birch bark bracket fungus

[RAPPLEBY2000]

hi don't know if you've tried this but after creating a friction ember i found birch bark fungus(polyphor?) when dried will hold an ember!

white top saddle shaped, bracket fungus, dark underside quite woody in parts, found growing on fallen and dead birch trees.

also does anyone have experince of it as a food? i have been told edible but extremely bitter.

the reason i want to know is that there is loads of this stuff about, is it worth harvesting?

 

[happy camper]

hello
sounds like a variety of tinder fungus, is it the stuff described in the link below as "false tinder fungus"? (pretty useful stuff if it is), i have found a small amount of the tinder fungus and it's amazing how well it catches and holds even the smallest spark..

http://trackertrail.com/survival/fire/tinder/tinderfungus/index.html

 

[Toddy]

hello
sounds like a variety of tinder fungus, is it the stuff described in the link below as "false tinder fungus"? (pretty useful stuff if it is), i have found a small amount of the tinder fungus and it's amazing how well it catches and holds even the smallest spark..

http://trackertrail.com/survival/fire/tinder/tinderfungus/index.html

This 'stripey' fungus is Fomes fomentarius, and there are lots of links on site to discussions about it.

The other fungus commonly found (well, round here, anyway) is Betulina piptoporus, and it too holds an ember. When cut open it's like a white polystyrene, virtually tasteless I found. Slices will dry out a bit like pencil rubbers. Once you get a light on it, it won't go out. Both fungi are shown on this page.

http://www.aie.org.uk/fungi_base/aie_fungi_index.html

If you hollow out a small cavity in either fungi and get a coal glowing with in it, the fungi will sustain the ember for hours until it is itself consumed.

Excellent finds both of them.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[swamp donkey]

Commonly known as razor strop fungus , cut into smooth slices when first harvested. allow to dry then put a bit of stroping paste on and strop a way to get a super sharp finish. also great for carving tools use the chisel to form the shape of the chisel . stroping paste as before . advantage is that it does not change the shape of the tool like hard stones can.

a slightly stranger use is to cut it horizontal and the pin out your butterfly collection Some of the oldest insect collection are laid out on it

And its Sunday morning as well


edit forgot to say Exercise extreme caution when colllecting this fungus as it kills the tree from inside and solid looking trees are likely to fall on your head

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

cheers for that,

i thought it must be used for something!

 

[rich59]

I have found that the razor strop fungus will also take a modern high temperature spark (but not traditional flint and steel).

 

[Marts]

Lots of these types of bracket fungus will take a spark. They have been used across the world by primitve peoples as a coal extender, either for building on a coal produced by friction or for transporting fire from site to site.
I wouldn't reccomend eating them though.

 

[bambodoggy]

The Birch Polypore was also used as an early type of band-aid plaster. On the top of the fungus, score the shape of plaster you want and then peel it off the main boddy a mm or so thick. bind it over the cut and hold in place with a little bit of cordage (don't tie too tight or it''ll cut off circulation!).

Does a cracking job of stopping bleeding and absorbs lots of blood

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Freds Dad]

Try using a cramp ball fungaus or King alfreds cake. make sur they are dry. I don't think birch polypor is very edible though. I have one hanging in my shed for stropping my knife.