Zebra Cooking Pot Modifications. Clip and Bail Handle Improvements.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video, I go through some of the modifications you can do to the tried and trusted Zebra billy can. These cooking pots are loved the world over as an inexpensive and very durable pot for open fire cooking.
They do however, have one annoying flaw and that is the bail handle - they have a tendency to swing down to the side if you are not hanging the pot by the handle - this causes them to get hot from the fire and burn your fingers when you go to take the pot off the heat.
When new, the pots come with plastic clips (their intended design is for use as a lunch container) but these clips just melt in the fire. A fire proof alternative is required that will also double as a securing clip to hold on the lid - very useful if you bake in the pot - they make ideal camp ovens if turned on their side and placed in the embers of a camp fire.
I will be going through three different ideas, step by step, to solve this problem using a few basic tools and some inexpensive materials.
I hope you enjoy the video.
Thanks for watching!
Links
Zebra Billy Can 12cm
www.thebushcra...
Brass Tubing 5mm OD
www.ebay.co.uk...
Bicycle Brake Cable
www.halfords.c...
Electrical Connector Block
www.screwfix.c...
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simonablokeinthewoods@gmail.com
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Simon, a bloke in the woods
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Crawdad Stomp By John Kirsch
Clever, especially the bit of bending the wire under the lid handle to hold it in place.That's rather ingenious.
I just had an idea when I saw that little clip at the end of all the pots… You should really do a gear room video!
....in my case that would be a 'gear warehouse'! I have stuff squirreled away in every conceivable space (and inconceivable space) in my house, truck, garage, shed.....High time I had a cull, before the family pack their bags and leave!......mind you, that would create a bit more space...hmmm?
...... bucket handle ??????
Great suggestions. I LIKE the way the steel cable can hold a lid in place for baking!
Been watching camping and bushcraft videos on TH-cam for awhile now . Just came across your channel today , don't know why I never saw your channel before , maybe it's a geographic thing . I'm in the US . Subscribed and enjoying catching up on past videos , great content 👍👍
Well I never knew that by poking the cable through would hold the lid..?? Every day is a school day as they say. 👍
I wondered that too. Wish had he demonstrated with some food or water inside it.
@IVORY TOWER it holds on for baking, but no seal so won’t hold in liquids or sloppy food - for that, you need to use it upright. 👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods Perfectly works for me. Thank you for the tip 🙏
While you’re buying the brake cable, ask the bike shop for some cable end covers that crimp in place. They don’t take strain, but they avoid frayed ends from giving you a painful injection.
Or you could cut your brass a bit longer and lose the cable end inside it.
Nicely Done, you are the Man👍🏻
i know, the stuff you did has been done before. But you are a ‘natural explainer’, 🤔🤣
As Always, pleasant watching 👀👀
Your “pots and pans” brings new vistas🏔🏔 to my mundane ‘outdoorsies’🫖🍴🥣
Ah now have not seen this side to Simon's talents & what one creates smarty pants. Safety First. Take a bow Simon cheers
It's always nice to be able to modify a piece of gear to make it fit your needs better. Thank you for sharing the mods that work best for you. God bless and stay safe.
Thank you again Simon. Have a great day.
Very useful. Great ideas. My favorite is the last one too.
Nice one Simon ! Good easy to follow instructions !
Great tutorial Simon, particularly showing three different options. 👍
Thanks for sharing some good choices to get rid of them plastic clips 👍
Did anyone ever tell you , you have such brilliant ideas and a genius in practical execution?
Thank you Carolle - I can’t take the credit for the ideas - they’ve been about for a while (at least the first and last ones have) 👍👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods BUT, and that is the deciding point, it has not come to my attention and I can assure you, in preparation for realizing a dream of mine.- the prep of which has been going on now for 3 years(!!!!!) - I have been looking regularly at all forms of camping and travel - all forms. Everyone has, of course, something to offer but yours is one of the most attractive, practical Vlogs out there with just the right amount of chatter. The only trouble is that I have no workshop and the changes and the insecurities that have developed in the past year have confined my activities and almost crushed my plans for the future. But Vlogs such as yours, and especially yours, has always infused me with a bit of life sustaining inspiration, giving me sufficient subsidence for the next battling round.
