Fire from a Can of Coke and a Chocolate Bar

wildwoodsurvival.com
Follow the above link for the pictures, I took them out for the people with dial-up and other slow connections.



Yes, you CAN make a fire from a can of coke and a chocolate bar! It really does work -- there are emails at the bottom of this page verifying this.
This idea was originally proposed by Andre Bourbeau to Rob Bicevskis about 6 years ago. I don't know if he is the one that came up with it in the first place. Thanks to Rob for bringing this method to my attention. The original concept was to investigate unique and unusual ways of making fire using everyday objects that one might be carrying around, should one be stranded in the wilderness. Of course, prudent hikers will probably be carrying a lighter or matches! To make fire from a can of coke and a chocolate bar is actually quite easy, and you don't need any tools. However, you do need some sunlight and some tinder when you're actually ready to start a fire! For the doubters reading this page, at the bottom are comments from people who have actually done it. In addition, Rob Bicevskis, who passed this concept on to me, has done it. It's his hands you see in the demo farther down the page. Please also see his article, "Fire by Cans, Part II".

Fire from a Can of Coke and a Chocolate Bar

 

COOL!! You know, I wonder if you could just punch a small hole in center and push a matchstick or twig through from behind, it would focus somewhere along it, it wouildn't shake or move out of focus. after igniting an ember you would push it through alittle farther.

Polished one up today with a touch of "mothers mag and aluminum polish" took about 2.5 minutes to get a mirror and focused spot , try it out tomorrow..

 

I have seen the success of the chocolate and can on Mythbusters. They also made fire from Ice.

Link to various things for starting fire they did:

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/01/episode_45_shredded_plane_fire.html

Speaking of which, here's the episode:

Google Videos Error

Interesting stuff.

Also heard about aluminum foil and oven cleaner as a fire method.

Take 1'x1' piece of aluminum foil and spray it with oven cleaner. Take another piece of foil the same size and lay it on top of the sprayed piece. Ball up and cover with small twigs and tinder. Heat generated will start fire and ignite twigs.

That is how I heard it. Haven't done the research to find out if it's true or not, so I don't know.

 

I am not wasting good chocolate polishing any can bottom!

brook

 

I'm with you Brook. That's why I have three magnifying glasses, two bic lighters, waterproof matches, steel wool and a nine volt battery. Might need the chocolate for energy to keep trying to light my fire. Haha.

 

yeah, and I was expecting a mentos and diet coke thinger to happen! polish a can bottom???

only a chocolate hater would come up with that one!

 

I like when they did the Mentos thing. I didn't think it would work, though it did. Now I know if I only have a pack of mentos and a soda pop, I may be able to defend myself.

 

I immediately assumed the phosphoric acid caused the reaction, turns out they got a reaction from the caffiene and the gum arabic, phosphoric acid alone didn't do anything with a mentos. they did a prtetty good job investigating that one.

 

I really liked the video U2, the girl drank the soda and ate the mentos... too funny, then it disappeared! wonder if she had a delayed reaction?!?

 

Ultimately, a true survival monkey would use the can bottom to melt the chocolate, to present a chocolate grasshopper fondue to the team...

 

I'll have my chocolate without the grasshopper thank you! but I will take the little hopper thank you...put it on my fishing hook and go fishin! (not that I know how to fish.. well I fish at Costco!...always catch something there)

 

Fishin' is a fine thing. Not as fine as huntin' though good enough. Remember, just a little jiggle can get you a whole lot of wiggle. If you don't know how to fish, you should try it. It's a blast when you have to fight a whopper of a fish and then there's satisfaction in when you coat him with butter and spices and drizzle him with lemon. Ah, such satisfaction.

 

TMH,

I guess if I had to fish for food I could... but.. but Costco has such a fine assortment and I always catch something there <smile>

I could go out back and butcher a goat or rabbit or chicken or been meaning to put them turkeys in the freezer. And eat my chocolate for dessert.

Never could get the hang of fishing... I like to sew or garden or work with my dogs.. fishing is a tad bit too slow for me and I get antsy. My slow down time is reading or sharing on the net and, well, you see how typative I am.

</smile>

 

I guess a fish in a pack is worth two in the stream. Haha.

 

I'd rather be

 

Cardboard fish is mighty tastey. Especially after you add two tons of ketchup.

 

Although this fire making technique is not primitive technology, it is worth mentioning in terms of survival skills. Fire can be produce by chemical reaction using potassium permanganate mixed with antifreeze from a car radiator or glycerin. Potassium permanganate used to be found in first aid kits and was utilized as a mild antiseptic. Adding a few drops of antifreeze or glycerin to potassium permanganate will cause the mixture to instantaneously burst into flames.
CAUTION: If the chemical reaction is not successful, do not neglect the mixture because it may start to burn. Always dispose of any unsuccessful attempts by burying the mixture with sand and dirt, then pouring water on the spot. Bury any flammable materials that have been in contact with the chemicals. Also pour water on the buried materials.

 

On the fishing thing being slow, one thing that helps a lot on that and will serve you better in a survival situation (at least in this part of the country) is to use small hooks and go after bluegill, perch and such. They are small, about hte size of your hand, and it takes several to make a meal but when nothing else is biteing you can still generaly catch a bucket full of these critters in 2-3 hours and while there aint a lot to them they taste good and a bunch of them will still feed you.