of a Kelly Kettle. I'm really impressed. easy to light, burns debris and stuff that would be little use otherwise and boils a pint of water in just a few minutes.
Also it dosen't take up much more room than a flask. I'm sold on mine..

 

[Schwert]

I am absolutely amazed by my one pint Kelly. It works and works with style. I have only had to assist the Kelly with a quick puff or two of wind when I am burning poor or wet stuff. If I drop in a few thin but long sticks that catch and burn fast then the draw is improved and I can then add the wetter stuff.

The Kelly is an inspired boiling machine. Over here, the various Kelly and Eydon kettles are poorly described by most vendors. Few realize that an Imperial pint is worth 20 of our ounces not the short 16 oz pint, which I think we owe to King George III. My Kelly boils 600mL superbly....that is at least unambiguous.

Thanks once again, Sargey for placing the link to my article.