The Ultimate Char Material - Don't Waste Your Time On Char Cloth Again!

It's been a while since we had a new edition to the Ultimate series, and today we look at what I truly believe is the ultimate charred material. The secret is 100% cotton rope. A subscriber out of Florida sent me already charred rope as well as tons of fresh rope for me literally maybe 3 years ago. I have long since forgotten who it was so if it was you, leave your name down it the comments below!
#charcloth #firestarting #bushcraft
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[@davidburkhalter8262]

I sent you the cotton rope because I had used it for a long time and loved the results. I really like the Ferro rod with turned handle you sent me in return. Enjoy!!

[@johnmichaels4330]

That was a great idea. Thanks.

[@crysknife007]

Yeah! Awesome, I'll be trying this out sometime.

[@panpiper]

Nice discovery. Thanks for sharing it.

[@sandygillilan1169]

If I may ask do you have a link were you got the 100% cotton rope?

[@TheGiveittomeall]

​@Sandy Gillilan mop heads are typically 100% cotton. They make for great wicks as well.

[@kvonzwild8979]

Put a hole in it if your tin has no gas escape rout such as hinges. In a round tin drip a hole through the side of the lid and the tin body. That way when you carry it you can easily keep crud out and material inside protected by merely twisting the top so the two holes do not align. Try it, you will like it.

[@papajeff5486]

GOOD IDEA

[@ArsenalFC-hp7xr]

Very smart!

[@jeanwatson189]

Thanks, that's a great tip!

[@melodyclark4347]

Great idea. I actually saw what you said in technicolor.

[@SaItyStudios]

Genius

[@derekmcmaster6123]

Dollar Store Cotton Mop Heads are my go to for this

[@user-te5jl9rg7w]

you said it first Bro...........get hundreds for the price of one

[@camojoe83]

With charred rope, you can use a modified rifle casing to act as a handle and a snuffer for it. Cut the primer end off, stuff char rope into the bottom so it starts coming out the neck, and presto! You have a handle that snuffs your coal off the end, or if you trim chunks off to use,you have a way to handle the rest of the rope without destroying it or getting black all over.

[@MellowsPlay]

big brain tips

[@TopsailOutdoorAdventures]

My man! 👍

[@pedroclaro7822]

So a trench lighter, but for char cloth. Awesome

[@tikkidaddy]

Or you can dip the same rope in beeswax, put the same sleeve on it and simply char the end...

[@canucanoe2861]

Stellar tip!

[@C.Earl77]

I've used cotton cordage for char for years. I was getting cotton mop heads for free and cutting them up and braiding them together then char them up. Not only is the burn longer but catches a spark from flint and steel wicked easy due to the increased surface area of the individual strands. Thank for the video!!

[@arctodussimus6198]

I was about to suggest mop heads. I get them from work (used), and found them to be great to char. Or, wet them down and rub black powder on them. When dry, they catch really well. And when you blow your fire, it smells like fireworks. 😊

[@JH-6]

@@arctodussimus6198 cant beat that price!

[@thermalreboot]

I thought I was the only person who discovered cotton mop heads for char. I also soak a mop strand in wax to make waterproof tinder.

[@motrock93b]

Great idea! Please explain why you braid them together. Won’t individual strands also char acceptably (ie, when field making it in an Altoids tin)?

[@C.Earl77]

@@motrock93b I braid them together because it looks good to me. That's really the only reason I do the braid. I left the individual mop strands loose when I made them into char and they work the same. No real reason other than aesthetics.

[@Gator-357]

I've been using rope or tighly rolled denim or cotton for years. I thought everyone knew about this. I like to ignite the smoke. It helps to know when you've reached temp and when it stops burning, your char is almost complete.

[@brookeggleston9314]

With a smaller hole - 1/16-1/32, if you put your can in a campfire, the gases will self-ignite. With a twisted rope, such as was used in the video, you might be better off dividing the strands before you char it. Cheers!

