I own and love an MSR Titan Kettle, but I have one issue with it....the handles, because they are directly connected to the pot body, get extremely hot and are difficult to handle. Has anyone come up with some sort of cozy to go around the handles to make them useable for bare hands?

I just use the washcloth-sized Packtowl I carry to wrap around the handles. Then I use it to dry out the pot after I wash it.

I don't have this problem because once my water boils I'm done cooking. I guess if you were cooking long meals this would be a problem. Just use a sock if the handles are hot then you won't add any extra weight.

I've never noticed this problem... but maybe that's because I also just bring water to a boil and then take it off. Are you sure it's not a flame licking up the side that's heating things up?

That's one task for the good ol' 1 ounce cotton bandana-- pot holder, sweatband, towel, washcloth, head wrap, first aid bandage/sprain support, huckleberry bucket, dust mask (a la cowboy) and fashion accessory.

Once upon a time, you could get big ones-- ~28"-29" square. If anyone has a source, I'm all ears.

Warning: No experience at all!

But THIS might do the trick -- IF it is sufficiently resistant to flame and heat.

The above was discussed at the TLB Forum - "Make Your Own Gear" section - "Avoiding Burned Fingers" thread. I am waiting for braver souls to give it a test. :)

Edited by ben2world on 03/19/2006 10:19:17 MST.

Kellen-
I just bought some of the stuff Ben linked to today and am going to play around with it. I have the same problem when I use the Titan with sideburner stoves and have been experimenting with different solutions. One thing I came up with is to wrap 1/32" Kevlar around the handles but it takes forever. I'll let you know if this stuff melts or not. I don't like the bandana idea just because it's a potential fire hazard (especially since alcohol flames are invisible) and I never feel like I get a good grip with it.

A quickie idea might be the fiberglass tape they sell to patch car exhaust systems.

FWIW I've never had a problem using a cotton bandana or wool sock, but I avoid handling hot items with synthetics because of their commonly low melting points.

Hi Rick-have a link for that tape?

Well, I coated the lid handle on my AAG pot and it didn't melt but it didn't help either. The problem is that the attachment point for the handle lets steam out so even though the metal handle is insulated, your fingers are still too close to where the steam comes out. So, I think my original wick idea was better because it gives you the necessary distance. I'll stick with that for now.

As for the Titan, looking at the handle I think it comes too close to the stove and I think the flames might melt the coating off. I might give it a try anyway.

Jason, it's pretty common stuff in auto parts places, and I've seen it made with aluminum tape and fiberglass. Can't imagine aluminum would be of any use here.

Here's one example, but I can't tell what the tape backing is made from from the crummy picture:

http://www.itwconsumer.com/catalog.aspx?prodID=59

Or, there's heat-resistent goo that one could use on a variety of materials, such as this stuff:

http://www.chirienterprise.com/CoatNgo/CoatNgo.html

Hey, if it adheres to titanium I can finally have that red pot I've always wanted :-)

Thanks Rick. The First one looks interesting. I might give it a try. I'm not sure about the muffler coating though.

Not a great solution & I know this is an old post but I drop a tiny bit of water on the handles from my platypus. Cools them down very swiftly.

go to a dollar store or thrift store and buy any silicone bakeware, cut it into a shape that allows you to wrap around the handle, and you're done.

And you can get thin silicone pot holders that are flat - so easily cutable.

you could probably coat the handles with some high-temp RTV silicone that's used as a gasket maker in automotive applications. Readily available at any parts store. Probably won't be pretty, but it would be durable and very heat-resistant.

Plasti-dip might also work. It's a liquid rubber used to dip tool handles into to give a rubberized grip to metal handled tools like pliers and such. Readily available at any hardware store, but I'm not sure of its heat resistance.

Old thread lacking the simplest solution...
The trick with those handles is to keep them apart during use. (try it)
If they are still too hot like that, your flame is too wide, you are loosing to much heat up the sides.
Franco

Dale,

27" x 27" available in many colors at

http://www.wowthemink.com/bandanas.html

Party On,

Newton

I just turned my handles upside down so that they resembled the old MSR Titans (the longer edge on top). The handles don't "nest" against the pot as flush, but it isn't a big deal either.

Between being able to grab the pot on the top of the handle, on the longer edge further from the flame, and the flame not directly contacting the handles as it's in a Caldera Cone, I've never had any problems.

I removed the handles and slid a 5" piece of silcone tubing over each one. Intense heat from flame spillover will eventually turn the lower ends a bit crusty, but they're easily replaced. I got the idea from a similiar thread here a few months ago.