Wilderness Survival

April 30, 2005 9:38 AM

Wilderness Survival Lesson: How to make fire from a can of Coke and a chocolate bar. If, for some reason, you'd ever need to...
posted by jenleigh (12 comments total)

I want to try this so bad...
posted by jikel_morten at 9:44 AM on April 30, 2005

Awesome post. I'm polishing my diet a&w as we speak...



(If you know what I mean...)
posted by stenseng at 9:57 AM on April 30, 2005

I want to try this so bad...

My fiancee & his mates tried it, unsuccessfully, a week ago on a highlands hike. I'll have to ask him specifically what went wrong. I suspect alcohol did something to deter their concentration...Maybe some MeFites will have better luck.

I'm polishing my diet a&w as we speak...

This is a family website!
posted by jenleigh at 10:24 AM on April 30, 2005

How to make fire from a can of Coke and a chocolate bar.

That is one of the most irresistable post descriptions I've ever seen. I had to look! M&Ms (developed for wartime conditions) are a lot less messy than a chocolate bar in the wilderness, however, and can be stored more easily.
posted by LeLiLo at 10:51 AM on April 30, 2005

Whenever I go on a long hike (the ones you might need to make a fire on) I never bring cans of Coke with me. Any cans for that matter. I just take my water bottle. Water is much better against thirst than carbonated sugar with water. I sometimes do bring some chocolate however.
posted by kika at 10:56 AM on April 30, 2005

Geez... Bring a lighter!

;)
posted by sveskemus at 11:13 AM on April 30, 2005

Fascinating. Keep in mind that to make this work, you'll also need a way to polish the bottom of the can (they suggest cloth and an abrasive gel, like toothpaste).
posted by Down10 at 1:11 PM on April 30, 2005

Keep in mind that to make this work, you'll also need a way to polish the bottom of the can (they suggest cloth and an abrasive gel, like toothpaste).

I hear you can even use a chocolate bar to polish it.
posted by straight at 2:11 PM on April 30, 2005

As an eagle scout I have to throw this in. If you're in the wilderness with a can of coke, you probably shouldn't have been there in the first place. Bulky and not what you should be drinking as it dehydrates you.
That said, i'll have to check this out next time i'm 'camping' with my friends 10 feet from a parked car.
posted by efalk at 3:01 PM on April 30, 2005

Ahh, better to cut the bottom of a can and toss it in your pack, next to your mirror, matches, lighter, etc. Not a bad idea though.
posted by efalk at 3:03 PM on April 30, 2005

This is why it's good when hiking, to throw your empty cans to the side of the track, or simply leave them littered about your campsite. This unselfish act might save somebody's life!
posted by lucien at 7:23 PM on April 30, 2005

I tried it with coke can+brillo pad+toothpaste and couldn't get it to catch fire, the paper became a little discolored but no fire. Going to give it one more shot!!
posted by tke248 at 1:11 PM on May 3, 2005