carrying tinder

[Pignut]

One aspect of my kit I have never got to grips with is carrying tinder etc.

So I thought I would ask for oppinions on what to carry and how to carry it.

Up to press I have always managed to find suitable materials at my given fire location, but in the interests of....... well me growing ever more lazy

Opinions please

 

[BushTucker]

Charcloth, cotton ball soaked in vaseline, bundle of small twiggs and a bundle of split small logs.

 

[John Fenna]

I will add to that - birch polypore cut into fine sheets (wrap around your charcloth emberand blow it up to flame - easier than a damp "dry" grass bundle) and of course birch bark rolls, cramp balls and a bit of wood punk
I carry mine in a nice little leather pouch (size 2 or larger [depending on how many fires I expect to light] Welsh Bushcrafters leather pouches - shameless plug)
Some of my tinder pouches are oiled with cooking oil to make them even more water-resistant - it depends on the leather I used to make them.

 

[Pignut]

I carry mine in a nice little leather pouch (size 2 or larger [depending on how many fires I expect to light] Welsh Bushcrafters leather pouches - shameless plug)

Size 5 should be ok then

Keep em comming!

Pics would be good!

 

[BushTucker]

Oh and before you leave for your tinder needing exploits, dont forget to empty the tumble dryer of all fluff, lovely tinder...

 

[SOAR]

I usually cary charcloth, vasaline soaked cotton balls, Birch bark and a couple of fire lighters wrapped in foil just in case. All carried in one of Johns pouches, Cheers John.

Simon.

 

[Nicklas Odh]

I have different kinds of tinder. I have a spy capsule with petroleum jelly cotton attached to my small firesteel.
I have birch bark and tampons and alcogel and whatnot.
Maya dust is overrated
Tampons without PJ is crap.
Tampons do not work with alcogel, it only stays on the outside.
Dryer fluff works but smells
Alcogel (swedish health care institutions use it for everything) burns on anything. even my U2 knife
Alcogel in a PETpreform capsule is a great item for backpacking fire and clean hands in one product
I am cheating with those BBQ lighters that looks like huge matches. Four of those brew a liter of water in my kelly kettle
I use a small paint jar with four melted tea candles and lots of cotton discs as a fire starter. Place it in the fireplace, light it and place any kind of fuel on top. eventually it will catch fire. Afterwards just rake out the empty jar and reload when you come home.
I also have different kinds of pee test tubes filled with cotton. I pour heated PJ in it and get good tinder.
I have not tested road flares, but they might work too.
I would like to have something like a mix between life boat matches and those BBQ lighters. A fire almost looking like thermite for two minutes or so would light almost anything in a storm. Maybe those BBQ lighters with a lifeboat match and a christmas sprakler drilled into it. This needs testing.
I would like to have christmas sparkler compound in cake shape (with a hole or a recession in the middle for a life boat match). That would ignite anything.

 

[big_swede]

Nicklas, what does that sum up to? 14 kilos of tinder?

Myself I carry some pieces of treated false tinder fungus, and some birch bark. Haven't used any of it yet though. Tinder is usually available in abundance around here.

 

[Matt Weir]

Hi Pignut,

I've just invested in some of Shewies tinder pouches and Fred Gordon has kindly sent me some lichen tinder to put in them that I need to experiment with.

Keep an eye on Shewies thread for another batch coming up for grabs or see if you can find something similar.

 

[rich59]

I like to make do with what I can find on site, but then that doesn't work when everything is damp. So, I usually carry some char cloth, and some tumble dryer fluff. As backup I like a candle or a night light - as it can give a constant flame for as long as you like.

 

[tommy the cat]

I find dryer fluff pants I guess it depends on what you are drying!
Birch polypore I tried using but even very dried not got on very well with it...not used it with an ember and blown to a flame will have to try that. Charcloth flint and steel and bracken are my fav at the mo for lighting a fire usually kept in my pocket and baccy tin.
Dave

 

[Shewie]

Dryer fluff, dried rough birch bark and bracken and some strips of inner tube which light when wet.


Rich

 

[Pignut]

What do you guys carry these in?

 

[big_swede]

My small tinder collection is carried in a small leather pouch treated with a mix of fat, wax and tar to keep it waterproof. So far so good (9 hrs of rain is the worst scenario I've faced).

 

[gorilla]

What do you guys carry these in?

since last week - one of your pouches mate!
i'm surprised you need to ask!

 

[sharp88]

I carry small amounts in the old golden virginia tobacco tins. Usually cotton wool. Tampons (don't laugh) are good because there compressed n fluff up quite a bit when you tease them a bit.

Rubber inner tube is good but somewhat stinky.

Maya sticks and dust are kool.

Natural tinders like birch bark, reed mace fluff and clematus (old man's beard) are good too, but they burn a bit too quick as does cotton wool.

 

[SimonM]

I carry my tinder in an old mints tin from M& S!

Looking at it now & it has:-

PJ covered cotton wool balls
Silver birch bark
Strips of inner tube

I did try Maya dust but found it over rated so don't bother anymore!

It lives in my possibles pouch along with a dispoable lighter and a RM style shotgun cartridge match case.

Now that I use a Kelly Kettle I am a little more organised in the tinder dept. I used to use whatever I could find locally to get a fire going - aided with Greenheat gel or meths if needed,depending on which stove I was using that day!

 

[Dr Onion]

Birch bark
Tea light
Disposable lighter
Cotton Wool/Vaseline
Strips of rubber inner tube
Whatever I pick up on the way

Stored in a waterproof/tight army container - I think it was originally used as a decontamination kit - bought off ebay for about a quid each (one for myself and my missus).

Dr O

 

[Pignut]

since last week - one of your pouches mate!
i'm surprised you need to ask!

Are they ok?

Not fallen to bits?

 

[Pignut]

OK so I am thinking,

For my general (Impress the scouts) kit I think

Birch bark (Does this have a shelf life?)
Fat pine sticks
Char cloth
Cramp ball
other light flufy natural material
All in a leather bag

For my emergency type kit
Lighter
Fire lighters
Innertube
Warter proof matches
In a water proof box/bag

If I can get this together easily would pictures be of interest

Regards