How to light a Kelly Kettle

[@ensignj3242]

You are the first reviewer who knew how to properly light this kettle. Well done. It irritates me when a reviewer doesn’t read how to properly operate a tool.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thank you, I get the feeling a lot of reviewers have barely even used the equipment before they review it. I aim to get at least a years use of something so I can properly review how it performs long-term and have a better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses

[@davidknowles7466]

Just bought a Kelly kettle this morning can't wait to get out and give it a go, but these videos are really helpful for someone who hasn't used one before.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Glad you find my video useful and good luck!

[@AdventUK]

A friend of mine we met up in Yorkshire to go Metal Detecting.. Tim is joiner by trade so has plentifull access to wood shavings from working with a plane, and also pieces of timber cut into about 2 two inch long by half an inch wide. Getting his Kelly Kettle going was simple enough and a hot brew was in my hands in no time at all.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Great use of a waste stream there! I do often wonder whether I should be putting down a tarp to catch the woodchips whenever I teach wood carving.

[@MrBigCookieCrumble]

Thanks for a lovely video, got a kelly kettle (trekker) and tried it out in the garden, was a bit tricky to keep alive but i now realize not only did i use too little fuel, but also too thick pieces, so thank you and love from sweden!

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Yes, they are incredibly tricky to get going, I'd say using too little or too large kindling at the start is where 90% of people struggle with firefighting. Happy kettling and thank you for your comment!

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Make a wigwam shape in the base using thin split dry kindling - tie the top with jute twine so it holds its shape.Fill the center of the wigwam with tinder (newspaper/firelighter etc)

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Mine’s evolved into a non-tend stove by making a wigwam of kindling sticks held together with jute twine so it keeps its shape,put timder in the middle and in the hole opening then put the stove top on and pre-load it with several sticks higher than the top. Now when you light the tinder you can just walk away - no need to tend it.👍

[@johnseddon2955]

Thank you for these 2 methods and the reasoning ‘ details behind them. I particularly liked method 1 as it looks really effective - perhaps especially in adverse conditions (windy and rainy). I would never have thought if it by myself. I find lighting the Kelly kettle difficult and will try this out. Thank you so much

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Great that you found this video helpful and thank you for the comment. Good luck with the Kelly!

[@kristinaviolette5081]

Valuable information! Thanks for sharing. I have these fire starter but have never tried to use. After watching this I realized I had no idea how to start a fire 🙄

[@BrackenOutdoors]

You are welcome, it's a learning experience and everyone starts at the beginning at some point.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

I make mine into a non-tend stove by making a wigwam of kindling sticks in the base held together with jute twine so it keeps its shape,then put the stove top on and pre-load it with several sticks higher than the top. Now when you light it you can just walk away - no need to tend it.👍

[@ocsapy]

That is a neat way to start 😎 never seen it done that way before ... I have ordered one so can't wait ... THANKS

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Let me know how you get on, they can be tricky beasts

[@ocsapy]

Wow Hot Water in Super Quick Time 1.5ltrs ... 1st burn the traditional way filling the fire box can take some time preparing the right size kindling ... so long as your not in a rush no sweat ... But tried your way once fully cooled down by filling the chimney "SO MUCH QUICKER" and any size wood that fits in the chimney so much quicker all round ... also cooked some chicken on a small carbon pan surprised how little wood you need ... Great Piece of Kit will be used when Canoe Camping ... 👍😎👍

[@BrackenOutdoors]

@@ocsapy Great to hear, they are very efficient and will take less than ideal fuel once they get going.

[@edphillips5952]

Thank you Bracken really helpful and straightforward with an easy explanation

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Citizen-pg8eu]

Very helpful. The stuff method! I never would have thought of that!

[@terencewilkinson961]

The kelly kettles now have a whistling bung which seals the water in but allows the steam to escape and as a result boils even faster and keeps the bung from dangling all over the place.. also alerts you when water has boiled. Great video.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Definitely a design improvement, however because I have both types of bung in my kit and people will encounter older kettles I keep it simple and recommend that the people on my session don't use it.

[@kenhutchinson9947]

Been using a large kelly kettle as well as a small mkettle. Love them both. Quite amazing how fast they are, and how little wood they consume. I normally just use a diy firestarter, or a shot of alcohol to light them, both of which work well. But i really like your log cabin base method. I'll incorporate that into what i do. Thanks for posting, great video.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

I have been seriously tempted by the Mkettle, I may just have to give in and get one to have a play. A good firestarter really does help get things going well and I do keep a few as back up if I really need to get it on fast. Thank you for your kind words and happy hot brews!

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Mine’s evolved into a non-tend stove by making a wigwam of kindling sticks held together with jute twine so it keeps its shape,then put the stove top on and pre-load it with several sticks higher than the top. Now when you light it you can just walk away - no need to tend it.👍

[@BrackenOutdoors]

@@redpillnibbler4423 that makes a whole lot of sense, I'll be giving that a go at the next opportunity I have.

[@OsmanKErol]

You can well hang the cap over the pouring orifice. By doing so you will protect it from touching dirty ground. Simply slide the cahin over the pouring orifice.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

That's a neat tip, I presume you mean it hangs off the spout.

