A few years ago I bought off some military surplus site an item called "Chemical warming bag" At any rate that's what my mom told me the german translated to. She also translated the instructions for use for me. I kept it in my emergency kit for a few years. I have seen packets before that you put in water, and they heat up and you can heat your MRE, or what have you in it, so I'm familiar with that way that this thing is supposed to work. But after thinking about it, I decided to dump the thing. It's dated Nov. 1966, I only have a translation of what doesn't seem to be the whole instructions, and if I'm ever in a place where I can't get a fire going, warm food probably won't be top priority!
I really wonder if the thing is any good yet anyway? One way to find out. I kneaded the package according to the instructions, to make sure it wasn't hard or lumpy, ran up to the kitchen grabbed a stainless steel bowl, filled it with water. Open up the protective package and throw in the "chemical warming bag." So far so good. Watch for a while, and don't see any sign of heat. Hey, what if I rip the bag open and pour the powder in the water, what would happen? No sooner thought than done, I dump the powder in what I now realize is my wife's mixer bowl-- oh, well, it's stainless steel. I watch for a while, but get bored, figure I'll go down in the basement and tinker for a while, and check on it later, now notice that my fingertips are stained black. Oh well. When I come back upstairs there is no warmth at all in the water. I get sidetracked until my wife asks me when I'm going to clean that mess up. Hey I'll just flush it down the toilet. I pour it in the toilet, but this black mass sticks to the bottom of the bowl-- no big deal I'll break it out in pieces and flush them. It breaks out in two pieces that I throw in the pot, then attempt to flush. They stay in the bottom, flush after flush. Pouring hot water down the john doesn't help at all. Drop this, I gotta get this mixing bowl clean. I use detergent and an SOS pad, but it appears that this crud may be corrosive! I don't know what to think, but there is black crud stuck in what appear to be pits in the bowl surface. The bowl goes downstairs to await steel wool. And my attention turns back to the john. I have been able to get most of the "chemical warming bag chemical" out of the pot by scraping it with a hanger, but the toilet bowl is definately stained brown!
Thought I would warn you guys, keep your ideas in the basement!
__________________
You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.--Gospel of John 8:32 NRA Member
A few years ago I bought off some military surplus site an item called "Chemical warming bag" At any rate that's what my mom told me the german translated to. She also translated the instructions for use for me. I kept it in my emergency kit for a few years. I have seen packets before that you put in water, and they heat up and you can heat your MRE, or what have you in it, so I'm familiar with that way that this thing is supposed to work. But after thinking about it, I decided to dump the thing. It's dated Nov. 1966, I only have a translation of what doesn't seem to be the whole instructions, and if I'm ever in a place where I can't get a fire going, warm food probably won't be top priority!
I really wonder if the thing is any good yet anyway? One way to find out. I kneaded the package according to the instructions, to make sure it wasn't hard or lumpy, ran up to the kitchen grabbed a stainless steel bowl, filled it with water. Open up the protective package and throw in the "chemical warming bag." So far so good. Watch for a while, and don't see any sign of heat. Hey, what if I rip the bag open and pour the powder in the water, what would happen? No sooner thought than done, I dump the powder in what I now realize is my wife's mixer bowl-- oh, well, it's stainless steel. I watch for a while, but get bored, figure I'll go down in the basement and tinker for a while, and check on it later, now notice that my fingertips are stained black. Oh well. When I come back upstairs there is no warmth at all in the water. I get sidetracked until my wife asks me when I'm going to clean that mess up. Hey I'll just flush it down the toilet. I pour it in the toilet, but this black mass sticks to the bottom of the bowl-- no big deal I'll break it out in pieces and flush them. It breaks out in two pieces that I throw in the pot, then attempt to flush. They stay in the bottom, flush after flush. Pouring hot water down the john doesn't help at all. Drop this, I gotta get this mixing bowl clean. I use detergent and an SOS pad, but it appears that this crud may be corrosive! I don't know what to think, but there is black crud stuck in what appear to be pits in the bowl surface. The bowl goes downstairs to await steel wool. And my attention turns back to the john. I have been able to get most of the "chemical warming bag chemical" out of the pot by scraping it with a hanger, but the toilet bowl is definately stained brown!
Thought I would warn you guys, keep your ideas in the basement!
Advice taken, and WOW! Are YOU gonna' be in the doghouse!!!
Very good advice. I have learned from your mistake.
Also guys...when a chemical warns you to use gloves, sometimes heed the warning. I was playing around with a Ruger 10/22 and I went to the local Auto store to get some cleaner/degreaser. Instructions say to wear gloves and also give instructions for dilution of the product. I want to refinish the 10/22 with Brownells Gunkote, so I figure full strength is the only way to go. After scrubbing the parts with the full-strength degreasor I noticed my hand felt kinda funny. For the next week both hands peeled as the top few layers of skin came off and were replaced.
This sounds like a good topic...pass on your pearls you learned the wrong way!
__________________ I reserve the right to be wrong.
= Joe Brainard!!
