Cramp Balls

[Justin Time]

I know, I know, get better fitting boxers....

Ok, now that's out the way. I've recently moved and can now get hold of cramp balls on the ash trees locally. I've been able to get them going with sparks from the fire steel, and they do throuw out good heat but not enough to get the small fuel lit. To get a fire from them I needed to wrap them in a tinder ball, but to be honest the tinder will take light just as easily with the sparks.

So, what's the point of cramp balls, what am I missing? Would you use them to dry out tinder or set fire with slightly damp tinder? Good hand warmers?

Justin

 

[Matt]

You're absolutely right, I had the same thoughts. However, if you pick out a hole in the middle of the fungus you can deposit a bow drill ember and blow it into a huge coal (breaking off the outer bark helps but is not essential) which is really helpful in damp weather and if your tinder isn't entirely dry. Also you can use a glowing cramp ball ember to practice blowing tinder into flames (as with the bow drill). :-D

 

[Tony]

And you can carry the Cramp Ball around with you as it only smoulders and lasts a long time. You can wrap it in leaves or some such, store it and use it later. It's also very robust and does not extinguish easily, unlike an ember made from wood dust which is really quite delicate……And!! It will light things that your spark won’t and when it comes to the crunch one day you will be glad you know about how to use it :biggthump

 

[MartiniDave]

I don't know about lighting tinder, I managed to burn a hole in a favourite fleece without any problems at all using a glowing cramp ball
Doh!

Dave

 

[Justin Time]

thanks guys, very useful...

Wrapping with leaves or somesuch... Any kind of leaves? avoid Holly I guess cos it'll burn.

Justin

 

[Matt]

I discovered the true usefulness of these little babies this week. If it's really stinging rain and even air dried kindling refuses to light from bone dry birch bark (my situation on monday :-?), then you can use a dozen or so cramp balls to build up an ember base on which to start a good fire without resorting to feather sticks. :-D