I've just upgraded my bivi 'kitchen' to an Alpkit Ti mug & cup heated by one of Stu's brilliant meths stoves along with a DIY cozy and windshield. Everything works great with the water staying hot in the cozy for well over 30 minutes. :D

A quick question for meths newbie please...

I lit the stove no problem with matches but I normally use a firesteel on my old gas stove, I wasn't having too much luck with the meths stove (probably because I wasn't holding it close enough for fear of knocking it over?) or do they just not work as well with meths ?

Cheers

It helps if your meths has been in your pocket for a while as body temp meths is easier to light than cold meths.

Dont think a flint works very well with a meths stove, as you have to ignite the Meths vapour which is down in the bottom of the stove, and it can take a bit with matches outside.

I found something like this in Morrisons for about 50p. Nicely fits in your pot, and allows you to get a flame down in the bottom of your stove.

Bic lighter.

I always use a flint/fire-striker with meths no problems.

The only potential hassles are cold meths and knocking it over when striking.

So.....warm it up first and hold your scraper still (with your hand on the floor to steady it) close to the meths and then pull the rod back against it rather than the other way round - fool (gairy) proof!

A flint/steel may be a bit hit and miss. A lighter or match of some sort will usually give better results. If it's very cold I'll sometimes dip my finger in meths, light it, the use my finger to light the stove

A lighter often weighs less than a fire steel too.

s8tannorm wrote:A lighter often weighs less than a fire steel too.

That's definitely true but I still like mine for feeling all Ray Mearsy out in the hills (and I always have a lighter and waterproof matches somewhere in my kit as back-up).

A bit of meths on some loo paper goes up easily from a fire-steel spark, I've made a paper wick and sparked that, it warms the meths till it lights fully. Either that or soak a bit of twig in the meths and use a lighter, agreed it does feel better doing it with sparks )

dip my finger in meths, light it, the use my finger to light the stove

showman eh? : ) must try that one / once..

showman eh? : ) must try that one / once..

I did manage to set fire to my sleeve this afternoon though