View Full Version : Rookie Esbit Questions
vaporjourney
04-20-2008, 17:02
Ok, the most simple and absurd: how do you light this stuff? I bought a box to use as backup for my wood burning stove, and can't seem to get it lit. I assumed it would be a simple affair: lay down on aluminum foil, suspend the pot, light the tab with a lighter, and voila! Not so. What am I doing wrong?
Esbit tabs take a while to light. You'll want to protect it with a windscreen and hold the lighter on the same spot for several seconds, maybe 10-15. If wind is bad, as dab of hand sanitizer will quickly torch off the esbit, but be careful since you can't see the flame from the alcohol. You'll know the esbit is catching when it starts turning brown.
astrogirl
04-20-2008, 17:37
I usually used a match and tried to drop it with the head on the esbit, but you need a good windscreen. Using a lighter, I got burned fingers.
boarstone
04-20-2008, 17:52
Nix the lighter...use matches...save fingers and other important parts...:eek:
Toolshed
04-20-2008, 17:55
Yeah, matches work better than a lighter. You could even scrape a little on the top edge to with your knife to allow it to "catch" faster, but I usually just hold a match to one upper corner for 5-6 seconds and it catches.
vaporjourney
04-20-2008, 22:09
Ah..all I needed was a bit more patience? Thanks guys.
I never carry matches, so I'll see if I can find a slow burning piece of tinder similar to pinestraw to keep the flame away from my fingers. Using a lighter was killing me, and I had to quit too soon because my fingers were getting singed.
take-a-knee
04-20-2008, 22:28
Ah..all I needed was a bit more patience? Thanks guys.
I never carry matches, so I'll see if I can find a slow burning piece of tinder similar to pinestraw to keep the flame away from my fingers. Using a lighter was killing me, and I had to quit too soon because my fingers were getting singed.
Everyone should carry some sort of waterproofed matches IE Lifeboat, strike-anywhere matches dipped in varnish etc in some sort of waterproof container. Not doing so is a failure to plan properly, and if you become hypothermic, it'll be your own fault.
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=1029&memberId=12500226&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1 for a deuce it could save yer a$$