Many weeks ago someone, perhaps Patrick , posted an excellent tutorial on the steps involved in the preparation of fomes fomentarius into amadou. Where do I find that now?
Fungus tutorial
- Thread starter Jeff Wagner
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Thank you for pointing out that thread. It was great to read about the various methods people use to extract the amadou layer. There seems to be a great concensus on cutting it up before the fomes has a chance to dry out.
Identical in 'hoof' structure, the fomes in my area (New England) has a very much whiter outer layer than those shown in the tutorial here which look quite reddish/brown. I wonder if that's a regional difference?
Thanks again,
Tara P.
Identical in 'hoof' structure, the fomes in my area (New England) has a very much whiter outer layer than those shown in the tutorial here which look quite reddish/brown. I wonder if that's a regional difference?
Thanks again,
Tara P.
Tara,
Are you also aware that milkweed pod and mullein pith are two other spark catching tinders available in New England? Milkweed catches very easily and requires no special treatment.
Are you also aware that milkweed pod and mullein pith are two other spark catching tinders available in New England? Milkweed catches very easily and requires no special treatment.
I've been trying to make some amadou over the weekend. I only got a little bit of the correct layer (in fact I'm not sure if it even if the correct layer) and have boiled it for 24 hours in some almost hardwood ash. It is drying out.
Using the stuff straight out I couldn't get it to light with a spark, but it caught with a lighter (ahem) but only kept going for about 3 minutes or so before going out.
Using the stuff straight out I couldn't get it to light with a spark, but it caught with a lighter (ahem) but only kept going for about 3 minutes or so before going out.
Jeff, I'm nearly embarrassed to say that I'm embarking on my firestarting experience. I've always been one to concentrate on the more 'domestic' of bushcraft skills. It makes sense to me that the fluff of cattail and milkweed would be efficient... i guess I've strayed from mullein because I was under the impression it was an introduced plant to my region. I have an affinity towards the birch tree and it's myriad of uses, and was anxious to investigate the uses of it's symbiote, the amadou.
Following the tips in the tutorial here, and the readers' comments, I've (successfully?) extracted the amadou layer from the tinder fungus... it seemed rather obvious where the gill structure of the fungus stopped and the chamois / leathery amadou layer started (the fibrous gills gave up a great fight in their attachment to the amadou). The potato peeler seemed like a grand idea, but a paring knife won out in removing the hard outer white rind... now i wonder if i removed enough of the outer side.
The inner 'gilly' side of the fomes did not care to be sliced... it was like trying to slice the wrong direction of mozzarella cheese, only much more resistant. The most effective approach was to stab the tip of the paring knife into the underbelly of the fomes, and give it a sort of half twist that 'pops' out a small section.
I notice issues that probably result from such a small 10 cm fomes... towards the downside/underbelly of the fomes where it's newly developed, the amadou is quite thin... the most precious (it looks exactly like chamois cloth... but THICK) part appears towards the top of the fomes, above where it's been ingesting the birch's cellulose layer.
So, my first amadou piece is rather small, and rigid on the exterior, and much softer on the interior. I'm soaking it overnight in plain water, and plan to plan it out tomorrow.
I think there is much significance to extracting the amadou layer as soon as the fomes is removed from the tree... i wish I'd done it the day before yesterday.
Biddlesby, are you sure your amadou (untreated) was thoroughly dried before you tried to 'light' it? I think if you just harvested it and removed the layer, a couple weeks drying time would be required to really render it tinder'able. did you pound it at all?
Tara
Following the tips in the tutorial here, and the readers' comments, I've (successfully?) extracted the amadou layer from the tinder fungus... it seemed rather obvious where the gill structure of the fungus stopped and the chamois / leathery amadou layer started (the fibrous gills gave up a great fight in their attachment to the amadou). The potato peeler seemed like a grand idea, but a paring knife won out in removing the hard outer white rind... now i wonder if i removed enough of the outer side.
