View Full Version : Stainless Billies
madelinew
06-06-2008, 20:46
I tried to post this yesterday but think it got lost so apologies if I am repeating myself. I am after some decent stainless billy cans and the only ones I can find are on Ray Mears website. They are about £15 each. I don't like cooking with aluminium and I want to invest in something I like. I'm just starting out in all this so don't know a good price if it smacks me in the face.
Is this a case of getting what you pay for and are there any other places I can get stainless ones from? They look rather nice but his site shop does seem a bit pricey.
I think the price of the zebra billys on rays site are well priced.they are hard to find and they seem to have had good reviews.Having said that they seem quite heavy.
madelinew
06-06-2008, 20:58
Cheers. I'm not too bothered about weight because my back isn't up to carting stuff around on it anyway and I'm restricted to getting to my destinations by car - shhh you didn't hear me say that!
I have degenerative osteo-arthritis in my spine and although I won't let it rule my life, I have my limits :-)
Sadly that limits how far I can get from the beaten track.
I'll order Ray's billies - I did like the look of them
How about some Tatonka billy cans, this seller does different sizes
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tatonka-Kettle-Billy-Can-1L-camping-bushcraft-hiking_W0QQitemZ120238768726QQ ihZ002QQcategoryZ16036QQssPage NameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
(no connection to seller)
If weight is not a problem, why not just buy a set of cheap standard stainless steel cooking pans? If you are careful, the handles won't melt, and you can add a handle with wire and a drill.
buy a small curry pan or cast iron stuff
I've just purchased the 2.5l & 4l Tatonka kettles from sailgb.com (no connection etc)
After searching all over the net for the larger kettles including ebay it would seem that any site that has a connection to bushcraft have raised the prices of the kettles possibly due to the good reviews they have been getting. I would agree that they are excellent over an open fire and would grab some before they put the prices up.
As far a sizes go the 4l kettle does a nice rabbit stew for 2-3 people so that may give you some gauge of the sizes you may need.
Hope this helps,
Nicolas
If weight is not a problem, why not just buy a set of cheap standard stainless steel cooking pans? If you are careful, the handles won't melt, and you can add a handle with wire and a drill.
Whats the melting point of stainless steel? What temperature does an open fire get to?
madelinew
07-06-2008, 03:27
Whats the melting point of stainless steel? What temperature does an open fire get to?
I should think they survive well enough. I've seen Ray using these same pans himself over an open fire.
Food grade stainless steel (usually 316) has a melting point of over a 1000C.
If possible look for something with a locking bail arm, they make life a lot easier. Someone has already mentioned the Tatonka Kettles, they are possibly one of the best going at this moment in time IMHO, but there are cheap alternatives that you may be able to source from your local millets. Look for a stainless pan made by Gelert, they have copper coated bottoms, but they also have a locking bailarm that makes life easier when pouring.
raised the prices of the kettles possibly due to the good reviews they have been getting
More to do with the pound vs Euro exchange rate.
I've just purchased the 2.5l & 4l Tatonka kettles from sailgb.com (no connection etc)
5 quid for a stainless steel Tatonka burner! :eek: I've got to take a look around that website! It's well cheap, innit!
Whats the melting point of stainless steel? What temperature does an open fire get to?
I don't know the exact MP as I don't know the exact composition, but around 1400C would be my estimate. An open fire wont get very hot, with a good bed of embers you can just melt aluminium, not enough to cast but you can just melt it.
But, whatever is in the pan will cool the pan itself, you can boil water in a paper bag because of the cooling effect.
I have a stainless steel pan that I use to cast lead, that's about 400C temp, way more than anything you could cook with. I have also used a stainless pan to cast aluminium, about 700C or so. You will never melt a stainless steel pan on an open fire, even with a furnace it is difficult, requiring a large airflow and coke.
If possible look for something with a locking bail arm, they make life a lot easier. Someone has already mentioned the Tatonka Kettles, they are possibly one of the best going at this moment in time IMHO, but there are cheap alternatives that you may be able to source from your local millets. Look for a stainless pan made by Gelert, they have copper coated bottoms, but they also have a locking bailarm that makes life easier when pouring.
Ive got some like these made by wynster, there great and weigh less than zebras with a very usable deep lid/fry pan. They stock them at various places.
An open fire wont get very hot, with a good bed of embers you can just melt aluminium, not enough to cast but you can just melt it.
But, whatever is in the pan will cool the pan itself, you can boil water in a paper bag because of the cooling effect.
Quite. Which is why you should never run your kelly kettle dry.
:rolleyes: