Esbit – what am I doing wrong?

> Here's another thought. You said you're using the bottom of a pepsi can as a platform for your esbit fuel. That might be contributing to the problem because (if I am visualising it properly) you have a shallow bowl holding the fuel tab. Esbit needs quite a lot of air to burn properly. That's why the official folding stove has those 8 small air holes surrounding the fuel platform. If it's not getting enough air it might be harder to light…

That's an interesting thought. Perhaps I'll experiment with a different design. Good thinking. Thanks!

In my early days, I tried to burn Esbit cubes on a flat surface, and I wondered why I had problems. Then I punched air holes in the flat surface, and it burned much better. If you get the holes too large, then the molten Esbit will drop through. If you keep the holes right, the air will flow up, but nothing will drop down.

–B.G.–

I have only worked with them once just recently and used the Soto Pocket Torch and it worked fine. You might look for the same type product made by Weber Grills that I saw in my local hardware store that sells Webers and see if they work better as a test. Pam

Coleman JetLighter works well for me.

Photobucket video, click on it to view.

Wow, ZELPH, it only took you FIVE YEARS to come up with that since the last post on this thread?

Heck, Jon Fong at Flatcat gear has been using that method for many years, with a much better quality torch, too ( a Soto).I guess you stole that technique from him?

BTW, nice advertising spam vid…

…………….

Hey, I’m a slow learner :-)

The Coleman lighter works well. The Mini Esbitmizer is awesome.

By the way Jimmer, you were the one that directed me to this thread…remember?

(quoting Jimmer Jimmer)

“And an entire BPL thread about what a pain Esbit is to light..
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=36205 “

Thanks for the opportunity to share some info.

There's no need for this. Dan and Jon are both contributing members here. Let's not create conflict that isn't there.

Oh, its there ….and nothing I can say can make it any worse.

Still waiting on Dan Y's promised video of him lighting an unaltered Esbit cube with just sparks..

If you want to experiment with obscure methods for igniting Esbit, there is one that doesn't use a lighter or a match, and it doesn't use a sparker. It actually has a time delay built in.

Get some Potassium Permanganate. This is a purple crystalline compound, and it is sometimes sold as a water treatment for farm animals. Grind up the crystals finely using a mortar and pestle. Pile up a pinch of this powder onto an Esbit tablet.

Get some Glycerine, probably from a drug store. This is a liquid compound that makes everything slimy. Get an eyedropper and put a drop or two of glycerine onto the pile of purple powder. Then stand back.

At some point in time, the reaction will start, and it will eventually smoke and then burst into flame. The speed of the reaction depends on how fine the powder is. If the crystals are coarse, it may be slow or it may not react at all. If the crystals are very fine, the time delay is short. The more you use, the bigger the flame.

Experiment and talk amongst yourselves.

–B.G.–

Jimmer,

That may very well be true but this isn't the time or place.

Bob,

Why do I have a feeling that this is something out of the anarchists cookbook and that trying your suggested technique will only get me on the no fly list?

I just use Purell hand sanitizer and a bic. I've found that the dollar store hand sanitizer doesn't ignite as easily as Purell.

Edit: an already weak grasp of the English language, fat thumbs on an iPad, and autocorrect make for some interesting posts.

Despite how everybody else claims that hand sanitizer works great to aid in lighting Esbit, for some reason it did not work for me. I think that it might because I used the cheap stuff instead of real Purell. However, you still have to use a match, lighter, or sparker to light the hand sanitizer.

I don't use any anarchists cookbook. Maybe I wrote it. I was doing this crap back when I was a teenager. I had a chemistry set and too much time. The Potassium Permanganate and Glycerine stuff worked well for igniting home-made solid rocket fuel. I'm not worried for myself because the statute of limitations has run out.

Neither chemical is on the TSA list of banned substances. However, TSA still might think up a case to throw you in jail. Either chemical is quite safe when on its own.

–B.G.–

A few drops of ethanol on an esbit tab make sit light fine with a spark! Easy.

On a 2 week trip with Esbit last year, (resupply every 4 days, boiling 2-3 cups 2-4 times a day) I took a dropper bottle of ethanol and used max 2/3 oz (20ml) overall to light the Esbit. Could probably have used less with care.

Micro torches. flameable starter liquids.. Wow,, Esbit really IS a PIA to light..

But Dan Y claned to be able to start one with SPARKS ONLY.. no additives ,just the esbit cube straight from the package.

Heck, I can set a brick on fire with a ferro rod, if I douse the brick in enough gasoline first .

I carry a mini bic lighter and a number of REI Stormproof matches that correspond to the number of Esbit cubes I am taking. Usually I hold the Esbit cube and light a corner with the mini bic. The only time I have any issues with Esbit are in high winds. I use a Caldera Cone and try to set up behind a log or rock. If that fails, I set my Ti-Wing stove inside the Caldera Cone, set a just lit Stormproof match on top of the cube and then set my pot down. It has never failed.

Thats why the 14g Esbit cubes have the deep cross grooves on them .Its to lay the match in while it burns down and lights the cube, so you dont burn the crap out of yourself holding a lighter down on it or holding a cube in your fingers to light it over a flame.

The Germans knew it was not easy to light thus the match grooves.

Ok I know its winter and were all Gnawing at the bit but can we try and restrain from the peeing matches. It really sucks having to deal with reading *@#$ when all I want to do is learn from you guys. Dan and Jimmer, I enjoy greatly reading your posts but lets chill. And please, if I get my nose bent someday set me straight as well.

with respect, jimmyb

I understand competely…but one mans "forum participation" is another man's thinly veiled marketing spam.

Just keepin' it real.;)

Once the camel's nose is in the tent…

–B.G.–

As for the hand sanitiser thingo, it obviously depend on the percentage of Ethanol in the particular hand sanitiser you use.

"Esbit peeing"

…and everyone wonders why it won't light easily. :-“,AndyF”

Yeah, it's a takeoff on the movie title but appropriate.

Below is what I have found to be THE most efficient ESBIT stove system. Believe me, I've tried them all.

THE BEST EXOTIC ESBIT STOVE:

1. Trail Designs Sidewinder cone stove (most efficient stove/windscreen design)

2. Open Country hard anodized aluminum mating 3 cup pot & lid (best height-to width ratio and max size for ESBIT efficiency)

3. Brian Green's Blog "BEGT" ESBIT tablet holder ( DOUBLES burn time to 15 minutes by using the liquid residue from the tablet)

If there is a better system for ESBIT God is keeping it to Herself. :o)

And for lighting the ESBIT cubes I just use a BIC lighter on one corner. Works every time.

Just out of curiosity, when you say 'wooden matches", did you mean storm matches or regular?

I find it next to impossible to light and esbit or some fire starter with anything but a storm match placed beside the tablet, and even a bic lighter is a frustrating endeavour.

Regular matches simply don't crank out enough heat to catch an esbit tablet.

I picked up a QiWiz dual fuel burner and get a 13:30 minute burn time, 10 minutes in the 2 cups of ~50 degree well water reached a rolling boil. Outside temps were in the 20's. This was with the esbit tray on top of the alchohol stove, I got a faster burn time but shorter after burn with the tray on the ground.

Anywho, for lighting I just use the lighter wheel to scrape some dust off the cube. Add any dust from the package and hold your lighter for 5 to 10 seconds on the dust until you hear a fizzle. I haven't tried matches yet.