Another great video. I might try the wire one on my metal lidded mug. Keep up the good work!
Very clever solution!
Every time I think I have a camping gear addiction Simon proves I only have my toes in the water.
'abe frohman'? That is hilarious. Clearly a fellow 80's teenager :)
Hahaha - There are therapy groups for people like us mate. 😂
@@simonablokeinthewoods that´s not funny mate,,,I´m not only gear addicted..I also own a 110 300tdi..any therapy groups for those mad man...or a hopeless case.? smile..
Better to have your toes in the water, than in quicksand. Simon, through these videos, throws us a life ring.
Excellent ideas for modifying this great little pot!
Thanks!
Great tutorial. Thank you Simon.
Modification guru. Thanks Simon!
Nice work mate.
Just finished watching all your videos from the oldest to this one, brilliant stuff, excellent resource and following your recommendation I will proceed onto Andy at Kent survival, and thanks for making lockdown a bit more bearable
Thanks Sean! I’m really glad you’ve enjoyed them 👍👍
Hello Simon, another great video. I’ve just bought and altered my 12cm pot handle and it fits (almost) inside my 16cm 👍👍 thanks
Such a great video, you simplified the procedure for me Thanks again Simon.
Another great video! Thanks for sharing...😎
Hi Simon
Just got round to watching this video... Love It..!! 3 great solutions.. Nice and easy to do.. I had the same problem with my zebra.. But thanks to Ginge.. He made me a wire clip just like the one in your 1st vid.. Problem solved.. 👍👍👌
Bet you'd like the pathfinder, from self-reliance outfitters round wire handles , ive taken up the slack in my small and large bushpots ,where the lids dot fall off
awesome video! I was just thinking of changing the handle on my 14cm, you read my mind!
Thx for sharing the interesting cook pot handle ideas.
Good ideas, thanks for sharing, God bless !
another nice video THANKS
Haven’t seen this bloke in many months!
Great vid
I’ve been here - try to put up a video weekly or fortnightly 👍
Great video yet again! Im surprised that Zebra have not picked up on this still and started fitting the steel clips instead of the plastic ones. I ended up with a different method, starting with the steel handle clip on one side and another length that is fitted to the clip and then runs over the pot lid, under the handle and down to the other side of the handle where it just hooks into the bracket, keeps my lid tightly secured and when i need to check the contents, i just press down on the hook side and it pops open and the lid swings open but is secured on the steel wire,
There are also some great billy pots up to 28Cm and 30 Cm deep with fastening lids that make great alternatives for oven baking from China, and at one third of the price of the Zebra, but for the range of sizes that Zebra do, its still the best
Im going to go get another size 14 today and try the cable handle version, Ive seen you use it in your videos, been thinking about trying it, so its now on my project list along with the wood stove from two stainless steel salad bowls, yeup! i did say salad bowls, hahahahahahaha
Cheers Gary! I’m interested in your salad bowl stove!! 🔥🔥🔥👍👍👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods once it's finished I will post some pics on IG or some other format , some design changes happening as I build it
Great stuff, as usual. I like how simple you make thing look. I'm going together a zebra and try one of these mods... It will probably end up becoming a sieve though. Thank Simon, keep 'em coming.
Clever man. Great videos. Thanks
A very nice modification Simon 👍🇵🇭
Some good ideas there mate.
Modded a few pots myself.
Have a few Zebra Pots, the cable handle mod is kick ass! Could have stopped the cable end so it was flush or slightly below the brass tube when crimped......ATB
I have only recently started using the zebra billys and they are impressively made and great quality.
Maybe it is because they are new to me but those bail handles seem to me to be designed to burn you.
All previous billys I have used had a hard wire handle.
I don't bake things any more so I think I'll be going with your cable handle or a hard wire one made from a bicycle spoke or similar.
Great video, thanks.
PS, apparently metal clips are available from the clever Folding Firebox people in the US.