[@andrewk6567]

I have been using rope like that for years reenacting 18th century. I found mine at Hobby Lobby in the home decorating area. Some cotton work rope is treated with fire retardant but this decorating rope was not. Great content Sir!

[@dr.froghopper6711]

That’s how I came across it as well.

[@melodyclark4347]

Thank you.

[@northwoodsrat6686]

I was hoping someone in the comments would point us to where this stuff could be found - thanks, Andrew! 🙏

[@davidvaughn7752]

​@@melodyclark4347 thanks! appreciate the info - getting some tomorrow to try out!

[@garyminick1050]

Great piece of info .

[@jackieburns638]

This char rope is a game changer 😮indeed!!!! You are SO RIGHT! Thank you for the heads up tip! I will definitely get me some rope to char and try this ASAP! Thank you 🙏 again for all you do and your help! You don’t get enough thank yous 🙏 and thank you for being a doctor and helping people! We need more good 👍 doctors like you!!!! So glad you enjoy the great outdoors also!!!! Keep putting out great videos!!! We all enjoy 😉 watching them!!! ALWAYS so informative!!!! 🙏👍🤓😎

[@bigsean8088]

Love ur videos. My favorite part is telling my wife i have the same interests as a doctor.

[@corwinchristensen260]

Any natural rope or cordage ... cotton, manilla, jute ... they all work really well. Charred rope is the ember of choice for matchlock firearms.

[@JH-6]

I like to use lamp wick. Like the rope it is more dense than cloth and lasts quite nice. Probably a little more expensive, but easy to find and packs tightly. I get mine at the local Wally World in candle and lamp section. Thanks for sharing.

[@Olyphoto7]

Thanks Ernie. I just switched to charred rope last year, it is a game changer. Funny how we evolve from basic cotton to denim to rolled denim to rope. I wonder what’s next? Thanks for doing this series, I think it will open lots of new possibilities and opportunities.

[@jasonpip5417]

I just really appreciate when I'm just learning and not having influencers selling..thank you..

[@maxlutz3674]

thanks for the video. I use an old for shoe wax for my char material. The tin has an excenter to help open it. That works fine. I have some ends of cotton rope for magicians. Those ends are left over from tricks. I soaked some wax. Now I´ll try the char rope.

[@ifell3]

I've always added something over the hole once the smoke has stopped - only because that's what they do with charcoal. Not to sure if that's because they have more quantity inside. Looks awesome, now looking for some cotton rope 🤣

[@georgevanaken925]

I’ve always used denim. It’s a strong char cloth. One pair of old, was going to toss ‘em jeans, makes a great amount. I’m going to try the rope! Thanks.

[@tonysmith5924]

I’ve used Tee shirt material and denim, both work very well!

[@pedroclaro7822]

This is absolute fantastic! I’ve had a trench lighter for about a year and it works awesomely, but I just tried charring the rope and swapping it out and it works perfectly! The non charred version flames up, but it burns way quicker, and less hot. Overall this is a very nice thing to know, and I will definetly be using it on my next trip

[@johnmichaels4330]

Quick tip: hold the striker above the charcloth and draw the ferro rod back towards yourself. It helps keep you from messing up the combustion bundle/charcloth.

[@petemitchell6788]

Not when you’re shaving off magnesium for your starter bundle. Do you bro.

[@billyandrew]

Not setting alight to the smoke/gas is something I've never seen before. Once the gas flame dies it's done. Still, each to their own. Thanks for uploading.

[@aaronginther3831]

Good video Ernie, You should try charred punk wood.

[@northwind7409]

Some years ago, I charred a bunch of 1" pieces of 1/4" cotton sash cord (braided rope). It was quite early in my foray into serious bushcraft, so my techniques weren't what they are now. It worked, but I wasn't overly impressed. Could have been because the rope was very old and dirty. Anyway, you've inspired me to give it another try this year. Always good videos. Thanks.

