Burn test - kilt materials

[pipesndrumsnun]

Hmmm...very interesting!

[bigdad1]

I don't think cotton is all that big problem.

I work full time in my very own blacksmith shop. I play with fire alla time, and get burned regularly, on my arms, legs, face, etc..

I have several shop kilts made from cotton, and several made from wool. Both have had hot mill scale, hot grinding sparks, and liquid molten borax welding flux at about 2400f bounced off 'em. I can't see a hell of a lot of difference. Granted, the wool is a little less flammable, but it's not like you go up in a ball o fire wearing cotton, even if it is subject to some pretty intense heat, though I do make a point to not stand directly in the flame of the gas forge.

Wool is king, for many reasons, but cotton is not a sin, nor is it more dangerous in most (nearly all) situations. Synthetics, OTOH, just simply do NOT work in the shop, as kilts, shirts, pants, or much of anything else. But then that's a personal rant, and not really relative here.

And you are the first blacksmith I have seen or spoken to who doesn't wear a leather or other sort of fire proof apron while working. Why is that?

[Archangel]

By the way. Plan for emergencies now because you can't do it when it is happening. As a burn victim (read: welder) let me remind all that slapping burning clothes does no favour to the victim. Wool is thick enough to keep the heat away from flesh but people slapping at burning synthetics simply pushes the burning material onto the flesh. Pull the material away from my bod, please, then slap it silly. My second scar is from somebody being "helpful". I actually had it under control before the "help" came but I guess a burning shirt scared him more than me. Oh well, he meant well.

[McFarkus]

My second scar is from somebody being "helpful". I actually had it under control before the "help" came but I guess a burning shirt scared him more than me. Oh well, he meant well.

Ouch!!! Keep the good Samaritans away

[Ozman1944]

Remember the hot clingy pure Nylon shirts in the 60's?
I always got home from a party with holes burned into it from someone dancing nearby with a lit cigarette. (Yes, we used to smoke EVERYWHERE - Supernarkets, Restuarants, Malls, Department Stores, Banks, Post Offices, Hospitals-both patients, doctors and visitors, Doctor's offices, etc. Church was the only place it was banned.

[ccga3359]

Yes, we used to smoke EVERYWHERE - Supernarkets, Restuarants, Malls, Department Stores, Banks, Post Offices, Hospitals-both patients, doctors and visitors, Doctor's offices, etc. Church was the only place it was banned.

**Sigh** I miss those days.

[McMurdo]

Remember the hot clingy pure Nylon shirts in the 60's?
I always got home from a party with holes burned into it from someone dancing nearby with a lit cigarette. (Yes, we used to smoke EVERYWHERE - Supernarkets, Restuarants, Malls, Department Stores, Banks, Post Offices, Hospitals-both patients, doctors and visitors, Doctor's offices, etc. Church was the only place it was banned.

I know this is a wee bit of topic but I remember having an ashtray on my desk at work, and getting on the subway with a lit cig. Ah the good old days.

[ccga3359]

I know this is a wee bit of topic but I remember having an ashtray on my desk at work, and getting on the subway with a lit cig. Ah the good old days.

Actually I've heard that surgeons in Montreal now have to butt out during surgury. Bummer.

My point about cigarettes is that they are safer (less of an ignition source I mean) than those of yesterday. I would run a test but my cigs come from the reserve and don't have this safer paper .

[Wompet]

And here I was, going to enlist your help for Phase II - more common source of ignition, at lower temperature.

[ccga3359]

And here I was, going to enlist your help for Phase II - more common source of ignition, at lower temperature.

As mentioned my cigarettes of lesser regulations do continue to smoulder on there own (which, I believe is under 450°F) I'll see if I can dig up ignition points of the various materials. Are we going to test it on McMurdo's kilts ?