The cotton fiber strands run parallel while having compressed “ribs” that create a convenient square shape with a straight edge. Having a straight edge is desirable for a controlled flame.

I modified the can’s lid and bent the edges down to create a small “table” inside the can to press against the wick to hold it in place.

Something else that I found helpful is how to lite the wick. Once a wick is dipped in oil it can be difficult to lite. If the edge can be squeezed to shed excess oil, wood ash or charcoal carbon can be applied as a catalyst to recieve the ignition flame more quickly.

Once lit, I enjoyed the flame for a couple of hours before needing to adjust the wick.

Being curious about shelf fungus I
collected a local shelf fungus and cut it open but was disappointed to find no “trama layer” referred to as amadou because it wasn’t the right kind of fungus. Upon further research I learned that fomes formentarious grows on dead birch and beach trees that resemble a horse’s hoof and there are scant finds outside of my area.

I did learn that he bottom layer of shelf polypore funguses known as hymenium contain minute tube-like structures that can have a capillary effect and a narrow slice can be used for a wick in a slush lamp so I decided to try it out.

I used an empty sardine can for my vessel and poured in vegetable oil for fuel. I cut a slice of the bottom layer of my fungus and initially soaked it briefly in the oil. When I removed it, I wiped off the excess oil then lit the flat bottom edge until it took flame to prime it for use.

As with any wick, the exposed length of the wick determines the size of the flame. Excessive length will produce a large flame but will also exhibit much smoke and soot.

I’ve used slush lamps mainly for light but I wanted to see if I couuld cook, much like a Inuit qulliq stove so I positioned a metal cup containing some shallow water above the flame. The wick stayed lit for over a half hour but it only managed a pre-boil. It was enough though for a delicious instant oatmeal meal.

I have found that natural fibers work best when choosing a wick, and that a ribbon or tape shape rather than a round shape provides a better light source.

In our medicine cabinet I found a 100% ribbed cotton pad so I cut off a rib to use for my wick. I poured a small amount of canola oil into a small Pyrex dish as my vessel. I tore off a small piece of aluminum foil and poked a hole in the middle. I dipped the wick into the canola oil then inserted it through the hole leaving about a quarter inch on top then placed the foil over the top of the oil. A soaked wick is slow to light but once lit displays a steady flame.

The foil provides a convenient barrier between the oil and flame while suspending the wick in the middle of the dish. An added bonus is that the crinkled foil texture reflects and enhances the light from the flame.

This simple design can provide hours of light when needed. Be sure to keep it away from combustibles and make sure that it is stable as the oil is a liquid and could spill.

In the past, when I would go to a restaurant with my wife I would look for a candle for a little atmosphere at the table. If there wasn’t one I would take one of the complimentary bread buns and poke a hole into it with my table knife. I would put in a pad of butter and then twist up a piece of paper napkin to use as a wick and poke that into the butter. I would light it with my EDC lighter and Voilà! I had a candle!

With this experience as my inspiration I took a butter stick out of the fridge, set it on end in a small bowl, and let it warm up to room temperature. I cut a piece of paper towel and lightly buttered it on one side and rolled it up, flattening it with each round to create a wide vs. round wick. I used a spoon handle to poke down the center of the butter stick then I turned up the wick at the bottom end a little so that I could poke it down into the hole.

Once it was lit, it burned brightly at first and the butter began to melt. I had to attend to it by trimming the wick occasionally with some scissors along with the surrounding wrapping paper as it would burn off around the edge from time to time. It burned that way for over an hour. The butter would continue to leak into the bowl and gather at the bottom. When the cube burned down to a quarter inch in height and the wick began to have trouble staying upright I changed my strategy from candle mode to slush lamp! (See “Slush Lamp Basics“)
 

I decided to use a different wick for this approach and added a small strip of cotton from some scrap jeans and placed it inside the remaining square paper wrapper. Then I cut out a piece of scrap aluminum from a pet food cup and placed it on top. This effectively supported the new wick in addition to isolating the cotton wick from the melted butter. The new flame burned for 4 more hours!

In the end, the candle provided a quick usable flame but required constant maintenance. It also provided clarified butter at it’s base that worked wonderfully as fuel for a slush lamp. The slush lamp was virtually maintenance free. Depending on the emergency a person would have to decide on whether to use the butter as a fuel for light and warmth, or for using butter as a food, but then again, this was just a proof-of-concept project that was fun to do!

A word of caution: in all cases these fuels should be used outdoors or in a very well ventilated area. It’s best to stay upwind from the smoke and fumes that are produced. Make sure that the vessel holding the fuel is stable, as spilled flammable liquids can have disastrous consequences.

Your car holds many emergency fuels, but other types of vehicles and machines such as boats, planes and tractors can provide similar fuels too. Knowing about these resources in an emergency situation and knowing how to use them could save your life.