Tinder and tinder cases...

aceofblades

aceofblades

Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Messages
974
So what does everyone use to carry their tinder in? What kind of tinder do you use? Me I carry mine in pill bottles. I also use dryer lint works great:thumbup:
 
I go out with a Maxpedition Condor backpack...so I usually lug a few different items to start fires...for my tinder right now, I carry Charcloth, and some dry pine sawdust in a small ziplock bag...I just went crazy with my skilsaw, and swept up the dust into a baggy, and then I threw some chunks of charcloth in with it. It rides near the top of my kit, so I can get to it fast...I have had pretty good experience with this combo...but...I also carry cotton balls gooped up with vasiline...these work so well, its like cheating...
On the same note, I finally figured out how to use my firesteel..It took me a while...:D I use a good bit of force and drag SLOWLY and I get big hot sparks that light tinder very well. I was hitting it with a fast motion for a long time, I would see sparks, and I assumed thats what I was supposed to do...boy, the difference is amazing...strong, slow strokes held close to the fire material...works fantastic. Gene
 
Birch bark and shavings kept in an ex-snuss tin or plastic vitamin containers.
Interesting what the previous poster said about using the fire-steel.I have found the same, slow and hard is best:D
 
willgoy said:
Birch bark and shavings kept in an ex-snuss tin or plastic vitamin containers.
Interesting what the previous poster said about using the fire-steel.I have found the same, slow and hard is best:D
Click to expand...

The innuendo is about more than I can stand but I will refrain from a beavis and butthead moment. :D

I carry firestraws, vaseline soaked cotton sealed in a drinking straw, and fatwood. If you can't start a fire with that then things are grim indeed. Chris
 
vaseline soaked cotton balls in a film canister.
stashes anywhere.
lights quickly.

the wife would have a lot to say about that last comment.
 
Thermite! I fiqure if I can't start a fire with that I better just stay home. The only reaction that is hotter is nuclear fission (not suggested).
 
Vasalined cotton in screw-top 35mm film container.
Charred cloth in same just in case.
In really wet weather, I carry a ziplok of dried white pine needles.
Candle stub.
 
Vaseline cotton in plastic match case,the one with the flint on the bottom so you got spark too. Also little bottles that diabetic test strips come in
 
My first tender kits were just old tobacco pouches with draw strings. When I ran a muzzleloading shop in the mid 1970's-early 1980's, I got into historical reenacting of the 1820-1840's, I used one of these reproduction eighteenth century brass tender boxes made by Tedd Cash.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tedd-Cash-Brass...-lens-New_W0QQitemZ160145920808QQcmdZViewItem

There are several designs and they can be found at Dixie Gun Works, Crazy Creek, and several other on-line brick and mortar stores.

Codger
 
I keep my char cloth in the altoid tin that I cooked it in. I then put it in a zip lock bag. I put birch bark and other natural tinder loose in this zip lock.


Best thing you can do is keep it dry.


Not quite the same but I keep matches in a child proof pill jar, which just happens to be water proof.
 
Large kit when I go out west has the film canisters with cotton and PJ.
Small kit has a few tinder straws.
Usually I only carry a little jute in a couple of different places.

I am a tinder hound though and will pick up tinder as I see it and put it in my pocket. Juniper bark is my favorite, but grass and yellow poplar bark are what I use the most.
 
Oh, I like a lot of tinders. Birch bark is my favorite, but I use jute and PJ balls or fire straws to, along with the relighting birthday candles.

For containers... Little zipper bags, pill bottles, whatever works. My most robust is made out of a piece of 2" PVC, an endcap, and screw-on end. Packed the "bottom" with cotton wool, packed it about a third full with matches, added a mini bic, four relight candles, a couple of firestraws, and then topped it off with a pair of votive candles and enough jute to keep it from rattling. It's big, it's bulky, but it floats, it's water tight, and it would probably survive being run over by a car. :)
 
PJ cottonballs 35mm film canister and drier lint w/ saw dust is what I carry most of the time. Along with my fire steel and strike any where matches.
 
I put Tinder Quick tabs in a spy capsule. You can jam four in a small capsule. The larger spy capsules are great for vaselined cotton balls. The capsules work great for neck lanyard or pocket psk's.

I also pack an Esbit fuel tablet or two in the factory packing with a wrap of clear shipping tape. The tape is to keep the stinky fuel away from my other gear, not to protect the tablet-- the stuff is stable and waterproof. Add a dab of alcohol gel hand cleaner and it starts with one stroke of a firesteel. The stuff burns at 1400F for 12-15 minutes.
 
I personally like to use dryer lint and powdered bark (I prefer white birch). Although my tinderbox changes from time to time a simple one that I like and works for matches as well is to use 2 fired shotgun shells. I use a 12ga and a 16ga. They nest together snugly and are very water resistant. A wrap or two of tape and I would call it waterproof.
 
I keep a lot of jute twine in my pack and pockets, which is useful for getting some flames. I also like using fatwood, which I also stash in a few places.

What I seem to be using the most, however, is a cheap tampon that I waterproofed with some tape. I just cut it down to whatever size the cotton insides will fit into, then tape the ends. Very densely filled, waterproof, very tiny. Also good for first aid.
 
Cotton balls soaked in vaseline in film container,birch bark(it always amazes me how it likes to burn) in vitamin bottle and firesteel for the woods.Among other things waterproofed matches tighten in small zip bag ,small Bic lighter and some cotton and parafine in small everyday kit .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top