Topic

Blue Shop Towels


Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Home Forums Gear Forums Multiple Use Gear Blue Shop Towels

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1220761
    Moe Dog
    Member

    @moedog56

    Thank you to Ryan Jordan who suggested using blue shop towels as an alternative to toilet paper. This also works brilliantly as firestarter. A 1"x1" square frayed around the edge and balled up easily ignites from a flint striker.

    Forget carrying cotton balls with vaseline or any other 'single-use' tinder. Just smear some Carmex (which I already carry for its obvious use) into the piece of towel. OR, add a couple of drops of Purell alcohol gel (which, again, is already carried for its obvious use a hand sanitizer). Now that same piece of towel will burn for about 30 seconds.

    But if you really want flame, add a couple drops of 100% deet (again, now a multiple-use item) and that small piece of towel will burn with a 5-inch flame.

    Pretty cool!

    #1370617
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    Good suggestion. I'm going to try them with Purell. My old standby fr/my boyhood days (cotton balls soaked in vaseline) is too heavy and definitely not dual-use.

    I'll take your word on the DEET and 5" flames.

    #1370700
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

    Home Depot has the shop towels in white also.

    #1370724
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    > using blue shop towels as an alternative to toilet paper. This also works brilliantly as firestarter. A 1"x1" square frayed around the edge and

    Please, reassure me … you aren't using 1" squares for TP?

    #1370735
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    Roger, the towels are much larger than that, ~1' square in some cases. I'm guessing a piece is torn off, approximating 1 in^2. Actually, i think you just "hooked me" and i took the bait hook, line, and sinker. You were jesting, weren't you with your tongue-in-cheek Post.

    #1370770
    Moe Dog
    Member

    @moedog56

    >"Please, reassure me … you aren't using 1" squares for TP?"

    Well, I haven't tried them as tp yet – just bought a roll a couple of weeks ago. But if I use the pliers on my multi-tool (another multiple-use) I should be able gain increased accuracy and reduce wasted material that would otherwise serve only one purpose (that of having something to grasp). Although you could look at the extra material as serving a second purpose of protecting the wary finger or knuckles… But this is all about ultralight. Hmm… now what could I re-use those 1" squares for?…

    #1370771
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    You could use also your signaling mirror in order to get a good view of the toxic spill cleanup site, thereby minimizing contamination and also minimizing wasted effort and shop towels.

    How steady is your third world squat? This might affect usage of the needle-nose pliers on your multi-tool. Might i suggest a more blunt nose plier as the application device, particularly if steady third world squat skills are somewhat lacking. This would aid in avoiding a difficult to disinfect penetrating wound if balance is lost at an inopportune moment. Such might bring to an untimely end the current trek and leave lasting physical and psychological scarring.

    [Note: i hope no one thinks i'm serious with the above suggestions.]

    #1370803
    John S.
    BPL Member

    @jshann

    lol…one shop towel makes nine tp squares for me.

    #1370879
    Moe Dog
    Member

    @moedog56

    Now y'all know who NOT to ask if they can 'spare a square'.

    #1372001
    Caleb Wininger
    Member

    @caleb_sandler

    Locale: Michigan

    since we're all dancing around the subject of using spent tp as tinder, here's the final iteration of the concept. why not use those alcohol-soaked baby wipes as tp. presto! built in flamability. i always say "leave no trace…from your fire or in your shorts."

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting

A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!

Get the Newsletter

Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light!

Gear Research & Discovery Tools


Loading...