Grandpa’s Survival Shack…Charcloth How too in pictures

Now this is as old school as it gets….People have been making Charcloth for as long as humans have known how to make cloth...Charcloth is one of the best tinder’s available. It won’t burn to flame but will catch almost any spark … puff on it and it'll glow bright like charcoal. It can be ignited by a much cooler spark than will ignite grass or most other tinder’s… Just get out your flint and steel… catch a spark on the Charcloth and transfer to your kindling… Dryer lint for instance…Then BLOW BABY BLOW…the cloth will glow orange and the kindling will catch flame…. So, how‘s it done?

First, get a tin that's airtight … for this we’ll use an empty shoe polish can…
Step one…punch a hole in the can. You want it small (about 1/8" - a small nail is fine)


Step Two… get your cloth … it needs to be natural fiber with no "coatings". Cotton or linen is fine. Cut into strips and loosely fill the tin... Careful here many modern fabrics are treated with a fire-retardant… cloth like that used in children’s pajamas is NG…


Step 3…you need to heat the tin. Some use their oven (My wife would kill me) I prefer to keep an eye on it. The top of a camping stove or over an open fire works well. (Without the spousal bloodshed)

Step 4… After a couple of minutes, you will see smoke ... this forces all the oxygen out of the tin. If you didn’t have a hole, the expanding pressure would blow the lid off. (That’s kind of fun too)

As soon as the smoke stops coming, take the tin from the heat and allow to cool. On a gas stove this will only be a few minutes. (The Can Is Hot!) A leather glove or tongs is useful here. ..

Last Step… Finally, remove the Charcloth from the tin and get a spark (flint and steel work, but fee free when testing to put a lighter flame to it … we're just checking it works) As soon as you see an orange glow … blow on it … that‘s your ember and your Charcloth is fine. Now, Charcloth is messy, so store in a dry clean place … I use 2 inch square Ziplocs…

Well there it is… Old School Charcloth… Pretty easy to make wasn’t it…No one ever said this stuff was hard…I know most "old timers" have done this so feel free to add your own thoughts or go over something I forgot… I forget all kinds of things these days… BTW anyone seen my pants???

After thoughts: Or before you ask:
NO, you do not need to use a shoe polish can like I did… Yes, it has to be metal with a tight fitting lid.
No, Polyester and nylon blends will not work; they will melt and make a gooey mess…
No, Photos of your ex do not make good tinder… but… Yes you can burn them in you want 

reply to post by GrandpaDave


Now all you need is a good Fire Piston and you are set to go.

www.youtube.com...

The link above will tell you how to make a cheap and effective Fire Piston that will never let you down.

reply to post by GrandpaDave


Thanks for the info!
i was wondering if any survival gurus (im assuming you are grandpadave) knew of a good internet source where i could print an all round survival guide with lots of practical how toos..from all survival topics like collecting food, water, hunting, engernering etc..anything
thanks for the help

reply to post by ShortMemory


Most of the best information to be found has been consolidated here on ATS imo...You can spend weeks pouring over all the pdf info in this forum.

Originally posted by ShortMemory
reply to post by GrandpaDave

 

Thanks for the info!
i was wondering if any survival gurus (im assuming you are grandpadave) knew of a good internet source where i could print an all round survival guide with lots of practical how toos..from all survival topics like collecting food, water, hunting, engernering etc..anything
thanks for the help

I have several books on the subject posted on Scribd
US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76 this is as good a place to start learning as any
The Full list of my books can be found here
FYI I have a few new books to add later today too...

Awesome Grampz i ended up on this site after looking for survival tips and what not just incase of what lies ahead and have now read a few of your threads and learned some pretty cool stuff that is very useful, thanks a ;lot.

I'm a country boy myself from southeast Georgia.

Got ya on FB and scribd thanks.

on topic; never heard of this one,

nothing but pine trees for like 200 miles any direction from me..

loads of pine straw.

Around here, methinks fire might be what you're trying to avoid

reply to post by GrandpaDave

wow your very smart! good to see you sharing your knowledge
thanks a lot i will be sure to bury my head
looking forward to your new stuff, is it being posted on scribd or ats?
ive got the urge to become prepared for anything because it doesnt take much to see money wont be worth squat much longer.

reply to post by TreadUpon

thanks your right, a lot on here!

reply to post by ShortMemory


the E-bboks I upload to scribds...
I used to have them here at ATS but but they got rid of the media section...

Originally posted by GrandpaDave
reply to post by ShortMemory

 

the E-bboks I upload to scribds...
I used to have them here at ATS but but they got rid of the media section...

ill stay tuned then
thanks heaps. atleast we know youll be ok when shtf haha
i think ill be good as well, got a fertile garden and ducks near my house..so ill just go trap some and breed a tasty flock simple is best i guess haha

I guess it would be the same thing, but, I use a "Pringles" can. Get a nice wad of dryer lint, light it, and put it in the can and put the lid on it. (Don't go too big as to not melt the lid). You can do this several times and store it in the can. They are usually waterproof.

Kind of a heads up... I just upped a few new ones...
Today I added a few more...
Candle making
Cheese Making
Community Gardening
FEMA.Emergency Disaster preparedness Survival 7_Day_Supply_Calendar
and that last is a exploded view photo on how to build a ....firewood shed
Click here to see the full list

reply to post by GrandpaDave

Well something new I will need to try. BTW using the old Kiwi can was great

reply to post by GrandpaDave


The FEMA one is interesting. Two points on it that I'd like you to comment on. One, most of this is useless if you have to evacuate. Two, in a non evacuation scenario having these supplies while the masses do not are going to put a big red target on you and your family.

Regarding number two, it's not going to matter how many guns or ammo or whatever you have to fend off everyone. What is your plan in this scenario. It's very real and very predictable.

Patiently awaiting your reply, thanks!

reply to post by GrandpaDave

Only thing I do different is to wait till the can cools and slap a patch of duct tape around it. Makes a great carrying case. I use old blue jeans for my cloth.

reply to post by barkingdogamato


Yes, I find denim to be a great source to make char cloth. Good tip to pass on.

reply to post by barkingdogamato


I'd do that too... but...I tend to make four or five batches at a time
I have several other little packs...
hunting, fishing, day hike, rescue packs... then the kits the wife and kids have too...

when I make Charcloth I tend to make a lot... Might spend half a day once a year just making charcloth and when I do everyone walks up and asks... Hey can you make me some too...

reply to post by litterbaux


your question is much to big to tackle without hijacking my own thread...
so let's do this... I have to go to Kansas City this weekend... when I get back on Monday I'll do a thread on escape and evasion ... deal???

reply to post by GrandpaDave


Thank you!

I'll be looking forward to reading it.

I'd rather use the 24x film-negative hand viewer to ignite a candle flame, or do the same with the magnesium bar. Much less bulky, more useful than charcloth, no work to assemble such, either.