Razor Strop Fungus for sharpening copper

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ditchfield

Nomad
Nov 1, 2003
305
0
36
Somerset
I am writing an essay on Otzi the iceman. Found with his body were 2 pieces of birch polypore (razor strop fungus). I am postulating possible uses for this. One is its antiseptic properties, but I was wondering if it would be possible to use it a strop for his copper axe. I assume so, but thought it might be a little to soft to retain a razor edge.

Any thoughts?
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
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SHROPSHIRE UK
John, not wanting to hijack this thread but what prep do you do to the polypore?
I have some currently drying with a view to being used with a traditional firesteel.
Many thanks Dave
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,106
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Pembrokeshire
No prep at all unless it gets better the older it gets and dries out in my kit store - so easy for the iceman to use too!
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
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Silkstone, Blighty!
I used it cut very fine and dried. I haven't used it with a traditional flint and steel, but it does work like a slow fuse and keeps an ember very well. It also produces a good deal of smoke to keep bugs away and smells quite a bit, but I don't mind the smell. I have just been using mine as a strop to hone my UKPK which is made of quite a tough steel and it works without any compound on it so I can assume it would work on copper or brass as well.
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
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SHROPSHIRE UK
Thanks for that just wondering if it will take a spark without prep or can be blown to flame etc.... will be playing with it when dried ta d
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
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Silkstone, Blighty!
I tell you what, just trimming down my daughters piece of dried razor strop to make it flat to use as a strop, and as with most shavings I make when I carve, I took them outside and burnt them. You can learn a lot from doing things like that! The shavings of dried polypore burn with a strong blue flame with a slight yellow part, very hot and smoke free. Once you blow the flames out, it smolders and smokes like you would not believe! If it burns with a yellow flame, you aren't getting as effiecient a burn, but blue is a very effiecient flame. I will investigate more later!
 

rich59

Maker
Aug 28, 2005
2,217
25
65
London
I am writing an essay on Otzi the iceman. Found with his body were 2 pieces of birch polypore (razor strop fungus). I am postulating possible uses for this. One is its antiseptic properties, but I was wondering if it would be possible to use it a strop for his copper axe. I assume so, but thought it might be a little to soft to retain a razor edge.

Any thoughts?
Otzi is an interesting chap. What size are the 2 pieces of birch polypore? If I were stropping I would want quite a large chunk.

I wonder if copper in those days was a lot harder than modern copper. Modern copper is pure. But back then it had lots of impurities and would probably have been a lot harder I would have thought.

My guess is he could have used them for fire or medicine.
 

ditchfield

Nomad
Nov 1, 2003
305
0
36
Somerset
Otzi is an interesting chap. What size are the 2 pieces of birch polypore? If I were stropping I would want quite a large chunk.

I wonder if copper in those days was a lot harder than modern copper. Modern copper is pure. But back then it had lots of impurities and would probably have been a lot harder I would have thought.

My guess is he could have used them for fire or medicine.

The copper is 99.7% pure. However, the pieces are small (approx. 5cm diameter) and so would probably not be suitable. I'm more focused on looking at the various different uses of the fungus than what these actual pieces would have been used for, so all this imformation is useful.
Thanks guys.
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,106
2,833
66
Pembrokeshire
As I recall the poor bloke was injured before he died - was this part of his first aid kit?
Was it multi use - first aid, fire and stropping?
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
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Mid Wales UK
As a wild stab in the dark,
and knowing how difficult it can be to create a wholy natural fire, I recon he was carrying two methods of fire lighting - I'd certainly want a back-up if not two back-ups considering the terrain where he was found.

ATB

Ogri the trog
 

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