Sterno

“I know, some of you are gasping that the word Sterno has ben uttered (typed) on the hallowed pages of TT. Last weekend, I escorted 10 scouts on a training hike to gear-up for their AT trip. This was the first occassion for many of them backpacking. We discussed all the important stuff and shared useful tips. I, of course, brought my nifty Pepsi (actually Yuengling) can stove and half expected that I'd need to do a session on showing them how to build one. Well, to make a long story short, one of these darling cherubs brought a nifty devise which fit on the top of a Sterno can. I can't say it worked faster than the can stove, and it certainly wasn't lighter, but my gosh, was it a cinch to use (even an elevan year old could do it!) We all agree (if thats really possible here) that speed isn't the reason for using the can stove in the first place. Anyone have ideas why Sterno is held in lower regard than a homemade stove made from trash???
I'm thinking I'll make a pot stand which will fit in my pot along with a can and simplify.”

“sterno is groooovy.”

“They still make that stuff?

*s*”

“Don't ask me, I got nailed once upon a time when I said I used a sterno "stove." The stove is a fold out thing, fairly flat when folded up, and I bring a piece of tinfoil to use a a wind screen. I don't use sterno anymore since it's really flamable - stick a hot knife in it and you've got flames. Really good as a smudge pot to repel bugs, though. I use canned heat now, just a little can of fuel with a wick. Two of us on a 5 day trip used 3 cans, cooking breakfasts, suppers and a pot of tea every day. I choose this for the simplicity, I'm not into gadgets and don't want to bother with a "real" stove.”

“Make a pot of coffee with a sterno stove. Call me next week when the water warms up.”

“I thought "Canned Heat" was a 70's rock band and also the same as sterno.”

“I guess a rock band named "Sterno" wouldn't sound as hot as "Canned Heat".

(And Rad, I didn't think you were that old)”

“they're still around, with different members.”

“This is the fuel I use:
http://www.preparedness.com/safrepfuelca.html

...except the last can I bought was $2. I can get it at liquidation places for less than $10/case of 12.”

“I'm with bacpac. While easy, the flame just doesn't direct the flame like the homemade alcohol stoves. I'm not sure what flyg is describing exactly when he mentions the top these boys had for the can. I'd like to see it.”

“It was a band about 3 inches wide with holes punched in the side. The band was JUST big enough in diameter that the can would fit inside. When ready to cook you slid the can out, inverted the band which had dimples to keep the band from sliding down to far and it nestles on to the can pretty securely.
Seemed like tough metal, though not altogether too heavy.”

“i've seen the kind that twigeater describes. i think that they sell it at campmor.”

“When we were in girl scouts we made stoves similar to the one fly described from tin cans. Except the botton of the can was what you cooked on - could cook eggs and stuff on it.”

“nice name, twigeater! my friend Anna who's a forest ranger says that when she's walking by trees, she sometimes gets the urge to nibble on the branches, LOL! i thought she was the only one... :-)”

“Thanks lyra! I have been know to eat a twig or two...

...actually, I read somewhere that the Algonquins call moose "twigeater" because the moose eat the new tree growth - so that's why I chose it.

And why are you called "lyra?"”

“i got the name from the heroine of a book i was reading. i got a chill when i got to the end of the book and found out what happened to Lyra! the choice was very apropo. also, i've recently discovered that Lyra is a constellation. a lyre is a harp-like instrument that used to be used when poetry was recited.”

“Heroin??? By the way, how's Tarpy?”

“LOL!!!!”

“LOL, flyguy! logical sequence of thought, huh? ;-)”

“Logical??? You don't mean to say Tarpy is Spock, do you?”

“wellll maybe "logical" wasn't the best choice of words. but still! wash your mouth out with soap, flyguy! the horror...the horror... ;-)”