[@ravendon]

There's an even easier way to use cotton rope. Lookup sailor lighters. It's a replaceable zippo style flint striker attached to a tube holding a cotton rope. You burn the end or pre char. Then you use it like a lighter and strike the lighter to send sparks directly to the charred end of rope.

[@genkiferal7178]

Marijuana smokers use that kind of lighter, but with waxed hemp twine. The lighters are found on sites catering to pot smokers - and on Amazon.

[@charlescollier7217]

Can confirm. Cotton rope is beautiful stuff. Even without charring, it holds an ember for a long time.

[@kokopelau6954]

1/2"cotton cording, the kind used in furniture trim is even better. Or, just take any 100% cloth, tightly roll it up, char it, and it will be just as good or better. A big jute rope is really good as well.

[@brianwhite9555]

If we think of the burning char material as an ember, then the thicker charred rope ember lasted longer and, as you stated, produced more heat. This would give a person a better chance of getting their tinder bundle started. I have used this pyrolysis technique to turn sticks, pine cones, hickory nut husks, feathers, and even bones into charcoal. While watching your video I had an idea for you to try(another excuse to make a good video). Completely fill your tin with small sticks, char them properly, then when they're cooled off grind them into a powder. Go outside, prepare a tinder bundle, pour 1 tablespoon worth of charcoal powder in the center of your bundle, then apply a spark. Blow on tinder bundle as you normally would. I'd like to know how well this powdered charcoal works, and it may make an interesting video. A hiker could easily carry a sandwich sized zip-lock bag of this powder in a backpack, along with some of the charred rope. Just a thought. :)

[@joesinakandid528]

THE best char tin I found was a very small metal wood stain can (looks like a miniature gallon paint can). A less than 1/4" hole in the top and 'cooked' as normal. When taken off the fire a twig, whittled down to a long tapered plug is forced into the hole to prevent air from being pulled back inside when the gasses inside cool. If that hole isn't plugged the "returning" oxygen can sometimes allow the charred material to ignite. If the wind accidentally hits an un-stoppered vent hole just right then the atmospheric oxygen in the air can enter the can and only ash is left.

[@marcrobyn4844]

Been putting together 2 fire kits recently. Just saw this video. Personally I really like duct tape. The char looks kind of messy compared to the other things I am putting together, but that rope gave me an ideal. I am going to try cutting it into the small lengths, soak in paraffin and an accelerant. IMO that will be a little cleaner for storage and you would get a burn off of that material.

[@garywood702]

You're not wrong about the charred cotton rope. Stuff is amazing and I've been using it for many years now. I bought a length of twisted cotton rope at Tractor Supply to use as pack straps for a Roycroft pack frame and unraveled some of the excess and charred it for charred material.

[@larrythompson7482]

Been using denim for years and really like it but..........this looks good, very good! Big box hardware here I come! Thanks for great tip.....or the other guy in Florida...thanks!!

[@richardhenry1969]

I really enjoy your content. I've bounced around from knife community back when they used to find cheap quality. Then bushcraft and backpacking. Anyway it seems nowadays the different sites just push expensive gear. What gets me is nobody could use the stuff as fast as they switch up. Anyway I enjoy your content trying to make camping hiking easier.

[@papajeff5486]

Ernie, GOOD IDEA, good to see you back. Have missed your nice articulate, well organized videos. Thank you for sharing. IMHO, a Bic Lighter, accelerant on a cotton eye swab, is handy too.

[@B-leafer]

My opinion, The real test of whether char cloth is good, is to use flint and steel. If you can start a fire with flint and steel (not ferro rod) then you have something to put in your kit worth the trouble of making it.

[@jimthomas1989]

I have started char clothe with Ferro Rod , Flint and Steel and Solar Ignition , Solar Ignition - 4 inch Magnifying Glass Cool name you have , sounds familiar

[@davidvaughn7752]

Agreed! That would be a more difficult task. I'm upping my game and trying to get proficient with flint and steel. Cotton rope seems to be the best.

