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- Jan 6, 2005
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Chrisaloia has prompted me to start a thread on tinder recognition and preparation... Thanks Chris, there are plenty of bushwise members here who would be happy to chime in and give their take on this important skill. I have seen a few threads discussing tinder but maybe we can break it all down and consolidate the info into one thread.... I would like to focus on natural tinder found in the woods... there are great posts on Vaseline soaked cotton balls, fire straws, steel wool, paper matches, char cloth, etc... But let’s stick to the ones that nature plops right in front of us, okay?
I didn't want to just start naming off the tinder I use. In my opinion, it is far more useful to learn the basic principals of recognizing tinder sources and how to process them... the plant names are less important and can often cloud your judgment.... however...with that said…
Knowing plant species, especially poisonous varieties, can help you avoid potential problems like smoke poisoning. This is less important for tinder but holds value for larger fuel sources that may be used in cooking and smoking.
… Anyway… let’s keep it basic and establish a good foundation.
Tinder is a necessary ingredient in fire starting and in my opinion, the most important! Modern conveniences such as liquid/solid fuels, hi-tech torches and processed fire starters have taken the emphasis off of having to find proper tinder. But what happens when you don’t have these things available to you…. I’ve seen a grown man trying to light an 8”diameter log, with a match!... That is scary! Okay, we’ll take for granted that you have a means of generating sparks like a ferro rod or “firesteel”. (Actual flint and steel take a little more processing as the sparks created are much cooler than that of Ferrocerium… we can touch on that, later)
Babble, babble, blah-blah …. Enough crap… onto the good stuff.
This is my way. It is definitely not the only way but it has been good to me so far. Don’t just take what I say as gold… go out and try it for yourself… tweak it and make it your own.
I categorize tinder into three different types, that each serves a purpose. This may be different terminology than what you have heard but it has meaning to me.
1. Extended Flame – This is the stuff that you see being blown into flame on so many videos. It ignites fairly easily and can sustain a strong flame for 5 or more seconds.
2. Flash – The easiest tinder to ignite but burns itself out in a “flash”. Excellent if used in conjunction with extended flame tinder.
3. Smudge – Accepts a spark and develops a coal but cannot be blown into flame. Also known as “coal extender”. This is best used for transporting fire.
Finding and processing the 3 tinder types…
EXTENDED FLAME TINDER – Key words I have in mind when I look for this are “Paper”, “Scraping”, “Blonde”, “Birds nest”. Dried materials with the consistency of paper are great for this… grasses, bark (birch or the papery inner bark of dead standing trees) When pulling grasses just take the loose blades that come out with little effort. I find that if you just take the time to look around you can almost always see good tinder that has practically been placed out for you. The Sun and the wind make the best tinder, IMO. If pressed or if everything is wet, you can make your own “paper” by holding your knife blade at 90 degrees to dry wood and scraping off curly shavings. Fuzz sticks can be made to serve this purpose as well if shaved thin enough. For the most part I have noticed that light coloured or “blonde” materials seem to perform better with the exception of a few such as scraped cedar bark. I process this type of tinder by rubbing a birds nest size pile between my hands and by pinch-pulling to separate the clumps … this helps break down the fibers further and creates a dust within the pile that ignites readily.
FLASH TINDER – Key words I have in mind when gathering this are “Fuzzy”, “Fluffy” “Airy”. (Sounds like I’m shopping for a pet). Cattail, and dandelion fuzz are prime examples of this type, again, light coloured stuff seems to shine at this task. Flash tinder is delicate and “airy” and greatly effected by weather if left exposed. The only processing I might do is separate it a little more to make it light and fluffy.
SMUDGE TINDER – Key words I have in mind for this are “Punky”, “Dry Rot”, “Dark”, “Spongy”. Rotted out stumps contain “punk wood” that if identified correctly can develop and hold a coal for extended periods of time. This can be used to transport a fire or help “extend a coal” while trying to ignite a stubborn clump of Extended Flame Tinder. To check for punk wood, stick your knife or a sharp stick into the side of rotted tree stumps or deadfall… if it sinks in easily, pry out chunks and test for dryness. I have found that the most useful smudge wood is dark or brown in colour. (With a few exceptions) Some fungi are excellent for holding a coal, too. True tinder fungus as well as horses hoof fungus are good choices. Not much prep involved here apart from clearing off any wet spots and making an indent/divot to accept a spark. Often times you’ll need to gently blow the spark into a coal large enough to sustain itself.
