Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Clothing and Other Crafts => Topic started by: ridjrunr on November 04, 2013, 09:13:40 PM

Title: Char cloth
Post by: ridjrunr on November 04, 2013, 09:13:40 PM

When preparing to make char cloth, does it matter too much how,where or how many holes are punched in the tin?

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: greggholmes on November 04, 2013, 09:40:01 PM

the fewer the better, you don't want to much oxygen let in. I do on on top and one on the bottom

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: mario on November 04, 2013, 11:42:01 PM

The tin I use is fairly large (holds maybe 10oz by volume) and I have only one hole in the lid.

Touching on what Gregg said, let in too much oxygen and you have burned cloth rather than charred cloth.

Mario

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: greggholmes on November 05, 2013, 12:44:27 AM

I have 2 to help it char evenly, it may help it may not

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Bison Horn on November 05, 2013, 05:02:21 AM

Dan you get down to Bulls rondy next month and we'll make  bunch. BH

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: prairie dog on November 05, 2013, 08:34:38 AM

I put one hole in a tin with a tight lid.  With an Altoids type tin you don't need a hole, the lid is loose enough to let the gas escape.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: ridjrunr on November 05, 2013, 08:58:51 AM

Thanks for the input guys!

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Riley/MN on November 05, 2013, 10:30:58 AM

my method is a little 1 pint, 1/2 pint -whatever size paint can. It is actually a window glazing can. I got one hole in the lid and a little piece of stick that fits in it while cooling.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Archer on December 05, 2013, 01:21:12 PM

I've found that you can make char from punk wood using this same method.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Riley/MN on December 05, 2013, 02:33:35 PM

Yup, you can char anything that is carbon-based....

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Kermit on March 27, 2014, 10:18:16 PM

I've used the same pint paint-type can with one nail hole in the lid for about 35 years now. I think it originally held tea. I cut heavy 100% cotton cloth (like old jeans) in strips about an inch wide. Wad up a handful, stuff it in and close the lid tightly, and toss it in the coals of a dying fire. When the smoke/vapor is flowing from the hole in a good little stream, I set those gasses alight if they haven't done it on their own. As soon as the flame dies because all the gasses have been driven off, I remove it from the fire and don't open til the next morning. Never fails me.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on May 13, 2014, 03:52:46 AM

I know this does not answer your question, but charred cloth was not traditionally used outside of the home, except in the case of onboard ship. The Gunners used to char cloth.
Cloth was never charred in a tin, it was charred directly in the fire. Woodsmen charred punkwood & various other plant fibres, directly in the fire. The tinderbox was used to smother the tinder after it was charred. The fire is actually made directly from the tinderbox, although it was not unknown to place tinder in a kindling bundle & strike sparks on it there.
I did search the FAQ, but could not see any info on posting videos, so please excuse me just posting the links. There are many videos on my channel regarding 18th century wilderness living & a variety of period fire lighting methods if you are interested.
Regards, Keith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f9CjH7plps No Charcloth Flint & Steel Fire Lighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5WGTxDS1AE  Field Preparation Of Plant Tinder For Use With Flint & Steel By Charring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dJDCWobUDQ Plant Tinders Part One.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9htqzFRuGjM Recognising/Identifying Punk Wood & More By Keith H. Burgess Part One.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 16, 2016, 11:56:21 PM

Quote from: Le Loup

I know this does not answer your question, but charred cloth was not traditionally used outside of the home, except in the case of onboard ship. The Gunners used to char cloth.
Cloth was never charred in a tin, it was charred directly in the fire. Woodsmen charred punkwood & various other plant fibres, directly in the fire. The tinderbox was used to smother the tinder after it was charred. The fire is actually made directly from the tinderbox, although it was not unknown to place tinder in a kindling bundle & strike sparks on it there.
I did search the FAQ, but could not see any info on posting videos, so please excuse me just posting the links. There are many videos on my channel regarding 18th century wilderness living & a variety of period fire lighting methods if you are interested.
Regards, Keith.
[size=150]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i1ftV00V-Y[/size]

