# Oxygen absorber substitute



## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

Hope this hasn't already been posted, saw this in a You Tube vid, guy used the hand warmers that heat up instead of oxygen absorbers. He showed the insides were the same, same chemical reaction, different price. I hapened to find some on sale last week at Tractor Supply, two for half a buck. Used them today. The absorbers I had did not heat very much, which makes me question how good they are. The hand warmers went one to a bucket and definitely heated. Cost was about $1.50 vs about $7.00, six buckets vs two. I really am questioning whether the O2 absorbers were any good, too. Will definitely use the hand warmers again.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Love the hand warmers...use them constantly as my dad always sends the previous years (unused ones) to me and they still work...and work well!
Activated charcoal, I believe, is the main ingredient. The only other absorber I "know" anything avout are the silica packs that come with electronic components. I'll be following this thread with much interest. Thank you.

Matt


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

You can get silica in bulk at craft & flower shops, fill small muslin bags and throw them in your buckets too.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Isn't silica a dessicant (keeps things dry)? That would be different than an O2 absorber. I use silica packs for storing things like firearms or pasta that I want to keep extra dry.


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## tab (Aug 20, 2002)

MOF, I think silica is a dessicant, certainly not a bad thing to use in storage of some items. 
Think there is iron filings in the warmers and absorbers. The video touched on the actual chemical reaction. Since I remember less of chemistry than I do music (which I played for years) cannot give specifics. Sorry that I don't have the link.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

It is iron filings in the hand warmers and oxygen absorbers.


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## titiana (Sep 17, 2009)

I buy my oxygen absorbers from the LDS online store $12 for 100 and the shipping is included. Much cheaper than hand warmers. And show up at my door. They also have mylar bags and other items

Oxygen absorbers: 
Oxygen Absorber Packets - LDS Online Store

LDS store:
Home Storage - LDS Online Store


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

I thought the birthday candle thing posted here a little while back was a neat idea!


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