Brake Fluid Flares?

[Stuart]

I have been asked a question to which i do not have the answer, anyone here know?

I came acroos this on a web site, Has anyone used it or know this and other uses for brake fluid?

"I take cloth that will fold up and I can seal in a waterproof tobacco pouch. I soak it in brake fluid .. let it dry a little and drop it into melted wax...don’t do it near the heat used to melt wax. Coiled up and lit under correctly stacked wood and fire material...even wet wood, the wood will start to burn and dry itself out."

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/survival.htm

 

[BOD]

This explains things for me. I keep coming across brake fluid containers while walking in the jungle in areas where the military are often operating

 

[copper_head]

Guess its possible, If any tinder burns hot/long enough it will dry the wood out... But I aint ever heard of using brake fluid. Been shown that if you mix antifreeze with potassium permangenate and wrap it in paper it will burst into flames. But thats about as far as my automobile based tinder knowledge extends

 

[Tadpole]

Mix brake fluid and a certain swimming pool additive and it will self combust within ten to thirty seconds, causing a fireball of interesting proportion. Not something I am willing to risk just to light a fire unless it’s a matter of life and death.

 

[Draven]

Interesting, but I won't be trying it until I break down in subzero conditions with 30 miles or so between me and civilisation and no other kit
Come to think of it, maybe when I'm older I'll keep a "just in case" kit in my car...

 

[British Red]

I guess the theory is that the glycol ethers will be very flamable and the wax extends the burn time. These very elaborate and prepared firelighters always make me wonder why not buy a box of firelighters?

Red

 

[BorderReiver]

Brake fluid spills in RTCs is more of a hazard than petrol apparently.So the use as a flare fuel seems reasonable.

 

[Feral]

Dont try the brake fluid with clorine, it highly explosive and well cause major burns.

 

[oetzi]

DOT brake fluid is so toxic, it has no place in bushcrafting.

 

[JonnyP]

Keep brake fluid well away from waxed jackets..............Doh............

 

[anthonyyy]

These very elaborate and prepared firelighters always make me wonder why not buy a box of firelighters?

Red

I agree.

Most of these chemicals are petrolium derivatives. Liquid or solid firelighters are probably more enviromentally friendly to produce and cheaper.

 

[The Joker]

Keep brake fluid well away from waxed jackets..............Doh............

Trust Jon to spill down his jacket while drinking it.

 

[demographic]

These very elaborate and prepared firelighters always make me wonder why not buy a box of firelighters?

Red

Pretty much what I was thinking.

 

[silvergirl]

The park I used to work in had occasional problems with cars being burnt out in the moor roads.

We were warned (on several occasions) to watch what we were doing if we had to deal with them as the brake fluid became highly corossive when burnt. Eat through your gloves, clothes, skin etc etc.. That may have been an exageration, but I wouldn't want to risk it.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Brake fluid spills in RTCs is more of a hazard than petrol apparently.So the use as a flare fuel seems reasonable.

Yep,
I remember seeing a TV demonstration where petrol was poured onto a glowing red exhaust manifold - it just vaporised off. Brake fluid was the medium that burst into flames when the experiment was repeated. So vehicle fires are caused when the brake fluid "catches" fire and then spreads to any spilt petrol!

Ogri the trog

 

[Roving Rich]

Yup - I saw that too Ogri.
So brake fluid will spontaneously combust when it reaches a certain relatively low temperature. No spark, flame or ember required. Very dodgy stuff IMO

Cheers
Rich

 

[demographic]

Yup - I saw that too Ogri.
So brake fluid will spontaneously combust when it reaches a certain relatively low temperature. No spark, flame or ember required. Very dodgy stuff IMO

Cheers
Rich

Have any of you lot tried bunging brake fluid on a fire?
Can't say I was impressed by its firelighting capabilities.
The DOT number relates to it's boiling point (well with the 3,4 and 5.1 anyway) dot 5 is different stuff altogether as its silicone based instead of glycol based like the 3,4 and 5.1.

Clean DOT 3 has a boiling point of 401F and clean DOT 4 has a boiling point of 446F so they are not exactly that easy to get to flash are they.

5.1 has an even higher boiling point and the one time I chucked some on the fire (I had a jamjar full after bleeding my bikes brakes) it just about put it out.

Theres got to be better ways of lighting fires than that stuff.

 

[BOD]

Have any of you lot tried bunging brake fluid on a fire?

5.1 has an even higher boiling point and the one time I chucked some on the fire (I had a jamjar full after bleeding my bikes brakes) it just about put it out.

QUOTE]

Used brake fluid would have some water in it no?