Hexamine tablets wont burn

[FishyFolk]

I tried making myself a brew on the hexamine burner (Esbit clone)...no go.

The hexamine tablets simply refused to burn. After trying half a pack of matches, I tried with the bic lighter...nope.
I built a small fire on top of the hexamine tablets, using the spent matches, and lit those...nope.
I put a fist sized lump of balled upp newspaper on top of it...it burned away...but the hexamine did not catch fire.
I even poured denatured alcohol on it, and it burned out, without lighting the hexamine...

Glad this was in my front yard, and not out in the woods, as that would have been boring!
Anyone encountered this before?
And for the record, the heaximine was from an unoppened, still wrapped in plastic pack that has been sitting in the shed for 2-3 years...

[bopdude]

Never heard of that before ? What happens if you break it in 2, will the broken end light ?

[Pootle]

I guess even if unopened the more volatile molecules will be lost. But weird that the remaining mass won't burn with that much help.

[FishyFolk]

Since the pack of hexamine had been sitting in the shed, and it is -5 outside, I brought it inside for a few hours, and tried again.
After a minute of sitting in the direct flame of a Bic lighter, it finally ignited...

I'll be chucking this lot, as I don't want to be cought with it as the only means of getting a brew out in the woods on a windy, rainy day...

Probly get another Trangia clone off ebay to replace the hexamine cooker in this set.

[FishyFolk]

Did not try that, but these are very solid blocks, and so small it would be difficult to do that. Would probably have to use a knife to split them.
It's just not worth the hazzle. ANd this is the only brand I have seen available locally. I do not want to order from ebay every time I want fuel for that burner, lol

[bopdude]

Just thinking that the wax coating may have been solid cold, to cold maybe, just a thought.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

[FishyFolk]

Scraped off the wax coating, and left it as a powder on top, and lit it. It lit up after 10 seconds in direct flame, fizled and spat, and then died after 20 seconds...without igniting the rest of the fuel.
I think the wax coating was the onlything that burned during my previous attempt as well, as I was holding it in my hand, I blew it out after 10 seconds of burning....

[bopdude]

Oh well, as you say, at least you were not out in the field, do you carry a spare means of cooking when out and about ?

[FishyFolk]

Hehe, I have used this stove twice since I got it 2-3 years ago. I usallay carry a Trangia type stove with a different cook set, or a wood gas stove with another set (but this is up for revision as I am to lazy to constantly sit there and feed it). This set I just made for fun, but did not find it very practical. It was all hyped up on webistes like thios and ammong the youtube crowd. Still is :-)

I.e a millitary stainless steel canteen cup, with some kind of stove to heat water for a brew. I found that you still needed an extra cup as the steel gets hot and you risk burning your lips.
So I went back to bringing a small tea kettle and the trangia stove, as that suited me better.

[bopdude]

Hehe, I have used this stove twice since I got it 2-3 years ago. I usallay carry a Trangia type stove with a different cook set, or a wood gas stove with another set (but this is up for revision as I am to lazy to constantly sit there and feed it). This set I just made for fun, but did not find it very practical. It was all hyped up on webistes like thios and ammong the youtube crowd. Still is :-)

I.e a millitary stainless steel canteen cup, with some kind of stove to heat water for a brew. I found that you still needed an extra cup as the steel gets hot and you risk burning your lips.
So I went back to bringing a small tea kettle and the trangia stove, as that suited me better.

I know what you mean about burnt lips, I now carry a Swedish folding cup, and my Trangia is getting used more, bomb proof :)

[FishyFolk]

I know what you mean about burnt lips, I now carry a Swedish folding cup, and my Trangia is getting used more, bomb proof :)

Those are nice. In the army we called it a scrounging cup. Everyone always had one in the pocket, and if someone had a brew going, they very well had to be prepared to share or fight, lol

I have several of them, and keep one in very kit i case I forget my kuksa. :-)

[bopdude]

Those are nice. In the army we called it a scrounging cup. Everyone always had one in the pocket, and if someone had a brew going, they very well had to be prepared to share or fight, lol

I have several of them, and keep one in very kit i case I forget my kuksa. :-)

They are handy to carry in a pocket, as you say, in case of ;) a nice kuksa is on my list of to buy things but I would like a half decent one, something of beauty and function, you know what I mean, there were some beauties in Sweden but out of my price range.

[Ehecatl]

A bit of electrical insulation tape around the outside of the cup just below the rim will generally stop your bottom lip from burning - obviously you can't "boil in the cup" like this.

I used to carry lighter fluid to light my hexi blocks. A little squirt onto the block and then light it. I'm not sure if it would work with the blocks coming straight from Rune's shed though.

M@

[FishyFolk]

The electrical tape idea does not strike a man with ten thumbs like something I want to faff about with...specially not with a cup full of boiling water... :-)

[Ehecatl]

The electrical tape idea does not strike a man with ten thumbs like something I want to faff about with...specially not with a cup full of boiling water... :-)

Ha ha! I put some on my tin mug about 20 years ago and it's still there. Best applied whilst the cup is empty! :jumping-joy:

[FishyFolk]

obviously you can't "boil in the cup" like this.



