char cloth first attempt

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

Tried Making some char cloth today in a baked bean can with tin foil as a lid. All seemed to be going well up till the point I realised my cloth was already smouldering when I took it from the can. What did I do wrong?

[Chubbs]

High there Toby.

What you really need is a can with a fitting lid to start with. If you can get hold of a small paint can or sweet tin, make a fire and burn it out removing all of the old paint and decoration, otherwise if you use it without doing it you will weld the lid on as the paint on the tin will melt and stick it together, already been there and done it myself !!. Stick a small hole in the lid and you are ready to go.

I made some charcloth last night and had exactly the same problem. Time is the essence mate. Once made you have to let it cool down completely covered otherwise if you take the lid off and it is still hot the oxygen will hit the cloth and ignite it straight away, ruining your effort.

Hope this helps mate.

Cheers Neil

[Humakt]

Yeah, use a sweet tin. One of those travel sweet ones (the pink grapefruit ones are particularly nice) you get from petrol stations.
Put a small hole in the top then put it on your fire/stove. Not too hot. A medium heat. Once the nasty smoke stops it's done - take it off, let it cool, and inside is your char cloth.
Just to blow my own trumpet, here's a video I did on making char cloth...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_cgpTPOZE&list=UULRk9fymH440g7kW9Ngv9hQ&index=10&feature=plcp

[KaiTheIronHound]

Yup, i agree with Niel, i had the same problem the first time i made char cloth. Never crack the seal until its completely cooled off, otherwise you just end up with a miniature bonfire in your container! Because i currently live in the city for uni, i often make charcloth on my barbeque using a sealed aluminium foil bag, so i reckon there's no reason why a foil lid on a bean tin wouldnt work, just gotta leave it cool down before you mess with it...

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

Thanks for the info. After the 1st batch went wrong i thought i would have one more attempt at making some except this time i used more tin foil to cover the lid this worked to some extent although majority did smoulder and waste, i did however manage to salvage from the wreckage a good small handful. i will try the sweet tin next.

[KaiTheIronHound]

Sorry, just edited the above post mate, foil on the bean tin should work fine, just use a few layers and only poke a small hole :)

[Chubbs]

I have used many different types of material and most of them are a waste of time. The one to use is an old pair of denim jeans cut into squares about 3-4 inches each side. Pack them comfortably into the tin but don't overpack as sometimes it won't completely char through. Stick it on the heat and leave for about ten minutes or until the flame has really started to die down from the hole. Many times I have left it too long and you are left with something that just crumbles in your hand but after a few goes you will get a good idea on the timing side. Some people that make it also stick a matchstick or similar into the hole when finished to completely exclude the oxygen but its up to you.


Before I forget, I tried using the seams to make charcloth from the denim jeans and even after you unfold them out of the tin, they don't work as well as a single layer of the denim. Maybe its because there is too much to do at one time, I don't know. Now I just simply stick to the single squares.

All the best

Neil

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

Thanks Neil ill try an old pair of jeans next time as well, for this attempt I just used an old cotton t shirt i had lying about.

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

5865 Here are the results, i just tried a piece with strike-fire, worked first time and the time it lasts its quite astounding.

[Humakt]

Cotton towelling is good as well - the textured surface is good at capturing sparks.

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

What like a tea towel or something?

[TheOutdoorist]

I also recommend denim jeans.. but check they are an old pair or you have a row :ashamed:

[Chubbs]

5865 Here are the results, i just tried a piece with strike-fire, worked first time and the time it lasts its quite astounding.

Looking good mate, well done on your attempt :happy-clapping:.

[Humakt]

What like a tea towel or something?

Like a bath towel or hand towel. Anything made from towelling.

[Toby Ainger-Putt]

Thanks Chubbs, and yeah maybe at the weekend im going to have a go using some old jeans and an old towl. With a better tin this time.

[Humakt]

Don't forget to let us all know how you got on with the different kinds of cloth.
Can't remember what you said you'd be using to strike a spark - firesteel or flint and steel. So if you use different methods then it'd be interesting to see how each responds (I'm guessing a firesteel will send any bit of char cloth alight, no matter what it's made of - the sparks are so hot).

[TheOutdoorist]

Don't forget to let us all know how you got on with the different kinds of cloth.

Would be good to test all different materials and see what works the best.. can imagine it taking a little time though!

[Tigger004]

I have never made charcloth, but I will have to give it a try, I normally use Cotton wool and Petrolium Jelly, this has always worked and I've been lazy. thanks for the inspiration

[David_JAFO]

hello,
I was doing some DIY recently & the old dust sheets very fine jute material.
My mate cut out a square size of a tea towel, charred, tried it out later in the day.
Works brilliant using both Fire Steel & Flint & Steel Striker ;)
I've saved this sample along with two other Baccy Tins with different types of
Char Cloth, 1 I received via a NBC buddy.
Regards
David

[mr.punch]

I have tried it, the stuff I made takes with fire steel but not so well with flint and steel, I have been advised that I may have over cooked it which is possible as I did it on the open fire in the house.
I will try on a little cooker next time and make it slower and see what happens.

[Chubbs]

I have been advised that I may have over cooked it which is possible as I did it on the open fire in the house.

You might have overcooked it this way but no matter which way you do it, if you leave it too long it will be overdone. The only place I make mine is on the open fire. The first few goes were spot on but I have had a few which were overdone. There are a load of vids out there that say ' You should leave it until the flame goes out on the top of the tin', but I find that this is a little too long. Depending how much you put in your tin depends how strong the initial flame is. If you pack it with loads the residual flame will last a lot longer.

Best thing is trial and error. Stick it on your open fire somewhere where it is not 'raging' and have some claws ready to take it off. Once the initial flame and noise has quitened down, leave it a couple of more minutes and then take it off. Let it cool down and open. If its still not ready, put it back for a few minutes more.

Everybody has different ways of doing things like this. If it suits you, and you can get a spark on it once made, you have done it right.

Good luck.

Cheers Neil