Whats in your Tinder Kit?

[The Big Lebowski]

It alway's fascinates me what people come accross tinder-wise and i doubt two kits are ever the same!

I try to keep mine as natual as possible (for no specific reason really) other than a few sections of rubber from a car inner tube, for emergency or 'i just want fire' situations LoL! Never had to use any yet, but i will be glad its there if i do :)

Contents as follows...

Fatwood, Artists Conk as an extender, Birch Polypore-same, Cramp Balls, Denim char-cloth and some Travellers Joy or 'old mans beard' that i have yet to try out.

I do also keep a tinder bag with lots of Birch peelings/shavings with me most times if out for the night.

Regards, al.

[JEEP]

Firesteel, most of the time an oak handled LMF Scout
Cotton wool
Vaseline
Alcohol based hand sanitizer

I like to carry stuff with more than one purpose

[RobbC]

I like to keep my fire lighting kit as natural as possible aswell,so i carry a firesteel, but on occasions i will leave that and take a traditional flint and steel striker. In my tinder bag i keep amaduh, some small pieces of fatwood, paper birch bark and char cloth.

Robb

[Realbark]

Cotton wool balls, Jute twine, charcloth and some dried grass. Also one small bbq block crushed in a tiny ziplok.

[JEEP]

I have just asembled a new kit actually:

730731

Savagear lurebox
Cotton wool
Two packages of matches in a zip-lock bag
Three alcohol wipes (good for lighting fire aswell as cleaning cuts)
Some bandaids (not for fire lighting, but goes nicely with the alcohol wipes)
Lip balm (good for lighting fire aswell as dry lips and skin obviously)
A few windproof matches
LMF Firesteel Mini
Disposable lighter
Large rubber band (can, among other things, be used as tinder)

This kit is meant to stay in my bag, as a backup, if no natural tinder is to be found.

[Fletching]

All of the above, but usually just stick with either the jute cord, the cotton wool balls or a squirt of alcohol gel.

Whilst we're on the subject, what do you guys recommend as a good ferro rod (no handles/strikers - just blanks)? I've got some of the 'wolf' type from the states that throw out great globules of molten metal hot enough to bust into Fort Knox and some that just 'fizz' a bit, with not much use. I've just chopped up some ranger bands so I'm in the process of attaching a rod to each of my knives.

Do LMF just do the 'minis' in blanks? If so, perfect opp. for a group buy on this one.

Answers on a postcard...

Steve

[JonnyP]

All of the above, but usually just stick with either the jute cord, the cotton wool balls or a squirt of alcohol gel.

Whilst we're on the subject, what do you guys recommend as a good ferro rod (no handles/strikers - just blanks)? I've got some of the 'wolf' type from the states that throw out great globules of molten metal hot enough to bust into Fort Knox and some that just 'fizz' a bit, with not much use. I've just chopped up some ranger bands so I'm in the process of attaching a rod to each of my knives.

Do LMF just do the 'minis' in blanks? If so, perfect opp. for a group buy on this one.

Answers on a postcard...

Steve

I am sure there are good rods and not so good rods, but I find its more to do with the steel being used, for a good spark. Carbon blades strike better than stainless, and having a good edge on the striker makes a better spark.
Fallkniven F1 blades strike amazing sparks on all the rods I have tried it on..

My tinder bag has a pack of Zip firelighters...

[Realbark]

Whilst we're on the subject, what do you guys recommend as a good ferro rod (no handles/strikers - just blanks)? I've got some of the 'wolf' type from the states that throw out great globules of molten metal hot enough to bust into Fort Knox and some that just 'fizz' a bit, with not much use. I've just chopped up some ranger bands so I'm in the process of attaching a rod to each of my knives.

Do LMF just do the 'minis' in blanks? If so, perfect opp. for a group buy on this one.

Answers on a postcard...

