MSR Titan Kettle – Hot Handles

[Kellen Holt]

I own and love an MSR Titan Kettle, but I have one issue with it….the handles, because they are directly connected to the pot body, get extremely hot and are difficult to handle. Has anyone come up with some sort of cozy to go around the handles to make them useable for bare hands?

[Glenn Roberts]

I just use the washcloth-sized Packtowl I carry to wrap around the handles. Then I use it to dry out the pot after I wash it.

[Matt Eckhart]

I don’t have this problem because once my water boils I’m done cooking. I guess if you were cooking long meals this would be a problem. Just use a sock if the handles are hot then you won’t add any extra weight.

[David Lewis]

I’ve never noticed this problem… but maybe that’s because I also just bring water to a boil and then take it off. Are you sure it’s not a flame licking up the side that’s heating things up?

[Dale Wambaugh]

That’s one task for the good ol’ 1 ounce cotton bandana– pot holder, sweatband, towel, washcloth, head wrap, first aid bandage/sprain support, huckleberry bucket, dust mask (a la cowboy) and fashion accessory.

Once upon a time, you could get big ones– ~28″-29″ square. If anyone has a source, I’m all ears.

[EndoftheTrail]

Warning: No experience at all!

But THIS might do the trick — IF it is sufficiently resistant to flame and heat.

The above was discussed at the TLB Forum – “Make Your Own Gear” section – “Avoiding Burned Fingers” thread. I am waiting for braver souls to give it a test. :)

[Jason Klass]

Kellen-
I just bought some of the stuff Ben linked to today and am going to play around with it. I have the same problem when I use the Titan with sideburner stoves and have been experimenting with different solutions. One thing I came up with is to wrap 1/32″ Kevlar around the handles but it takes forever. I’ll let you know if this stuff melts or not. I don’t like the bandana idea just because it’s a potential fire hazard (especially since alcohol flames are invisible) and I never feel like I get a good grip with it.

[Rick Dreher]

A quickie idea might be the fiberglass tape they sell to patch car exhaust systems.

FWIW I’ve never had a problem using a cotton bandana or wool sock, but I avoid handling hot items with synthetics because of their commonly low melting points.

[Jason Klass]

Hi Rick-have a link for that tape?

[Jason Klass]

Well, I coated the lid handle on my AAG pot and it didn’t melt but it didn’t help either. The problem is that the attachment point for the handle lets steam out so even though the metal handle is insulated, your fingers are still too close to where the steam comes out. So, I think my original wick idea was better because it gives you the necessary distance. I’ll stick with that for now.

As for the Titan, looking at the handle I think it comes too close to the stove and I think the flames might melt the coating off. I might give it a try anyway.

[Rick Dreher]

Jason, it’s pretty common stuff in auto parts places, and I’ve seen it made with aluminum tape and fiberglass. Can’t imagine aluminum would be of any use here.

Here’s one example, but I can’t tell what the tape backing is made from from the crummy picture:

http://www.itwconsumer.com/catalog.aspx?prodID=59

Or, there’s heat-resistent goo that one could use on a variety of materials, such as this stuff:

http://www.chirienterprise.com/CoatNgo/CoatNgo.html

Hey, if it adheres to titanium I can finally have that red pot I’ve always wanted :-)

[Jason Klass]

Thanks Rick. The First one looks interesting. I might give it a try. I’m not sure about the muffler coating though.

[Andrew Mazibrada]

Not a great solution & I know this is an old post but I drop a tiny bit of water on the handles from my platypus. Cools them down very swiftly.

[Zachary Zrull]

go to a dollar store or thrift store and buy any silicone bakeware, cut it into a shape that allows you to wrap around the handle, and you're done.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

And you can get thin silicone pot holders that are flat – so easily cutable.

[Mat Tallman]

you could probably coat the handles with some high-temp RTV silicone that's used as a gasket maker in automotive applications. Readily available at any parts store. Probably won't be pretty, but it would be durable and very heat-resistant.

Plasti-dip might also work. It's a liquid rubber used to dip tool handles into to give a rubberized grip to metal handled tools like pliers and such. Readily available at any hardware store, but I'm not sure of its heat resistance.

[Franco Darioli]

Old thread lacking the simplest solution…
The trick with those handles is to keep them apart during use. (try it)
If they are still too hot like that, your flame is too wide, you are loosing to much heat up the sides.
Franco

[John Donewar]

Dale,

27" x 27" available in many colors at

http://www.wowthemink.com/bandanas.html

Party On,

Newton

[Marc Kokosky]

I just turned my handles upside down so that they resembled the old MSR Titans (the longer edge on top). The handles don't "nest" against the pot as flush, but it isn't a big deal either.

Between being able to grab the pot on the top of the handle, on the longer edge further from the flame, and the flame not directly contacting the handles as it's in a Caldera Cone, I've never had any problems.

[Gary Dunckel]

I removed the handles and slid a 5" piece of silcone tubing over each one. Intense heat from flame spillover will eventually turn the lower ends a bit crusty, but they're easily replaced. I got the idea from a similiar thread here a few months ago.

[Stephen Barber]

Gary, how did you get the silicon tube onto the wife of the handles? The tubing I have is VERY tight!

[Roger Caffin]

I had no idea that handles had wives …

Soapy water should be fine, or silicone grease. And push steadily.

Cheers

[Gary Dunckel]

Steve, I spray WD-40 into the silicone tubing. It makes a fair mess, of course. I have to then wash the handles with soap, so that the tubes aren't slippery to my fingers. Then there's the 15-minute struggle to get each tube in place, which I tend to do while watching my team get thrashed on TV (keeps my mind off the lousy game…).

You could also find a slightly larger diameter tubing, but then it might be a bit floppy once it's in place. My various pots have differing handle diameters, as well, and some are easier to snake the tubing onto than others.

This technique requires that you can remove/replace the handles, of course. I can't figure out how to get the handles off my BPL 500 & 550 pots, for example, so they have to go without silicone.

[Russell Adams]

Gary,

Where did you find your silicone tubing?

[Gary Dunckel]

Russ, I found my silicone tubing at our Boulder "has it all" hardware store (it's McGuckin's Hardware, and if you ever come here for a visit, it's a must-see place). So you might check Lowe's or Home Depot. I also saw some smaller diameter silicone tubing at a local aquarium store. I suppose it's for a water filter system.

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