Char cloth for damp tinder.

[mick91]

So I was making some char cloth today out in the garden preparing for a camping trip soon, I know it's not as traditional as a fire bow or drill, but it's what I choose to use with a flint or Ferro rod. Anway, as most if not all of you will know char cloth takes the slightest spark and embers reliably, no problem there. But with damp tinder it can be a pain to make that ember a usable flame and then a fire. For those situations I generally use sulphur matches or fatwood, but realised why not combine the ideas. I took my pieces of char cloth, dropped some molten wax onto one end, and then dipped the same wax impregnated end into molten sulphur. They work brilliantly as the sulphur burns easily and is hard to blow out from the smouldering cloth and then the wax catches into a hotter flame. Even tried it out of curiosity on some wet kindling I had lying in the corner and worked first time no issues. Just thought I would share the idea of my charwaxsulphur match things with people and wondered if anyone else had used the technique. If not give it a shot, it might not be traditional, but it's staying in the fire tin as a just incase!

 

[Monikieman]

Now that's a great idea. Any pics. Wondering how much to dip in wax and where sulphur goes. Thanks. These sound great.


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[mick91]

After a little tweaking and experimentation I would say the only important thing is that the sulphur should cover the waxed part entirely otherwise the wax simply snuffs out the ember. I would argue they would work equally well just as char cloth with an inch dip of sulphur on them. Maybe even while still molten stick it to a piece of inner tube to make some real fool proof kindling sticks. Experimentation isn't over methinks! As for pics I can't upload them to this account as I don't have a paid account (in new here) but may be able to link some

Dipping the whole thing rolled into a tube in wax and then 1 end in the sulphur works really well too

 

[Monikieman]

Got better pic in my head now. Thanks. Can't help with the photos thing.

 

[mick91]

So long as there's exposed char cloth to take the spark and enough sulphur on it to catch fire you can't go wrong. It actually adheres to the cloth surprisingly well too

 

[Stevie777]

Other than a volcano where does one get there hands on Molten Sulphur.. ?

 

[mick91]

Any garden center will carry "flowers of sulphur" or just yellow sulphur. They're both the same thing 98% elemental sulphur. Its cheap too maybe a fiver a kilo and you won't use that in years. I believe it's used for roses in some capacity. Of you aren't near a garden center you can also buy it on Amazon cheaply and that's lab grade. As for making it molten you could do it in a pan of the missus will allow, but mine doesn't so I do it in a half coke can over a candle. It melts at about 170-200°c so temperatures more than achivable even over a tea light easy

 

[Monikieman]

Don't melt the sulphur inside the house!!!!!!!

Horsey/country supply places have it as well. Lots for a pearl diver.

 

[mick91]

No no I mean on a camp stove outside! Sulphur dioxide isn't something you want to be breating in in any meaningful concentration. Well ventilated areas it's perfectly safe. I have to admit I haven't had to buy any yet, I got into amateur pyro and rocketry in university and... Liberated some from the chem stores and that run has lasted me since! But I know the rough price through advising friends. And it's somewhat worryingly placed right next to a certain well known nitrate in my local garden center.

 

[Tommyd345]

Sounds good!

What if you soaked the cloth in sulfur, THEN charred it? Or would it just catch alight in the tin?

 

[mick91]

At best it would melt off inside and pool in the tin unfortunately, more likely it would vapourise/burn away. Dry heating without oxygen can also be really dangerous in the presence of carbon, you have a small chance of inadvertently making a chemical called carbon disulphide.that's both very flammable (will autoignite when you open the can) and wildly toxic. Its unlikely you'll get the temperatures needed to make CS2 but I've seen it happen in labs with not inconciveable temperatures. The fumes of burning sulphur are a pretty bad irritant by the way guys so try not to lean over or breathe the gas direct.

 

[Tommyd345]

Haha, ok never mind then!

 

[mick91]

It was a good point though, same as making sulphur matches it seems to work better when the wood is slightly heated first. I find it amazing sulphur isn't more widely used in firecraft. It lowers the ignition temperature of all kinds. You can light a loose pile with a Ferro rod