[@jimthomas1989]

@@davidvaughn7752 , Flint and Steel is Fairly easy , I only been doing it for 6 weeks and got good at it , I have a KZbin video in my name with 1989 behind it if you are interested in watching , I even light a Fire with my Boots !

[@davidvaughn7752]

@@jimthomas1989 ok, Jim. Sounds good. Will check out for sure. Thanks.

[@skyraider2021]

Try cutting a strip of denim about 6" long by 2/3" wide. roll it up as tight as you can & char it. It will develop a cherry on the end like a cigar. See how that will start your bird nest with that big hot cherry. I love it rolled char cloth

[@Kenbur]

I got my char rope from a small shop in Connecticut so can't help the remembering bit, BUT I can tell you that the char rope for catching sparks, lasting longer than just a piece of cloth, and starting fires is absolutely awesome and I concur with your Ultimate category Doc.

[@robertstricker9154]

I've made chard rope before and it works great, I normally use old blue jeans especially the thick seams because I don't have to spend money on it

[@jbates1463]

years ago I found out that using old wrangler jeans to make char cloth was far better then your typical thin cotton material. I can only imagine how awesome this stuff must be. thanks for sharing! I will have to try this out.

[@craigmooring2091]

When switching back and forth in talking about charred material, it's easier just to use the generic "char". It could be wood, punkwood, cloth, rope, etc. A variation on rope as char is lampwick. You insert a length of it through a close-fitting section of tubing. Then you extrude a short portion and light it to get it started. You get a quarter inch or so well charred and pull the uncharred end to retract the burnt end into the tube and extinguish it. Now you have some char protected in the tube for when you need it to catch a spark. You can lay the charred end in your tinder bundle, blow it to flame, and pull the tube out. The end of the wick will still be charred (or burning) and you can let it make a bit more charred wick before extinguishing it if you want to. The advantage of this method is that wick is much, MUCH less fragile than the char, and much less messy to handle, while you still always have some char for the next time you need it to start a fire.

[@genkiferal7178]

I just read that 1/4th" cotton lamp wicks are also good for all kinds of candles including homemade oil lamps. Is that too thick?

[@MotherMartini]

I've been using a product called SURVIVAL TORCH an all in one firestarter kit. Purchased off Amazon. Liked so much it's now my go to gift for any outdoors person in my life (especially the spouse). Comes with length of waxed burlap cording you feed through metal tube and attached ferro rod and strick plate housed in a small burlap bag. Excellent for beginners as you just pull out a small measure of the cord out of housing end, place that end to ground and strike ferro downward to create spark and flame on piece of cord exposed. This is now your match to light fire. Truly an all in one device. Also use two cotton rounds with blop of vasoline sandwiched in between and stacked cookie style into plastic waterproof container. These burn up to 5 minutes on its own. Great for damp conditions. Thanks for great content.

[@pB-vp3mo]

I remember receiving a flint and steel and char kit from Creek Stewart a few years ago. the char was made from 100% cotton Piping used in upholstery from hobby lobby. The piping came in various diameters. The ember from that and your rope looked about the same. I find it amazing how inventive people are and would be interested to see what ideas come from this video. You light a spark and it turns into a fire. How many great ideas come to be from this basic concept. Thanks for the video!

[@beyond990]

Nice one Ernie, now i need to go find me some cotton rope. I do recall some fantasy novels talk about using charred rope in their tinder box but having seen how effective that is i can see why. Catch you again soon 😊

[@michaelthomson5101]

Hey Ernie, First of all it wasn't me who sent you the cordage, so don't worry about the patch (although it would not go to waste). I do think it is a great idea. Going to find some, it looked to be 1/2" diameter, or bigger? Really glad your back, stay tickless.

