# Hand warmers



## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

It has been forever since I last used my Jon-E fueled hand warmer. At an auction the other night I bought two vintage Peacock-brand hand warmers.

Here's my question. For the life of me, I cannot remember what type of fuel to use in this type of hand warmer. Kerosene? Lighter fluid? Alcohol?


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## Scott in Florida Panhandl (May 10, 2002)

> Do not use diesel, kerosene or any fuel of that type. Liquified fuel designed to work in a cigarette lighter will do the trick.
> Source(s):
> Owned one 40 years ago, now use the disposable chemical heaters instead. No mess, no smell!


Cabin,
Found this on yahoo. Looks like Cabela's sells fuel also.

Scott


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## rhome (Aug 10, 2006)

Cabin fever, I recall using lighter fluid in my hand warmers when I was a kid passing news papers in winter.
On another website Zippo lighters were discussed and Coleman lantern fuel was mentioned as an alternative to lighter fluid.
Now please understand I've not tried the Coleman fuel as a substitute for Zippo lighters or any handwarmers.

Be careful with these fuels and good luck.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

DH says definately DO NOT use alcohol! Lighter fluid is the cheapest and safest fuel to use.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

CF - I actually still have my handwarmers, from when I was in Michigan. Use lighter fluid in them, as a fuel source.. 

I would really hesitate to use coleman fuel (white gas) in a handwarmer, that would be placed inside my clothing!!!!


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## Nature Man (Nov 5, 2009)

Yep, I remember mine from years ago, it used lighter fluid. Do not remember the make but it had a chrome cover and slipped nicely in and out of my pocket when I carried it.
What ever happened to it?

Bill


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

I always used Coleman fuel. We didn't camp much in the winter, so I would go out and fill the handwarmer from the lantern all winter. Next spring, my dad would wonder why it was empty.


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## palani (Jun 12, 2005)

In Iowa we never discuss hand warmers in mixed company.


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## jennytw (Aug 7, 2009)

I remember having these as a kid, they were so handy. Does anyone know where to find them nowadays.


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## Pancake Man (Jan 22, 2010)

Cabin Fever. I have two Jon-E Giant hand warmers I bought in the Mid Seventies. In thirty five years I have on replaced one wick...They are great...I tried Naphta once but it didn't work so went back to lighter fluid...I put them in my sleeping back when I camp, the coldest in my neck of the woods last year was 2 deg....I was as warm as toast...If your Peacock's perform as well, you will be pleased....


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## sgl42 (Jan 20, 2004)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> These things are AWESOME! I have one in my robe pocket and I may never ever be without one! WOW!


thanks for the report. i don't have one, but quite a few months back, someone on the forum suggested handwarmers, and i looked in to them a bit. seems like a hand warmer and one of those survival blankets would get you thru some pretty cold times with a minimum of space required. 

are they pretty leakproof? ie, if you stored one with fuel in a car for months on end, would they be ready to go, or soggy mess or a fire hazard, or all evaporated and dry? or would i have to store a tin of lighter fluid separately?

here in tx we don't get that cold very often, so i never quite got around to buying any. just might have to up the priority on handwarmers again.

--sgl


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Never much cared for the smell. BTW the design is almost guaranteed to create at least some carbon monoxide. (Don't stuff your pet hamster in your pocket with one, and use them outside.)


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## Pancake Man (Jan 22, 2010)

They do not leak, but evaporation and burning provides the heat...Fill before using....


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

sgl42 said:


> are they pretty leakproof? ie, if you stored one with fuel in a car for months on end, would they be ready to go, or soggy mess or a fire hazard, or all evaporated and dry? or would i have to store a tin of lighter fluid separately?
> --sgl


Fill the handwarmer just before use....not because they leak, but because all of the lighter fluid would volatilize out of the handwarmer while it was stored. The reservoir in the handwarmer is full of cotton, so when in use the fluid does not leak out of the soaked cotton.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Harry Chickpea said:


> Never much cared for the smell. BTW the design is almost guaranteed to create at least some carbon monoxide. (Don't stuff your pet hamster in your pocket with one, and use them outside.)


I really doubt that much CO is produced by such a small device with such a small amount of fuel over the many hours it stays lit.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I agree that the small amount of fuel would be a severely limiting factor, but consider that the device is usually stuck in a fabric pouch and then in a pocket. It is pretty hard to get a more oxygen starved atmosphere for combustion than that. A very high percentage of the output gasses almost have to be partly burnt (hence the smell) or carbon monoxide. They serve a purpose (I used to use them on my paper route too), but two layers of mittens will do a better job in many situations.


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## hillbillly (Jun 28, 2009)

http://www.zippo.com/products/handWarmer.aspx?bhcp=1


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Huh, as I have said many times, I always learn something here. Hand warmers that use renewable fuel. Google Search here I come!
LOL, it's cute how WIHH and CF have different posts for the same topic. Gotta get the DH on here some day.....


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## diamondtim (Jun 10, 2005)

I have a bunch of these and have successfully used denatured alcohol as my fuel. Doesn't smell as much as lighter fluid. YMMV.

I purchased the ones that I have at rummage and estate sales. They sell for anywhere from 10 cents to a buck, most for a quarter or 50 cents. I guess most folks don't know how to use them or gave them up in favor of the disposable units.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I had forgotten I have a Jon-E hand warmer. I bought mine new many years ago. It came with a can of Jon-E lighter fluid, but when it was used up I used zippo lighter fluid. Mine has a little red pouch it slides into. I tried using it once without the pouch and discovered it gets really hot. 

Thanks for the reminder. Now I'll have to dig that little thing out and use it on these cold mornings. 

Another really cool thing I'd forgotten about is my electric socks. They each use a D size battery and used to keep my feet warm for hours and hours.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I thought I'd look on Ebay. There are many new and used pocket handwarmers there >> Handwarmers on Ebay

You'll have to wade through some of the disposable types that also get listed.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I forgot about them. I got one when I was a teenager for Christmas. I loved playing with it and I remember the aromoa.

I slept with it one night and awakend the next morning with a nice kidney shaped brand over my right kidney area. A corner must have slipped out of the little red bag.

The brand faded after a few weeks.

I may have had a red can of Jon-E fluid too. I think I also used lighter fluid.


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