How to Make a Fire Axe

Intro: How to Make a Fire Axe

I'm sure that every one of us has, at some point or another wanted a Fire Axe. As far as I can tell, there are 3 reasons.
1: A Functional Tool
For sensible people only, for example, breaking down a door to rescue some trapped childrens from...something, i don't know.
2: A Whimsical Toy
For stupid people only. I knew a guy who liked to use his axe to chop up bits of burning wood from his fires. He got quite a lot of nasty burns in places you don't want ANY burns by doing that. No, Just No... I don't know if he likes to do it anymore. I'd guess no.
3: For the Sheer Coolness
Which is why I want it!

STEP 1: Step 1....Find the Stuff

Obviously, you can't grab a Fire Axe out of thin air, so you'll need to get the components for this wonderful device. You need:
1: An Axe
2: Some Fire, or;
3: SomeThing that can be turned into Fire
Obviously, you don't want to be walking around with a handful of incandescant pain. I reccommend 3, really.

STEP 2: Step 2.....Combine the Stuffs

In this step, I shall detail the delicate process of combining the Fire, or its substitute (Meths), and the Axe.
Splosh the Meths onto the axe.
Easier than i thought.

STEP 3: Step 3.....Begin Activation

OK then, Begin activation is a bit extreme, even for this high-tech project, but i really needed a cool name for this step.
Simply light the Meths on the axe. Perhaps if you put meths on both sides of the axe, it'd look cooler, though it tends to drool round anyway.

STEP 4: Step 4.....a Confession

You were lied to! Oh noes!
I'll confess that this does work, and if you want some burning alcohol on an axe, this is your project. That said, the flame is very thin and blue, and didn't show up well on the camera.
"Hmm..." Thinks I. "What can i do to make this flame show up more...?"
Then i remembered that the luminous part of the flame, the yellow bit is comprised of particles of carbon in the fire. I needed to get some carbon into it. I solved the (admittedly tiny) problem by dipping a piece of rag into the alcohol i'd spilled on the bench earlier and balancing it on the other side of the axe, then taking the picture. At least this way you can see the flame.
In all, a fairly pointless project, unless you need to chop something in the dark (stupid). It's also good for impressing kids.

Comments

[lilrocker90]

PLEASE don't do this and ruin your axe! only do this if you have a waste, scrap axe that is not used! having the fire on the axe will undo the temper and make the axe head soft and get dull very quickly! Only do this if you don't care about your axe.

way to waste a good axe

[Tim Temple]

I was thinking of doing something like that for a rocket stove. :-)

[Nyanman]

maybe if you roughed up the side of the blade and used a more jelled type flammable it would be easier and safer?

[Matt D655]

I wanna try that thats the sh--

[JCO72]

try rubber cement instead of alcohol. it may leave a residue though...

[nc527]

this ible is stupid

[Punkguyta]

F-ing right, I'm gonna make fire shoes! Now if I can't get my hands on a dv cam so you's can see me running around in flamming shoes.

[PKTraceur]

Oh YEAH!!! -PKT

[Vendigroth]

looking forward to it!

[Punkguyta]

Say, what would be the safest way to do this? Just rub gas on the rubber on the bottom of my shoe?

[Vendigroth]

first, i wouldn't recommend petrol, gasoline (same stuff) or any other petroleum stuff. Use meths with a bit of salt in it, soaked into a rag on the toe of your boot. Post pics, i want to see how this turns out.

[Vendigroth]

!!!!! Tie strings to your laces (or if you don't use laces, your feets) and dip them and set them of fire, so they flap about as you run! *Vendigrothtakesnoresponsibilityforanyharmbeitpsychological,physicalorotherwiseandintheeventofyourfireydemiseduetoterminalstupiditycannotbecoutedontodoanythingexceptlaugh.Ha. Legal notes are so cumbersome.

[Punkguyta]

That's an awesome idea. I am going to do it, I plan to take my laptop and webcam outside and film it. Where would I get "meths" btw?

[Vendigroth]

Meths is the English term (that is, used in england) for ethanol mixed with a small proportion of methanol and a smelly, foul-tasting chemical i don't know how to spell -begins with P- and some purple dye. The methanol and the chemicals are there to stop poor drunks from drinking it. In the US, try looking for high-proof alcohol, rubbing alcohol, cleaning alcohol, industrial alcohol, etc

[Full Frontal Graphic]

In "America" it's often called denatured alcohol, and sometimes methylated spirits

[Joanassie]

by America you mean combined north and south America? If not, be less of an insensitive stupidfrontaljerkface and understand that the U.S. of A. does not two continents make.

[Full Frontal Graphic]

Be nice or be gone. I put the word in quotations ("America") because I am well aware of the irony of calling the USA by the name of a whole different continent. "America" is what the southern continent in the western hemisphere was originally called, so there was America, and later there was North America. North America, the USA , neither one has a valid claim to "America" but that is common usage throughout the whole of North America, much as "meths" is a common term in for instance, England. Don't be so quick to take offense, just because you consider yourself more knowledgeable, don't assume that every comment that offends you is made by an insensitive jerkface. I am sensitive. I'm also aware that the "US of A" is not a nation, but a federation of many nations. This community prefers helpful comments, whose subject matter is the instructable in question, rather than calling each other names. Maybe you are looking for something else. If so, this might not be the best community for you.

[Joanassie]

I said "IF NOT". I respect your knowledge, your willingness to spend your valuable time replying to a stupid comment of mine OR anyone else's after reading it in its entirety, but did you or did you not notice the words "If not?" IF you didn't, I take back my respect for the second thing in the list. I TRY (and often succeed) to be nice, but there's too much bitterness and resentment in human civilization, and that makes me a tiny bit more bitter and resentful every day. I tried to make a Corner Gas reference by saying "stupidfrontaljerkface" and it was just that I thought that you weren't one of the few people who knew that America is a pair of continents and not just a few states in the mid-section of one of those continents. I joined this site at first so I could both post comments and full-view Instructables, but now I have upwards of three Instructables coming up. I try to make my comments helpful. I TRY to put an end to smoking, drugs, alcohol, rumours, ignorance, flaming, trolling, disorganization and/or most types of chaos, anarchy and/or uncertainty. IF you haven't noticed, every sentence I typed starts with IF or I. I am not sure of how much well to wish you seeing as I have not collected NEARLY enough datum to judge you properly. I have a Wii and will trade Wii addresses with people. I dislike most seafood. I believe this rant is coming to an end. I need more wax from Babybel cheese.

[Full Frontal Graphic]

OK. The custom HERE is that we use the comments sections for nice comments, and helpful comments. It is not customary HERE to use comments as a general forum or as a chat interface. If you wish to continue this, it would be more appropriate to do it by personal message or by starting a new thread somewhere. We've used far too much space on this here to be within the limit of Ideal Instructables Behavior. Welcome to Instractables. I apologise if my words have caused you offense.

[smithy813]

rubbing alclohol is usualy not as pure as "denatured alcohol solvent" it is sold in cans (mine is a nice yellow) in the paint isle, (it is used to thin shellac) and is also used in marine stoves.