New simple tinder kit - less is more

[JEEP]

I have been wishing to put together a new tinder kit for a while. I have carried a lot of different kits over the time - mostly some kind of plastic container (tackle boxes or waterproof food containers) with various contents. Neither of them has been visually appealing nor comfortable to carry in a pocket (being both heavy and bulky), resulting them to reside in my pack. - and they have all, with their abundance of different components, been (in lack of a better term) quite messy. See one of the latest incarnations of my kit here (http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?753-Whats-in-your-Tinder-Kit).

You have already seen the paracord work on my new LMF FireSteel Army oak handle. This evening I dusted off my leather working tools (which has been laying dormant since my shoulder broke down some years ago). The goal was to make a simple and sturdy pouch for my kit - aswell as continuing the "theme" from the firesteel, by combining natural materials and olive green paracord. The result is a simple hand stitched (with waxed linen thread) leather bag with a paracord strap.

For tinder I have limited the contents to the two tinders I use the most, when no natural tinders are available or I am in a hurry: Six balls of cotton wool and two small sticks of fatwood/maya sticks.

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On longer hikes, I will still be carrying a small waterproof food container in my pack, containing more cotton wool, fatwood, a spare firesteel (a LMF Mini), a few alcohol wipes and a box of both regular and windprood matches.

[Ben Casey]

Looks cool

[jus_young]

Nice and simple kit. I have a load of leather and tools still kicking around from when I used to make kit for the hawk and its one of those things I keep meaning to pick up and get making, just never seem to get there. I think with a few new bits of kit on the way the inspiration will come soon.

[CanadianMike]

Nice. I'll add, the best tinder out there for catching a spark is totally free............... dryer lint from the dryer screen. That stuff is amazing and when dry, will take a single spark and flare up. Why bother with buying cotton balls when the free stuff is always discarded when doing laundry?

[jbrown14]

Hey Mike,

That's what I carry in my kit. Dryer lint and a small tuft of # 00 steel wool discarded from my woodshop. Never had a problem with either, the steel wool burns hotter, though.

Like the kit, Jakob.

Josh

[CanadianMike]

Always good to use effective free stuff. I should start packing steel wool, I use it often when gun bluing knife blades, I should start to bag it instead of throwing out the small bits I tear off.

[treefrog]

I never really considered carrying much more than a couple disposable lighters; there always seems to be birchbark or other tinder out there. Do most of you guys go prepared with a tinder 'kit', as you say, every time you're out in the bush?

[JEEP]

Thanks gentlemen.

Dryer lint? Good idea. I'll have to try that - though I'll have to ask my parants to save some for me, as I have no dryer myself :)

I haven't carried lighters for a long time, except from my Primus Power Lighter for lighting my multifuel stoves. A lighter is indeed simpler, but it is simply more fun to light fire the "primitive" way.

Edit: Just called my parents, they are now saving the dryer lint for me :D

[Paracordist]

Funny my I laws bring a bag of dryer lint each time they visit. Why not PJ a couple of those cotton balls?

[JEEP]

I usually bring som petroleum jelly for wet and/or cold weather.

[CanadianMike]

Dryer lint is the bomb for fire starting, works great and easier to fluff than cotton balls (smaller fibers vs. longer ones).

To the question of why to carry a tinder kit, if you are out and about and can't find birch bark and everything else around is wet, a tinder can and sparky tool is a great back up, plus if you are cold and can't afford the risk of hunting down dry tinder, a back up is a good thing to have, just in case. Otherwise, birch bark and a Bic (BBB) are a good main starter.

[rich290185]

whats the Bic for? cottonwool and PJ are great,really easy and burn for a good time.

[Terry]

Today i was clearing out my garage and came across an old tube of clear adesive, just about to through it out and thought will it burn? well i tested it on some cotton wool and it burned longer than just plain cotten wool. then i thought if the tinder was wet will it work. i then tested it on a strip of wood that i had put in water for a moment or too. added the adesive lit it with the fire steel and away it went, not long before the wet wood had caught alight and began to burn . So it will be coming out with me in the future.

[WombleWill]

Nice looking little kit, gets the job done with minimal weight! Could always add a little Char Cloth?

[Martin]

whats the Bic for? cottonwool and PJ are great,really easy and burn for a good time.

I strongly suspect that the Bic is a lighter not a biro. :)

Martin

[JEEP]

Nice looking little kit, gets the job done with minimal weight! Could always add a little Char Cloth?

Thanks. Charcloth is actually my next project, I have the tin and materials waiting for the next time I light a fire.

[WombleWill]

I used an old Baked beans can and some old boxer shorts put a rock over the top of the can, the can was sitting on a hot embered fire with few flames and gave it around 5minutes give or take and then black smoke was being realeased and thats how you know its ready ;D be red hot i used some sticks to knock the can off the embers and then stomped out the flaming charcloth and let it cool (10seconds) then it was ready to be used.
Warning - the CharCloth gives off a poisonous smoke, so just don't breath it in prolonged ;D I believe the process of making charcloth is Carbonization? Don't quote me on that. Also it lights like nobodys business just make sure when using it to start a fire have some straw or dead dry grass or something to cradle the charcloth. good luck!

[CanadianMike]

I used an old Baked beans can and some old boxer shorts.....

Oh the images...................I hope you shook the left over farts out before bringing this close to the fire!

[andy202wr]

Nice piece of kit. I have my fire lighting kit in a similer type of bag but mine is worn round my kneck so it is handy to get to.

[WombleWill]

Oh the images...................I hope you shook the left over farts out before bringing this close to the fire! yeah I let them air for a few minutes ;) hahaha

[CanadianMike]

Good man, safety first afterall............ ;)

[JEEP]

Nice piece of kit. I have my fire lighting kit in a similer type of bag but mine is worn round my kneck so it is handy to get to.

Thank you :)

I prefer carrying my stuff on my belt or in my pockets. I have never been a big fan of things dangling from my neck.

[bushcraftboy]

Well sometime I keep a lighter on my but most of the time, I use flint and steel to make fire, in a small tin, with char cloth.

[JEEP]

A little less less :)

2899

After some consideration I decided to shorten the lanyard to half lenght, melt together the ends and cover the joint with a simple cobra braid - adding a Ray Mears FOX 40 Micro emergency whistle and a Victorinox 0.6363 Rambler; http://www.victorinox.com/ch/product/Swiss-Army-Knives/Category/Classic/Classic-Range-58-mm/Rambler/0.6363

[WombleWill]

Pretty darn nice! ;D

[JEEP]

Thank you :)

[rich290185]

I strongly suspect that the Bic is a lighter not a biro. :)

Martin

oh yer lol :ashamed:

[JEEP]

Just got a bag of dryer lint from my parents.

I am having a hard time getting it to catch fire, even when exposed to a naked flame. Maybe it is because my parents usually wear natural fibers and generally shun synthetics?

[Paracordist]

Jeep synthetic fibers will not burn. Cotton only. You must pull it apart to expose fibers to air. Fluff it up. Simolar to jute cord. Has to be untwisted and fluffed up

[JEEP]

Ok, I'll try that.

[raycea123]

good thinking my friend :) i empty the stuff everyday and never thought to add it to my fire tin :s

[beefcrisps]

I've got another little recycling trick..... Next time your windscreen wiper needs replacing cut the rubber into 1" piece's and keep it in your pack. That way you always have some waterproof tinder/ candle to help start the fire.

[Terry]

I needed that advice a month ago.... Good idea, and one i will make use of when i find the old rubber in the garage...