before the discovery of matches and other modern conveniences fires had to
other modern conveniences fires had to
other modern conveniences fires had to be started in more primitive ways like
be started in more primitive ways like
be started in more primitive ways like rubbing sticks together or burning wood
rubbing sticks together or burning wood
rubbing sticks together or burning wood with a magnifying glass but anyone who’s
with a magnifying glass but anyone who’s
with a magnifying glass but anyone who’s tried these methods knows it’s extremely
tried these methods knows it’s extremely
tried these methods knows it’s extremely hard work to make a fire especially in
hard work to make a fire especially in
hard work to make a fire especially in an emergency situation luckily there’s a
an emergency situation luckily there’s a
an emergency situation luckily there’s a way to cheat and it’s called char cloth
to get started on this project I’ll
to get started on this project I’ll sacrifice one of my little boy shirts
sacrifice one of my little boy shirts
sacrifice one of my little boy shirts and a can of tuna
and a can of tuna
and a can of tuna this shirt is 100% cotton and that’s
this shirt is 100% cotton and that’s
this shirt is 100% cotton and that’s what we need so now we can focus on
what we need so now we can focus on
what we need so now we can focus on prepping this can I’ll grab my wife’s
prepping this can I’ll grab my wife’s
prepping this can I’ll grab my wife’s can opener and a small screwdriver and
can opener and a small screwdriver and
can opener and a small screwdriver and get to work on removing the lid the lid
get to work on removing the lid the lid
get to work on removing the lid the lid lifter cuts sideways and removes the top
lifter cuts sideways and removes the top
lifter cuts sideways and removes the top portion of the lid just below the rim
portion of the lid just below the rim
portion of the lid just below the rim and that’s perfect because we’ll want it
and that’s perfect because we’ll want it
and that’s perfect because we’ll want it to fit back together later on okay the
to fit back together later on okay the
to fit back together later on okay the tuna comes out and after a little
tuna comes out and after a little
tuna comes out and after a little cleaning our char cloth maker is nearly
cleaning our char cloth maker is nearly
cleaning our char cloth maker is nearly complete let’s cut off about four pieces
complete let’s cut off about four pieces
complete let’s cut off about four pieces of shirt and lay them on the lid then
of shirt and lay them on the lid then
of shirt and lay them on the lid then the bottom of the can fits over top to
the bottom of the can fits over top to
the bottom of the can fits over top to finish we can punch a small hole in the
finish we can punch a small hole in the
finish we can punch a small hole in the top with this screwdriver to act as a
top with this screwdriver to act as a
top with this screwdriver to act as a vent hole to char this cloth properly
vent hole to char this cloth properly
vent hole to char this cloth properly we’ll need to heat this up over 400
we’ll need to heat this up over 400
we’ll need to heat this up over 400 degrees Celsius and that can be done
degrees Celsius and that can be done
degrees Celsius and that can be done with the solar scorcher it’s about 7:00
with the solar scorcher it’s about 7:00
with the solar scorcher it’s about 7:00 p.m. and the Sun is nearly set I found
p.m. and the Sun is nearly set I found
p.m. and the Sun is nearly set I found the focal point and I’m happy to see
the focal point and I’m happy to see
the focal point and I’m happy to see there still plenty of heat the little
there still plenty of heat the little
there still plenty of heat the little flame shows that the cotton is charring
flame shows that the cotton is charring
flame shows that the cotton is charring and releasing hydrogen and methane gases
and releasing hydrogen and methane gases
and releasing hydrogen and methane gases through the hole in the top all right
through the hole in the top all right
through the hole in the top all right the flame just went out so that means
the flame just went out so that means
the flame just went out so that means it’s done and we’ll need to carefully
it’s done and we’ll need to carefully
it’s done and we’ll need to carefully cover the hole with some aluminum foil
cover the hole with some aluminum foil
cover the hole with some aluminum foil to prevent air from leaking in and
to prevent air from leaking in and
to prevent air from leaking in and causing a flashback now that it’s cooled
causing a flashback now that it’s cooled
causing a flashback now that it’s cooled down we can remove the foil and the
down we can remove the foil and the
down we can remove the foil and the cover to see how our cloth turned out
cover to see how our cloth turned out
cover to see how our cloth turned out it’s turned completely black totally
it’s turned completely black totally
it’s turned completely black totally charred but not burned and that’s just
