Flint and steel advice

[Damascus]

The Smoke magnet needs help

I have a steel and flint but I have only managed to light cotton wool.

The question is what's the best tinder and how to get hold of it.

 

[sasquatch]

Char cloth works best for me...

 

[SimonM]

Sorry, by flint and steel do you mean a steel striker and a piece of flint, or a ferro rod?

The ferro rod will light a greater range of tinders, whilst the steel striker and flint needs some preparation before using i.e. to make char cloth and prepare tinder bundles.

Simon

 

[Ogri the trog]

Yup, charcloth is probably your best bet, with a few tutorials around the web and on here.

Next up might be some finely fluffed amadou - made from prepared "Horses Hoof Fungus" -(Fomes Fomentarious), Chaga Fungus -(Innonotus Obliquus), or possibly Cramp Ball Fungus -(Daldinia Concentrica).

There might be others but that should do for now.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[forestwalker]

Yup, charcloth is probably your best bet, with a few tutorials around the web and on here.

Agreed; cheap, plentifull and easy to work with.

Next up might be some finely fluffed amadou -

Also a good choice, and fairly easy to prepare (I often use the salptre or urine method).

made from prepared "Horses Hoof Fungus" -(Fomes Fomentarious), Chaga Fungus -(Innonotus Obliquus), or possibly Cramp Ball Fungus -(Daldinia Concentrica).

Biologist rant alert The latin species names have to parts; the genus and species. So Fomes fomentarius is of the genus Fomes and within that genus the species fomentarius. One always uses a capital first letter for the genus, and never with the species. Also, preferably, an italic font.

 

[mountainm]

If your going to the toruble of making charcloth then why not just use cotton wool?

 

[Everything Mac]

Charcloth made from yellow dusters catches very easily in my experience. I tend to supply charcloth with my steels as a result.

Andy

 

[Damascus]

Flint an steel not ferro rod.

Its always nice to have more than one source of combustable to start a fire

 

[Ogri the trog]

A
Biologist rant alert The latin species names have to parts; the genus and species. So Fomes fomentarius is of the genus Fomes and within that genus the species fomentarius. One always uses a capital first letter for the genus, and never with the species. Also, preferably, an italic font.

Thanks Forestwalker, I had seen them written that way but hadn't realised that it was an accepted precedent, that and I was writing from memory anyway.

I can't promise to remember every time I quote Latin names, but at least I've been told.

Ogri the trog

 

[slowworm]

If your going to the toruble of making charcloth then why not just use cotton wool?

With a flint and steel I've found charcloth catches a spark much easier than cotton wool. It also smoulders so allows you time to catch tinder, I've found that cotton wool burns too quick if you only use a small piece.

 

[mountainm]

With a flint and steel I've found charcloth catches a spark much easier than cotton wool. It also smoulders so allows you time to catch tinder, I've found that cotton wool burns too quick if you only use a small piece.

I cottoned (ahem) on to just charring my cotton wool - it behaves just the same as charcloth. Light it for a second, blow it out then catch the spark on the charred side - the ember will then take on the uncharred side very easily. All the benefits of charcloth, none of the hassle.

 

[lannyman8]

some dead fluffed up bullrush (reed mace) head should catch a spark from the fire steel as long as its nice and dry.... cotton grass fluff dandilion seed fluff etc etc etc.....

with flint and steel the item needs to be really dry and fluffy to catch a spark, but it will burn out quickly.....

regards...

chris.

 

[Damascus]

Thanks, now to play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andie]

just come back from a week of camping in the woods and all i had was a flint and steel no tinder but there was plenty of silver birch trees and plenty of pine resin so just peel of some shavings of silver birch and collect abit of pine resin job done works every time and does not hurt the trees

 

[OldSarge]

I always carry a small tin with a hole in the top of it for making my char cloth. I always have it with me and if I feel I am getting low I just make more. I like using cotton terrycloth towels for making char cloth because it catches the spark more readily than say, denim which sparks sometimes bounce right off of.