Dainon
01-05-2006, 13:54
This isn't a troll post -- I just worded the subject heading to attract attention to something that seems important.
I use and alcohol stove and have since I first read about them on Whiteblaze. I like them because they're idiot proof -- no moving parts, nothing really to break, totally reliable -- and because they're really small. I made a Pepsi stove, pot stand, and windscreen and I like carrying something that I didn't have to have made for me.
That said, I've always been seriously paranoid about denatured alcohol, HEET, etc. I never use that stuff because of the health hazards/dangers. I'll just cut/paste a couple, but if you don't believe me, look it up in the library or on the net.
By in large, the stuff contains chemicals that can cause serious injury. You're not supposed to get it on your skin because it soaks through quickly, so to speak, and enters the blood stream. You're not supposed to inhale the fumes. And obviously you're not supposed to get it in your mouth.
From a website at Holy Cross University regarding denatured alcohol:
Route Of Entry - Inhalation: YES
Route Of Entry - Skin: YES
Route Of Entry - Ingestion: YES
Health Haz Acute And Chronic: ACUTE: MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED. HARMFUL IF INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN. CAUSES SKIN, EYE, AND UPPER RESPIRATO TRACT IRRITATION. CAN CAUSE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION AND BLINDNESS. CHRONIC: LIVER AND KIDNEY DAMAGE.
Carcinogenicity - NTP: NO
Carcinogenicity - IARC: NO
Carcinogenicity - OSHA: NO
Explanation Carcinogenicity: NONE OF THE COMPOUNDS IN THIS PRODUCT IS LISTED BY IARC, NTP, OR OSHA AS A CARCINOGEN.
Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: IRRITATION, DROWSINESS, CNS DEPRESSION, NAUSEA, VOMITING.
Med Cond Aggravated By Exp: LIVER AND KIDNEY.
Emergency/First Aid Proc: INHALATION:REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. RESUSCITATE IF NOT BREATHING. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION. EYES:IMMEDIATELY FLUSH WITH PLENTY OF WATER FOR 15 MINUTES. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION. SKIN:REMOVE CONTAMINATED CLOTHING FLUSH WITH WATER. IF IRRITATION PERSISTS, GET MEDICAL ADVICE. INGESTION:DO NO INDUCE VOMITING UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. GIVE NOTHING BY MOUTH IF UNCONSCIOUS. GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.
And I'm supposed to cook with this? What about soot on the pan that might find away into the pot and then into my system? How can I keep this stuff away, off, and out of me while shivering, pouring, cooking, carrying, cleaning?
To get to my main point, I would encourage fellow alcohol stove users to seriously consider pure grain alcohol in lieu of denatured, iso-, HEET, etc. Most often sold in liquor stores under brand names such as "Golden Grain," it's 195 proof drinking alcohol.
I've heard some talk about its high cost. In my city, Lexington, KY, it sells for $12 a quart. I don't know the cost in other states, and frankly I'd happily pay double or triple the cost. There are 32 ounces in a quart. I use about 1/2 ounce for breakfast and 1/2 ounce for dinner, so about an ounce a day. That means that I can cook for a bout $12 a month. I haven't done a thru yet and maybe I'll never be lucky enough to have the chance, but it seems that it takes about 5 mths. to do it. So for the entire thru, my stove fuel costs would be about $60. Happily I'm wealthy enough to afford that cost, especially since I was stupid enough to pay $7 for a titanium spoon. I don't mind at all paying the extra money for grain alcohol since I don't have to worry about poisoning myself.
I don't know if it's readily available in towns while resupplying, but when I've done long section hikes, I just mail it to myself. The alcohol dispenser bottles from Brasslite are great -- 4, 8, and 16oz sizes.
I know there will be jokes about drinking it, and that's fine. But even though I don't drink booze, I guess some enterprising soul who does drink could also make the argument that since grain alcohol has a dual use, then there's really no need to carry a flask of whiskey, etc, so there is a weight savings, also.
In conclusion, the extra cost of using grain alcohol buys not only great fuel, but also health safety.
That's my .02 worth.
I use and alcohol stove and have since I first read about them on Whiteblaze. I like them because they're idiot proof -- no moving parts, nothing really to break, totally reliable -- and because they're really small. I made a Pepsi stove, pot stand, and windscreen and I like carrying something that I didn't have to have made for me.
That said, I've always been seriously paranoid about denatured alcohol, HEET, etc. I never use that stuff because of the health hazards/dangers. I'll just cut/paste a couple, but if you don't believe me, look it up in the library or on the net.
By in large, the stuff contains chemicals that can cause serious injury. You're not supposed to get it on your skin because it soaks through quickly, so to speak, and enters the blood stream. You're not supposed to inhale the fumes. And obviously you're not supposed to get it in your mouth.
From a website at Holy Cross University regarding denatured alcohol:
Route Of Entry - Inhalation: YES
Route Of Entry - Skin: YES
Route Of Entry - Ingestion: YES
Health Haz Acute And Chronic: ACUTE: MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED. HARMFUL IF INHALED OR ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN. CAUSES SKIN, EYE, AND UPPER RESPIRATO TRACT IRRITATION. CAN CAUSE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSION AND BLINDNESS. CHRONIC: LIVER AND KIDNEY DAMAGE.
Carcinogenicity - NTP: NO
Carcinogenicity - IARC: NO
Carcinogenicity - OSHA: NO
Explanation Carcinogenicity: NONE OF THE COMPOUNDS IN THIS PRODUCT IS LISTED BY IARC, NTP, OR OSHA AS A CARCINOGEN.
Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: IRRITATION, DROWSINESS, CNS DEPRESSION, NAUSEA, VOMITING.
Med Cond Aggravated By Exp: LIVER AND KIDNEY.
Emergency/First Aid Proc: INHALATION:REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. RESUSCITATE IF NOT BREATHING. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION. EYES:IMMEDIATELY FLUSH WITH PLENTY OF WATER FOR 15 MINUTES. GET MEDICAL ATTENTION. SKIN:REMOVE CONTAMINATED CLOTHING FLUSH WITH WATER. IF IRRITATION PERSISTS, GET MEDICAL ADVICE. INGESTION:DO NO INDUCE VOMITING UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. GIVE NOTHING BY MOUTH IF UNCONSCIOUS. GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.
And I'm supposed to cook with this? What about soot on the pan that might find away into the pot and then into my system? How can I keep this stuff away, off, and out of me while shivering, pouring, cooking, carrying, cleaning?
To get to my main point, I would encourage fellow alcohol stove users to seriously consider pure grain alcohol in lieu of denatured, iso-, HEET, etc. Most often sold in liquor stores under brand names such as "Golden Grain," it's 195 proof drinking alcohol.
I've heard some talk about its high cost. In my city, Lexington, KY, it sells for $12 a quart. I don't know the cost in other states, and frankly I'd happily pay double or triple the cost. There are 32 ounces in a quart. I use about 1/2 ounce for breakfast and 1/2 ounce for dinner, so about an ounce a day. That means that I can cook for a bout $12 a month. I haven't done a thru yet and maybe I'll never be lucky enough to have the chance, but it seems that it takes about 5 mths. to do it. So for the entire thru, my stove fuel costs would be about $60. Happily I'm wealthy enough to afford that cost, especially since I was stupid enough to pay $7 for a titanium spoon. I don't mind at all paying the extra money for grain alcohol since I don't have to worry about poisoning myself.
I don't know if it's readily available in towns while resupplying, but when I've done long section hikes, I just mail it to myself. The alcohol dispenser bottles from Brasslite are great -- 4, 8, and 16oz sizes.
I know there will be jokes about drinking it, and that's fine. But even though I don't drink booze, I guess some enterprising soul who does drink could also make the argument that since grain alcohol has a dual use, then there's really no need to carry a flask of whiskey, etc, so there is a weight savings, also.
In conclusion, the extra cost of using grain alcohol buys not only great fuel, but also health safety.
That's my .02 worth.