[@gilesleonard6876]

Sash cord works really well... It's the traditional rope for sash windows, available at most old school hardware shops...... also perfect for making match for matchlock muskets aswell

[@mytuberforyou]

Aluminum cigar tubes work great for stroring it and weigh nothing, but a copper tube with (unsoldered) sweat caps at either end seems to be better for making it.

[@edlibey8177]

Enjoyed your video. Cotton rope is great stuff. For safety sake though I will add: One of the first things I learned as a synthesis chemist was to never heat a vessel that didn’t have an open outlet unless, it was pressure rated with a gauge and over pressure protection device like a pop off valve or rupture disk. So I would urge folks to always make a hole in the top or make sure there was enough openings to allow all gas generated to escape. As a solid is turned into a gas it expands about 1,000 times. If a vessel seals too tightly the gas might become trapped and build up pressure. I think the term we used was catastrophic decompression.

[@cardiacbob]

Good tip. Imma buy a foot of Cotton Rope at Lowe's. That'll last me a good while. Thanks.

[@HickSquatch]

Good stuff. I like your approach. I use makeup pads as char too. I also take spent rifle cartridges and drill out the old primer and stuff a cotton rope in it (I use a mop head) and a matching spent pistol cartridge as a cap. Good tinder tube basically for free, just a little effort. I char the end of the rope and use it to catch sparks and it smolders like a “slow match” for muskets and cannons…or like a cigarette for modern people unfamiliar with early munitions. A bit of rubber inner tube holds the cap on. I used a .308 shell and a 9mm cap (I think: the point is just use whatever fits. I picked them up off the ground out in the desert one day and they fit together and gave me the idea)

[@stevenrobertson6656]

Interesting video. Ps it's normally not the ferro rod, it's the striker. Put a really good 90° on the sticker and it should work much better.

[@TopsailOutdoorAdventures]

Great content, thanks for sharing. Hemp rope works well also.

[@overweighthikerwannabe901]

I know the main focus was that charred rope works better than traditional char cloth, but have you compared how charred rope compares to charred material made from punky wood that can be found free in a forest to use to make char?

[@gtsbrian167]

I've made charred punk wood that burns up to a half hour.

[@OICUR12]

And, what is punk wood?

[@overweighthikerwannabe901]

@@OICUR12 punky wood is from old logs/stumps in the woods where it has gotten soft to the point you can break it up with your hands. Dave Canterbury (was on dual survival I think.) has covered it on his youtube channel

[@OICUR12]

@@overweighthikerwannabe901 learn something new every day, thank you.

[@TheDarkSkorpion]

@@OICUR12 Punk wood is normal tree wood that has deteriorated so it is kind of soft and crumbly, and spongy when you squeeze it. There's a video on youtube by grierwolfe called "the truth about flint and steel" that is the best video on both flint and steel and charred punk wood I've seen. If you're still curious, I'd advise watching that.

[@clintonroushff7068]

Maybe cotton clothes line? I transfer my chared material to an air-tight can to keep out moisture. Thanks Ernie

[@Insolesandlaces]

Great video, also like to use different materials including fine wire wool that burns very hot and works if damp.

[@backwoodstrails]

Been using the charred lamp wick material, will have to try this one.

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. Looks like a great idea and a worthy addition to any fire kit.

[@canadafree2087]

"This is what you need" That is a question I keep asking myself. It is so easy to buy multiple items that serve the same purpose but harder to find out which is the best for you and to stick with it.

[@HarshmanHills]

I have been meaning to try this out for a while. I normally use jeans as my char material

[@teddybear5150]

I need to add charged rope to my fire kit now ! 😲 It is a big game changer..

[@pakleader4]

Very insightful instead of trying to find cloth material can just buy rope and use my stove burner and make as much as I can and store it. Man again your a life saver 🛟 just gotta find some canisters to make it with. You make things a lot more simple to do the craft. Thanks man!!!!!!! SEMPER FI

[@MrDkgio]

You can get the same effect by rolling some flat char cloth up 👍

[@yvonnemcgraw6652]

Thank you, this will be a part of my-list of what we will be teaching our grandkids this summer while camping. Perfect, so easy, doable. Time to find the tins.