M@


Best applied whilst the cup is empty! :jumping-joy:

Ehem...and how should I boil my water after applying the tape? :zombie-fighting:

[Ehecatl]

Ehem...and how should I boil my water after applying the tape? :zombie-fighting:

Consider the taped cup as your "scrounging cup" :happy-clapping:

[FishyFolk]

But then I need to bring another cooking thingy to boil the water...so I might as well just briung that...a propper tea kettle, and drink from my Kuksa :-)

[Ehecatl]

But then I need to bring another cooking thingy to boil the water...so I might as well just briung that...a propper tea kettle, and drink from my Kuksa :-)

Lateral thinking would dictate that water is in fact boiled in your mug and prior to drinking, the tape is applied to your bottom lip. In this instance, I think lateral thinking must be abandoned. :ashamed:

[FishyFolk]

Yes, I'll go for the tea kettle...

In fact I like them so much that while most bushcrafters seem to go for the one pot to cook them all idea,
I do the same with my kettle. It has obvious advantages...unlike lets say a typical bushcraft fashion item like a zebra billy can (which in reality is a Thai lunch box),
it has a spout which makes it possible to pour water from it without scolding your hands.

And it has a large enough lid that should you decide to cook your morning porridge in it, or a stew...it is easy to clean afterwards...and it can hold a folding cup, sugar, tea, instant chockolate, salt, pepper etc,
even a trangia stove with pot stand inside. :-)

[Woody]

Damn , that's a head scratcher , but at least you didn't find out in the field ...

I've just recently converted to bio éthanol ... So easy compared to the whole hobo stove thing with the endless stick feeding thing....

I'll keep he hobo for fun , but the trangia and penny stoves for the morning brews !!
Easy peasy 👍👍

[FishyFolk]

Damn , that's a head scratcher , but at least you didn't find out in the field ...

I've just recently converted to bio éthanol ... So easy compared to the whole hobo stove thing with the endless stick feeding thing....

I'll keep he hobo for fun , but the trangia and penny stoves for the morning brews !!
Easy peasy ����

Yeah the endless feeding is what irritates me, and to do that on my wood gas stove I have to lift the kettle off first as well...
A trangia you fill once, nd it burns untill the water boils...

[bopdude]

Interesting points re wood gas stove, and I fully sympathise, I gave mine away after using it once, I recently saw a great video that has got me buying another, instead of small twigs etc you set it up as a holder for a smallish Swedish candle, I'll see if I can find the video again but it looked like the mutts :)

[FishyFolk]

I had a nice summer with mine...but had to suffer endelss ridicule from my wife, who do not give two whistles about bushcraft.
She is a Thai farm girl, from way out in the sticks in rural Thailand, and had a fire built and food cooked before I could bring my brew to boil...and
it felt supid to faff about with that thing right next to her cooking fire, lol


So I am back to camp fires mostly. They have lifted the general country wide fire ban from april to october in Norway, making things easier for those willing to risk it.
Instead they hang you up in the town square and flog you with stinging nettels if you are stupid enough to start a brush fire.
But Ill stick a trangia stove in the go bag with the kettle, for when I am allone and just want a warm drink :-)

[Woody]

Hahahah😂😂😂
your description of the wives fire and cooking skills really sums up the whole bushcraft thing...

Sometimes less is more !
I feel your pain ...

As they say over here , "all the gear, no idea" ...
I got way too much gear , and only a tiny bit of the idea....😂

Though i must admit I'm a convert to the alcohol stove thing...
Great bit of kit , clean burn, no stick feed no fuss .
Perfect for that morning brew ...
I won't part with that one...😊
👍

[FishyFolk]

Yeah there are certain things we all "got to" have. It becomes a bit of a kit hysteria for some. Well, me included for a while.
I got into it because I wanted a nicer knife for outdoor activities than a Mora, but it was quite low budget so I started to search the internet.
Came across one of the NB youtube videos, stumbled in here. Before that I had never heard the word bushcraft...

I ended up having my own youtube channel, and as I had very little kit I had to kit up anyway. So havinng found the knife, the next was a stove (I ended up with a whole collection),
sleeping bag and hammock system (only have 3 hammocks before I came to my senses), clothes, more knives, fire steels it became a little crazy. Then my money ran out as I went back to school, but still manage to purchase the odd bit, that I do not really need.

All you need really is a pair of comfortable shoes, a Thermos bottle for a hot drink is nice, and mora to make some spits for your hot dogs...

