View Full Version : Another reason to carry steel wool...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eT-buIKUpY
What were the other reasons?
Sure, we all carry steel wool everywhere that we go, but where do I get the 9V battery from?
BTW, you can start a fire with your cell phone battery without destroying it using steel wool...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAxCFZw_A3I
Sure, we all carry steel wool everywhere that we go, but where do I get the 9V battery from?
Plan ahead :)
Feral Bill
01-06-2012, 16:25
Wouldn't it be easier to carry some matches or a lighter?
also a good pot scrubber?
4eyedbuzzard
01-06-2012, 19:29
Wouldn't it be easier to carry some matches or a lighter?Where's the fun in that?:D
This probably goes under Homemade Gear, but I'm thinking of making a steel wool sweater for wearing in camp. Anyone ever tried that?
Lone Wolf
01-06-2012, 21:10
another useless tidbit from backpacker ragazine
Odd Man Out
01-06-2012, 22:55
BTW, you can start a fire with your cell phone battery without destroying it using steel wool...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAxCFZw_A3I
He say's it's "Hit or miss like rubbing two sticks together".
I did this all the time when I was a kid. It's pathetically easy.
WWJTS (what would Jack Tarlin say)
another useless tidbit from backpacker ragazine
WWJTS (what would Jack Tarlin say) :-?
So where do we find these steel sheep?
Is that the useless advertisement magazine with about one two page article on somewhere I will never go? Or gear reviews for car camping stuff?
another useless tidbit from backpacker ragazine
Lone Wolf
01-07-2012, 08:26
WWJTS (what would Jack Tarlin say) :-?who is that?
This probably goes under Homemade Gear, but I'm thinking of making a steel wool sweater for wearing in camp. Anyone ever tried that?
Yes, but Steel's are so small it would take many of them and several hunting seasons to get enough to make the yarn for a sweater. ;)
The lightweight steel wools which work best for this application are pretty much useless for pot scrubbing, and they aren't stainless, like a good kitchen scrubber, so they will rust, like the Brillo pads I used to carry in the '70s and '80s,
who is that?
He's the same guy you banter(ed) with at the bar in Damascus where you drink after EMT work Dave (steadily the days I and he and you were there) when he's down from NH "working" at MRO or otherwise just hanging out in town (e.g., for the Gathering).
It's amusing to me to start a thread about a somewhat weird bit of trivia that was shared with me by somebody else (who isn't a backpacker himself but is into "survivalism"-type things) only to have that thread/bit of trivia (which was intended to be amusing and nothing more) condescendingly called "useless". It's one thing to opine that people may never, ever use the information - my guess is that that opinion, had it been offered instead, is dead on and so I'd agree with it wholeheartedly. It's a completely different thing to say it's "useless". It's only "useless" if you don't have any other way of starting a fire or, perhaps, some other way to "amuse" yourself.
BTW and FWIW, the original reference to me from my friend came from the "Bear Grylis" series; his link happened to come from Backpacker Magazine, which I don't even read, although judging from several of the disparaging responses here some people do, even though they may deny/be ashamed to admit. That said, information is information regardless of the source. If, as the TV car commercial says, we as a species are defined by the tools (and tool skills) we use, then the "clever monkeys" accumulate tools/tool skills that they might need to use (however unlikely the circumstance) instead of passing judgment on whether a clearly potentially useful tool skill may someday be needed at all. If it turns out that that skill is needed, hopefully those same "clever monkeys" will "swallow hard" and use it. Otherwise, those "I'm so clever" monkeys may end up as "road kill" (which normally happens since Mother Nature sorts things out that way a lot).
Lone Wolf
01-07-2012, 11:37
i know who jack is. i don't own a cell phone so the ragazine thing is "useless" to me :) i added a smiley to show i'm just funnin'
Sorry buddy - color me embarrassed. Forgive ?
