Survival is not just about a Good Cup of tea but the Bag too

[BOD]

Tea Bag Tinder

While sorting out my tinders and extenders, bird’s nests, coconut tree scurf, resin, fungi, moss and the like I came across a dry teabag.

On a whim I decided to see if it would take a spark reasoning that the dry tea dust would readily take to a spark. I teased open the bag exposing the dust and used the fire steel.

To my surprise, the bag took light on the first stroke. I wrapped it up in dry moss and a tinder bundle was ablaze in seconds.

Apologies if this is old hat to you. It's something new for me and a reason to re-cycle teabags. The dust was not as good as I thought but the perforated bag paper was pretty good.

To paraphrase a Sticky here ; “Survival is not just about a Good Cup of tea but the Bag too” - Apologies to Stuart but another reason to drink tea as opposed to coffee!

 

[crazydave]

well its dried crushed leaves so not surprising, does this mean we should pack tea bags with strings so we can hang em up to dry

 

[EdS]

soak a tea bag in a mixture of veg oil and an little washing up liquid for a fire extender.

 

[Tadpole]

soak a tea bag in a mixture of veg oil and an little washing up liquid for a fire extender.

Napalm teabag

 

[crazydave]

is that before or after you brew with it?

 

[gregorach]

soak a tea bag in a mixture of veg oil and an little washing up liquid for a fire extender.

Soak anything in veg oil and an little washing up liquid for a fire extender...

 

[SimonM]

Cooking oil I understand, and use, but what does washing up liquid bring to the party?

I'm not being rude, I really want to know....!

Simon

 

[crazydave]

its got me confused as well, we put washy liquid on scout billies to stop the bottoms blacking up.

 

[Tadpole]

Cooking oil I understand, and use, but what does washing up liquid bring to the party?

I'm not being rude, I really want to know....!

Simon

Washing up liquid can be used as a gelling agent to make the oil (more) sticky. It was often added to petrol to make a 'russian' cocktail.

 

[Humpback]

So thats where the word 'Char' comes from!
Alan

 

[ex member coconino]

My friend Earthworm came up with the suggestion to dip dried teabags in melted wax to make waterproof firelighters. They work really well and burn for five or six minutes with a good flame. This one had been soaked in water:




... and my son has proved that they can be lit from a spark. See my Flickr stream for more photos, but here's my son lighting one:





They're also quite interesting looking:




I hope this isn't too much for a first post, and I hope the OP will forgive me for jacking his thread, but it seemed like a good fit!

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Thats a cool idea and an excellent first post coconino....

Welcome to the forums!

Atb, al.

 

[Wayland]

:welcome1: Great first post.

 

[MSkiba]

If i get caught drying my tea bags on my washing line the neighbours wont belive me its for Firelighting!

 

[baz p]

If i get caught drying my tea bags on my washing line the neighbours wont belive me its for Firelighting!

haha ......... I'm so tempted to write something, but i wont....this time

 

[baz p]

its a good idea, but i prefer the natural solutions myself...........but I'm still going to try it out, thanks for that one

 

[ex member coconino]

its a good idea, but i prefer the natural solutions myself...........but I'm still going to try it out, thanks for that one

Oh I agree entirely, there's nothing to beat getting a fire going from just what nature has to offer, but I still think this is a good tip, and children especially seem to like the idea. My teenage son's fire kit includes fungus, birch shavings and umpteen other natural things alongside waxed teabags, cotton wool, char cloth, etc.

 

[ex member coconino]

Thats a cool idea and an excellent first post coconino....

Welcome to the forums!

Atb, al.

:welcome1: Great first post.

Thanks chaps! I feel welcomed

Now I'm off to get wet and muddy in a field...

 

[baz p]

Oh I agree entirely, there's nothing to beat getting a fire going from just what nature has to offer, but I still think this is a good tip, and children especially seem to like the idea. My teenage son's fire kit includes fungus, birch shavings and umpteen other natural things alongside waxed teabags, cotton wool, char cloth, etc.

it is a real good idea, i have to limit myself sometimes, if i was to put in all the things i want to try and light a fire with i wouldn't have room for anything else.....but on this occasion i am sure i can sacrifice something just so i can give the tea bag trick a go

 

[Jock]

I used to work in a hospital with a very frugal woman who would make a tea bag last for several days by blotting it & carrying it around in her uniform top pocket to re-use
She would frequently forget to remove it from the pocket & send her dress off to the laundry... followed by irate calls from the laundry because of the resulting stain
She unfortunately passed away a few years ago but left a small fortune behind.
I think she would have been distraught to know she'd missed out & could've been using them for free firelighting purposes.