Flint Spark lighting solid fuels? (Esbit, Trioxane, etc)

S

SkunkWerX

Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
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Question:

What does it take to light a synthetic solid fuel cube?

Will Esbit, Hexamine, or Trioxane combust from sparks, let's say from standard a Fero-rod that throws off decent sparkage? if not, Can they be crushed or wittled like magnesium so they get started by spark?

Or must they have actual hot flame applied to get them started?

Inquiring minds want to know?
 
I know first hand that Hexamine if ground into powder will light from a BSA Hotspark.

I broke off a small piece and ground it into powder, placed it on top of the rest of the tablet. The little pile of powder lit fairly easy and then the flame spread to the tablet.
 
you can light the powder with a fire steel. Usually there is some fragments and powder in the package if you shake them up.
 
Nice!
SO it may be safe to say that these tablets, which are typically wrapped in a sealed container, would be a good "tinder" source, especially good for fighting a damp area, where dry tinder is tough to find???
 
I've never had trouble lighting my tri-ox tablets with my ferrocerium rod.. Never crushed it, just pulled a chunk out and "sparked it up!"
 
Thanks guys, OK, now that we have passed hurdle number one....

How many fires could be started, under average circumstances, with each tab (broken into peices, and not sacrifice the whole tab to a single fire)??

If the tablet was quartered, let's say, you'd get 4 fires started, and so on.

If it's safe to say 4 fires, then a 6 pack of them would yield 24 fires started.

Reasonable assumption??
 
You might want to run a test to see how well the pieces burn after having been unwrapped for a while.

-- FLIX
 
Hexamine(sp), the solid fuel that is used in an esbit stove does not have to be wrapped, but I don't know if it will light with a spark.

Skunk,

What are you trying to do that PJ cottonballs won't do?
 
Skunk,

I agree that you could reseal the unused bits of a cube, perhaps in a film cannister or in a baggie like you said. I guess in my mind the benefit of carrying these cubes as a firestarter would be that they are factory vacuum sealed and waterproof. If they still retain their usefulness after opening, great. If not, it is useful to know that and just burn the whole cube.

I have a small Esbit that is part of my stage 2 kit, so it is typically with me when afield.

-- FLIX
 
runningboar said:
Hexamine(sp), the solid fuel that is used in an esbit stove does not have to be wrapped, but I don't know if it will light with a spark.

Skunk,

What are you trying to do that PJ cottonballs won't do?
Click to expand...

Bring Frankenstein to life!! :eek:
No, actually just thinking out loud, seeing what things will take a spark, what won't.

My thoughts were going this way:
If someone were packing an esbit stove, and the fuel, they could simply use the fuel to also light a camp fire, especially in wet conditions.

The esbit fuel, in it's waterproof container would be good to have on a raft trip, or such.

Even a single tab might be a good thing to have in someones PSK.

Just figurring, that's all.
 
Geez this is scary. I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday. Right down to the quartering and stuff.

<insert Twilight Zone theme here>
 
Does anyone know if the GI triox can be disolved and molded into bars or tab that are easier to pack than the odd sized and shaped GI packs
 
Triox over time will deteriorate in its envelope, even if it isn't being banged around. Also, the envelopes are susceptible to pinprick holes, which allows oxygen in. The oxygen then reacts with the bar and hastens the degradation. Note that the resulting crumbs/dust will still ignite, according to anecdotal reports. I haven't personally verified this, since my triox bars are still packed away in a box. :rolleyes:

Check out the "Playing With Fire" thread by Evolute over on the Swamp Rat Survival Forum. Can't recommend that one enough. :) :thumbup: LOTS of suggestions and discussion there.

http://www.swampratknifeworks.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000069

HTH.
 
how much PJ should i put on the cotton ball? i figured it belonged more here than than me starting another thread
 
ajcz said:
how much PJ should i put on the cotton ball? i figured it belonged more here than than me starting another thread
Click to expand...

With a standard size cottonball, I use enough PJ to cover my thumbnail about 1/8", maybe a little more. Work it into the fibers well; when you want ot light it, pull it into two halves so the fibers are stretched out with exposed ends (I pull it into two pieces, and then put the base of the two pieces together, with the exposed fibers sticking up). Experiment with a few of them, using different amounts of PJ, and you will get the feel for what you like. It's not as if the ingredients are expensive.

And to answer the original post in this thread, I can light trioxane tabs easily with a ferro rod, without crushing or cutting anything.
 
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