Lone Wolf
01-07-2012, 12:19
Sorry buddy - color me embarrassed. Forgive ?dude. it's the internet. no worries :)
WingedMonkey
01-07-2012, 12:35
He's the same guy you banter(ed) with at the bar in Damascus where you drink after EMT work Dave (steadily the days I and he and you were there) when he's down from NH "working" at MRO or otherwise just hanging out in town (e.g., for the Gathering).
It's amusing to me to start a thread about a somewhat weird bit of trivia that was shared with me by somebody else (who isn't a backpacker himself but is into "survivalism"-type things) only to have that thread/bit of trivia (which was intended to be amusing and nothing more) condescendingly called "useless". It's one thing to opine that people may never, ever use the information - my guess is that that opinion, had it been offered instead, is dead on and so I'd agree with it wholeheartedly. It's a completely different thing to say it's "useless". It's only "useless" if you don't have any other way of starting a fire or, perhaps, some other way to "amuse" yourself.
BTW and FWIW, the original reference to me from my friend came from the "Bear Grylis" series; his link happened to come from Backpacker Magazine, which I don't even read, although judging from several of the disparaging responses here some people do, even though they may deny/be ashamed to admit. That said, information is information regardless of the source. If, as the TV car commercial says, we as a species are defined by the tools (and tool skills) we use, then the "clever monkeys" accumulate tools/tool skills that they might need to use (however unlikely the circumstance) instead of passing judgment on whether a clearly potentially useful tool skill may someday be needed at all. If it turns out that that skill is needed, hopefully those same "clever monkeys" will "swallow hard" and use it. Otherwise, those "I'm so clever" monkeys may end up as "road kill" (which normally happens since Mother Nature sorts things out that way a lot).
You talk like that at the bar or in a shelter?
:p
dude. it's the internet. no worries :)
You are the man friend - look forward to buying you a beer(s) when I get to Damascus next :D
You talk like that at the bar or in a shelter?
:p
Neither :)
Sadly, some folks will try carrying their steel wool and 9v battery in the same ziplock bag.
BTW, steel wool makes a great emergency toothbrush........
He's the same guy you banter(ed) with at the bar in Damascus where you drink after EMT work Dave (steadily the days I and he and you were there) when he's down from NH "working" at MRO or otherwise just hanging out in town (e.g., for the Gathering).
It's amusing to me to start a thread about a somewhat weird bit of trivia that was shared with me by somebody else (who isn't a backpacker himself but is into "survivalism"-type things) only to have that thread/bit of trivia (which was intended to be amusing and nothing more) condescendingly called "useless". It's one thing to opine that people may never, ever use the information - my guess is that that opinion, had it been offered instead, is dead on and so I'd agree with it wholeheartedly. It's a completely different thing to say it's "useless". It's only "useless" if you don't have any other way of starting a fire or, perhaps, some other way to "amuse" yourself.
BTW and FWIW, the original reference to me from my friend came from the "Bear Grylis" series; his link happened to come from Backpacker Magazine, which I don't even read, although judging from several of the disparaging responses here some people do, even though they may deny/be ashamed to admit. That said, information is information regardless of the source. If, as the TV car commercial says, we as a species are defined by the tools (and tool skills) we use, then the "clever monkeys" accumulate tools/tool skills that they might need to use (however unlikely the circumstance) instead of passing judgment on whether a clearly potentially useful tool skill may someday be needed at all. If it turns out that that skill is needed, hopefully those same "clever monkeys" will "swallow hard" and use it. Otherwise, those "I'm so clever" monkeys may end up as "road kill" (which normally happens since Mother Nature sorts things out that way a lot).
I know Jack, too! ;)
Sadly, some folks will try carrying their steel wool and 9v battery in the same ziplock bag.
BTW, steel wool makes a great emergency toothbrush........
Is 9v enough to purify water? Gotta get that "multi-use" thing going. :-?
Is 9v enough to purify water? Gotta get that "multi-use" thing going. :-?