[@mr.somebody1493]

I like punk wood, best material to catch a real spark from flint, (not ferrocerium) that I have found and it can be sourced off the landscape. I know because I started a flint and steel fire every day for 9 months once sourcing everything from the land.

[@jleach]

I agree. If you find an old dead pine tree on the ground, you will likely find a lot of punk wood (surrounding a lot of fatwood). I like to make charred punk wood in an open Altoids tin (as demonstrated by NW Primate) by getting the punk wood burning, adding more punk wood, and then closing the tin while it is still burning well. There will then be some uncharred punk wood mixed in with the chared punk wood in the Altoids tin. After you drop sparks in the tin you can blow them into a flame because of the uncharred material, light a tinder bundle, candle, or fatwood (!!), and then add some more uncharred punk wood to replenish before you close the tin. The lid on the Altoids tin makes a good handle for holding the tin with ignited punk wood. In a pine forest you could continue for as long as you want--or until your wife makes you come back.... :-)

[@genkiferal7178]

@@jleach is pine sap very flammable? I thought i read that it was. Maybe it can be "milked" for sap in a similar way to how sap is collected from maple trees?

[@jleach]

@@genkiferal7178 Yes, pine sap is very flammable. It can be scraped off a pine tree where the tree has been damaged, but it can be VERY messy to work with when it is sticky. I prefer to use pine cones, dry pine twigs, or the hardened pine sap in fatwood (heartwood of a dead pine tree). When any of these pine materials are used as firestarters, they will deposit a lot of carbon black on your pots unless you wait until the pine product is burned away.

[@DalemGumino]

Great video sir. Spark ferro rod has a very higher temperature than the spark temperature of ceramics, fossil stone, flint, bamboo Thank you,😊🙏🔥🔥

[@MrMann703]

This video should be good, char cloth is fun to make and I love how easy it is to get a fire going with it

[@brucenykson6184]

Something else that works well for char material is cattail fluff. Pack your tin and throw it in the camp fire. After being chard it doesn't flair up anymore.

[@nickmartino2839]

It's important that you use 100% cotton rope..and it's actually alot harder to find than you'd think...everything seems to either be synthetic or a mix of synthetic rope!!!

[@genkiferal7178]

i spent HOURS yesterday trying to find it for candles and oil lamps - but also in large rolls so can use for clothes line or tying items. All commenters said their orders were coated with stinky stuff and/or just mixed with synthetics. No seller is honest anymore.

[@gregkirchner1108]

Hold the Striker still and draw the Ferro Rod back quickly. You can aim the sparks and not nock you char around.

[@davidvaughn7752]

Exactly. A lot of folks flail around and would get the spark on target if they pulled on the ferro-rod as you point out. Almost always only takes two pulls at most for me.

[@MadDogSurvival]

Yep been doing it for years mate, try jute netting too, it allows more air flow into your initial ember! Best wishes brother 😊👍🏻😎

[@patmancrowley8509]

I learned how to make char-cloth from the "Far North Bushcraft" channel. Lonnie used pillow ticking which seemed to work very well. So I've purchased a length of material, cut it to shape and placed it into the tin. Now all I have to do is put some holes into the tin for burning in a camp fire.

[@Kightravin]

I hate chared cloth. What works for me better with flint and steel is chard punk wood, and it can be done in a long term scenario. The metal match is great but is still limited. Ill still try the rope and see how well it works or not.

[@stcopilot]

I like soaking chunks of rope in melted wax, fluff the end and hit a spark to that and you got instant flame! And its pretty water-proof!

[@Westdesign03]

Never considered making char cloth out of rope like that. Very cool! Thanks for the info. Will definitely be putting that one to use.

