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Mega Tinder Fungus

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
I was backpacking along the Cranberry River last week and we spent a night in the Dogway Shelter there.

Somebody had cut this huge birch log section with a tinder fungus hanging off of it. I've found lots of the stuff in this same area but this is one of the bigger ones.

tf1.jpg


Whole hunk was too heavy for me to carry over the mountain and the additional 20 miles I had to hike:thumbdn::(

But I did manage to Chop off part and save it.

More pics here of the inside HERE
 
Man I can't wait to get my hands on my Bushcrafter. Cool pics of tinder fungus. Is it always that color? I want to look for it when I pass some birch trees on a hike.
 
Awesome! That's enough to make a few good tinder fungus stoves and start a LOT of fires. I sure wish that stuff grew down here.
 
I'm not trying to hijack Hollowdweller thread, but Mistwalker if you want some just send me a PM with your info. and I have some I can trade for some fatwood. Ken, same goes for you if you need more.

Paul
 
valcas1 said:
I'm not trying to hijack Hollowdweller thread, but Mistwalker if you want some just send me a PM with your info. and I have some I can trade for some fatwood. Ken, same goes for you if you need more.

Paul
Click to expand...

It's not hijacking when you are helping somebody out! Good on you:thumbup:
 
So it grows on the side of Birch trees, eh? What's a Birch tree?

I'm continually amazed — truly astonished — by all the neat stuff you guys have growing back there. As I read through all the threads on this forum I see all kinds of things, from different regions, that make me wish it grew around here, too. I can't wait to get out to the local mountains to see if I can find any suitable fat wood. I guess that one will depend on the type of pines we have, but things like Birch trees (and tinder fungus) are simply out of the question.

Sure, we have palm trees and cactus, both useful in their own right, but somehow it doesn't seem the same as the rich diversity of vegetation you guys have in the East.

Note that I'm not complaining, merely commenting on the difference between there and here. Oh, and we don't have to shovel snow off our walks here in San Diego, so I suppose that kind of makes up for it.
 
dawsonbob said:
So it grows on the side of Birch trees, eh? What's a Birch tree?

I'm continually amazed — truly astonished — by all the neat stuff you guys have growing back there. As I read through all the threads on this forum I see all kinds of things, from different regions, that make me wish it grew around here, too. I can't wait to get out to the local mountains to see if I can find any suitable fat wood. I guess that one will depend on the type of pines we have, but things like Birch trees (and tinder fungus) are simply out of the question.

Sure, we have palm trees and cactus, both useful in their own right, but somehow it doesn't seem the same as the rich diversity of vegetation you guys have in the East.

Note that I'm not complaining, merely commenting on the difference between there and here. Oh, and we don't have to shovel snow off our walks here in San Diego, so I suppose that kind of makes up for it.
Click to expand...

It doesn't grow on my land in WV too low elevation but it is fairly common in the mountains here.
 
I don't know if it grows anywhere here in California. It's not like I don't have any other tinder around here, I was just commenting on the differences between regions. I look at all the pictures posted by Mist, or Pitt (and yours, too) that are so much different than what we have out here — all that green! I'm just dying to get up into the mountains to see what I can find, but I blew a head gasket, so it'll be awhile.
 
I've been wanting to try out some of this stuff too. I only hear good things about it. Alas... no birch in my area. I'll have to get some next time I'm out or trade with someone. That one in the pictures is HUGE. Like the knife by the way. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
valcas1 said:
I'm not trying to hijack Hollowdweller thread, but Mistwalker if you want some just send me a PM with your info. and I have some I can trade for some fatwood. Ken, same goes for you if you need more.

Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks man, P.M. sent.

And thanks to you H.D. for posting the pics. That piece would make a big enough fungus stove to heat a dutch oven lol....just may have to nest a spark in a few different spots :)
 
Question HD, or anyone else...

Do you have to let it dry before using it, and can you use flint and steel to light it ??

Great find HD:thumbup:
 
Tuxdad said:
Question HD, or anyone else...

Do you have to let it dry before using it, and can you use flint and steel to light it ??

Great find HD:thumbup:
Click to expand...

From what I understand so far, mainly studying the research of Allan Beauchamp, no you don't have to let it dry. And yes it appears to work great with flint and steel, and this is why I want some. I have read some of Allan's write-ups where he has used a piece of flint...or perhaps it was chert...and the spine of his knife to get a spark into a piece of tinder fungus and used that to start a fire.
 
I've only added it to a tinder bundle so far to get coals out of it cause the wood was all wet.

If I'd have read the stove idea before I went I would have tried it as I left most of that big fungi there.

I'll have to try to light a peice alone.
 
hollowdweller said:
I've only added it to a tinder bundle so far to get coals out of it cause the wood was all wet.

If I'd have read the stove idea before I went I would have tried it as I left most of that big fungi there.

I'll have to try to light a peice alone.
Click to expand...

If I understand it right you use a small piece and and flint and steel and then a tinder nest to start fire. The tinder fungus catches the spark and becomes a coal. I think just looking at the methods I've seen that using a firesteel would be harder to do but I still need to do my own personal experiments....once I ever get any of the stuff.
 
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