help! hand drill and tinder fungus

[RescueRiley]

Was looking for some help on hand drills.. I picked a cattail stalk today. I was reading that they make good hand drills. I tried to use it with my bowdrill board (ash) but havn't had much success.. the cattail spindle is still pretty green, and the center seems pithy. I think the ash might be to hard for a handdrill board, any way I'm going to give the spindle a few days to get good and dry before I try again.

Also I was looking for tinder fungus I've read about these, in books, but they're just depicted as woody fungal shelves that grow on the sides of trees. Are there specific kinds I should be looking for or will all of these work? Well Thanks a bunch.

 

[stitchawl]

[SNIP]
Also I was looking for tinder fungus I've read about these, in books, but they're just depicted as woody fungal shelves that grow on the sides of trees. Are there specific kinds I should be looking for or will all of these work? Well Thanks a bunch.

Find some dead birch trees. White, yellow, gray... makes no difference just so long as it's birch. (These do grow on other types of trees as well, but most commonly on birch.) You should be able to see some of the "Horse Hoof Fungus" growing on the logs.
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/gallery/files/8/7/3/4/fomes_fomentarius_2.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/237510468_823bdda249.jpg?v=0

These things grow anywhere from 2" to 20" with the most common being about 4"-8" across. It does NOT hurt the tree to break them off... These are the fruiting body of a mycillium that is growing inside the tree's bark. But.... you really do need to treat them properly to get them to be useful as tinder.

Traditionally they were broken up into golf ball sized chunks and soaked for several weeks in horse urine. I suppose human would work too, but should your 'significant other' decide that this is not something to keep around the house, you can soak it in a solution of potassium nitrate and uric acid. Doesn't smell much better but at least you can say "Gee, dear, it's just a chemistry experiment."

After soaking, they need to be broken up a bit further and dried out but NOT bone dry. This is the tricky part. Too dry and they turn rock hard and don't catch fire. They should feel about as resilient as a piece of soft cork. I used this for a while as tinder for my fire piston, but it was too much of a bother so I went back to char cloth. Good luck!

Stitchawl

 

[tonym]

I don't know bro, I think the hand drill is better suited for dryer climates, although it can be done up here. The bow drill is probably your better choice of traditional firemaking technique for the North East.

But I do believe Mullein works as well.

 

[RescueRiley]

Stitch awl, Very informative, Thanks!

Tony, Trust me I'm all about the bowdrill, but you it can never hurt to have some more skills.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

I don't know bro, I think the hand drill is better suited for dryer climates, although it can be done up here. The bow drill is probably your better choice of traditional firemaking technique for the North East.

But I do believe Mullein works as well.

Although I don't like to disagree with you, 'Grandson' , hand drill works just fine up here (Ontario and I'm sure it would work just as well in Connecticut (sp?). A lot of people like Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) although I don't particularly.

Drills that work much better for me are Common Teasel (Dispsacus sylvestris), Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosa) - very good!, Thistle (Cirsium spp.) and some years, Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida). The reason I say, 'some years', is that from year to year, I find a great difference in the size and strength of the stalk. In the good years, it's hard to beat, in the bad, it 'blows up' in your hand.

For Rescue Riley: some people talk about Cattail (Typha spp.) being good and like it, but I was only successful once using Cattail, although I don't try it all the time. The problem is finding a stalk large enough to suit me.

Regarding tinder fungus. There are two commonly accepted types - Horse's Hoof fungus (Fomes fomentarius) which stitchawl refers to above, which we usually refer to as False Tinder fungus, although in Europe they know it as Tinder fungus (found on Otzi, BTW) and what we call True Tinder fungus (Inonotus obliquus) found on live Birch trees and I think some other trees but I've only found it on Birch. True Tinder fungus (I. obliquus) requires no special treatment to make it work.

A lot of guys like to use the 'True' in their fire pistons.

I've done quite a bit of Hand Drill, so if there's something I can help you with, give me a shout. Also, from time to time, Alan Halcon is seen on this forum and I think he has some kind of handdrill record of 5 seconds (?) to get a coal, and I think he would be glad to help you as well.

And regarding fire boards, I have never tried Ash (Fraxinus spp.) but have been successful with: Willow (Salix spp.), Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis), Sumac (Rhus typhina), Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides), Basswood (Tilia americana)

Other successful (though not necessarily good) hand drills: Canada Goldenrod (I think, not quite sure of the species - Solidago canadensis), Basswood (T. americana), Burdock (Arctium lappa - I think), Sweet Clover (Melilotus spp.), Sumac (Rhus typhina), Willow (Salix spp.), Eastern White Cedar (T. occidentalis), Dogwood (Cornus racemosa - I think), Eastern Cottonwood (P. deltoides).

For some of the listed hand drills, like Cottonwood and Cedar, I used spliced tips (on the end of some other hand drill material).

If you have any questions regarding what worked with what, let me know - I kept a log of my first 500 coals because my bookkeepping skills are much better than my memory skills.

Doc

 

[hollowdweller]

Rescue-

Going back to Cranberry this month God willing.

If I do I'll try to bring back some tinder fungus and send you some:thumbup:

 

[RescueRiley]

Doc, as usual I am humbled by your knowledge, super informative and no doubt your info will be very helpful. I aspire oneday to be as wise as some of you guys on here..

HD, same applies to you brother, I'd like that very much.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Doc, as usual I am humbled by your knowledge, super informative and no doubt your info will be very helpful. I aspire oneday to be as wise as some of you guys on here..

Riley, I'll trade what little knowledge I have for your age.

Doc

 

[tonym]

Although I don't like to disagree with you, 'Grandson' ,

Doc

Thats why your my inspiration!

Love it when you prove me wrong, although I didn't say it was impossible, I just think the bowdrill is easier. I haven't tried the hand drill, as I still want to practice bow drill more. I will however eventually give it a shot.

Shouldn't be to hard, my hands are allready calloused; but that comes from 8 years of marriage

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Thats why your my inspiration!

I just think the bowdrill is easier. I haven't tried the hand drill, as I still want to practice bow drill more. I will however eventually give it a shot.

Shouldn't be to hard, my hands are allready calloused; but that comes from 8 years of marriage[/QUOTE]

With comments like that (I just sent a link to your wife - whaddya think jw?) it's going to be more than your hands that's calloused!

The bowdrill is easier for some people, maybe even most and it is certainly the more reliable method, especially when the materials/weather/physical conditions are less than optimal.

: Love it when you prove me wrong, although I didn't say it was impossible...

Impossible? Hell it's not even hard!

Doc

tony, you know, of course I'm just kidding!

 

[tonym]

With comments like that (I just sent a link to your wife - whaddya think jw?) it's going to be more than your hands that's calloused!


tony, you know, of course I'm just kidding!

No no, I am pretty sure she will agree with me on why my hands are calloused

Of course I know your kidding Thats why we get along so well grandpappy

 

[hollowdweller]

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Good catch, HD.

Doc

 

[storl]

Doc, as usual I am humbled by your knowledge, super informative and no doubt your info will be very helpful. I aspire oneday to be as wise as some of you guys on here..

HD, same applies to you brother, I'd like that very much.

I've got some and I never use it, so I can send a bit your way if you want it. I made a video that is on youtube about identifying it that might help you a bit. although HD and DC know way more about things that grow in the woods than I do.

Send me a PM if you want some.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Meh - Doc doesn't know much - half of the crap he says is in Latin!

I didn't realize he was THAT old!

I learned a lot too Doc - thanks!

TF