# Is it ok to use an iron instead of a heat sealer?



## Jackangus (Sep 1, 2016)

Should I just use an iron to seal my mylar bags?
Does it work as well as a heat sealer?

Cheers guys.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Jackangus said:


> Should I just use an iron to seal my mylar bags?
> Does it work as well as a heat sealer?
> 
> Cheers guys.


Cheers Jackangus!

Yes, it is OK to use a regular clothes iron to seal mylar bags. Make sure the heat setting is HIGH. I also like to use a Carpenters Level with the grooves on the metal. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can after your drop in a Oxygen absorber, place the end of the bag on the Level, Heat seal one side of the bag thoroughly and then flip it around to heat the other.

Good luck and welcome to the site you Kiwi you.:vs_wave:


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

yep, no steam of course - temp setting differs per iron but somewhere in the mid setting (wool) usually works well ... make sure you have it warmed up and ready before you open the factory pack of 02 absorbers and need to immediately begin the closure step .... doesn't hurt to practice on spare bags and get a smooth even heat seal - you want at least an inch wide seal without any bumps & ridges ...

for newbies "the last corner" method works well - take your time sealing 3/4 of the bag top - leave one corner open for inserting the 02 absorber - squeeze out that extra air and run the iron over the bag corner ...


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I've been using a bag sealer that does a great job but it's just not very wide. Only about a 1/4" but it's very strong and I'll make a few seals close together. After that, I use a flat hair iron that has 1" blades to put a wide seal on the bag.

The proper name is an Impulse bag sealer. Ebay it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/182044343225


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Slippy said:


> Cheers Jackangus!
> 
> Yes, it is OK to use a regular clothes iron to seal mylar bags. Make sure the heat setting is HIGH. I also like to use a Carpenters Level with the grooves on the metal. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can after your drop in a Oxygen absorber, place the end of the bag on the Level, Heat seal one side of the bag thoroughly and then flip it around to heat the other.
> 
> Good luck and welcome to the site you Kiwi you.:vs_wave:


Same tools of the trade that I use. ^^^^^^


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## Jackangus (Sep 1, 2016)

Cheers for all your help guys.

The time I have bought mylar bags, oxygen absorbents, buckets, and the food, this is getting pretty pricey.
Guess it is better than dying of hunger though.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Might try a wedge...


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