How to Make Char Cloth for Tinder [Step-by-Step Guide]

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👉 The key facts from this guide

All day on your feet in a remote area. It's getting dark.

You need a campfire quickly.

Fortunately, you have your charred cotton as tinder.

You gather wood and in a minute your fire is burning. The night can come.

Today, you will learn how to make wonderful tinder from old fabric scraps.

This charred cotton is perfect as a fire starter for your next fire.

You can do it in 5 steps.

The Ingredients

You only need four ingredients:

• some cotton
• an old metal can
• a knife
• a fire

The metal can must be well-sealed. It can be an old cookie or candy tin, for example.

You have to light the first fire without using your charred cotton. But imagine you're out in the wilderness. Then you make new tinder with your last fire, as shown below: using old cotton.

Oh, and charred cotton is also called "char cloth", "charred cloth", and "charpaper". The method of making fire has been used for centuries.

Step 1: Drill a Small Hole in the Can

The can must have a small hole so that the vapors can escape during carbonization.

So, poke or drill a small hole in the lid.

Step 2: Cut the Cotton into Pieces

You need cotton as the starting material.

You can get this from old clothes. Furthermore, you probably have an old t-shirt lying around somewhere (jeans or linen works just as well).

If you don't have any cotton, you can surely find some from friends or your parents. Please don't buy a new t-shirt, that would not be sustainable.

Now cut the cotton into small pieces. 5 x 5 cm pieces are a good choice. Put the cotton in the metal can.

Step 3: Ignite a Fire and Put the Can in It

Now you put the can with the cotton directly into the fire. Everything has to get really hot.

Don't worry about the metal of the can, it can withstand the heat.

Then you light the fire.

Step 4: Wait until no more smoke comes out of the can

This step is important because it is the correct way to make charred cotton.

The can with the cotton must now remain in the fire until NO white smoke escapes from the hole.

Only then is the cotton charred.

In the picture here, you can see that white smoke is still escaping.

This can must remain in the fire.

Step 5: Let the can cool down

If you open the can immediately, it is very likely that the cotton will ignite.

So let the can cool down for about 20 to 30 minutes.

It's best to cover the small hole for now (with a stone, aluminum foil, soil, etc.) so that no air can get to the cotton. This improves the quality of the cotton.

Then open the can and you will see the charred cotton.

As you can see, the can should have remained in the fire longer.

There is still cotton present that is not completely charred.

The result: a great tinder

As a result, you have created a great tinder.

It only takes a few sparks to touch it, and the charred cotton starts to glow.

Then pack the glowing cotton into a tinder nest and your fire can be ignited.

Bonus Tip: Try using cotton pads, they also glow great.

Are you interested in more types of tinder and ways to ignite a fire? Then read my article "Making fire without a lighter or matches (18 ways)".

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How do you like the instructions? Or would you do something different?

Write your impressions in the comments.