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KevMT
11-15-2005, 06:16 PM
In my work there are times when I'm required to work in sub-zero temperatures without gloves for short periods of time. I need something to get the blood flow going in the old hands quickly when I finish a task. Those chemical heat packs are pretty much usless. I've done a web search and found that the "old fashioned" Jon-e hand warners are still availble. Do any of you fellas have experiance with them? I'm not just talking about something that feels kind of warm like those chemical heat packs. I need something that will prevent frostbite in 20 below weather. KevD

StarMetal
11-15-2005, 06:48 PM
I used those type heaters when I was a young fellow. If kept clean and well taken care of and fed proper fuel they work and they get very hot. They also smell if you are concerned about deer smelling them.

Joe

BruceB
11-15-2005, 07:51 PM
Kev;

The type I'm most familiar with are the simple cloth-covered insulated metal units with spring-loaded lids, which burn sticks of charcoal or something very similar.

Many of the parkas sold in the far North have a pair of pockets for these "handwarmers" which are positioned inside the BACK of the parka, over the kidney area. This is the place in the body where major blood flow comes closest to the surface, and thus heat applied there gets circulated rather quickly all through the bloodstream.

These same parkas usually have additional pockets in front for more handwarmers, where they can be reached for fast warming of fingers etc. I've even seen mitts which contain pockets for the heaters, too.

I used the "burning-stick" handwarmers in the Arctic for many years, although not lately, they not being needed much here in Nevada. They do get HOT, and are very comforting when working outside as you describe. Never did use any liquid-fueled ones, as I think they're a lot fussier to live with.

KevMT
11-15-2005, 10:50 PM
Thanks Bruce I remember seeing that type somewher in my travels but wondered about the availability of the "fuel sticks"

Thanks for the input Joe. I'm not really interested in using one for hunting although there are those days.....

I suppose the liquid fueled kind would smell even if it were not lit due to the fuel eh?

Kev

longhorn
11-15-2005, 11:22 PM
I have a couple that run on lighter fluid; they stink even unlit, and they do get _hot_.

SharpsShooter
11-16-2005, 06:32 PM
Jon-E handwarmers are a good choice for your needs. Years ago they had a magnetic medallion in the shape of a bucks head. The medallion had a piece of absorbent material to put does urine or whatever your scent preference happened to be at the time. You simply stuck the thing to your warmer and the heat...uh...shall we say...enhanced the odor. I used an apple cover scent at the time. Worked pretty good too except I always seemed to be thinking about apple pie for dinner. :grin:

MT Gianni
11-16-2005, 10:21 PM
Kev, are you working in the oil patch? They have done a lot with thin gloves in the last few years but some things just have to be done by hand. Good luck, Gianni.

Char-Gar
11-16-2005, 11:35 PM
Lordy..I have not thought of those things in 40 years. I had a couple and they do work. In fact in my case they didn't get warm, they got HOT. I live and hunt in deep South Texas and it doesn't get cold enought to warrant the use of these gizmos. The darn thing got uncomfortably hot. If you live where it is really cold, they would be just fine.

KevMT
11-17-2005, 03:33 PM
Kev, are you working in the oil patch? They have done a lot with thin gloves in the last few years but some things just have to be done by hand. Good luck, Gianni.

Nope nothing that glamorous. I'm a biologist and I go around Montana checking rodents for Hantavirus. Grabbing a mouse out of a live trap and then slipping a hematocrit tube behind there eye to get blood from their "retro-orbital sinus membrane' requires a bit of dexterity that I can't pull off with my mittens. I'm actually mostly concerned about one of my co-workers. Apparently he got a mild case of frostbite a while back and is really sensitive to cold now. He's also the "tough it out" type who always seems to carry an extra share of any load so I'm afraid he's going to get it bad one of these days.

Thanks to all of you for your input.

Kev

shooter2
11-17-2005, 03:43 PM
Yep! Still have two of them in my kit somewhere. Mine have an adjustment that opens the window to let in more air (hotter) or less air (cooler). They work like a catalytic heater and may still be the best there is. Tried ebay?

Frank46
11-18-2005, 05:12 AM
Kev, have used both the jon-e handwarmer and those chemical heat paks. The jon-e will definitely get hotter that the chem packs. I used to hunt both in upstate new york and pennsylvania. So the coldest I've used the jon-e was about 5 below. The chem packs I used to stuff in the back of my shirt above the kidney area. At the time most of my hunting was still hunting. The chem packs if I remember will last for about 6 hours though I could be wrong. The jon-e would last much longer sort of like a catalytic heater. I got a bad case of frostbite one year handling lines for a tanker, was about 15 degrees out so after that my hands were always sensitive to the cold.
Frank

versifier
11-18-2005, 03:23 PM
I posted on this a couple days ago but I guess it ended up in the Twilight Zone. Here goes again. I have used the lighter fluid fueled ones years back working in the woods, often below zero, and on nighttime back country skiing expeditions even farther below zero (-20 to -30 not uncommon on clear still nights up in the high country - spit hits the ground frozen.) They work great but do stink, lit or unlit. (Not that the deer can't already smell Hoppes, tobbacco, or gas from last night's dinner working it's way up out of the neck of your parka.) It's important to use the cloth or thin leather pouches they come with as those suckers can get HOT. They fit into overmitten shells, back pockets, etc., but experience has taught me the folly of sticking one in a front pocket (don't ask). [smilie=f: I think if your buddy got himself one of those insulated muffler tubes that you wear on your belt, he could stick one of those suckers in it and get the fingers toasty real quick as needed. BTW, I found those gloves without fingertips useless and thought my hands were warmer without them.

BCB
11-19-2005, 08:53 AM
Haven’t had that Jon-E warmer out in years. Got it out and looked at it just for curiosity! It has a wick you light and that lights some type of fiber under a cap. Once that gets glowing, you blow the wick out. The fiber under the cap continues to stay smoldering and makes the heat. They do get hot.

Now then, the reason I haven’t used mine in sometime is it made me sick, at least I think it did! I was carrying it in an inside pocket on an old Woolrich jacket. It was the pocket up at the top of the coat. Anyhow, as the day progressed, I started to get a headache. I was hunting only about a ¼ mile from my home so I went home at lunch time. Then I really started to get sick. I had a violent headache and finally got sick in my stomach and vomited. I honestly think I breathed some of the fumes from the warmer all morning and they finally damn near done me in! Maybe carbon monoxide? Just a warning and I think I would carry it so as to have the fumes not near your face. Again, I can’t prove it was the fumes, but I am reasonably sure it was. Good-luck…BCB