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Bigsmoke on October 17, 2016, 02:25:23 PM

Keith,
Great tutorials.  Thanks for posting the links.  I will be coming back to watch again soonly.
Again, thank you,
John

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 17, 2016, 06:24:41 PM

Quote from: "bigsmoke"

Keith,
Great tutorials.  Thanks for posting the links.  I will be coming back to watch again soonly.
Again, thank you,
John

Thanks for the feedback John, much appreciated.
Regards, Keith.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: ridjrunr on October 18, 2016, 02:16:45 AM

Thank you Keith posting all you have! My checking in here is sporatic at times and am not shore how I missed this. Lots of food for thought there. Are you familiar with chaga?

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 18, 2016, 02:28:18 AM

Quote from: "ridjrunr"

Thank you Keith posting all you have! My checking in here is sporatic at times and am not shore how I missed this. Lots of food for thought there. Are you familiar with chaga?

Yes I know of it but have not come across it where I live. Plenty of other plant tinders available here though, some that are also available overseas.
Thank you for the feedback.
Keith.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Ouchigan72 on October 30, 2016, 08:13:07 PM

If one uses an altoids tin. No holes are needed in it. The lid does not seal 100% -n- allows gases to escape without popping the top. I put the altoid tin into a larger tin that does seal after charring to cool. This has produced great char cloth

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 30, 2016, 08:43:08 PM

No "charcloth" Flint & Steel Fire Lighting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f9CjH7plps
Keith.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 30, 2016, 08:59:10 PM

Personally I prefer to make tinder the traditional way, the original way, rather than using modern methods. Using modern methods to make fire & prepare tinder to me seems to defeat the whole object of using flint & steel in the first place. Rather like using modern wads in a smoothbore or using an inline muzzle-loader.
Keith.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: amm1851 on October 30, 2016, 10:08:39 PM

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Rather like using modern wads in a smoothbore or using an inline muzzle-loader.
Keith.

That's quite the leap there.  

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 30, 2016, 10:31:48 PM

Quote from: "amm1851"

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Rather like using modern wads in a smoothbore or using an inline muzzle-loader.
Keith.

That's quite the leap there.  

For a traditional Muzzleloader? I think not. Or am I on the wrong forum?
Keith.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: rollingb on October 30, 2016, 11:30:49 PM

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Quote from: "amm1851"

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Rather like using modern wads in a smoothbore or using an inline muzzle-loader.
Keith.

That's quite the leap there.  :rt th  

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: amm1851 on October 30, 2016, 11:37:20 PM

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Quote from: "amm1851"

Quote from: "Le Loup"

Rather like using modern wads in a smoothbore or using an inline muzzle-loader.
Keith.

That's quite the leap there.  

For a traditional Muzzleloader? I think not. Or am I on the wrong forum?
Keith.

Luckily for me, I don't have to live up to your standards on this ... or anything else. But if you want to set yourself up as the judge of everything to do with traditional muzzleloaders,  then yes, you might be on the wrong forum.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: rollingb on October 31, 2016, 12:01:21 AM

While a lot of us find it interesting how traditional char cloth was made, this is the Traditional Muzzleloading forum.
If we limited our guests and TMA members to using ONLY traditional methods of everything even remotely related to traditional muzzleloading we'd probably only have very few folks posting on many of the forums we have here.
As with many things related to traditional muzzleloading, the TMA doesn't care if you cast your round balls using an electric melting pot, propane stove, or a campfire. (the same principle goes for making char cloth)

This topic WILL get locked if this thread deteriorates any further.  :shake

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: amm1851 on October 31, 2016, 12:22:46 AM

I apologize for my part in this.  An appearance by the pc police always gets my dander up.

Title: Re: Char cloth
Post by: Le Loup on October 31, 2016, 01:47:31 AM

So I am on the wrong forum. Understood.
Keith.