I have always used the pocket rocket type stoves with the iso-butane/propane fuel canisters but I find the fuel too bulky and not multi-purpose enough. I have been looking into alcohol stoves (for when fire cant be made). I like the Trangia Spirit (or I might make my own). I tried to look up information on different types of fuel. I read that people mostly use denatured alcohol or HEET. I want to carry a fuel that can also be used in first aid. The info I find is very contradictory. Some say use 90% or better isopropyl; some say 90% or better ethyl alchol. What is a good clean burning fuel safe for first aid use?

I use methyl alcohol or denatured alcohol in my Trangia, not sure about the medical uses.

Ryan LaPan wrote:

I have always used the pocket rocket type stoves with the iso-butane/propane fuel canisters but I find the fuel too bulky and not multi-purpose enough. I have been looking into alcohol stoves (for when fire cant be made). I like the Trangia Spirit (or I might make my own). I tried to look up information on different types of fuel. I read that people mostly use denatured alcohol or HEET. I want to carry a fuel that can also be used in first aid. The info I find is very contradictory. Some say use 90% or better isopropyl; some say 90% or better ethyl alchol. What is a good clean burning fuel safe for first aid use?

I was going to  do some testing about that topic for my self-reliance medicine project 8). Here what I can tell you ( actually there a post in the medical part on alcohol that I give my opinion).

What you need to know is that ALL alcohol are kind of the same outside the body. Meaning unless you drink that stuff it's not bad. The issue is when it's change into what we call metabolite (by product). let's call it the good alcohol ( ethanol) and the bad ( the others). The good and the bad get process by the same enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase). The enzyme have a bigger afinity for the good one.Actually that's the tx we do ( the old one), we keep people drunk until they pass the bad one unmetabolize:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/812411-overview#a0104

So why i am talking about alll that. Well I believe you get a stronger flame with the bad one then the good one. You will be able to propably sterilize instruments with the bad one. But if you intend to use to clean the skin and use it as an antidote for the bad one obviously you will have to use the good one. Not sure how much absorbtion you wil have of the bad stuff through the skin ( always hard to assess topical absorption). Cause like i said before you don't use the stuff on open wound it"s a big NO NO and just to be sure NOOOOO.lol It's does more damage then good.

Hope it help make your choice. I know some Grappa is about 40% pure. I had a bottle that i was going to try( can't drink that stuff lol) with

I use golden grain or ever clear it is about 180 proof (90% alcohol) you can use it to disinfect and if one cuts water with it 2 parts water to 1 part golden grain they have vodka!  Safety note one MUST clearly mark the containers they use and never reuse an old container that held any thing other then food grade stuff!  I say again make sure you do not reuse an old fuel container if you are going to drink it.   if you do it will cause brain damage and or death.  I know this probable reinforces some negative Southern stereo types but hey some times they are true

Ryan LaPan wrote:So ur saying dont use any kind of alcobol on an open wound?

exactly 8):

http://www.plasticsurgerypractice.com/issues/articles/2005-11_06.asp

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1895071-overview

My pops in law makes vodka with pure grain alcohol and distilled water, just have to get the mix rate right to get the alcohol % to a drinkable level. He got the spirits a few years ago in a neighboring province, you can't buy it where we live.

Ken Greanya wrote:http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm

Great site!!!

As Paul B & others have stated already, denatured alcohol or Heet in the yellow bottle. Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) will work, but it's messy; doesn't burn as cleanly & will produce soot on your pots & stove. The only other use for the fuel that I've benefited from is using it to help get a fire going, or prolong it, but not something I do often. 

denTURED alc is what i use rubbing alc doesn't work well or produce as sustained and hot a flame the denatured stuff is also good for cleaning knives after gutting or even cooking things like chicken breast. Plus even without a stove just a pan with denatured alc in it can get a gsi cup boiling

James Montana wrote:

denTURED alc is what i use rubbing alc doesn't work well or produce as sustained and hot a flame the denatured stuff is also good for cleaning knives after gutting or even cooking things like chicken breast. Plus even without a stove just a pan with denatured alc in it can get a gsi cup boiling

Thats interesting. Do you just set the GSI cup into the pan?

It seems to me, in my youtube travels I remember someone saying that 50% iso alcohol burns hotter than 90%. Could be something to try out. This all of course if you can handle some soot from the alcohol : reference my link I added to the thread earlier.