You can certainly buy the Billy cans from Firebox with the clips fitted, but not sure if you can buy the clips separately - also the Bushcraft store here in the UK offer the metal clips as an option 👍👍
@@simonablokeinthewoods I commented on the Firebox guy's channel about the clips and he said that they sold them, which is handy for some. Thanks.
Excellent. Thanks.
Thank you once again.
I will get around to doing this..... eventually 😅
❤❤❤hey simon, good afternoon 😊
Simon, ur a handyman guru !! Lol 😃
Two 👍🏽👍🏽!!
Mine came with metal clips for the bail out of the box. Both of mine did actually.
Thank you 😊
thank you Mr S CABLE IT IS DO THAT RIGHT NOW TAK CARE
Good advice Simon - ATB
I've not long done mine (your third mod), you can also buy the tube as well, although the brass tube may be better as the tube i got is ally I think. B and Q does everything you need.
Simon, please send this video to zebra! 👍
I have all 3 sizes and they all came with metal clips
@@YaknTackle I think Firebox Steve started selling them through his site modified. In the UK you can get them with clips from the Bushcraft Store.
@@davegilden6603 ahhh I think you are right!!! I bought all 3 of mine from Steve....Cheers!!
You should really do a gear room video! go on Simon!
😂😂 Hmmmmm. 🤔
Well done good sir well done........
Ingenious- I hope when the zombie apocalypse happens 🧟♀️ you’re in my tribe!
Definitely mate! 😁
See....us Norfolk blokes arnt that stoopid my booty!!! Haha , well done Simon. Great vids my friend, if your ever near Downham pop in for a cuppa, cheers , Dusty.
Cheers Booey! Next time I’m on the Ouse I’ll give you a shout! 😁👍🛶
very cool
awesome mods. thanks bro!
Brilliant, as usual!
There are all sizes of tubular crimps in fishing gear for building tracers for pike fishing. Just press 'em with pliers :)
Would they cope with repeated heat from a fire?
Good call! 👍👍
For those who don't want to bend wire , talk to Steve at fireboxstove.com, about the holders , think I got a pair for about the same price as a Nalgene fuel bottle. When I bought my 10mm it had the clips on it , I goofed and bought 1 16mm pot that plastic, as soon as I got the metal ones installed, I threw away the plastic set .
With the floppy wire handle how do you pour stuff out , I could make the now spare handle into a pot gripper or get a spoon bent into a ladle . I can see the fun of changing the handle but i cant see floppy work when I Wana pour etc
I'm tied between options 1 and 3.
EXELLENT !!!!
Can you elaborate why the third option is your fav. No thick handle, no plastic parts what else can you think of that makes it more of a pro in your opinion. I like all of the options and steps that you shown just curious 🧐. I may do that with my 1lt when I one
Packs better, stays upright, holds the lid on - I just much prefer it 👍👍
Can't get these for my 16cm billy anywhere, don't suppose you make them to sell do you mate 🤷♂️
Do they do one with black and white strips?
😂😂😂
👍
How about a bloopers episode?
There were a few clips from this video I could have used!! 😂
Simon, a bloke with too much time on his hands! 😂
😂😂😂
@0:01 not nearly enough pans & bill cans there ;-)
You can never have too many! 😂
I'm taking the opportunity to say that I have binge watched your videos for the past three weeks 😂 You can turn your hand to anything, fair play and thank you very much for the work you put in to your videos. I'll give this a watch when I have tea in my hand. All the best, Jason 👍
Thank you Jason!
How many zebras do you have?? Looks like a small herd
Hi Sally, a herd is the correct common name for a collection of Zebra, but a dazzle is another name for them.
Simon has a dazzle of zebra.
😂😂 a mating pair and one offspring
Hey John, thanks for sharing! Now I know the right way to describe a bunch of zebra.
I bought a new zebra pot just now, and as soon as I got home, you uploaded this!
Simon, please stop following me around and tracking my purchases...or I’ll have to unsubscribe!
