Originally Posted by
Bekologist
hey, stu, you're out to lunch. I buy denatured alcohol in the paint thinner/solvent lineup at hardware stores all the time, dude! I said, "check the label" - your endless pimping of compact canister stoves as the ONLY CHOICE for cyclists is way over the top, terribly tedious and does not reflect the common experiences of many, many bike tourists and ultralite campers out there and the validity of alcohol burning stoves..
Denatured alcohol is an entirely different beast than 'paint thinner'. To imply that you can use 'paint thinner' in any kind of mass burning stove is to invite disaster...even if you say 'read the label'. You
didn't say what to read the label for. Someone with out any knowledge of chemistry...covering roughly 80% of the US population...could follow your advice, pick up a can labeled 'paint thinner', read the label which says 'paint thinner' thinking that you can use it in an alcohol stove and cause themselves serious harm.
If you are going to offer advice on using paint thinner and tell everyone to 'read the label' you really ought to tell them what to read the label for. Alcohol stoves should only be use with
alcohols. Further they should be limited to methanol (methyl alcohol, methylated spirits, etc), ethanol (ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, alcohol, etc.) or 2-propanol (rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol).
I don't really care what you use to cook with. I do care that you are giving out
very bad advice on fuels and possible improper use of them.