Pocket Warmer

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Overview

Item A: a red, blue, white coloured cardboard box with text (and images) on all sides
Item B: a metal case
Item C: a green velvet carrying pouch with drawstring
Item D: a metal pourer

Historical information

A portable fuel hand warmer is a compact, reusable device that produces long-lasting, flameless heat through a catalytic reaction. Typically made of metal, such as a zinc alloy, it is filled with a liquid fuel (like lighter fluid or camp fuel) and uses a platinum-coated catalyst to generate odourless heat without an open flame.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2025.284

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

25.4000 mm

Height or length

101.6000 mm

Weight

72 g

Inscriptions and markings

Top of box: "Pocket Warmer. Made in Hong Kong"
Bottom of box: "Comfortable warmth for 12-24 hours. Recommended for outdoor sport & indoor workers and people in cold weather. Warmth for hands too!"
Side of box: "Keeps you warm"

Contextual information

Portable Fuel Hand Warmer:
Lighter fuel hand-warmers use lighter fluid (highly refined petroleum naphtha), in a catalyst combustion unit that runs at a lower temperature than an open flame with a greatly reduced fire risk. After lighting, they operate inside a fabric bag typically with a drawstring. This controls the oxygen supply to the catalyst and protects against skin burns. Re-use is simply done by refuelling. The replaceable catalyst units can last for many years provided they have combusted vapour from their cotton wadding filled fuel reservoir, and have not had fuel directly applied to them. These hand warmers are for people who work or pursue leisure activities outdoors in very low temperatures, especially those that require manual dexterity that is not possible while wearing thick gloves or mittens.

Keywords

Hands On Item

Place made

Hong Kong SAR China

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Last modified

Saturday, 13 December, 2025

Completeness

Item feedback

Busselton Historical Society