How to make a basic Tinder Tube - Tutorial.

[Diomedes Industries]

I brought this up earlier and it seemed to be a thing that few people knew about - so I decided to undertake the exercise on my own. The making of a tinder tube is pretty easy - and fiddling with the right size and cotton was fun - so here is what I came up with.

Step One: Buy a section of 5/16th x .014 Round Brass Tube (Various rifle cartridges work - but I wanted to do a tutorial that everyone could find the supplies for easily.

Step Two: Cut a section of tube that is an appropriate length. I have been using 1 1/2 Inches and it is comfortable:

Step Three: Polish the brass if you so care to.

Step Four: Insert a 100% cotton rope inside the tube - and you are done. However, I did not have 100% cotton rope and I wanted to make a smaller more packable profile - so I did some things a little different.

I bought Cotton twine - and experimented with a braid that would lay flat inside my tinder kit - but be tight inside the tube. I found that a nine strand (3 x 3) flat braid worked well. I braided up a few feet of line and taped off the end.

I then inserted that end inside the tube and twisted it through:

Step Five: Light the end on fire and work up a good coal.

Step Six:

Put the ember out - by simply pulling the cordage back into the tube a little and then putting your finger over the end. It snuffs it in a matter of seconds.

Step Seven:

Decide how long you want your cord to be and then whip the end tight.

This is done if you are using flint and steel - but I liked the idea from Gravitas leather and put a notch in my Striker as you can see above.

This allows the tube to lay parallel with the striker surface. You simply draw the mishmetal striker down across the striker - and shower the charred end with sparks - giving it instant light. Rotate the surface and strike it a few more times and you will have an even ember to blow into flame with some good tinder.

Good luck - hope this helps.

TF

 

[Preacher Man]

Nice! Thank you, I've been wondering about this and it is simpler than I thought.

 

[scruffuk]

Great tutorial Tal.

I saw your other thread the other day and was trying to find some snaps I have of my version. Its pretty much the same as yours, heck, I even think I got the same brass tube!

I roughed my tube up, working in one direction only, around the tube, with a piece of 240 or 400 grit (can't remember for sure but it was coarse) for a bit extra grip and as a striking surface for matches.

My tinder itself is actually 'safety fuse', used for lighting fireworks, before cheaper 'punk sticks' became more popular (see below).
Its Potassium Nitrate treated cotton string (similar to the match in old muskets). I have this in abundance at work, could ship some over if you want a play?

Once charred it works incredibly well with at catching a flint and steel light, as well as from hotter ferro-sparks. The tube helps protect the char for next time.

How well does your cotton take with flint and steel once charred?

I'll have to get some snaps of my tube and use once I find it. I don't bother with char cloth now...but I have found that I do need to make some for my fire piston though as the carred fuse doesn't hold together well enough to load into the piston

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Scruff,

I sent you a PM.

Mine holds a spark pretty well - but I have thought about soaking it in Salt Peter (Potassium Nitrate) and seeing if that would help it. With my arrangement - you have to be a little more careful that the strands do not get too loose - but usually the char stays put and works just fine.

TF

 

[kgd]

Excellent tutorial Tal!

I see the advantages of this in terms of longevity over loose charcloth. Have you tried blowing a tinder basket into flames using the tinder tube ember? Does it make a big mess? Or is the idea to transfer the ember to something else like punkwood and blow that into flames?

 

[scruffuk]

Scruff,

I sent you a PM.

Mine holds a spark pretty well - but I have thought about soaking it in Salt Peter (Potassium Nitrate) and seeing if that would help it. With my arrangement - you have to be a little more careful that the strands do not get too loose - but usually the char stays put and works just fine.

TF

And replied to TF.

Yeah, I hear you on the fraying. The char can flake away, but its pretty roboust stuff considering.

Have you tried blowing a tinder basket into flames using the tinder tube ember? Does it make a big mess? Or is the idea to transfer the ember to something else like punkwood and blow that into flames?

Not sure what Tal has found, but in my experience both will work, however, I do find it more effective to transfer the ember (punkwood, old dogs (coals) or King Alfreds Cakes/Cramp balls (Daldinia concentrica) all work well).
When I get home I will find the pics I took when using this method on some dried up Bluebell stalks last summer.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

KGD,

It depends on the material. Cattail fluff - "POOF!" - Buffed Cedar works easily - you get the point. With a cap on the tube - it is a robust way to carry a char.

However a transfer to Tinder fungus is easy and makes for a LONG lasting coal.

TF