charred but not burned and that’s just
charred but not burned and that’s just what we needed the fabrics still pliable
what we needed the fabrics still pliable
what we needed the fabrics still pliable but now is extremely sensitive to heat
but now is extremely sensitive to heat
but now is extremely sensitive to heat just a few seconds with the Sun and a
just a few seconds with the Sun and a
just a few seconds with the Sun and a water bottle and we can easily make a
water bottle and we can easily make a
water bottle and we can easily make a fire your water bottle can also be used
fire your water bottle can also be used
fire your water bottle can also be used to make a fire without the char cloth
to make a fire without the char cloth
to make a fire without the char cloth but it takes a lot longer and is much
but it takes a lot longer and is much
but it takes a lot longer and is much more difficult okay so it’s the next day
more difficult okay so it’s the next day
more difficult okay so it’s the next day and I’m making another batch this time
and I’m making another batch this time
and I’m making another batch this time with an open flame this method works
with an open flame this method works
with an open flame this method works super well it only takes about 2 minutes
super well it only takes about 2 minutes
super well it only takes about 2 minutes to cook all the gasses out of the fabric
to cook all the gasses out of the fabric
to cook all the gasses out of the fabric when it’s cooled down and the foil is
when it’s cooled down and the foil is
when it’s cooled down and the foil is off I’m really impressed at how much the
off I’m really impressed at how much the
off I’m really impressed at how much the fabric is shrunk from the original size
fabric is shrunk from the original size
fabric is shrunk from the original size now I’m wondering if cotton balls would
now I’m wondering if cotton balls would
now I’m wondering if cotton balls would work so my little boy is helping load a
work so my little boy is helping load a
work so my little boy is helping load a batch and after 2 minutes in the fire
batch and after 2 minutes in the fire
batch and after 2 minutes in the fire they’re all done they’re looking great
they’re all done they’re looking great
they’re all done they’re looking great and I’m interested to see how they’ll
and I’m interested to see how they’ll
and I’m interested to see how they’ll compare to the cotton fabric
compare to the cotton fabric
compare to the cotton fabric to test the quality let’s brush the side
to test the quality let’s brush the side
to test the quality let’s brush the side with a flame and blow gently to see if
with a flame and blow gently to see if
with a flame and blow gently to see if it glows a success the fabric ignites
it glows a success the fabric ignites
it glows a success the fabric ignites amazingly fast and burns impressively
amazingly fast and burns impressively
amazingly fast and burns impressively slowly from this point all it takes to
slowly from this point all it takes to
slowly from this point all it takes to get a flame is to add something
get a flame is to add something
get a flame is to add something flammable like a piece of paper and blow
flammable like a piece of paper and blow
flammable like a piece of paper and blow aha fire these charred cotton balls work
aha fire these charred cotton balls work
aha fire these charred cotton balls work so well and are so cheap and accessible
so well and are so cheap and accessible
so well and are so cheap and accessible that I think from now on I’m gonna use
that I think from now on I’m gonna use
that I think from now on I’m gonna use them exclusively in my fire piston you
them exclusively in my fire piston you
them exclusively in my fire piston you can see how to build this in a different
can see how to build this in a different
can see how to build this in a different video I also tried making char cloth
video I also tried making char cloth
video I also tried making char cloth using another fabric and a mint in a
using another fabric and a mint in a
using another fabric and a mint in a glass baby food jar and an Altoids tin
glass baby food jar and an Altoids tin
glass baby food jar and an Altoids tin overall I was most impressed with my
overall I was most impressed with my
overall I was most impressed with my tuna can an open flame and handful of
tuna can an open flame and handful of
tuna can an open flame and handful of cotton balls well there’s another item
cotton balls well there’s another item
cotton balls well there’s another item for my emergency kit and a fun project
for my emergency kit and a fun project
for my emergency kit and a fun project with my kids that’s it for now if you
with my kids that’s it for now if you
with my kids that’s it for now if you liked this project perhaps you’ll like
liked this project perhaps you’ll like
liked this project perhaps you’ll like some of my others check them out at the
some of my others check them out at the
some of my others check them out at the king of random calm
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