Feathers as tinder, no good !

[pitdog]

While out today I came across a spot where a bird had been killed leaving behind a bunch of feathers. The small downy ones looked like they might make tinder that would take a spark from a ferro-rod so I put them in my pocket for later.

At my testing spot I added some tree resin to the feathers as I figured they would be a flash tinder and would burn out quickly, the resin would become ignited from the feathers and burn long enough to ignite other tinder.

By pitdog2010 at 2010-10-04

The feathers sucked as tinder, it took me about 8 strikes to get a fire and think that it was the resin that eventually took a spark !

By Pitdog2010 at 2010-10-04

The small piece of resin burned nice and hot for 6 minutes before going out, I think for the size that beats Fatwood, PJB's and most other tinders. If ya don't already have some resin in your kits get some packed in...awesome stuff !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-10-04

 

[New Blades]

I bet that smelled good.:barf:

 

[Yorkshire Boy]

Thanks for showing this, :thumbup:

you'd think the oil in the feather would make it work, strange....

 

[Shoki]

After thousands of years of being cooked over a fire by primitive man, birds adapted and developed fire-retardant feathers.

I'm actually not all that surprised. It seems that most things animal in origin are not impressively flammable (farts aside, that is). The pitch is a good idea to have in a fire kit. I'll have to try and harvest some the next time I'm out and try it out. Thanks for the tip.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Thanks for the tip Bro