[@Shooter11B]

I bought 100ft of 100% cotton cargo strap from the Army. It is wide, flat and super thick. I bet you it is even better than that rope. BUT, that rope is 1000% better than a cut-up t-shirt.

[@heathbecker420]

Take that same rope and and without charring it soak it in a mix of 75% melted paraffin wax 25% lighter fuel (for Zippo style lighters so Zippo/Ronsonal). Cut off an inch or so and fluff one end, it will burst into flame with a spark and then will burn for several minutes with a strong and rather wind-resistant flame. The more lighter fuel you use the easer it is to light with a spark but the softer the end result will be. At about 50/50 mix it starts to not be a wax when hardened and more of a paste. So I find the 3:1 mix of wax to lighter fuel mentioned above is ideal.

[@johnndavis7647]

There are lots of things in nature that can be charred so it will catch a spark that you can blow on while you hold tinder against the ember. One of the best is the fiber between the branches of any kind of a palm tree. The palmetto grows along the coastal areas from South Carolina around to Texas. If you dont have palms you can try any kind of mushroom or fungus that you find growing on a dead tree.

[@RickMidds]

There is an old device from the frontier days that looked like a brass tube with a flint igniter on one end. The cotton rope was fed up the tube as needed then pulled back in to put out the flame and for storage. Think of an empty Bic lighter with the metal cap removed taped to the end of a 4” copper pipe with a 1/2” of the charred part of the rope sticking out the top of the pipe next to the lighter. That would make a good project for your KZbin channel. 😉👍

[@burgerforcongress1001]

Instead of charring the cotton rounds, saturate one with petroleum jelly! Peel it in half to instantly fluff the middle enough for a spark rod. Start by lighting just one side; if it's about to burn out before you get the wood to catch, toss in the other half. That's MY ultimate tinder!

[@goingwildagain]

Interesting I'm going to have a go first time ever with rope thanx dude

[@BonesyTucson]

Doesn't matter if it was your idea or not... talent borrows, genius steals! ;) I never though of using rope before but this is a cool idea.

[@PrestonMcDowell-tc8wg]

Great video! I'm gonna go tomorrow and try this for sure.

[@daleweller5193]

If you have a pellet gun the tin is very good to make char.

[@blackbeastantoine]

6:20 with no hole the can is gonna pop open and let oxygen in unless it is a twist cap! Also the smoke is wood gas that can be harvested as fuel, just try and light the smoke into flame!

[@BigHarryBalzac]

I think I'll check my mom's garage for cotton rope. There's probably some old clothesline in there and she'll never miss it. I'll try using Altoids tins, because I always have them around anyway. They're not airtight, and from what I've seen, smoke has no problem getting out without putting a hole in them. A hole would probably let too much oxygen in. I'll just ease them into the coals when the campfire settles down at night, and see what happens. Then I could put some char material in a clean tin.

[@DaryooshF.Sh.P-vq6mu]

Thanks a million man. It’s awesome 👏🏻

[@shadowsilverlight1651]

i would say the reason the rope is "better" is because its more dense than the makeup or cloth you use, so it makes sense that it would burn longer. im currently char clothing old jeans i no longer wear and it does great.

[@terrymagiera1924]

Hello from the thumb of Michigan just subscribe to the channel looking forward to seeing more videos stay safe and God bless you brother

[@zachthack5257]

This is great for beginners. After you get the skills needed this will Seems like a waist of rope and feul when you can find material in nature to char. But for beginners this is a great way to start.

[@larryl4881]

Lol this montage, YES! The shop is looking great

[@swnorcraft7971]

A couple years ago I bought a length of cotton rope to make a fire starting implement where you draw the rope into a metal tube to extinguish it after use. I bought a minimum length to make it worthwhile and it appears to be a great deal more than I will ever use for the original intended purpose........Now I know what I can do with another portion of it. Thank you.

