If you think that starting a fire in the wilderness is an easy task, try doing it without a lighter or matches. So, you’ll need a char cloth to do its magic. But what is char cloth exactly? I will explain to you in detail about this fascinating piece of material and how it can help you ignite a fire in a minute.
In my long year experience as a person that likes to spend time in challenging conditions, I have found this old method of lighting a fire to be quite effective and also very easy to create actually.
It took me quite some time to master the technique, but I have found the ideal way to create the char cloth instead of purchasing it. First, let me tell you more about what char cloth is and other useful things you need to know.
What Is Char Cloth?
As simple as it can get, char cloth is a piece of material created with a process called pyrolysis that you can use to ignite a fire.
Generally, you can create it from any cloth that’s 100% cotton, linen, or any other organically derived. The char cloth was mainly used in medieval times and is still in existence nowadays, although not so popular.
Origin and Purpose
Let me guess; you were probably this day old when you first learned about the term char cloth, and since you are here, you are probably wondering what it is and how you can use it.
Surprisingly enough, it has existed for centuries, and it’s one of the most effective methods to ignite a fire for a good reason. It’s pretty lightweight and easy to make.
Not to get too scientific around here, the process that’s created it’s called pyrolysis, which means heating any organic material, like cotton or linen, without oxygen, so what you end up with is a blackened and very fine-looking cloth that can ignite in a second.
The reason why it’s called char is that the material used it’s cooked inside a metal vessel without direct contact with the fire; I will speak more about this in the next section, where I’ll also share my guide on how to make it yourself.
Char cloth’s practices and good uses
Since I like reading history, especially medieval times, one of the things I was always wondering was how those people lit the fire, and there is how I found the answer – char cloth. Since people didn’t invent matches until the 1800s, it’s more than certain that people knew some alternative methods.
However, one problem existed: people didn’t have that many spare materials to waste on char cloths, so they started using alternative methods to light fire.
Although people don’t often use char cloth nowadays, if you consider going camping or a wild expedition out in the open, it wouldn’t hurt to have a tin of a couple of char cloths due to the magic. It will help you instantly light a fire instead of bothering with the other methods that might not be so effective.
Read More: What Is in a Mess Kit?
How to Create Char Cloth the Easiest Way
Now that you know everything regarding char cloth, let’s see how to make one. Before you begin, you’ll need to gather together all the necessary tools to make it:
- Piece of cloth that’s 100% cotton
- Tin with a closing lid
- Get a heat source
Cut the material into pieces
For the most important part, choose a material that’s 100% cotton. You can wear any old clothes however I recommend wearing jeans. If you don’t have one, you can use any other type of cloth that’s made of plant fiber so that it will cause a pyrolysis reaction.
Once you have your cloth, start cutting it into small pieces, but make sure they can fit into the can.
Place the material in the tin
When it comes to the metal container, anything can do it as long as it has a lid. I prefer using Altoids tin or just a basic tuna can. Even though it’s unnecessary, depending on the metal container, you’ll want to open a little hole to act as a vent.
Be careful not to make it too large; otherwise, the cloth will ignite and burn completely. Now place the piece of cloth you have cut into the can and close the lid.
Light a fire and burn the material
Any heat source will work; I prefer an open fire since it’s most effective, or you can use the stove on a medium heat setting.
Put the container directly on the fire and wait for a couple of minutes. If you see a giant smoke coming out, turn down the stove; what you want to have is a nice and steady one that will slowly burn the cloth.
After approximately two minutes, you’ll notice smoke coming out of the tin; depending on how thin the cloth is, it might take some time to be done. Then, remove the tin from the fire for about 20-30 minutes.
Let the tin cool for some time, then open it
Finally, when you are done with the burning, don’t rush to open the tin just yet since the immediate change of oxygen temperature might lead to combustion. Even though this has never happened to me, it’s best not to take a risk, so let the tin cool for some time before you open it.
However, how do you know if you successfully made the char cloth? – It is easy; it will be completely black. So this means that if there are any brown parts on it, it didn’t stay in the fire long enough.
You shouldn’t worry too much about this; repeat the process; in fact, there is only a slight chance that you’ll be able to do it right from the first time.
Also Read: What Is a Tarp Made Of?
Conclusion
I hope you have learned what is char cloth and how to easily make one. If you go camping or in the woods, it might be a convenient thing for you!