No Fatwood, No Problem !

[pitdog]

Can it possibly be that there is a natural tinder that lights more easily than fatwood and burns hotter and for longer ? From my experience the answers yes but it just takes a little more time to prepare !

First off we are looking for some pure resin, you know the stuff, it looks like syrupy stalactites hanging from the bark of trees where a wound has taken place ! I was going to give ya my tip for collecting this stuff but decided I'd let ya get all sticky and learn the hard way like I did !

You then need to collect some Cedar bark. If everything is dry then just scrape some off with the back of ya knife but if it's been wet for a while then your going to have to dig a little deeper, don't worry about taking a small section it doesn't damage the tree !

Now ya really need to work this stuff in ya hands to break it down as much as possible. The more it's broken down then the easier it will be to combust.

Now we add the resin.

A few strikes later and we have fire.

Once the fire takes hold of the resin you will really see the fire get going, this will burn very hot and for quite some time even in rain. If ya making a camp fire add some kindling and drop on some more of the resin !

A word of caution, make sure this is totally out before ya leave it as it will smoulder and a slight breeze can get it to flare up again !

At this point Snicker reminded me it was time to get going !!!!

 

[TheGame]

Around me there isn't the much resin on any of the trees, otherwise I would go out and see how it worked for me. Great pic of Snicker.. another one to add to the desktop pics list.

 

[New Blades]

Can't wait to give this a try,thanks.Great looking knife and dog.

 

[wildmike]

I have yet to find any fatwood where I usualy go around here. However I do have a whole altoids tin full of resin.

It does work great mixed with other tinders.

 

[Tye Possum]

I tried burning resin once, I just used resin though, no cedar bark (I used a lighter instead of a firesteel). It does burn for quite a while and it burns very well, it would be great for getting a bigger fire going.

I was going to give ya my tip for collecting this stuff but decided I'd let ya get all sticky and learn the hard way like I did !

I learned not to put it in your pocket . The second time I gathered some I used a plastic bag over my hand and then just turned it inside out afterwards like when you pick up dog... you know.

Oh and here's a video that shows another way to collect resin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHBJeUQOkP4

 

[pitdog]

I tried burning resin once, I just used resin though, no cedar bark (I used a lighter instead of a firesteel). It does burn for quite a while and it burns very well, it would be great for getting a bigger fire going.

I learned not to put it in your pocket . The second time I gathered some I used a plastic bag over my hand and then just turned it inside out afterwards like when you pick up dog... you know.

That's the best way I've found buddy !:thumbup:

 

[Joezilla]

That is funny. I was trying to gather fatwood this weekend,and couldn't find any around the house. All we have is this virginia pine which doesn't hold resin in the heartwood well. I had to use the resin on the outside mixed with some wool I had. Worked great, but after that I shortly moved my awesome fatwood stockpile to the bush-lab behind the house. I needed it for a class and some photographs later. Of course the Piedmont would have spoiled me!

 

[George D.]

Here in South Carolina, cotton plants are found in abundance at certain times of the year. Just snatch a few cotton balls from the plants and you have some really good tinder! One spark and up it goes! It burns slow enough to be effective. Plus, you can cram alot of it into a small space.
If you cannot raid a cotton field, just go to Wal-Mart in the women's make-up section and get some cotton balls. Recently, I have been melt-sealing one end of a plastic straw, jamming it full of cotton and a single strike anywhere match, and then melting shut the remaining end. Simple, water-proof, and easy to open.

 

[pitdog]

Here in South Carolina, cotton plants are found in abundance at certain times of the year. Just snatch a few cotton balls from the plants and you have some really good tinder! One spark and up it goes! It burns slow enough to be effective. Plus, you can cram alot of it into a small space.
If you cannot raid a cotton field, just go to Wal-Mart in the women's make-up section and get some cotton balls. Recently, I have been melt-sealing one end of a plastic straw, jamming it full of cotton and a single strike anywhere match, and then melting shut the remaining end. Simple, water-proof, and easy to open.

I tend to think of that kind of tinder as flash tinder, quite easy to light but with a short burn time. I also find that it is not great when trying to use in wet weather. The tinder I was using in this thread was geared towards getting a fire going in the rain or at least when it has been raining heavy and all other tinders are soaked through.

 

[Joezilla]

I's in your wood pilez...stealin all your fatwoodz

 

[eomeo]

I keep a small ziploc with dryer lint in it, and when I see a nice pine tree drooling sap, I grab a few of the snot rockets and add them to my lint. I've searched windfall trees before and found golf ball sized balls of sap just waiting to be plucked. It looked more like a fungus than sap, but boy did it burn nice.

 

[coaldigger]

Thanks for the info & the pics 'Ol Bud ! Hows that "Big 'Ol" knife working out for ya ? Mark is in the Process of making me a SAR knife

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice little trick to remember Pit...like fatwood without the wood eh? I already learned how to do it without getting all sticky, once is all it takes to become highly motivated to do it a different way the second time around

 

[pitdog]

Nice little trick to remember Pit...like fatwood without the wood eh? I already learned how to do it without getting all sticky, once is all it takes to become highly motivated to do it a different way the second time around

Ain't that the truth !

 

[Troop]

Pitdog,
Nice pooch. :thumbup:

 

[DL Robin]

Pitdog sent you a pm.
What knife is that in the pics? Like the style

 

[pitdog]

Pitdog sent you a pm.
What knife is that in the pics? Like the style

Hey buddy that's my Booshway from Mark Wolhwend, I guess ya could call it a WSK as I loosely based it's design on some aspects of my TOPS tracker.

Like a 'compact' Knatchet eh !