Steve

I buy these from ebay - 2 for just under 4.00. The tops can be taken off with pliers and i have mounted them in Antler and artificial horn (read duffle coat button horn). They are consistently 7.83 to 7.93mm in diameter so my 8mm drill bit works fine. I have also cut them SLOWLY in a vice to make miniature s for different kits - using the original plastics holders. Hope this helps. BTW - good sparks too!



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290498027916

[Fletching]

Cheers Realbark, I'll give those Swedish one's a go...

You can never have too many, can you? :)

Steve

[luresalive]

Charcloth, amadou, steel wool and a piece of carbon steel..we normally like to find a stone that creates sparks when we are out, sometimes that can be a challenge in itself, depending on where you are.

[MikeWilkinson]

Pretty sure I've answered this in another thread : -http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?214-My-firelighting-tin./page2

But here it is again repeated.

732

My Tinderbox
Just thought I'd put it in pictures.

I can either use most of these with a firesteel or traditional steel; or use fire by friction methods and the jute to get a fire going.

This is pretty much my standard kit but often gets complimented with cramp balls and amadou from various funghi.



So bottom left - Jute in Vaseline
Top Left - Tinderbox with Birchbark and Char cloth
Top Right - Wax coated Matches
Centre Right - Firesteel & striker in Birchbark sheath (emergancy tinder)
Bottom Right - Fatwood shavings and stick
Centre - Jute

[Mouldsy]

It alway's fascinates me what people come accross tinder-wise and i doubt two kits are ever the same!

I try to keep mine as natual as possible (for no specific reason really) other than a few sections of rubber from a car inner tube, for emergency or 'i just want fire' situations LoL! Never had to use any yet, but i will be glad its there if i do :)

Contents as follows...

Fatwood, Artists Conk as an extender, Birch Polypore-same, Cramp Balls, Denim char-cloth and some Travellers Joy or 'old mans beard' that i have yet to try out.

I do also keep a tinder bag with lots of Birch peelings/shavings with me most times if out for the night.

Regards, al.

How do you prepare your Birch bark polypore for the extender? Do you just dry it at home or is there a special way to prepare it?

[bushcraft4u]

amadou,charcloth,flint and steel,small rolls of birch bark,crampballs,fire piston (home made)and i always collect a small bag of birch shavings and replace when used.

[Ashley Cawley]

I kinda have two tinder-kits; 1 for my use when I'm out and the other is a larger box more for demonstrations, my demo box has lots in it:


Crampballs
Charcloth
Amadou
Cat-Tail
Fatwood / Maya-stick
Alcohol Sanitizer
Birch Bark
Inner-tube Rubber
Cotton-wool
Wirewool & Battery
Also have a traditional flint (rock) & steel and a Fire-Piston to demonstrate those.

Where'as for my personal use when I'm out and about; I will carry either Crampballs, Mayastick or Vaseline covered cotton-balls in a small plastic bottle (shown in this blog-post (http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/kit/red-bull-plastic-shot-capsule.html)). If I'm making a fire for camp sometimes I will featherstick (http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/fire/making-a-feather-sticks-for-fire-lighting-bushcraft-basics.html).

The cotton-balls are just so convenient for brew stops etc or a lot of the time I might also be lighting a Meths stove by Firesteel.

[Ashley Cawley]

My favourite Firesteels are the LMF Mini ones with the orange handle that Jakob showed, I prefer them because they are small/light & barely noticeable when your carrying them. I used to carry the full-size big ones, but then I thought what's the point of every time I go out carrying one that will potentially light me 12,000 fires, the mini will go for approx 1,500 strikes and is so much smaller/lighter.

I typically have two on me when I'm out, 1 always lives on my key-chain and the other is strapped onto my bag.

[bigstan]

Being a lazy b****er i carry a Zippo and lighter fuel, two disposable gas lighters and a fire steel on my carbon knike sheath with cotten wool and fat wood.

[paul standley]

Birch bark (paper birch) - wow, this is amazing, I used it today in the woods for the first time and it's great. Easy to spark and burns like shredded rubber...!

I collected a good handful whilst I was out and will be adding it to my tinder box.

Also found some crampballs today whilst i was in the woods so collected that for drying and that's going into the tinder box as well.

[FrenchBen]

Soooo...

My personal tinder kit is quite a mess ;)
I like to light fires and I like to light them many different ways. As a consequence, I like to carry many different things to do so (just like most of you).

Here's the pics:

750751

Let's see what they contain :
First image first line from left to right :
1] cattail fluffy stuff in a little plastic bag. Works well for me as a coal extender mainly, cause I don't manage to make it burn with flames easily.
2] maya sticks (not yet found fatwood by myself in the woods but I seldom hike in coniferous forests)
3] traditional steel striker
4] traditional flint :D (a piece of quartz found in the woods and knapped to the correct edge and dimensions)
5] nodule of marcassite (see below)
6] char cloth rolled in a plastic bag : half of it is cotton and half linen (works well too)
7] magnesium bar (more and more useless...)
8] matches box wrapped with bike tube rolls (it occurs to me it's probably a bad idea to do so cause it's kinda hard to remove and with fingers frozen, probably like impossible)
9] striking strips for the matches (be careful with this thing or matches will be useless too ;))
10] Light my Fire firesteel

Second image : my fire pouch

With this kit I'm quite like a man who would wear braces and a belt (have you seen Sergio Leone's "Once upon in the West" for the reference?)

My goal is to get more and more independent from technology to light fires. I'm still using my firesteel very often, combined to birch bark.
But I now give priority to more ancient methods. I like a lot the flint and steel method : I use this with char cloth carefully put in a nest of dead (and possibly dry) bracken. Worked great till now. I'm planning to change soon my steel striker for the nodule of marcassite shown on the picture. I want to collect amadou fungus too.
And finally the mother of all primitive fire starting methods : the bow drill! Only tried it in dry climate for the moment : poplar tree drill on ivy board. Worked fine too with lots of care!

Bye:)

[paul standley]

FrenchBen, Like your tinder bag and contents. You are a tidy person for sure...

Tried someone elses Bow drill last weekend for the first time, I needed 2 pairs of hands and got nowhere so going to make my own so that I can practice...!.

Paul.

[FrenchBen]

FrenchBen, Like your tinder bag and contents. You are a tidy person for sure...


Thanks Paul ;)

In your previous post, you were saying you had just found crampballs. I've never tried these. Where do you find them? On living trees? dead ones? Which species? what time of the year? (well february's great I suppose as you collected it 2 days ago...)

Concerning bow drill, I can only advise you to get everything perfectly prepared before starting. Have fun!

Ben

[paul standley]

Hi FrenchBen, We found the crampballs 2 days ago in a small wood that once used to be a Hazel coppice but has other species in it as well. The crampballs were on a fallen, dead and rotting tree, not sure what tree it used to be, possibly oak or ash. It was the only tree in the whole wood with them on.

Paul.

[Martin]

As a rule, cramp balls can be found on dead Ash limbs, although we have seen them on other species from time to time.

Martin

[MikeWilkinson]

Oop Norf, Cramp balls are more commonly found on rotten Birch than on Ash.

[FrenchBen]

Thank you guys!
I'm surprised about the rotten Birch advice. There's quite a lot of dead rotten Birches in my favourite woods, but never saw a crampball on them. But I trust you and must have lacked luck that's all...

Do you think crampball can take a spark from a flint and steel striker? Those sparks are said to be colder than marcassite's ones and have nothing to do with firesteels' sparks showers...

[The Big Lebowski]

Some great reading thanks!


How do you prepare your Birch bark polypore for the extender? Do you just dry it at home or is there a special way to prepare it?

I just cut it into wafer thin sections and allow to dry for a day or two...

If its thin enough it wont go brittle when the moisture has evaporated, and a section is simply folded into the nest centre with the coal placed directly on top.

Artists conk although a bit more fiddly to peel (think hand-grenade) and once cleaned up- the trama layer works just as well,
if not better as its slightly slower burning allowing the heat to build up but thats just an observation.

I'm fairly new to Bowdrill but seem to be getting along just fine :)

PP is easy to find though and in abundance in this area. Neather takes any preperation other than drying and both work very well.

Feel free to PM your addy and I'll post some of both next week if you like as I'm away for a long weekend. Open offer.

Bowdrill season is nearly on us, although it was great fun to keep me warm in the winter LoL!

al.

[Fletching]

I buy these from ebay - 2 for just under 4.00. The tops can be taken off with pliers and i have mounted them in Antler and artificial horn (read duffle coat button horn). They are consistently 7.83 to 7.93mm in diameter so my 8mm drill bit works fine. I have also cut them SLOWLY in a vice to make miniature s for different kits - using the original plastics holders. Hope this helps. BTW - good sparks too!


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290498027916


Got two packs of these after your recommendation, they're pretty good for the money - good call.

Cheers Realbark!

Steve

[Skywalker]

I have a little ziplock bag with pencil sharpenings and mya stick shavings. Works a treat.

[paul standley]

I buy these from ebay - 2 for just under 4.00. The tops can be taken off with pliers and i have mounted them in Antler and artificial horn (read duffle coat button horn). They are consistently 7.83 to 7.93mm in diameter so my 8mm drill bit works fine. I have also cut them SLOWLY in a vice to make miniature s for different kits - using the original plastics holders. Hope this helps. BTW - good sparks too!



http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290498027916

I bought 2 of these for gifts, got them end of last week, they are great for the money, can't fault it :-)

[J_P]

The one i carry in the field is an oilskin baccy pouch bound up with a big rubber band which can be used to light a fire in wet climes in it is wetfire tinder blocks (hard to come by now), birch bark and fat wood sticks split up into half pencil size sticks and a small bic lighter wrapped in cling film, all fail safe, i pocket tinder as i travel so usually have birch bark in my pocket any hoo, i tend to use dead standing split up fine and feather sticked lit with a ferro rod a lot too..
http://i768.photobucket.com/albums/xx328/JPLamoureux/featherstick.jpg

[CanadianMike]

Cramp balls? I don't wanna ask....

[MikeWilkinson]

Cramp balls - also called king alfreds cakes- daldinia concentrica - google it!

I have to say at the moment my favourite is jute cord, shredded and rubbed in vaseline/parafin wax/animal fats - what ever is available really. I'm gonna try it with some other natural cordages as well, I've already done it with my willow cordage, but going to try nettle and yucca leaf too.

It is a bit more natural than carrying around a bag stuffed with cotton wool and works just as well if not better with a firesteel.

Plus the cordage can also be used as.... Cordage!!! :p

[bigzee]

Cramp balls? I don't wanna ask....

Yeah! sounds like someone's "gettin' it" more than I do based on those symptoms!

[bigzee]

And another thing: Why is nobody using the fluff out of a tumble dryer? Or is that a bit unethical/unnatural?

[Martin]

And another thing: Why is nobody using the fluff out of a tumble dryer? Or is that a bit unethical/unnatural?

Tumble dryer? That's the thing my wife uses in the utility room, right? :) It has fluff in it? About time she cleaned it out then!!!

Martin

[J_P]

Feathers work too, just thought id throw that in there duck feathers are great tinder and you can then cook the duck lol ;)

[beechnut mick]

Cramp balls? I don't wanna ask....

have you tried bigger under pants Mike.hope this helps.

[Adam Savage]

I know everyone here knows how to use their tinder and firesteel, but I popped a really simple video on youtube (my first upload to the site in several years of having the account) as a practice run for any demo videos I make in the future, hope you guys like it even though its basic and not of the best quality


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Pi9o8n5e8

[Ben Casey]

I know everyone here knows how to use their tinder and firesteel, but I popped a really simple video on youtube (my first upload to the site in several years of having the account) as a practice run for any demo videos I make in the future, hope you guys like it even though its basic and not of the best quality

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Pi9o8n5e8

Nice one :)

[Bambii]

That's the thing my wife uses in the utility room, right? :)

Ooo.. fancy a utility room ehh? Whos the posh one now?

[IBrown]

Ooo.. fancy a utility room ehh? Whos the posh one now?

Isn't that a posh word for a shed!!

When I was sanding I kept the sawdust ( birch), filled in a tin. I hope that will work, I will try it next time I'm out and about.

[MikeWilkinson]

A little tip - Try holding the striker still and pulling back on the firesteel, you are less likley to push your tinder bundle then and you can get a greater strike as you are not conciously trying to stop the striker from hitting the bundle.

[Adam Savage]

A little tip - Try holding the striker still and pulling back on the firesteel, you are less likley to push your tinder bundle then and you can get a greater strike as you are not conciously trying to stop the striker from hitting the bundle.

Bambii already pointed that out on my youtube comments lol, I saw a video with that tip after I made mine. Luckily my rod gives off a lot of hot sparks with very little strike so as you see in the video, don't usually move the tinder anyway, it's a good tip though and thanks for pointing it out. I also noticed that when using a mora clipper/companion, it produces way less sparks, it hardly made any when new so had to grind the back edge a little to give a decent striker.

[comanighttrain]

my rod gives off a lot of hot sparks

Probably want to see a dr about that mate...

[Adam Savage]

probably want to see a dr about that mate...

lol

[Nature Unleashed]

Realbark, I have purchased one of the magnesium flint and striker kits from ebay a few weeks back. I have been out today trying to get a small fire going to no avail, I was using dry/dead birch bark, dead/dried grass and some bits of dry tinder I found, I managed to light the grass eventually but it doesnt exactly get a fire going. Is there some kind of technique to using these?

[JEEP]

My favourite Firesteels are the LMF Mini ones with the orange handle that Jakob showed, I prefer them because they are small/light & barely noticeable when your carrying them. I used to carry the full-size big ones, but then I thought what's the point of every time I go out carrying one that will potentially light me 12,000 fires, the mini will go for approx 1,500 strikes and is so much smaller/lighter.

I typically have two on me when I'm out, 1 always lives on my key-chain and the other is strapped onto my bag.

I used to have this model as my favourite aswell. But recently I have had two of them break one me, one slightly used one and a brand new one - one of them in my hands and the other in the hands of one of my scouts (a 10 year old). Since then I have switched to carrying/using the larger scout and army models.

I can see that LMF has stopped offering the mini though.

[Stig of the Dump]

Char cloth made from flat lamp wick. Catches a spark and the embers lasts a long time.
Jute twine. Good for tinder bundle.
Paper thin birch bark. Burns when wet, burns hot and burns long.
Thick birch bark. Shave into slivers and incorporate into tinder bundle if needed.
Homemade tinder cord. Thick cotton cord, soaked in Coleman fuel, waterproofed in paraffin wax. Will take a spark from ferro rod and burns a long time.
Two small pieces of flint.
Firesteel. From Vern's flint and steel. He's on Ebay. Third steel I've owned, all from different makers. This thing is exceptional. Sparks almost as well as my Mora ferro rod.
Couple of small pieces of bike tire inner tube. Just in case!
Piece of charred bracket fungus. Excellent coal extender.

All in my Hudson bay tobacco tin.

[Adam Savage]

Holy thread resurrection Stig ;) And welcome to the forum buddy.

Another of my early vids, but this seems to be the perfect place to put it now :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veRDB8kMNws

[FishyFolk]

LMF firesteel scout
Cotton pads with vaseline sandwiched between the layers (less sticky mess) in a ziplock bag.
Fat wood
Old school steel striker
Quartz (there is no flint in Norway)
Need to make char cloth or find some tinder fungus :-)

Else there is a LMF or ProTec firesteel with the sheath of each of the knives I carry...

[JEEP]

I carry a much simpler kit now;

Old school army magnesium block/firesteel combo
Victorinox Alox. Farmer
Cottonballs
Fatwood
Packed in a simple leather drawstring pouch, closed w. paracord

[Adam Savage]

Packed in a simple leather drawstring pouch, closed w. paracord

What does make a good pouch, is the leather drawstring type you used to get for SLR lenses. Lots of people either don't bother with cases, or buy hard cases, so there is often a few of them floating around for next to nothing. :)

[Roadkillphil]

Mostly Cramp balls... they're great. I have some other bits too like fatwood, cotton wool pads, bits of old fire charcoal I've collected before LNT and a whackload of birch bark too. Mostly natural stuff, but it's all in a tupperware tub. I'm looking to either make or aquire a more natural pouch tho.

Adam, my Woodbee throws out a huge shower of sparks every time! Nice one bud :D I used it just this morn on some of last nights firedogs to get ma breakfast cooking. :D

[cobra]

All i use is lint out of the tumble dryer filter and hand sanitizer gel it does the job for me

[Adam Savage]

Adam, my Woodbee throws out a huge shower of sparks every time! Nice one bud :D I used it just this morn on some of last nights firedogs to get ma breakfast cooking. :D

Cool beans Phil. I do like to keep a nice crisp edge on the spine :)


All i use is lint out of the tumble dryer filter and hand sanitizer gel it does the job for me

Round this way, that hand sanitiser can get expensive for fire lighting lol. The tumble drier lint (TDL) is great stuff, and it's free/recycling ;)

[FishyFolk]

Here is my current one. Mind you I am still wafling about setting fire to everything I see to find new stuff to put in it...so it's fairly big and heavy at the moment.
I guess I have to find and old leather jacket to make myself a more bushcrafty looking pouch, and reduce it to a couple of things that work :-)

4636

Top row:
Vaseline. Got a good yard of hemp twine in there soaking in it.
Thats my Leatherman 300 super tool. I don't have sheath for it so I just chuck in there, but ok, it carves feather sticks :-)
Small lighter
2 zip lock bags of matches with strikers
5 meters of hemp twine. Takes a spark very nicely(doubles as a bit of cheap extra cordage)

Bottom row
Zip lock bag with cotton pads. They are double layered so I have sandwiched vaseline inside. Not so messy and greasy. Just pull them apart and you are good to go with the fire steel
Diamond sharpener Got nothing to do with making fire, just not have a better place for it
Fire steel with striker. The cord is again hemp...can be used as tinder
2 pieces of maya stick


On top of pouch:
Steel striker
Quartz
in the tin: char cloth
Zip lock bag with charred ammadou

I guess I will refine this. As I said, still finding out what works, what I can make work, what I actually like to use, and what is only there to satisfy my ego :-)

[jbrown14]

Another thread resurrected...cool.

I'm another that keeps dryer lint in the tinder kit, I've got little zipper-loc bags that are about 1.5" (that's inches, folks :D) by 2" that I keep it in.

In the kit I've got: Dryer lint, 00-steel wool, ESEE Fire Kit firesteel with lanyard and hacksaw blade striker...and that's about it. I carry a couple of Bic lighters as backup, and I usually have birchbark that I've gathered on the trail. I generally use the naturally occurring materials before I fall back on the lint or steel wool. I like to just see what's nearby that I can start a fire with. It's only when it's been raining really hard that I've had to resort to the lighters. I like to practice in the fire pit in the back yard with whatever I can grab from my wife's garden. :D

Josh

[ChristerM]

Hmm
Tinder kit.... :confused2:
Can't say that I have one... I carry a firesteel, and some matches...
And in 25 years of hunting, fishing and just plain enjoying the outdoors, I have yet to need one...
I have allways been able to make fire with whats around, no matter what the weather is...
Guess I had some pretty good instructions when I started out! :D

[FishyFolk]

Hmm
Tinder kit.... :confused2:
Can't say that I have one... I carry a firesteel, and some matches...
And in 25 years of hunting, fishing and just plain enjoying the outdoors, I have yet to need one...
I have allways been able to make fire with whats around, no matter what the weather is...
Guess I had some pretty good instructions when I started out! :D

2 months ago my fire kit consisted of a Bic lighter, or matches and a dash of charcoal lighter fluid of the #"!%"¤%R"#¤R% wood resisted..... I think you are missing the point a little bit. It's about mastering the older methods of making fire, and keeping that knowledge alive. Things like how to prepare horses hoof fungus (knuskkjuke) to be used as tinder. Or even how to actually make a fire with a modern ferro rod fire steel.

And to practice using those methods it's nice to have a fire kit. Once I have had my fun exploring and learning various fire making methods I'll probably return to 2-3 things that I know work for me.
But right now I'll have fun with it :-)

[ChristerM]

Well, that is kind of my point... Mastering different ways to make a fire...
I have a modern ferro rod, the matches are mainly used on the Optimus.
I can make and use a bow or hand drill, and I regularly do.. :) I just don't carry it with me.
I just find it more convenient to gather and prepare my tinder when I am there...
As for the horse shoe fungus, I know how to prepare it, but I tend to use it for Amadou...
(Make great gifts for fishing buddys :) )

For me (And I can only speak for myself) part of the whole thing, is seeing what is available right there and then.
Depending on the weather conditions etc the tinders quite alot. But for me to make a fire, I have to be able to utilize the resourses I can gather that day.
From fatwood (tyri) birch bark, "old mans beard", spruse (?) twigs, grass bundles etc...

But as I said, that is what I find interesting, (And at times quite challenging... :) )
Thats one of the beautys of this "hobby".... Everyone can find their own way, because there are very few absolute truths... :)

[FishyFolk]

Well, that is kind of my point... Mastering different ways to make a fire...
I have a modern ferro rod, the matches are mainly used on the Optimus.
I can make and use a bow or hand drill, and I regularly do.. :) I just don't carry it with me.
I just find it more convenient to gather and prepare my tinder when I am there...
As for the horse shoe fungus, I know how to prepare it, but I tend to use it for Amadou...
(Make great gifts for fishing buddys :) )

For me (And I can only speak for myself) part of the whole thing, is seeing what is available right there and then.
Depending on the weather conditions etc the tinders quite alot. But for me to make a fire, I have to be able to utilize the resourses I can gather that day.
From fatwood (tyri) birch bark, "old mans beard", spruse (?) twigs, grass bundles etc...

But as I said, that is what I find interesting, (And at times quite challenging... :) )
Thats one of the beautys of this "hobby".... Everyone can find their own way, because there are very few absolute truths... :)

I think this is one of those cases where we talk past each other if you know my meaning. And darn strange to write in Englishh to another one of my kind...lol
I am quite with you there. For me a tinder kit is basically everything you may bring with you to make fire. Not only the tinder itself.
And like you I like to use what is there when I do.
I've just never explored fire steels, steel striker and flint/quartz, friction fire etc. until recently. So finding out what works, and what does not is part of the fun.
And if I am in the garden, lighting the BBQ, cotton balls and vaseline will be in my local environment...he he


But as I said, I'll end up with a few things that work. My current kit is to heavy, lol

[ChristerM]

Haha yeah, I know what you mean, and I agree... I think this is one of those cases where we talk past each other! :)
And it may also be that I misunderstood what a tinder kit was... :)
In the sence that a firesteel and matches are a tinder kit, yes I do have one! lol
The rest is out there.... :D

If you haven't allready, just wait untill you make your first friction fire!
The feeling of being "Firemaster" when you see those flames lick up around your tinder bundle is immense!! :D :D

(Totally agree about the strangeness of writing in english to a fellow norwegian, but I think we would be banned pretty quick if we started off in Norwegian!! haha :D )

[Adam Savage]

(Totally agree about the strangeness of writing in english to a fellow norwegian, but I think we would be banned pretty quick if we started off in Norwegian!! haha :D )

Nah, you wouldn't be banned at all, not for speaking your native tongue. We would just have to use google translate, or be very confused lol :D

[FishyFolk]

Okay, totally revamped my fire kit. So here is the pictures.



The pouch is an Eagle products "traditional" leather coffee pouch with a leather drawstring that is being kept closed with a leather toggle. Put
the compass that Jakob gave me with the Opinel the drawstring, that way it won't get lost, and I have an emergency compass with me on every trip.
I won't always bother with maps and compasses in my local area....I am on an island. if I get lost, I just walk to the shore...

4971


The first item I'll find in the pouch is my LMF army firesteel, rehandled with birch. It's also fatsened to the drawstring, but it takes me a second to get it off.
That's just so I don't have to empty the contents just to get hold of my firesteel. Also on top of the rest of the jumble in there is Jakobs Opinel #8. Kinda goes with the firesteel.

4972

Right inside the drawstring I have hanged my steel striker from the drawstring, so that it too won't dissapear into the depths of the bag. I do not have a tin that will accomodate it yet, but I plan a shoåppinjg trip in town now that the wife is at work, so we'll se what we can find :-)
4973

The charcloth tin, has a pice of quartz, some charcloth and charred ammadou. Mostly I use charcloth. But working on making a tinderbox with punk wood, just have to make to punk wood work. Can't get a lasting ember form it, as I suspect my punk is to damp...the goal is easy ember from a quartz and striker spark! But alas, have not mastered it yet, så punkwood has not earned it's way into the firekit bag.

4974

This is a small tin with some petroleum jelly soaked hemp twine. Just fluff and inch or so of the end up, and it catches a spark from a modern fire steel 9 out of 10 times, and then burns like a candle until you blow it out. Clean hemp twine just "explodes" into flame and then putters out in seconds. This has completely replaced petroleum jellied or candle waxed cotton balls/pads in my tinder kit, it really works well.
There is also a lump of pine resin in there.

4975

sTAND BY FOR MORE IN NEXT POST

[FishyFolk]

Here is a couple of Maya sticks and a couple of spruce cones. The cones are excellent to throw into the embers of a fire to keep the mozquitos and midges away.

4978

On the very bottom of the bag I have some birch bark and a bundle of dried grass. Since they are at the bottom I have to empty the whole bag to get at it, so they are just for
emergency use when I cant find any dry tinder near my camp fire.

4979


Finally the whole lot
4980

[AL...]

Real nice kit Rune .. I rely got to sort mine out today. Its kinda all over the workshop at the moment .
Fine wee project I think (That and finish off the new Catapult) :D
Will take some photos later on.
Cheers
AL

[Adam Savage]

Very nice tinder kit. Very well thought out and organised. You'll have to let me know how you get on with that Stetson compass (I was lucky enough to be gifted one too :)).

[FishyFolk]

Very nice tinder kit. Very well thought out and organised. You'll have to let me know how you get on with that Stetson compass (I was lucky enough to be gifted one too :)).

Well, as far as I can tell, it's pointing in a northern that wayish direction...actually it looks to be fairly accurate. At least enough to give you North, south east and west. But i just got a cheap mirror compass for a tad more serious navigation....

[Adam Savage]

I must say mine seems to point in the right direction, but the graduations around the bezel aren't lined up, and it's fixed, so cannot be adjusted. North is at 4º according to Stetson :) Which I guess is pretty correct magnetic declination in the central states, but here in the UK it's negative 1.35 at the moment (or there abouts).

[AL...]

Heres my Tinder kit
It has some Jute twine fluffed up My file and flint also some charcloth , inner tube my fire steel (gives off a good shower of sparks) Some birch bark and some wood shavings all in a leather pouch that I made for it.
Not to bulky to carry in your jacket pocket or in your rucksack. I think I have everything there to get a hot meal in any weather.

Cheers
AL

[FishyFolk]

i had of course have to make a video of it...also testing the stuff in it


http://youtu.be/IinY0GSBDrs

[AL...]

Good work there Rune :D

Cheers
AL