I think the procedure is to throw a steel wool pad and 9v battery inside a Nalgene bottle, fill it with pond water, screw on the lid, shake, then let it sit for 20 minutes. Surely there's a YouTube video.
That's how the idea of the SteriPen started right???
Closely related experiment: Cool music, too!
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=youtube coke and mentos&tnr=21&vid=1502701355968&l=178&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fvideos%2Fthumb nail.aspx%3Fq%3D1502701355968%26id%3D86c7cd8f94c95 102117994f1bbb30b1c%26bid%3DvBuVBIP4mdPvmQ%26bn%3D Thumb%26url%3Dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch %3fv%3dhKoB0MHVBvM&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhK oB0MHVBvM&sigr=11aevdf49&newfp=1&tit=Diet+Coke+%2B+Mentos
(What non-hikers do with their spare time because they don't have Whiteblaze). :D
Pathfinder1
01-07-2012, 15:58
Hi...
While you're at it, would you mind knitting me a stove?
Hi...
While you're at it, would you mind knitting me a stove?
Would you like buttons or zippers on that?
Hooks and eyes - he's Amish. :p
You know those magnesium things. I've had the same one for years and always found it hard to scrape off some shavings. The trick is to hold the knife at a 90 degree angle and go back and forth. Can't remember but I think the backside of the blade works just as well, and saves the edge. I know a lighter is easier, but I like the indestructability of the thing. What would be better would be if it had some other everyday use, so I would be less likely to leave it home. I made a pot holder out of mine by cutting a slot, and it worked until the riveted clip on the pot broke off.
Any other ideas what to make one of those magnesium flints into, for everyday use?
Wise Old Owl
01-07-2012, 16:21
This probably goes under Homemade Gear, but I'm thinking of making a steel wool sweater for wearing in camp. Anyone ever tried that?
It's been done before......
14815
Wise Old Owl
01-07-2012, 16:24
You know those magnesium things. I've had the same one for years and always found it hard to scrape off some shavings. The trick is to hold the knife at a 90 degree angle and go back and forth. Can't remember but I think the backside of the blade works just as well, and saves the edge. I know a lighter is easier, but I like the indestructability of the thing. What would be better would be if it had some other everyday use, so I would be less likely to leave it home. I made a pot holder out of mine by cutting a slot, and it worked until the riveted clip on the pot broke off.
Any other ideas what to make one of those magnesium flints into, for everyday use?
Jak there's no trick - it starts with a decent knife - sharper than stainless steel. (Swiss) Even though I used a swiss to make this picture, IMO it goes dull to fast, and to be honest a micro white bic lighter is fairly indistructable.
14816
I stopped carrying this bar after I learned I could gather sap nodules off of pines and other trees and make a fuzz stick and use that for a starter.
You know those magnesium things. I've had the same one for years and always found it hard to scrape off some shavings. The trick is to hold the knife at a 90 degree angle and go back and forth. Can't remember but I think the backside of the blade works just as well, and saves the edge. I know a lighter is easier, but I like the indestructability of the thing. What would be better would be if it had some other everyday use, so I would be less likely to leave it home. I made a pot holder out of mine by cutting a slot, and it worked until the riveted clip on the pot broke off.
Any other ideas what to make one of those magnesium flints into, for everyday use?
Here: http://firesteel.com/ - Lighter and easier. I have both. The magnesium does work, but it dulls your knife incredibly fast, necessitating a honing block of some type (though a piece of shale will do).
If you have a good fuel (like gasoline, oil [cooking oil will do] potato chips - really - alcohol, birch bark, dry tinder, etc. the Firesteels work great).
In sunny weather you can use a magnifying glass, make a prism out of ice, eyeglasses, broken bits of glass, etc. to start a fire in dry tinder.
