You may be able to buy a boot polish can from the prison commissary. [1] X Research source If you can’t find boot polish, look for another suitable can that you can buy. It’s important that you don’t arouse suspicion from the guards, so don’t buy a can of something that you would never normally use.
Try cutting the sleeves off your shirt. This way, you can use the cotton without arousing suspicion or completely ruining the shirt.
In the absence of baby oil, you may be able to use Vaseline or another petroleum-based substance. Do not melt poly fiber plastics, as these chemicals will irritate your skin. [2] X Research source
Try “popping a socket”. Open up an electrical socket, then hold a pencil tip and a wire up to the charged interior. This will create a spark. Hold a piece of paper or tissue against the spark until it catches flame. [3] X Research source Be very careful when handling flame. On one hand, you might badly burn yourself or start a fire that you can’t control. You also run the risk of attracting the attention of the guards.
Be prepared to burn the baby oil several times. The burning process does not produce a lot of powder, so you may need to burn the oil several times until you have enough to harvest.
Do not expose the powder to any moisture until you’re ready to mix your ink. The metal sheet and canister will be hot from the flame. Do not handle the metal directly until you’ve given it time to cool. Avoid using a credit card to scrape soot from hot metal, as the edge of the card might melt into the powder.
Remember: the soot is much harder to come by than water or baby oil. It is a limited resource. Be very careful with your mixing so that you don’t need to make more soot.
