Fatwood for life

[baz p]

Your the one who collected it with me! But I got the better deal as the stump is in my garden now =)

that's true, why did i agree to that, i must be mad. good job i trust you mate

 

[The Big Lebowski]

LoL thats what mates is all about.... trust, innit!

In a bizarre way, you will both now find yourself tripping over the stuff out and about.

al.

 

[R3XXY]

Don't know about anyone else but I love the smell of fatwood.

 

[Freddy]

Dont want to upset enyone , but my view when out and about is , leave no trace and take only memories , i have a view in my mind of half destroyed tree stumps around the forests . If it was a survival situation i can see the importance but when so meny other materials can be used i dont really agree with the collection of fat wood . sorry

 

[The Big Lebowski]

You are welcome to your view freddy, and respected for it.

I simply see it as collecting a byproduct of human interaction, and turning it into a useful resource, as it has been for around 2000 years. The tree stumps are destroyed (aside from the tree being felled) through a narural rotting process. I hope the picture below illustrates what is exactly being collected, and at what stage the stump is, or 'is no more'... Nothing has been previously removed as far as fatwood, but the section left standing is.

It would be interesting if you listed some of the many other materials just out of curosity.

Regards, al.

 

[MSkiba]

Nice axe, I got the same.

I admit i do take from the environment, the off birch bark, fatwood, mushroom etc..

 

[filcon]

message deleted

 

[MSkiba]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your input, its been noted.

Happy New Year!

 

[filcon]

No bother ski.

Happy New Year!

phil

 

[gsfgaz]

aye it's the best of stuff

 

[Stanleythecat]

Hi, I know this thread is a little old now but can I ask how you use fatwood? I came across a scotts pine stump today, not quite as glassy as the one in the pictures, but dark and very scented. Is it good for tinder as well as kindling? I did have a little play, it lit easily but can it be done with a firesteel?

Thanks

Leo

 

[gsfgaz]

Yeh bud it's great for getting your fire started even when it's wet , and it gives of a brilliant heat

 

[MSkiba]

Hi Leo,

It wont just light of a firesteel, you need to make it into shavings or dust first. Putting a spark to a solid bit of wood wont do much, fatwood or not.

best thing to do is, make some sticks in shape of a pencil, and also make some dust/shavings. with that combo you can get any fire going.

After refining i was left with some chunks too, or knots if you will. I keep these for days when your wood is very wet and the fire is hard work. throw one of these in and it will boost your flames and dry your wood.

 

[Stanleythecat]

Thanks Ski, how do you make dust then? I've shaved smallish bits off with a knife which are again presumably too large and shiny to catch a spark... but when introduced to a flame they did go up hlike an oil well!

Leo

 

[gsfgaz]

make some small sticks and put them through a pencil sharpener mate ,,,,

 

[MSkiba]

the shinyness will wear off as it drys.

I made mine into dust with a tool I dont know the name of. Its like a cheese grater but for wood? if you want to make a door 1mm smaller? I hope you understand.

Pencil charpener sounds like a good idea, will have to try that!

A tea spoon of fine fatwood dust will ignite straight away and burn for 10-15 seconds.

 

[Stanleythecat]

A rasp! That would do it! and luckily for me I have one too! great idea. And a second for the pencil sharpener also.

Thanks guys

 

[baz p]

it was the feeling i got when first found it....i was acting like i just got six numbers on a role over week, lit it right away then started inhaling like it was a embassy number 1, since then i cant get enough of it, i use it most times to start a fire now, but I'm sure the feeling will fade away at some point, probably when the land becomes dry again.......role on next winter