That’s something to get you started. There is SO much more but that is something you need to do for yourself. Experiment … but always be aware of what the bush has already provided for you… it’s often times easier than you think and the answer could be right in front of you.
It’s time for everyone else to fill in all of my gaps here… post away!!!
Rick
I didn't want to just start naming off the tinder I use. In my opinion, it is far more useful to learn the basic principals of recognizing tinder sources and how to process them... the plant names are less important and can often cloud your judgment.... however...with that said…
Knowing plant species, especially poisonous varieties, can help you avoid potential problems like smoke poisoning. This is less important for tinder but holds value for larger fuel sources that may be used in cooking and smoking.
… Anyway… let’s keep it basic and establish a good foundation.
Tinder is a necessary ingredient in fire starting and in my opinion, the most important! Modern conveniences such as liquid/solid fuels, hi-tech torches and processed fire starters have taken the emphasis off of having to find proper tinder. But what happens when you don’t have these things available to you…. I’ve seen a grown man trying to light an 8”diameter log, with a match!... That is scary! Okay, we’ll take for granted that you have a means of generating sparks like a ferro rod or “firesteel”. (Actual flint and steel take a little more processing as the sparks created are much cooler than that of Ferrocerium… we can touch on that, later)
Babble, babble, blah-blah …. Enough crap… onto the good stuff.
This is my way. It is definitely not the only way but it has been good to me so far. Don’t just take what I say as gold… go out and try it for yourself… tweak it and make it your own.
I categorize tinder into three different types, that each serves a purpose. This may be different terminology than what you have heard but it has meaning to me.
1. Extended Flame – This is the stuff that you see being blown into flame on so many videos. It ignites fairly easily and can sustain a strong flame for 5 or more seconds.
2. Flash – The easiest tinder to ignite but burns itself out in a “flash”. Excellent if used in conjunction with extended flame tinder.
3. Smudge – Accepts a spark and develops a coal but cannot be blown into flame. Also known as “coal extender”. This is best used for transporting fire.
Finding and processing the 3 tinder types…
EXTENDED FLAME TINDER – Key words I have in mind when I look for this are “Paper”, “Scraping”, “Blonde”, “Birds nest”. Dried materials with the consistency of paper are great for this… grasses, bark (birch or the papery inner bark of dead standing trees) When pulling grasses just take the loose blades that come out with little effort. I find that if you just take the time to look around you can almost always see good tinder that has practically been placed out for you. The Sun and the wind make the best tinder, IMO. If pressed or if everything is wet, you can make your own “paper” by holding your knife blade at 90 degrees to dry wood and scraping off curly shavings. Fuzz sticks can be made to serve this purpose as well if shaved thin enough. For the most part I have noticed that light coloured or “blonde” materials seem to perform better with the exception of a few such as scraped cedar bark. I process this type of tinder by rubbing a birds nest size pile between my hands and by pinch-pulling to separate the clumps … this helps break down the fibers further and creates a dust within the pile that ignites readily.
FLASH TINDER – Key words I have in mind when gathering this are “Fuzzy”, “Fluffy” “Airy”. (Sounds like I’m shopping for a pet). Cattail, and dandelion fuzz are prime examples of this type, again, light coloured stuff seems to shine at this task. Flash tinder is delicate and “airy” and greatly effected by weather if left exposed. The only processing I might do is separate it a little more to make it light and fluffy.
SMUDGE TINDER – Key words I have in mind for this are “Punky”, “Dry Rot”, “Dark”, “Spongy”. Rotted out stumps contain “punk wood” that if identified correctly can develop and hold a coal for extended periods of time. This can be used to transport a fire or help “extend a coal” while trying to ignite a stubborn clump of Extended Flame Tinder. To check for punk wood, stick your knife or a sharp stick into the side of rotted tree stumps or deadfall… if it sinks in easily, pry out chunks and test for dryness. I have found that the most useful smudge wood is dark or brown in colour. (With a few exceptions) Some fungi are excellent for holding a coal, too. True tinder fungus as well as horses hoof fungus are good choices. Not much prep involved here apart from clearing off any wet spots and making an indent/divot to accept a spark. Often times you’ll need to gently blow the spark into a coal large enough to sustain itself.
That’s something to get you started. There is SO much more but that is something you need to do for yourself. Experiment … but always be aware of what the bush has already provided for you… it’s often times easier than you think and the answer could be right in front of you.
It’s time for everyone else to fill in all of my gaps here… post away!!!
Rick