[@genkiferal7178]

any ideas on free/upcycled tiny metal tubes to use for that? I keep reading how great that concept is - for hemp-twine lighters, too.

[@troybranaman316]

Great informative video as always Ernie !!! Thanks for posting. Take care and stay safe my friend!!

[@aarontimeus2706]

If you grab a can of tuna fish and use the type of can opener that cuts the side and has the little jaws to pull off the top. You can put the lid back on. It will reseal well enough to exclude oxygen while still outgassing the smoke. Works with any size can. All sorts of uses. Also works if you just file of the top 1/16 inch of the rim. Haven't tried charring anything that way though.

[@rogerj.fugere3570]

Not only the increased heat output, but the concentrated heat output. That’s the game changer.

[@tinaanderson9186]

Craft stores, like Hobby Lobby and Michaels, would have rope like this in their sewing section. The difference is that the “twine” is much looser, and use to be used as tiebacks for curtains. It would also be cotton. Stores like Walmart Supercenters would be cheaper, if they have a craft section. Just a thought.

[@novax4me]

First time viewer. Halfway through this video, I subbed. Thank you!

[@andrewhondo]

that was was used in the medieval times they would use cotton rope to creat a ember in cotton cord then pull some of it a part to blow it to flame i find punk wood is a way better martial for charring or smothering it for chard material as well you can also smothering the tip of jute cordage just the tip on the same piece with every fire you make a fire with a flint and steel put it on the flint and bang a spark in it will catch quick with a ember in a tidier bundle intel flame

[@johnellacott6446]

Love all your vids. Quick question, If you add enough pads to equal the weight of your piece of rope would the times equal out?

[@cotteeskid]

I would say not as economical but more importantly the tight interlacing of rope strands would contribute significantly to its effectiveness in heat generation which is the more important than time alone. more pads - say 3, would tend to separate or have gaps between the layers and while you could get time to equal, the lower heat would take longer to serve its purpose.

[@ronaldjackson2834]

I've tried them all I like punk wood the best! But to each his own whatever works best for you.

[@azclaimjumper]

I stopped making/using char cloth once I discovered & started using Jute Twine. I cut 8" sections of twine, then separate the strands, fluff it up, insert it into a small ziplok baggie to keep it dry. A couple of strokes on my FireSteel ferro rod & I have a flame that lasts for almost 4 minutes. Sparks from the ferro rod turn into a flame as soon as the sparks hit the fluffed up twine. No having to blow on it to turn an ember into a flame. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada.

[@genkiferal7178]

Based on your comment, I will buy jute twine today. Hope you're right.

[@azclaimjumper]

@@genkiferal7178 It's a bit tedious fluffing the twine, however, I guarantee you'll have tinder that will ignite with a spark anytime, anywhere, any altitude. Cut off a longer piece of twine & fluff the strands if you want more burn time from your tinder bundle.

[@azclaimjumper]

@@genkiferal7178 Cut off a longer 10" piece of jute twine & fluff it if you want a longer burn time from your tinder bundle. It will work anytime, anywhere, any altitude, for sure.

[@nelistheron83]

Excellent idea. Made some. Works a charm!

[@Hockeyfan9884]

Ernie, thank you for the videos. I cannot find the bottom half of my flash burner stove. HOWEVER, am in the process of modification. It so far, has been excellent. Very,Very similar setup to the jetboil. Ernie, what is the average boil time for 2 cups of water in the flash boil jetboil stove. 2 cups. Thank you, from Steve, northern Canada.

[@BookGolem]

I came across rope lighters with built in flint strikers the other day on Amazon and was wondering how well they would work. I might get that instead of some of the other stuff I was looking at. Going to make chard rope now. My charcloth was always a bit to delicate for my liking. Thanks for the advice of using more chard material I wasn't using enough to make it easy.

[@thejohnbeck]

For those lighters, called navy or shepherds lighters, they use braided rope because they need to hook the plug. For the char, you'll want twist which doesn't work for those lighters