Materials:
- 2" x 5" strip of cotton cloth (like from a t-shirt)
- 100% cotton thread
- needle
- naphtha lighter fluid (ex: Ronsonol™ or Zippo™)
- match or lighter
Procedure:
- Thread the needle with cotton thread.
- Tightly roll the cotton strip into a ball.
- Pierce the ball with the needle and wrap the ball with the thread. End by running the needle through the ball one more time and break off the thread. And tie a not at end of thread.
- Soak the ball with lighter fluid. Don't soak your hands.
- Don't ignite the the fireball while you are holding it. Set the ball on a fire-proof surface. For example, a frying pan.
- If you want to hold the fireball, you should pick it up with tongs and carefully/slowly set it on your hand. That way you'll be able to tell if you can take the heat or not. If you believe you can hold it, pick the fireball up using your fingers.
Safety precautions:
No loose clothing!
It's fire be responsible!
Don't soak hands with fluid, if hands get soaked wash immediately
It's best to use 100% cotton fabric and thread. If the fiber is synthetic (like nylon or polyester) it might burn or melt, with unpleasant consequences
The fireballs are reusable. Put them out when they run out of fuel or else the cotton will burn (you can tell this is happening when the ball starts to blacken and produce sooty smoke). If you get to the point where the cotton itself is burning, the fireball will be too hot to hold. Ideally you want to extinguish the fireball before it consumes all of its fuel. Simply soak it in more lighter fluid and relight it to reuse it.
Scientific Principles:
Fire is capable of being touched and not being burned using a special lighter fluid (naphtha).
