Boiling water in a mini-loaf pan, and a short book review.

peripatew

peripatew

Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
1,421
TwoStagesOfFolding.jpg


My Dad just picked up Build the Perfect Survival Kit by John McCann. While poking through it I came across a neat section that talked about possible options for boiling water in small survival kits that I had not seen before. I fortunately found an article about this on his website: http://www.bepreparedtosurvive.com/Mini Loaf Pans - A Foldable Option.htm

Basically he folds a mini-loaf pan flat and packs it with him. On that link he links to another small article about why he doesn't just use aluminum foil.

Aluminum foil is something that I don't have in my kit right now, but I really don't have a solution for boiling water, so I'm looking forward to testing this out. I use a plastic case just a tad bigger than a Pelican 1020, so I have a little extra room in my kit.

Sadly though, Wal-Mart was sold out of these, which means a lot of people are getting fruit cake for Christmas!

I hadn't seen this mentioned here before, so I thought I would share it.

I recommend the book, it's very detailed, and it has tons of comparison photos, which we all seem to love here in WSS. McCann used to work at the Wilderness Learning Center. It was published in 2005, so some of the gadgets (like lights and other gear), are a little outdated, but all the information is still relevant. I'm speeding through the book, as a lot of it is somewhat repeated information. About half of the book walks you through making different kits for different scenarios, which is just AWESOME!

L!
 
I got a copy of that book from Bass Pro. I've been thumbing through it again recently. Lots and lots of good info. +1:thumbup: -DT
 
Good tip.
You should be able to find those at the grocery store in the baking isle if WalMart doesn't get any in. Some of the dollar stores sell 'em too.
 
Aluminum foil buy itself doesn't have enough rigidity to retain its form when lifting it in and out of fire. However, you can make a little frame out of twigs or saplings and then cover the outside of your twig skeleton with the foil.

The baking pan is a good idea but much thicker than the foil. The thing is to carry a SS water bottle or one of the bottle pots that fit over a 1L nalgene. Takes very little room and serves a valuable function in itself.
 
Looks like a good idea IF you were using it in a kit where you didn't have a water bottle/steel cup combo for some reason. Even without a water bottle, You could store a poncho or tarp rolled up in the cup without taking up any extra room. I'd much prefer a cup if there was room for it. Thanks for sharing!
 
I read that book about 6 mo. ago. John McCann is a true survival kit fanatic. Great book with lots of good tips.
 
Although I know some here disagree with much of what he says on his site, it is definitely worth taking a look at m4040.com's PSK. It is centered around a tin mini-bread pan as both the container for the kit and the water boiling vessel. Not a bad idea in my opinion, and I am working on a kit like his for my BK-1.
 
I enjoyed reading a good bit of the M40 site. I actually bought one of those bread pans after reading it, I liked the idea. It just doesn't work as well in practice as a simple steel cup or pot, and doesn't fit in most pouches either. If you carry the big pouch on your main blade like him, it makes more sense though.
 
kgd said:
Aluminum foil buy itself doesn't have enough rigidity to retain its form when lifting it in and out of fire. However, you can make a little frame out of twigs or saplings and then cover the outside of your twig skeleton with the foil.
Click to expand...

I've found this out trying to boil with it, I've tried many times to fold perfectly and all the tricks in the book, but its just doesnt matter, as soon as that foil is folded its looks ok, but is filled with tiny little holes. You just loose too much water to make it worth while.
 
I have heard Hobo's would boil water in a paper bag to make coffee.. I've never tried it but one of these days I have to see if it works.. Anyone ever tried it?
 
Boiling water in a paper bag? Wouldn't the water alone tear through the paper? Or is it some kind of thicker paper that retains the water?
 
TheGame said:
Boiling water in a paper bag? Wouldn't the water alone tear through the paper? Or is it some kind of thicker paper that retains the water?
Click to expand...

You gotta get Hobo Paper, I think they carry it at your local Hobo-Depot. At least mine does.




:D
 
Trace Rinaldi said:
I have heard Hobo's would boil water in a paper bag to make coffee.. I've never tried it but one of these days I have to see if it works.. Anyone ever tried it?
Click to expand...

Yes, it works.

How practical is it really ??

Probably not too much.

Coals work best, as open flame would burn the bag down to the water level ! :eek:

.
 
Trace Rinaldi said:
I have heard Hobo's would boil water in a paper bag to make coffee.. I've never tried it but one of these days I have to see if it works.. Anyone ever tried it?
Click to expand...

I've done it at cookouts, as a goof, just to show folks it can be done.

As long as the fire is kept below the water line in the bag, the water keeps the bag from burning, and the water will boil.

Standard brown grocery bags work.
 
You can fold notebook paper and staple to make a vessel and then boil water in it.

The water dissipates/absorbs the heat from the flame, preventing the paper from igniting.

Very cool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top