fungus id

[Lush]

Hi Folks,

Anyone who has an idea what fungus this is? I was looking for the true tinder fungus.

Only a little part of this fungus however does really smoulder (only the cork like texture where it was attached to the birch tree I found it on) It smells very nice when smouldering. It is very hard to push it out and catches very easily.

I hope the pictures show enough detail...


the outside of the fungus



cut through



the side where it was attached to the tree (the white spots are the remains of the cork like material)


thanks,
Lush

 

[Fenlander]

It is indeed true tinder fungus. I would break it into smaller pieces and allow it to dry for a couple of weeks. For best results, do not dry it in direct heat (i.e. sunlight or an oven. Allow it to air dry slowly in a cool shady spot.

 

[Galemys]

Great find Lush!

I only managed to find one for the very first time some weeks ago at the Dutch bushcraftweekend in Apeldoorn

Tom

 

[Lush]

So it is?! Thanks for confirming. I am a bit amazed to hear, because only the small cork like pieces did smoulder very easily (it was a very little amount and it's all gone now.)

It has been a few weeks since I have this fungus at home drying. Still I can not get the outside to smoulder with a lighter easily. I will probably have to play with it a bit more. I doubt if I can get this to smoulder with flint. Nice experiment though!

After reading lot's about it I thought it was going to be a walk in the park. For example this excellent article by Allan Beauchamp; he lights it like it's nothing, right after harvesting. Even in damp weather conditions and snow.
http://wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/tinder/tinderfungus/abbfungusstove/index.html

Btw.: I left it to dry as slowly as possible. In a pillowcase for the first week.

thanks again,
Lush

 

[xylaria]

That is a really interesting link. I was abit muddled as to what fungus he was using until I realized it was Ontario.

have you seen this article
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=77

I could post out some ganodermas (artist conk) if anyone wants to try out the bow drill stove.

 

[Gailainne]

We found some artist conk at Delamere, down by the lake side, I thought it was horses hoof , told you I need a fungi lesson , next time I'll make a point of coming over and saying hi early, before you cook the lesson Nice to meet you and yours, and hope to see you again.

Regards

Stephen

 

[xylaria]

We found some artist conk at Delamere, down by the lake side, I thought it was horses hoof , told you I need a fungi lesson , next time I'll make a point of coming over and saying hi early, before you cook the lesson Nice to meet you and yours, and hope to see you again.

Regards

Stephen

Sorry Sir I ate my lession plan

Delamere had quite a few small conks and loads of birch polypore. They both are common and I can find them very easly. However I am useless at bow drill, I just figared there may be people that are wish to try out fungi firecraft and are useless at finding fungi.

Horses hoof I can find but not as easly ganodermas.

We are going to the spring moot.

 

[rich59]

After reading lot's about it I thought it was going to be a walk in the park. For example this excellent article by Allan Beauchamp; he lights it like it's nothing, right after harvesting. Even in damp weather conditions and snow.
http://wildwoodsurvival.com/surviva...tove/index.html

If you notice carefully he does not say that his tinder was from the freshly harvested fungus.

One test to see if your fungus is still drying out is to weigh it on the kitchen scales occasionally (assuming you haven't broken bits off in the mean time.) Then you can note it getting lighter as it dries.

have you seen this article
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/...&showarticle=77

Storm makes it look easy. I played about with an artists conk a while back. It wouldn't take a spark of any sort. If I took a match to it I could eventually get small cut off bits of it to smoulder. I suspect that individual fungus samples are different in their fire qualities.

 

[xylaria]

Storm makes it look easy. I played about with an artists conk a while back. It wouldn't take a spark of any sort. If I took a match to it I could eventually get small cut off bits of it to smoulder. I suspect that individual fungus samples are different in their fire qualities.

AAAhhhh it not just me being klutz. Lets face you are the dogs bks when it comes to bow drill and if you say its hard to replicate storms results then it must be hard.

I have found if you squeeze the trama(amadou) layer it darkens if it is not fully dry and I can't light it for love or money. When properly dry it is really light, and will hold a ember. I have lit it with my usual method which is tampax,dry grass and fire steel, and it smolders like hot coal. I have burned horse hoof in the same way and they seem very similar to me.

 

[Lush]

Exactly what you say Richard... I can get small cut of bits of artist conk to hold an ember (I tried it some more.) But it taking a spark....forget it. I am still trying to find a way to get it to take a spark. I would like it to light it with flint of course. Firesteel would be good enough for me.

one hour later:
My sample of true tinder fungus can not be fluffed up in any way. It crumbles. I could make a fine powder of it with no problem. I will try and see what that does with the firesteel. Mmm, I just tried and it worked (in ideal conditions inside, at home.)

The amadou in horses hoof fungus can be fluffed up very well. I just tried it with the firesteel in the "fluffed up state". It took a spark easily. How nice, I love it. Next I will try flint on it. I still wonder if I have to cook it with ashes (or urine) to get it to take a spark from flint. I suppose I will find out soon... Maybe someone can tell the difference between cooked and uncooked?

the true tinder fungus smells very nice, I think... Good incense.

Lush