Bracken...

[Tiley]

I have used bracken before as a tinder with a firesteel with success but recently, while teaching some pupils about natural tinder, my demonstration failed miserably. The bracken would glow but not take flame. It was very, very dry and crispy indeed and therefore became dust as I buffed it up. Was that the problem? Was my tinder too dry to be usable?

Any answers, advice or guidance would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Richard

 

[ozzy1977]

I would caution against using bracken as tinder seeing as it is carcinogenic.

 

[Stringmaker]

Bracken is okay up to a point.

When it disintegrates like that it isn't much use so if you've got any birch around that is a better bet.

 

[ammo]

I had the same problem on a course two weeks ago. The bracken would disintegrate to dust, leavening not enough surface, for fuel. Try adding some dry grass, to your bundle. I always prefer to use more than one material, as a tinder bundle.

 

[uncleboob]

Weirdly I had the same issue with birch bark and concluded that using it as a tinder by itself probably was the issue. I haven't tried bracken, I tend to use a combination of bits of birch, honeysuckle plus anything else I find along the way

Cheers, Joab

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[British Red]

When its that dry, don't buff it - or don't buff as much. Buffing separates fibres and is invaluable with things like clematis bark. Buffing it produces an open weave of fine fibres mixed with air. The fineness of the fibre means not much energy is required to raise one fibre to the combustion point. Buffing something that turns to powder does not result in the fine "hair ball" mix of fuel and air, but rather a flat "sand tray" of fuel that is not mixed with air and hence is much harder to ignite

 

[Stringmaker]

When its that dry, don't buff it - or don't buff as much. Buffing separates fibres and is invaluable with things like clematis bark. Buffing it produces an open weave of fine fibres mixed with air. The fineness of the fibre means not much energy is required to raise one fibre to the combustion point. Buffing something that turns to powder does not result in the fine "hair ball" mix of fuel and air, but rather a flat "sand tray" of fuel that is not mixed with air and hence is much harder to ignite

Nicely put; are you a cat owner perchance

 

[British Red]

Nicely put; are you a cat owner perchance

Can't stand the furry little vermin

 

[Tiley]

Brilliant. Many thanks to all for your contributions. I will try the bracken I have left in combination with some dry grass and a bit of birch bark (which I know works phenomenally well) and I won't breathe in the smoke.

I was trying to demo. some seasonally available tinder and, in the absence of birch in my locality, was using what I could find. I'll go and harvest some of the dried tussocks of flat-bladed grass before it rains again!

Many thanks for your valued advice!

 

[Stringmaker]

Can't stand the furry little vermin

Fight!

:swordfigh

It was the specific terminology that amused me.

 

[Stringmaker]

Brilliant. Many thanks to all for your contributions. I will try the bracken I have left in combination with some dry grass and a bit of birch bark (which I know works phenomenally well) and I won't breathe in the smoke.

I was trying to demo. some seasonally available tinder and, in the absence of birch in my locality, was using what I could find. I'll go and harvest some of the dried tussocks of flat-bladed grass before it rains again!

Many thanks for your valued advice!

No worries.

When I run sessions for people I use exactly your point to illustrate that collecting tinder from multiple sources was probably a daily habit.

 

[British Red]

It was the specific terminology that amused me.

Yeah I realised how it read reading back - I was thinking of handfuls of hair from a curry comb and a writing sand tray - but I can see how it read a bit feline