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Fire Breathing With Food as Fuel

video Fire Breathing With Food as Fuel

Here is a great way to blow huge flames more than 10 feet high without using any toxic chemicals. This method uses food as fuel. It is much safer than alcohol or other fuels, not only because it is non-toxic, but also because the fuel is not really flammable until you blow it. It won't burn if you spill it on yourself. With that said, you should still be careful when playing with fire. I take no responsibility for any damage or injury you might suffer.

179 comments

1-40 of 179

Aug 26, 2011. 11:48 PMjeffasaurus rex says:

should i use just one big breath or a double tap?

Aug 29, 2011. 10:08 AMshoemaker (author) says:

I go with one long heavy breath. I try to get as much air as I can in my lungs and then blow it all aout in about 1 second.

Aug 30, 2011. 12:22 AMjeffasaurus rex says:

thanks, i'll try that.

Aug 25, 2011. 10:27 PMDoctorOfAwesome says:

The best way is too mix 1 part corn starch and i part powdered sugar

Jun 23, 2011. 8:45 AMbwells2 says:

Can I use baking soda or baking powder?

Jun 23, 2011. 9:23 AMshoemaker (author) says:

Baking soda is a fire retardant, so i don't think it will work. I think baking powder would be similar. If you are desperate to try something, try flour.

Jun 5, 2011. 6:30 PMawalters3 says:

But a shop-vac wont work... Thats why they invented cordless vacuums. Oh the thrills and adventures I shall have torturing my neighbors >:DD

May 11, 2011. 9:13 PMcnash1303 says:

i like to use cinnemen....however you spell it.

Apr 17, 2011. 6:40 PMvinny_bolado says:

the breath has to be continuous until the end portion of starch in your mouth, otherwise the fire will invade your mouth

Apr 18, 2011. 11:44 AMshoemaker (author) says:

That is not entirely true. The corn starch will not burn unless it is mixed with a lot of oxygen. I have blown several breaths with one mouthful of cornstarch. That is one of the great things about using cornstarch instead of alcohol or petroleum products that will burn in your mouth and when they are spilled on yourself. You could actually smother a fire with cornstarch if you could apply it without adding oxygen as you do so.

Sep 11, 2009. 1:38 AMsockless says:

Now all we need to do is create an automated cornstarch dispenser, get a reversed vacuum cleaner or something and get a flame source and we have a flame thrower!

Jan 8, 2011. 6:47 PMbadideasrus says:

hello? shop vac with no filter? almost all have a 'blow' function. just fill with corn starch. ........ for legalities' sake (and for common sence) DON'T do this. it wouldn't suprise me if you could set all the corn starch in the tank of fire, since it would be ....cloudified?...... by the shop vac, inside the shop vac. instant kaboom!

Mar 25, 2011. 3:54 PMjustjimAZ says:

Nebulized

Jan 20, 2010. 9:31 PMThundertydus says:

or you can just mix the cornstarch with gasoline to make improvised napalm, put it in a super-soaker and attatch a blowtorch to one end.

Sep 29, 2010. 4:30 PMToastalicious says:

mixing it with gasoline would make the cornstarch pointless, as it is only flammable when dry

Oct 13, 2010. 9:16 PMmettaurlover says:

Gasoline is also only flammable in fume form!

Dec 16, 2010. 5:13 PMhintss says:

I'm pretty sure you mean its only explosive in fume form...

Dec 16, 2010. 8:33 PMmettaurlover says:

No, it really can only burn in fume form. I have a friend who regularly dunks his arm in gasoline and sets it on fire without getting injured from it. Only safe because liquid gas WILL. NOT. BURN.

Sep 11, 2009. 8:55 AMshoemaker (author) says:

I am working on that one. Stay tuned.

Feb 9, 2010. 7:47 PMTgwizman says:

LOL!!!
You sooo put this on 9/11
You should have waited a day or something to post something about you makeing explosives!

Feb 22, 2011. 3:17 AMbabanajoe says:

I burn my sweeper with this

Aug 12, 2010. 10:50 PMenigma27 says:

hey, i read if you breath in the cornstarch it can be really harmfully. how bad will it be if you inhale it. and would the powdereded sugar be the safest bet or what?

Sep 29, 2010. 4:28 PMToastalicious says:

Breathing ANYTHING that isn't air is bad.

Dec 16, 2010. 5:14 PMhintss says:

oxygen mixed with helium?

thats good. some squekiness in your voice, but its good...

Dec 18, 2010. 7:26 PMToastalicious says:

You still shouldn't inhale helium. It might not really all that bad, but you may suffocate. it's a possibility.

Dec 20, 2010. 11:06 AMhintss says:

but when it comes pre-mixed with oxygen...

Dec 20, 2010. 6:30 PMToastalicious says:

oh come on, you're just being ridiculous. I'm just saying if you breathe anything in that isn't clean air, it most likely doesn't belong in your body. -.-

May 25, 2010. 8:02 PMmark41097 says:

and btw which of thse three is the most flammable ???

Jun 13, 2010. 3:31 PMninjaimasta says:

None are more "flammable" than the other. Any powder that is finely distributed in the air near a source of flame is "flammable", next time your near a camp fire or something get a big ole' handful of flour, custard powder, hell even ajax will do and throw it through just above the flames. This "dust explosion" can "generate a dust explosion, such as coal, sawdust, and magnesium. However, many otherwise mundane materials can also lead to a dangerous dust cloud such as grain, flour, sugar, powdered milk and pollen." sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_explosion Flour mills and coal mines have actually exploded due to this effect.

Dec 16, 2010. 5:16 PMhintss says:

does this explain the flamability of aluminum powder and/or thermite?

May 26, 2010. 8:47 AMshoemaker (author) says:

I think corn starch is the most flamable.

May 27, 2010. 2:01 AMmark41097 says:

thnx!!!

Aug 10, 2010. 3:30 PMTheRavenKing says:

Genius, absolutely great. I used corn starch and was able to produce smaller fire balls. Any advice on how to get the range you got? I was getting 3 Feet maximum. Tips on getting it to 10 Feet would be great.

Aug 10, 2010. 4:39 PMshoemaker (author) says:

Lots of fuel and lots of air. Get as much cornstarch in your mouth as you can, then blow as much air as your lungs will hold.

Sep 13, 2010. 1:07 PMTheRavenKing says:

Thanks for the info, will do!

Aug 22, 2010. 11:19 AMSoul007 says:

I tried this today but it didn't really work out for me. I stuffed three kerosine soaked cotton balls in a metal pipe so that one stuck out for my torch and I followed the instructions with the corn starch. What did I do wrong? Was my flame too small? Thanks and the video's awesome- Soul