Old handwarmers

[M8ball]

Hello all:

Got some questions on old handwarmers. I inherited a couple of handwarmers from my late grandfather. Not sure how old either of them are, and there's not much in the way of markings. One of them has vent holes and a wick, looks like it might take lighter fluid. The other is a folding pencil-type case with a velvet exterior; the interior is lined with what looks like asbestos. I found some fuel sticks for it. They look like silver metallic bars (magnesium based?). I'm guessing you get one lit and then place it in the asbestos case and let it do a slow burn.

I'm wondering, are either of these safe to use? Are these something you use intermittently, and then blow out when they get too hot, or do they burn at low enough heat that it's safe to put one in a side pocket while it's still active? I'd like to put these to use on the next excursion, but thought I'd find out more before I burned a hole in my coat. Anybody got experience with either of these types?

[victorcharlie]

The one with the holes in the side will burn lighter fluid, or naphtha which you can buy cheap at a hardware or paint store.  I still use mine and they are much warmer than the chemical type warmers, but the do have an odor while burning.

I soak the inside and pour off the excess.....put a few drops on the wick to light it and let it burn until the flame goes out then put the top on and let it breath for a few minutes before putting it in your pocket.........It will get hot!

I posted a question about these a couple of years ago after finding some of my old ones in box that had been stored for awhile.....there are a few people that still use them but most have went to the chemical packs that don't give off fumes.......IMO, the chemical packs don't get near as warm as the Jonei hand warmers......

have a look at this link:

http://www.preparedness.com/jonhanwargia.html

[jgalar]

You can put either in your pocket. You can extinguish either one. I prefer the cheap one with the burning "sticks"

[.54]

Those old hand warmers do put out more heat than the chemical hand warmers. Great for the pocket . I had a friend who put one in his sweatshirt pocket before climbing in his sleeping bag though and  he woke up with a huge blister on his stomach where I guess he had laid on it all night.

[victorcharlie]

Or maybe the lighter fluid leaked.......ouch!

[deltecs]

In my experience, the fuel sticks and this type of handwarmer is dynamite.  I sewed a couple of small pockets on my hunting vest in the small of my back and place the handwarmers there.  The heat on your kidneys warms the small of your back and the rest of your body stays nice and warm.  Then at night put them in the sleeping bag.  They don't get hot enough to burn you and if you are too warm can take them out and extiguish them.  Once extiguished, just light the other end the next morning and by the time that they burn to the used end, they are dry and burn like before.  Just take the stick out and extiguish it and don't do it in the case.  I buy the store out generally when I find the fuel sticks for sale as they are a bit hard to come by at times.

[DCRthe3rd]

It's been my experience those trow away hand warmers , and foot warmers are junk , some people tell me how great they are , I guess I just aint using them right or something
I use the stik types , they still sell the sticks and handwarmers , if you keep them in a pocket do not keep anything else in that pocket , I have ruined a grunt tube that way , I usually drop mine down between one of my layered shirts while hunting , if when its at its hottest you press it agaisnt your body , it burns.
I once took a kneeling position on a doe and my knee was enough to press it to my skin , I was wearing a load of cloths and waiting for a good shot , trying not to spook the deer and at the same time get the freakin handwarmer moved to a different position , made it interesting.
Side note on the stick burners , let the one end of the stick burn down about 1/2 inch before closing lid or it may go out.

[Bench]

It's been my experience those trow away hand warmers , and foot warmers are junk , some people tell me how great they are , I guess I just aint using them right or something
I use the stik types , they still sell the sticks and handwarmers , if you keep them in a pocket do not keep anything else in that pocket , I have ruined a grunt tube that way , I usually drop mine down between one of my layered shirts while hunting , if when its at its hottest you press it agaisnt your body , it burns.
I once took a kneeling position on a doe and my knee was enough to press it to my skin , I was wearing a load of cloths and waiting for a good shot , trying not to spook the deer and at the same time get the freakin handwarmer moved to a different position , made it interesting.
Side note on the stick burners , let the one end of the stick burn down about 1/2 inch before closing lid or it may go out.

there is much truth in his words.

[kevthebassman]

The chemical ones are plenty hot for me.  I rarely find that it is cold enough to need to use them anyway.... I dress in layers and as long as the core of my body is warm my hands rarely ever get cold even if they're not in my pockets.

I don't usually suffer myself to be out in the really miserable cold stuff anyway.  I can shoot enough to keep the family in venison even if I only go out on the fair weather days.  I've only ever gone through two deer's worth of meat a year.  One during bow season and at least one during rifle season, plus muzzleloader and the bonus doe season..... I end up giving away plenty of meat. 

Just fortunate to live in a place where there is ample opportunity to take game.  If I were in a place where I had to work just to see deer, then I would probably worry more about foul weather.