OR:............................you can use a Bic! ;)
If you find a good use for your old mag. block let me know. :)
SunnyWalker
05-22-2012, 14:56
I liked the video, hilarious with the music n all. Fun,fu. I also subscribe to n read Backpacker Mag. It does a good job at promoting backpacking!
Steel Wool? I guess it goes with the paracord survival bracelet?
quilteresq
05-22-2012, 15:26
I bought a fire starting steel. For the life of me, I can't start my alcohol stove with a lighter without burning my finger tips. I know the "how to" pages tell you to use your index finger, but I can't light the lighter that way. No burned fingers with the fire steel. And no worries about wet matches.
rocketsocks
05-22-2012, 15:53
This probably goes under Homemade Gear, but I'm thinking of making a steel wool sweater for wearing in camp. Anyone ever tried that?Even the thought of that is just yyyyyyikes!!!don't stand around anyone recharging a battery or cell phone.:eek:Puff up in smoke.:sun
I bought a fire starting steel. For the life of me, I can't start my alcohol stove with a lighter without burning my finger tips. I know the "how to" pages tell you to use your index finger, but I can't light the lighter that way. No burned fingers with the fire steel. And no worries about wet matches.
Swedish fire steel is a very handy tool for that purpose and as a general backup. Bic will work great in most conditions, but for what you've described and for times when its too wet or windy for a Bic, a fire steel can be indispensable.
Steel wool and battery is a neat trick but pretty much a last ditch thing you should never need to do while backpacking. If you get to the point where you need to make fire the hard way (which you won't), bow drill is a hell of a lot more plausible to construct.
Odd Man Out
05-22-2012, 17:07
I bought a fire starting steel. For the life of me, I can't start my alcohol stove with a lighter without burning my finger tips. I know the "how to" pages tell you to use your index finger, but I can't light the lighter that way. No burned fingers with the fire steel. And no worries about wet matches.
This is good to know. I have considered adding the fire steel to my kit as a fire starting backup, but wondered how well it would work for lighting alcohol stoves.
theinfamousj
05-23-2012, 01:47
For the life of me, I can't start my alcohol stove with a lighter without burning my finger tips. I know the "how to" pages tell you to use your index finger, but I can't light the lighter that way.
Another way to start an alchie stove with a lighter is with a stick. Dip the end of the stick in alcohol. Use the lighter to light the alcoholed end of the stick. Use the now-flaming stick like a match. Blow out stick. No burned fingers.
rocketsocks
05-23-2012, 01:52
Another way to start an alchie stove with a lighter is with a stick. Dip the end of the stick in alcohol. Use the lighter to light the alcoholed end of the stick. Use the now-flaming stick like a match. Blow out stick. No burned fingers.Brilliant!
I bought a fire starting steel. For the life of me, I can't start my alcohol stove with a lighter without burning my finger tips. I know the "how to" pages tell you to use your index finger, but I can't light the lighter that way. No burned fingers with the fire steel. And no worries about wet matches.
I've tried starting the alcohol stove with it. It works but I worry about knocking over the stove and spilling alcohol everywhere. It took me about six tries before I heard it poof when I practiced.
I've tried starting the alcohol stove with it. It works but I worry about knocking over the stove and spilling alcohol everywhere. It took me about six tries before I heard it poof when I practiced.
For something like that, the trick is to hold the striker just above where you want the sparks and pull the fire steel back towards you. Most people run the striker down the steel (Useful in other scenarios but not this one) and this is what makes it hard to control since you're basically punching at what you want to light instead of pulling away from it. The hand with the little striker remains stationary (left in my case), the hand with the fire steel pulls back quickly.
Whack-a-mole
05-23-2012, 14:09
When I'm hiking, I refuse to wash dishes, therefore I have no steel wool. I do carry a 9V battery though, I enjoy licking the terminals. I meant to post that under the "what do you do when bored at a shelter" thread.....AND YES I'M JUST KIDDING, DON'T BE POSTING ABOUT HOW WARPED I AM. I GET THAT ENOUGH ALLREADY...