[@OsmanKErol]

@@BrackenOutdoors Yes. The spout keeps the chain in place. Pay attentiın to the kettle 's handle in order not to interfere with the chain

[@BrackenOutdoors]

@@OsmanKErol Makes sense, thanks for the tip.

[@icanary64]

Best tutorial on lighting the kelly kettle I've seen.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thank you, they are tricksy things to light.

[@oscar38]

Interesting method. Packing the chimney before you light the base. I'll have to try that. I've found that a hollowed out piece of elder, or a 6" long sml diameter tube to blow through directed through the base hole really helps if your fire is struggling.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

That's a good tip, it can a pretty delicate balance between airflow and the amount of fuel. If the base is too crowded it can restrict the airflow, I would imagine that adding oxygen directly would really help things along.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Even slightly damp kindling makes it much harder to get going,especially of there’s no wind.A pocket bellows is invaluable in these conditions.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Mine’s evolved into a non-tend stove by making a wigwam of kindling sticks held together with jute twine so it keeps its shape,put tinder under the wigwam and in the hole opening,then put the stove top on and pre-load it with several dry straightish sticks higher than the top. Now when you light it you can just walk away - no need to tend it.👍

[@Oldsparkey]

I carry two small containers with me to light wet wood. One container has Potassium Manganate and the other Glycerin. To start a campfire that does not want to start with a ferro rod. I put down some of the Potassium Manganate ( Not a lot ) and when I'm ready for the fire I add a little Glycerin to it very carefully and the chemical reaction starts a blaze in 20 to 30 seconds. The two containers are sealed and carried in separate parts of my pack.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Yep, a very effective firelighting tool to have in your arsenal. Great when you need to get a fire going no matter what.

[@tomdonaghy8757]

Well done, sir! I am intuitively using method#2, works well. Seems you have used a lot more fuel than needed to get to a boil….the big takeaway is to get your fuel sized and organized before setting fire to it. Nice work, happy camping!

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thank you. I think I tend to overpack with fuel as a habit as I generally do more than one boil with the group sizes that I work with, that way I ensure a good supply of embers for the next load of water.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Mines evolved into a non-tend super frugal stove by making a wigwam of kindling sticks held together with jute twine so it keeps its shape,then put the stove top on and pre-load it with several sticks higher than the top. Now when you light it you can just walk away - no need to tend it.👍

[@void_presence]

the newer (green-colored) bungs/stoppers on Kelly Kettles do not need to be removed (and is recommended to keep them in actually); it has a vent and whistles when the water boils.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

You are correct. However, as I have a mixture of old and new kettles in my kit, in the interests of consistency (and the potential dangers involved with getting this wrong) I have decided it is better just to teach that all bungs are removed before operating the kettle.

[@mrwes100]

Great technique.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@michaeldavidson1146]

Really enjoyed your video...Best to you.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thanks Michael, it's good to know that you enjoyed watching.

[@npsmediasolutions]

Thank you for your video very informed now :)

[@BrackenOutdoors]

You are welcome, always happy to have helped.

[@GeorgeAdventure101]

Looks great 😍 I'm waiting a good deals for kelly kettle base camp kit. I can't wait to order my kit😭

[@BrackenOutdoors]

It's about the right time of year, look out for sales around Christmas.

[@GeorgeAdventure101]

@@BrackenOutdoors Thanks for the tip👍👍👍

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Just spotted that Kelly Kettle are doing 10% off and free shipping for the rest of the month of November. Hope this helps.

[@peetsnort]

Slowly. Then little bits often till roaring. People forget the water is a massive heat sink initially

[@BrackenOutdoors]

That makes sense it being a heat sink, I had not thought of it that way. Once it gets going it's pretty easy to keep it going.

[@79smallfry]

Does anyone know would it be okay to use charcoal briquette for kindling

[@BrackenOutdoors]

There is no major reason why you shouldn't be able to. Charcoal would just take quite a bit more time to get going and last longer after the water is boiled. So unless you are looking to boil the kettle multiple times in a row, I would personally go for something else.

[@jeffschuler5659]

Try Lump coal for a quick/hot start.

[@tommiller9743]

How did you get the outside of the kettle so stained... are you allowing flames to go on the outside, too?

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Sometimes errant branches mean that there isn't a perfect seal between the kettle and the base, I have also in a pinch used these on top of open fires (not recommended).

[@Cetok01]

Didn't you forget to put the water in the kettle. The manufacturer warns that doing so would destroy the kettle by causing the metal to warp.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Yep, you've got keen eyes there. I was a little too focussed on the camera etc. and forgot to fill the kettle at first and ended up cutting out the filling of it in the editing process to make a more smooth video. It would be a bad idea to boil it dry, but thankfully I remembered it in time .

[@ghq113]

Dude !! No water 💦

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Thankfully the magic of editing saved the day before I ruined a kettle. The perils of multitasking filming, teaching and doing.

[@Pwecko]

The first method was terrible. It blocks the chimney and creates lots of smoke.

[@BrackenOutdoors]

Yes, the stuff method will kick out a lot of smoke as it gets going. If you are having trouble with airflow, I'd recommend trying thinner, springier branches (birch is perfect) which will help keep it all in but allow space for airflow and hopefully less smoke.