Fire With Magnifier..Easy !

[pitdog]

That's assuming you have a sunny day and the right tinder, today I figured out exactly what that was !

Tinder fungus, char cloth and dryer lint:

By pitdog2010 at 2010-08-16

Using the magnifier on my Vic Swiss Champ it took about 5 seconds before the tinder fungus started to smoke !

By Pitdog2010 at 2010-08-16

It quickly became too hot to hold so I placed it onto some concrete and blew it into flame:

By pitdog2010 at 2010-08-16

Being the one blowing it into flame and trying to take pics as well I didn't actually catch a pic of the flame as it burnt out in a matter of seconds.Had I had a bundle of fatwood shavings or similar handy it would have easily started a fire though !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-08-16

 

[pitdog]

I should also mention that I removed the large section of tinder fungus shown in the first pic and just left a bit the size of a grain of rice as that had already started to smoke !

 

[hushnel]

Practice is a good thing. I haven't done the magnifying glass in quite a while, I made up a bunch of charcloth Saturday, while spoon carving. I used the steel I recently received from Rick to start that fire.

I've got to cook the charcloth some more, I made Duel Survivor charcloth, I could tell as soon as I felt it that it wasn't right. I wonder it if the glass would start the ember. I'll give it a try.

 

[pitdog]

Practice is a good thing. I haven't done the magnifying glass in quite a while, I made up a bunch of charcloth Saturday, while spoon carving. I used the steel I recently received from Rick to start that fire.

I've got to cook the charcloth some more, I made Duel Survivor charcloth, I could tell as soon as I felt it that it wasn't right. I wonder it if the glass would start the ember. I'll give it a try.

I tried just using charcloth a while back and although I got it to smoke I couldn't blow it into flame, maybe you will have better luck ! Using the tinder fungus was childsplay though !!!

 

[hushnel]

I've read about the fungus but I don't think I've ever noticed it in the wild, maybe I'm too far south. Is it all bright yellow like that. I've may have seen something like it.

It's been rainy and overcast for the last two weeks here in south Florida, at least while I'm not working and at home.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey pitdog.

You're the only other person, besides myself that ever used a Vic Champ magnifying glass to start a fire, at least that posted here about it. Works pretty well for a glass that size.

Doc

 

[Mistwalker]

Good stuff Pit! I didn't know those were strong enough.

I've read about the fungus but I don't think I've ever noticed it in the wild, maybe I'm too far south. Is it all bright yellow like that. I've may have seen something like it.

It's been rainy and overcast for the last two weeks here in south Florida, at least while I'm not working and at home.

Don't think it grows that far south...I live in Tennessee and can't find any here either.


.

 

[Mannlicher]

around here we use 'deer moss' as tinder. It is almost explosive.

Using a glass has always been part of my woods tool box. It saves matches, but can be difficult when it is pouring down rain.

 

[hushnel]

Now that I've thought about it for a while it seems to me that the black surface of the charcloth absorbs and disperses the heat, lenses seem to work better on lighter surfaces, I'm not sure why. I've done a good bit of wood burning with a magnifying glass and the lighter woods take the burn well while darker woods like purple heart and black walnut hardly at all.

 

[fixer]

Now that I've thought about it for a while it seems to me that the black surface of the charcloth absorbs and disperses the heat, lenses seem to work better on lighter surfaces, I'm not sure why. .

here i'd just need to leave that black charcloth in the sun for ten minutes and it would spontaneously combust. no lens needed!

 

[mete]

Looks like your lint has other things besides cotton .I thought it should be all cotton ??

 

[powernoodle]

I just tried the magnifier from my trusty Victorinox Explorer Plus on some dried leaves and dryer lint, and was only able to get a tiny bit of smoke. Good sun. Drier lint has burned easily for me with a magnesium block.

Hey pitdog.

You're the only other person, besides myself that ever used a Vic Champ magnifying glass to start a fire, at least that posted here about it. Works pretty well for a glass that size.

Hmm. Now I'm intrigued. I'm going to have to keep experimenting until I make fire with the magnifier.

 

[fred j.]

the char cloth loses its combustible properties in the making. allot like charcoal it wont ignite, it just holds an ember. if you make it with the tin can method and you hold a flame up to the hole while it smokes, it will make sort of a little jet torch thing while the flmable gases combust.

i dont know if that made any sence, im not good at putting my thoughts into words....