The idea was snwcmpr’s, (Thanks Ken!) Well, given that on a couple of occasions I have left the MSR Titan Kettle at home because I don’t like screaming obscenities when I burn my fingers. I thought this was a very good idea! The handles on the Titan kettle are a little over 3mm, I reasoned that 4mm would be better (and easier) to slip over the wire handles, which incidentally slip out of the rear plate on the kettle with ease. I decided that half a metre would be enough to experiment with, total cost was £1.25. ($1.95) The finished insulated handles look aesthetically rather thick looking when compared to the size of the kettle. When used on the Whisperlite you can still feel the heat of the handles through the silicone, however it is very bearable and only a “big girl’s blouse” would complain they were hot! It has always surprised me that MSR had not insulated the carrying handles on the Kettle, yet the lid handle is insulated? Gratuitous picture of it being used on my No7, which is the stove I generally carry in the car for picnics and traveling.
I just did that to mine 2 weeks ago... I used RC car nitro fuel line, that is basicly colored silicone tubing. It was bit tight, but I used liquid soap as lubricant. I also reversed the handles. |imgRemoved| edit: this mod makes the pot 10 times better, you can just pick it up and eat straight from the pot without burning your fingers.
That looks much neater than my attempt Mikko. I have just received some smaller 3mm tubing and will try that, I may even reverse the handles as you have done.
I wish the colour was something else, but that's what I had in my toolbox... Otherwise the tube fits really tight and nice on the handles, it may be the 3mm diameter, I can't remember. I have previously used it on my rc car shock shafts to prevent bottoming out. This tubing was too tight for the snowpeak 700 handles, I got some cheap stuff from ebay for that and it actually melted from the bottom... It was supposed to be silicone, but I don't know?
You did indeed Ken! I do find it odd that such a simple (and cheap) modification on what is in the UK a £50 kettle has been overlooked by one of the market leaders in camp cookware?
Half a metre of 3mm silicon tubing turned up in the post this afternoon, it required a small dab of Vaseline to get it on to the wire handles. The look is much more pleasing and the insulating properties feel much the same. I let this boil away on the Whisperlite for a further 5 minutes without any damage to the tubing or my fingers!
3mm silicon tubing, eh? Now that's an excellent idea. And it looks very straight forward. I've just always used a bandana, but with an alcohol stove, I'm afraid of catching the bandana on fire as I take off the pot. Good to know, HJ
