Continuing on along the field-based emergency preparedness kick I seem to be on, my latest obsession seems to be on "fire and light."

So, you are ditched and you'd like to have a little light, or a small flame that you can use for a little heat (I remember my dad talking about using a candle to heat his pup-tent during WW II).  Perhaps you want to dry out some small tender in preparation for making a larger fire.

Here is my small fire/candle trial setup:  a piece of cotton yarn for a wick and a 44 mag shell casing for a fuel holder.  (For those not familiar with a 44 mag round, the casing is approximately 1 1/4" long with a 1/2" diameter ... makes a fair metal tube with one end capped.)  In each case, the candle was ignited by using a butane lighter flame for less than 5 seconds--in most cases, less than 3 seconds.  If the accelerant is not listed, either I haven't tested it or it wouldn't stay lit for at least 30 minutes, without re-light or tending.  Keep in mind that I'm only considering things that have a good possibility of being with me/on me during a canoe-type trip.

Listed in order of flame strength:

1) petroleum jelly -- produces a strong, but initially sooty flame; container very near empty in 30 minutes
2) chapstick -- produces a strong, clean flame (only slightly less flame than petroleum jelly; container about 2/3rds empty in 30 minutes
3) alcohol-based hand sanitizer -- produces a small, nearly clear flame; container 1/2 empty after 30 minutes
4) vegetable oil (olive oil) -- produces a tiny, clean flame; container only 1/4 empty after 30 minutes.

I did run another test on a tube-dispensed sun screen, containing cocoa nut oil and other ingredients.  It would ignite and produce a strong sooty flame, but would not stay lit for 30 minutes.  As a side-bar test, I put the material (perhaps the diameter of a quarter and twice as thick) into an disposable aluminum-lined cup cake tin and ignited it.  It burned vigorously for about 5 minutes, but produced lots of soot.  It could make a descent fire starter.

BTW:  Many of my initial ignition test were more kudlik-style (tilted bottle cap and wick).  Many items burned a bit more effectively in this mode because of better air/fuel mix, but it was more difficult to judge burn time per unit of fuel this way.

dd

solotripper wrote on Nov 29^th, 2010 at 4:23pm:

Well, I  wasn't exactly recommending a shell casing in your ditch kit, but when you are trying to contain a burning liquid (all of the items tested did liquefy when hot), you'll need a container that doesn't burn to make a "candle."
Quote:

At least you don't see rifles hung in the back window of every pick-up you pass ... like it was in the old days.  However, Texans are still "packin'."  Recently a movie company wanted to do a remake of "Sniper in the Tower,"  the real-life tale of a sniper in the library tower on the University of Texas campus.  When he said he wanted to put someone on top of the tower and fire off a few blank rounds for purposes of filming, a local consultant clued him.  "Are you crazy.  You do that and you should expect live return fire within 2 minutes."

dd

solotripper wrote on Nov 29^th, 2010 at 4:23pm:

They should give your vehicle a once-over if they find empty shell casings or unspent ammo.  Any gun related evidence should prompt investigation.  Here's an interesting case that worked out just right.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

I guess Preacher made my half-joking comment a consideration.
I would understand if they found ammo or spent shell casings, but a spent shell filled with candle/kindling igniter would seem to be self explanatory.

I wonder what would happen IF they found a spent shell/minus primer filled with pot, like Akula described.

I guess you could claim it was a bong or roach clip and see if you faired better being a pothead or a potential terrorist

solotripper wrote on Nov 29^th, 2010 at 11:23pm:

It's a matter of perspective.  A border guard has the perspective that any evidence of the potential for a gun is cause for a search.  That guard is obligated to search.  That is the essense of their job.

Quote:

They would arrest the perp.  Pretty stupid thing to do, cross an international border with illegal drugs.


In order to get into this situation the 'suspicious' item would pretty much have to be in plain view or you would have to look like a trouble-maker.  My packed gear is, well, packed.  Such items wouldn't be in plain view, not that they're likely to be in my posession at all in such a situation.  Crossing international borders is serious business.


A spent casing is a pretty slick container for something like this.