😆
😂😂😂
That was one of the best “how to” videos I’ve ever seen, very clear, step by step and utterly foolproof. Thanks! Les
i made a bcb crusader lid out of a an old mess tin using your method, it works an absolute treat, now i am going to butcher my zebra cans because that wire idea is excellent, i dont pack the zebra cans purely because of the handle being a pain in the backside when your throw them in the backpack, cheers simon.
I think I like the wire handle option the best too... especially when you showed how to secure the lid with it 👍🏻
Very smart replacement with steel cable . I like how you are an inventor .
I cut the original handle off mine and replaced it with bike brake cable and electrical connectors. Love the idea of tucking it through the lid handle to keep it on!
Love to see more "Simon, a bloke in the workshop". I wish I had an old school woodwork bench like yours.
It’s a great old bench - was being thrown out by a school that was having some work done - cost me nothing. 😁
Simon if you don’t have brass tubing you can buy stainless steel crimps and steel cable in a fishing tackle shop these are use in sea fishing for terminal tackle on a line, which stops larger fish biting through the line. The crimps come different sizes, I have use bike brake cable as it cheaper. I have pulled the cut end in to the crimp and dropped a bit of solder in to the crimp to stop the frayed end catching on anything. I do like the brick tie trick
Cheers Geoff! I hadn’t thought about tracer crimps 👍👍
Just modified my billy can to the bike cable concept. So easy to do and I can’t wait to test it out. Thanks for the step by step tutorial. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Great tips, my Zebra came with stainless clips, so I'm already sorted.
I hear banjo's........i hear......squealing !
Can’t beat a bit of tinkering in the shed 👍🏴
Hi Everyone, I've just modified these clips (Q-Connect Fold Back Clip 42mm) available from most places. These work perfectly with just 1 bend required, hope this helps it's a lot less faff. On my 16cm Zebra pot, try them they're cheap as chips, & NO coathangers were harmed either......
Metal clips are the way to go ..the other two take from the Zebra its perfect draining ability...The handle is designed to drain towards and away to the side (preferably) ..hot liquid never reaches the upper handle and the hand due its clever design.
Brilliant modification Simon ~ I prefer the third option as well because it solves both problems. Hope you can get out soon as the lock-down is eased.
Cheers John - got a trip planned for next weekend 👍🛶🏕
Firebox Stove store sells the Zebra pot with the modified metal clips installed. Plus they offer baking kits for each size pot,,, Great video 👍
Thank you Simon I found it very useful I've just bought myself a biscuit tin so I can use that instead of buying a zebra can when I go camping amazing video thank you Simon .
Brilliant 👍Recently bought a 14 cm Zebra Billy pot and was wondering what to do about the plastic lid holders. Great when boiling water but pretty useless for anything requiring sustained heat.....now I know what to do! Cheers Simon 👍 ATVB from sunny Malaysia 😷🏕🇲🇾
I can't wait to replace mine with a cable. The handle has always been a pain. Thanks for going into so much detail on how to do it as well as showing so many options. 👍🏻
I don't have a Zebra can, but I used brass snare wire for a similar setup on my steel water bottle. Works a treat.
I love these tinkering videos. Excellent content. :)
Thank you Simon; Absolutely Brilliant!
You've really inspired me, I will be replacing the handle on my billy can with stainless cable.
Cheers.
Great ideas brother.
One suggestion, when using cable, instead of letting the end stick all the way through the sleeve just stop it a little shy of coming all the way through then squeeze and finish as you did. This will prevent possibility of the end of cable sticking fingers or snagging on other gear.
Love your channel and your vids, keep up the great work.
Look forward to these every Wednesday!
Nice one Simon great video ATB
Good show old chap! I was considering giving my new Zebra Billy away as I still haven't used it. I think I may just keep it now and carry out option No.3 to it. Good man, Simon 😉👍
Instead of the brass tubing, you could also use aluminium sleeves that cramp onto the steel cable. No need to cut them to size, bend them into shape and file them down, and they are cheap. It also looks a bit better, IMHO. You can find them in fish tackle shops as they are used to secure cable wire to lures that may come in contact with sharp fish teeth.
The bright side of covid, people are learning to be less reliant on the system.