Forums > Help! > Burns from wick?
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posted:
So I was spinning at a friend's birthday party the other night when I fumbled and wrapped one of my poi around my arm. I got it off fast enough to avoid any serious burns, but when the chain was on me during that wrap it felt very hot and I was preparing for a burn from them. Instead, I almost ended up with second degree burns in the shape of my monkey fist. Later on when washing soot off my arms, I saw I'd similarly received wick burns near my wrists from two brief spiral wraps (I can tell it was the wicks because the braid pattern is visible). No sign of burns from the chains at all.
So, what's going on here? From what I understand, my chains should be burning me before my Kevlar wicks. Is this likely a wick composition thing? A fuel thing?
So I was spinning at a friend's birthday party the other night when I fumbled and wrapped one of my poi around my arm. I got it off fast enough to avoid any serious burns, but when the chain was on me during that wrap it felt very hot and I was preparing for a burn from them. Instead, I almost ended up with second degree burns in the shape of my monkey fist. Later on when washing soot off my arms, I saw I'd similarly received wick burns near my wrists from two brief spiral wraps (I can tell it was the wicks because the braid pattern is visible). No sign of burns from the chains at all.
So, what's going on here? From what I understand, my chains should be burning me before my Kevlar wicks. Is this likely a wick composition thing? A fuel thing?
p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s
SILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Posted:
Probably a fuel thing.. what kinda fuel are you using?
Probably a fuel thing.. what kinda fuel are you using?
BRONZE Member
Just Icarus//Spinner//Pyro//Geek
261 posts
Location: New Zealand
Just Icarus//Spinner//Pyro//Geek
261 posts
Location: New Zealand
Posted:
Yeah, I'd agree on fuel.
That being said, how long had you been spinning? If you're spinning for ages and ages.... But then you'd also expect your chains to get hot too.
*is somewhat interested at the overheated wicks*
Yeah, I'd agree on fuel.
That being said, how long had you been spinning? If you're spinning for ages and ages.... But then you'd also expect your chains to get hot too.
*is somewhat interested at the overheated wicks*
GOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Posted:
The fuel was about 2:1 white gas & lamp oil. The guy I was spinning with actually palmed his wick at about the same time in his burn (last third or so), using the same fuel, and didn't seem to get burned. That's the part that makes it weird.
The fuel was about 2:1 white gas & lamp oil. The guy I was spinning with actually palmed his wick at about the same time in his burn (last third or so), using the same fuel, and didn't seem to get burned. That's the part that makes it weird.
p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s
BRONZE Member
Just Icarus//Spinner//Pyro//Geek
261 posts
Location: New Zealand
Just Icarus//Spinner//Pyro//Geek
261 posts
Location: New Zealand
Posted:
Do you have sensitive skin or anything? Does it get irritated if you rub a little kero/white gas mixture onto the inside of your wrist or similar area?
Do you have sensitive skin or anything? Does it get irritated if you rub a little kero/white gas mixture onto the inside of your wrist or similar area?
GOLD Member
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA
Posted:
Maybe that guy has calluses on his hands? Or maybe your hands are not well tempered to heat. Mine aren't very much, but they're getting better from handling hot soup all the time at work. Also, do you have metal-wire reinforced Kevlar, or HoP Kevlar, or something else?
Maybe that guy has calluses on his hands? Or maybe your hands are not well tempered to heat. Mine aren't very much, but they're getting better from handling hot soup all the time at work. Also, do you have metal-wire reinforced Kevlar, or HoP Kevlar, or something else?
The only luck is bad luck.
Shut up before I stall my poi up your ass 
GOLD Member
enthusiast
378 posts
Location: NSW, Australia
enthusiast
378 posts
Location: NSW, Australia
Posted:
Was the other guy using the same fuel? I don't know the exact figures (and it's too late here for me to look them up) but iirc white gas burns at a much higher temp than kero, much easier to burn yourself with.
That still doesn't explain why the chains weren't hotter than the wick though: maybe Icarus Forde is right and it's some kind of allergy rather than a straight burn.
Was the other guy using the same fuel? I don't know the exact figures (and it's too late here for me to look them up) but iirc white gas burns at a much higher temp than kero, much easier to burn yourself with.
That still doesn't explain why the chains weren't hotter than the wick though: maybe Icarus Forde is right and it's some kind of allergy rather than a straight burn.
SILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Posted:
If its not an allergy, the most likely thing to have happened was that a small amount of fuel was put onto your body which burned for a small time.
If the staff guy was able to do transfers, the fuel on your body could very easily ignite and it would burn away in a short time, but it would be a few seconds more than the staffer would have left it on his palm. (which is much less sensitive than your wrists)
If its not an allergy, the most likely thing to have happened was that a small amount of fuel was put onto your body which burned for a small time.
If the staff guy was able to do transfers, the fuel on your body could very easily ignite and it would burn away in a short time, but it would be a few seconds more than the staffer would have left it on his palm. (which is much less sensitive than your wrists)
i dream in circles...
336 posts
Location: Scotland
336 posts
Location: Scotland
Posted:
i know you said you got them off quickly but with fire a fraction of a second is enough to do that, I've got a braided kevlar print on my forearm from last year cos i got a bit lost in the flow and did a wrap a tiny bit too slowly, move went smoothly and didn't think there was a problem at the time but when i'd cleaned the soot off my arms... what a mess
pretty much the only burn I've picked up since i started spinning but just shows what can happen with a tiny lapse in concentration 
i know you said you got them off quickly but with fire a fraction of a second is enough to do that, I've got a braided kevlar print on my forearm from last year cos i got a bit lost in the flow and did a wrap a tiny bit too slowly, move went smoothly and didn't think there was a problem at the time but when i'd cleaned the soot off my arms... what a mess
pretty much the only burn I've picked up since i started spinning but just shows what can happen with a tiny lapse in concentration even chuck norris can't pin you down if your on fire
GOLD Member
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA
Posted:
I've gotten ouch-es from doing grabs on my wick because it's not big enough to hold with my entire hand and the part that's not holding it gets burned. It's never been an actual, but it burns for a second in my hand
I've gotten ouch-es from doing grabs on my wick because it's not big enough to hold with my entire hand and the part that's not holding it gets burned. It's never been an actual, but it burns for a second in my hand
The only luck is bad luck.
Shut up before I stall my poi up your ass
GOLD Member
Putting the "FUN" in fundamental since 1981
787 posts
Location: Dover, Delaware USA
Putting the "FUN" in fundamental since 1981
787 posts
Location: Dover, Delaware USA
Posted:
How long were you spinning for before the burn? If the wicks themselves were smoldering they would be far hotter than the chain (and more likely to leave a burn over hot metal for many reasons), unlike the flame stemming from the fuel/vapor on the wicks without causing them to smolder/overheat yet.
How long were you spinning for before the burn? If the wicks themselves were smoldering they would be far hotter than the chain (and more likely to leave a burn over hot metal for many reasons), unlike the flame stemming from the fuel/vapor on the wicks without causing them to smolder/overheat yet.
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