[ian c]

I was issued with a 58 pattern plastic mug that fitted on top of the issued 58 pattern water bottle then I got myself a stainless steel mug (crusader) before they were issued and it onto the bottom of the water bottle, it all fits into the issued water bottle pouch, I still have them and the Crusader has been used more times than I can remember, brewing, cooking or for heating water for washing shaving in, the plastic mug is what you put you brew in (no more burnt lips)

[Humakt]

Right, the burnt lips thing with a metal mug.
A bit of science - when two objects of different temperatures come together then the laws of conduction mean that the hotter object will transfer its energy to the cooler object.
In real terms, that means that the mug can not be hotter than the liquid. Or the liquid hotter than the mug.
Therefore, if you can't put your lips to the mug treat that as a thermometer, because it means the liquid contents are just as hot and will burn you! So let it cool!

In reality I have found that the rim of the mug (where you put your lips) is often much cooler than the liquid because it is not in contact with the liquid and wind chill often cools it down.

So in either case insulating the rim is unnecessary.

I've always used a metal mug for heating/drinking and I've NEVER needed to insulate the rim. If it's too hot for my lips then the contents are too hot for my mouth!

[FishyFolk]

Yeah but what if the cup was used to boil the water, then teh surface temp of the outsiude of the cup, could be a lot higher than the surface on the inside that gets cooled by the liquid...

[Humakt]

That's how I do it - I drink from the mug I use to boil the water.
And I've never burnt my lips.

The bottom of the mug, which is in contact with the flame, will be hotter. The rim, though, which is not in contact with the flame, won't be. In fact, the rim can never be hotter than the contents. Simple, pure, science tells you that. If you put your lips to the rim, and it burns, then you would be well advised NOT to swallow the contents because they will be just as hot (possibly even hotter). Therefore, using insulation on the rim is actually very dangerous because you will not be able to get a good idea of the true temperature of the contents.
The fact is that the rim is often cooler than the mug's contents because the rim is not in direct contact with the contents and will often be cooled by wind and ambient temperature (which it IS in contact with).
That's the science behind it. And I know this to be true because I have experienced it myself. When I go to drink from my mug (which I have also used to heat the contents) then if the rim is too hot for my lips then I know the contents will be even hotter and dangerous to swallow. And letting it stand for a few minutes will mean the rim cools faster (since it is not in contact with the hot contents but is in contact with the cool air) than the hot liquid is; though I can now put my lips to the mug, I still have to sip tentatively in case the liquid is still hot.

Try it. Boil a mug of water, let it stand for a couple of minutes. Then touch the rim. You will notice it has cooled considerably quicker than the body of the mug which is in contact with the hot liquid.

Insulating the rim is not only unnecessary it is actually dangerous.

[FishyFolk]

Thanks but i prefer to drink form my kuksa, and use a proper tea kettle anyway :-)
But that GI canteen system of mine I'll probably give to the runt when gets just a tad older.
He is a outdoors kid to the core that one, unlike his brothers.

One would grumpily tag along, and just "take it" until it was "finally" time to go home. He was always an indoors kid, few but close, good friends and can spend a week in front of the computer.

The other would come because we all went, make the best of it, when out there, but would never suggest going, or take thge inititive to do it I think...maybe when i he grown up and have a familly. He has tons of friends and likes to just hang out with them, like most teenagers.

But the runt...if allowed would spend 24/7 outdoors, year round, and loves to learn new stuff :-)
Well he is six tuirning 7 in september so I do my best to keep him that way...and he wants to go with me on my walks, unlike the other two who had to be cattle prodded, lol

[Woody]

I find those rubber wristbands that you get from various charities such as help for heroes etc. are a perfect fit around the rim of a hot steel mug.
That solves the lip burn thing ...😀

[simok1]

Hehe, I have used this stove twice since I got it 2-3 years ago. I usallay carry a Trangia type stove with a different cook set, or a wood gas stove with another set (but this is up for revision as I am to lazy to constantly sit there and feed it). This set I just made for fun, but did not find it very practical. It was all hyped up on webistes like thios and ammong the youtube crowd. Still is :-)

I.e a millitary stainless steel canteen cup, with some kind of stove to heat water for a brew. I found that you still needed an extra cup as the steel gets hot and you risk burning your lips.
So I went back to bringing a small tea kettle and the trangia stove, as that suited me better.

may i suggest dragon fuel from bcb (solid fuel works quite well and will light from a ferro rod :)

[FishyFolk]

Thanks for the tip, but as I am in Norway, so that does not exist here :-)

[rik_uk3]

Stick with Rodsprit FF.

[FishyFolk]

Stick with Rodsprit FF.

That's what I do :-)

[Fallschirmwomble]

I had a nice summer with mine...but had to suffer endelss ridicule from my wife, who do not give two whistles about bushcraft.
She is a Thai farm girl, from way out in the sticks in rural Thailand, and had a fire built and food cooked before I could bring my brew to boil...

What's her sense of humour like?

I'm just wondering if she switched your hexi for some Kendall Mint cake...

An old prank in the British Army was to keep the wrapper of a Kendall Mint Cake bar and cut down a hexi block to fit. Then offer it to a colleague. This thread has given me the idea of reversing that joke on my mate - who's always been top-notch at making fires in all conditions...

:evilgrin: