Balsam Fir Resin/Cedar Bark V's Fatwood.....wet weather face-off !

[pitdog]

Inspired by Mistwalkers recent post I decided to do a wet weather tinder face-off.

First off a couple pics that I hope show how wet it was~

First up was to get some Cedar Bark and some Balsam resin, I managed to find a Balsam tree with awesome blisters that were just bursting with gooey goodness~

My knife of the day~

And a little video of my test ( In fairness I should have taken more effort with the fatwood curls, I kinda rushed as I was recording, this might have changed the results. )~

[youtube]ygc6yOutkGo[/youtube]

 

[Mistwalker]

Lol, pretty sure that if I lived up there that gasoline tree you guys have would be my go to source for tinder in wet conditions bro

How ya liking that knife?

 

[FAL'ER]

Did you pop the blister's onto the cedar bark?

 

[pitdog]

Did you pop the blister's onto the cedar bark?

Yes buddy, popped em with the tip of my knife and then wiped the resin onto the fluffed up Cedar bark.

 

[upnorth]

Interesting. I always like to see natural fire starting materials used in adverse conditions, as that's what I usually try to do. I don't use fat wood even though I pack it every were. Around here the best I can do is experiment with dried pine sap. To be realistic I feel that I should only use what I can find indigenously.

I thought that you did quite well actually. :thumbup: I have been out in the rain or snow and it took me at least five minutes, or more, to get and keep a natural materials fire going. (No fat wood). If nothing fluffy around I'll generaly use the tall dead grass.

 

[pitdog]

Interesting. I always like to see natural fire starting materials used in adverse conditions, as that's what I usually try to do. I don't use fat wood even though I pack it every were. Around here the best I can do is experiment with dried pine sap. To be realistic I feel that I should only use what I can find indigenously.

I thought that you did quite well actually. :thumbup: I have been out in the rain or snow and it took me at least five minutes, or more, to get and keep a natural materials fire going. (No fat wood). If nothing fluffy around I'll generaly use the tall dead grass.

Dried pine sap/resin is great stuff, I'll often crumble that up and add it to flash tinders such as old mans beard !:thumbup:

 

[sicily02]

Pitdog, nice vid and pics. Great job. I tell you it looks just to darn wet, and I am glad that you are getting it and not me lol.

Bryan

 

[pitdog]

Pitdog, nice vid and pics. Great job. I tell you it looks just to darn wet, and I am glad that you are getting it and not me lol.

Bryan

I often wish I could ' beam ' fellow forum members over here Bryan, just to show how wet this place gets. Everything you pick up is soaked through and rotten, at least we get that nice week called Summer once a year !

 

[Joezilla]

So who won. I would guess that fir would, since they used to harvest the resin. My figuring is that it would have more otherwise we would hear about cedar resin extraction.

 

[pitdog]

So who won. I would guess that fir would, since they used to harvest the resin. My figuring is that it would have more otherwise we would hear about cedar resin extraction.

In this instance the Balsam sap/Cedar bark won, both are great wet weather tinders though !