Pencil Sharpener tinder factory

I tried this once with an automatic pencil sharpener and a thin wooden dowl and it didn't work out so good. I'll have to try it with one of the small had held ones.
 
This is a trick I have taught Scouts since I learned it many years ago from my Patrol Leader (the all-wise 16 year old Eagle Scout). The sharpeners for the fat round pencils give wider choices -- if you can locate one in this electric age.
 
I have an arrow shaft tapering tool that is nothing but a large pencil sharpener that's designed for tapering nock and point ends of 9/32 thru 23/64 diameter shafts and it makes a nice wide and very thin curl. Our daughter says they still sell sharpeners that take a jumbo sized pencil.

I used to carry shavings with me years ago and got away from it when I went to using aluminum shafts.
 
I always love finding a new item to put in the PSK!!! :D This seems to be a great idea!

It seems plausible that in wet or damp conditions, this might help one get their hands on some drier tender.

I can't wait to go out and test it.
 
TLM said:
What is wrong with a knife?

TLM
Click to expand...

TLM,

Nothing. Just try this sometime. Twist a dry stick into a pencil sharpener and you get a handfull of tinder in short order. You can whittle away at a stick and make larger, thicker shavings, true. The pencil sharpener works well to make tons of paper thin shavings quickly. Mac
 
Does anyone know if pencil shavings will burn?

I am at work right now, but my children home school and use an electric pencil sharpener all the time,

I was thinking that I could throw some shavings in a glad bag and throw it in the pack.

I will try to burn some shavings tomorrow if I can remember.
 
scfishr
I would be concerned about buring the pencil lead/graphite part of the pencil shavings. Not sure that stuff is meant to be smoked.
 
The core of a pencil is graphite - pure carbon. If you can get it to burn, you get carbon dioxide. No worries. But the paint on the outside???
 
Let me get this straight -- we are talkining about true survival emergency conditions and you are worried about a few micrograms of carcinogens?
 
Seriously, we are not advocating the smoking of pencil shavings, merely the making of fire. It has been my (juvenile) experience that the paint on a #2 pencil burns very well indeed and should not be smoked. Light a pencil on fire sometime and this will become apparent, but don't do it in school or they will call a parent. Mac
 
randjack said:
Let me get this straight -- we are talkining about true survival emergency conditions and you are worried about a few micrograms of carcinogens?
Click to expand...

One hopes for much practice before "true survival emergency conditions," yes?

If it actually comes to that again, I'll happily burn plastic and eat thankfully eat saturated fats - again.
 
They also mentioned that some of the metal sharpeners are actually made of magnesium, so you have a backup tinder right there!
You could also take your knife and scrape some of the magnesium into the shavings from the wood, and even if it was a bit damp, it should start right up!
 
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