The inner 'gilly' side of the fomes did not care to be sliced... it was like trying to slice the wrong direction of mozzarella cheese, only much more resistant. The most effective approach was to stab the tip of the paring knife into the underbelly of the fomes, and give it a sort of half twist that 'pops' out a small section.
I notice issues that probably result from such a small 10 cm fomes... towards the downside/underbelly of the fomes where it's newly developed, the amadou is quite thin... the most precious (it looks exactly like chamois cloth... but THICK) part appears towards the top of the fomes, above where it's been ingesting the birch's cellulose layer.
So, my first amadou piece is rather small, and rigid on the exterior, and much softer on the interior. I'm soaking it overnight in plain water, and plan to plan it out tomorrow.
I think there is much significance to extracting the amadou layer as soon as the fomes is removed from the tree... i wish I'd done it the day before yesterday.
Biddlesby, are you sure your amadou (untreated) was thoroughly dried before you tried to 'light' it? I think if you just harvested it and removed the layer, a couple weeks drying time would be required to really render it tinder'able. did you pound it at all?
Tara
My amadou came out great, and was completely dry within a day or two... very thin, feels just like chamois cloth. The whole process was rather painless. Now I just have to learn to use it 
-- Tara
-- Tara
I didn't boil it or add any other chemicals. I simply soaked in in water 24 hrs, pounded it slightly, let it soak in the water a few more hours, and pounded it completely flat.
While it soaked it was remarkably sponge like, now I understand why fly fishermen prize this for drying their flies. In it's dried state, a small piece holds it's coal and smolders continuously, slowly and completely. (and smells rather like burning cardboard).
What does the potassium hydroxide do? Is there an equivalent chemical in 'nature'?
I gathered a few more fomes yesterday, and noticed a distinct color difference in the live and dying fomes. The really live looking ones are bright white on the upperside, and a light olive green 'bees wax' color on the bottom. The fomes on the 'way out' had reddish brown uppersides and were blackened and cracking on their undersides. I was imagining that it would be far more difficult to extract the amadou layer from the dying fomes.
I also found a tiny piece of the (inonotus) true tinder fungus, so I know it exists in this area, but appears far less common here than the fomes. -- Tara
While it soaked it was remarkably sponge like, now I understand why fly fishermen prize this for drying their flies. In it's dried state, a small piece holds it's coal and smolders continuously, slowly and completely. (and smells rather like burning cardboard).
What does the potassium hydroxide do? Is there an equivalent chemical in 'nature'?
I gathered a few more fomes yesterday, and noticed a distinct color difference in the live and dying fomes. The really live looking ones are bright white on the upperside, and a light olive green 'bees wax' color on the bottom. The fomes on the 'way out' had reddish brown uppersides and were blackened and cracking on their undersides. I was imagining that it would be far more difficult to extract the amadou layer from the dying fomes.
I also found a tiny piece of the (inonotus) true tinder fungus, so I know it exists in this area, but appears far less common here than the fomes. -- Tara
There's a great source of it in nature: Wood ash!
Just add water.
If you have indicator paper, it should show a very alkaline solution.
If you just CRAVE indicator paper, soak some tissue paper in fresh red cabbage juice and let dry. Blue is alkaline, red is acid.
Just add water.
If you have indicator paper, it should show a very alkaline solution.
If you just CRAVE indicator paper, soak some tissue paper in fresh red cabbage juice and let dry. Blue is alkaline, red is acid.
Exactly right. Wood ashes and water also makes a slip agent for removing the hair from fresh hides.
And..the hide from three squirrels this treated makes a bow string..
And..the hide from three squirrels this treated makes a bow string..
Thanks! I'd used hardwood ashes in the past to rett inner basswood bark strips to process for cordage. It removed all the sap that made the basswood brittle, and opened up the fibers making it much softer and easier to work with... is this what it's supposed to do with the tinder fungus also? Could standard soap substitute? (The ground is covered with snow, and I've no fireplace). -- Tara
(neat info on the homemade litmus paper! So that's why "mom's cabbage" is all blue while it's cooking, and then she adds some vinegar to turn it red.
(neat info on the homemade litmus paper! So that's why "mom's cabbage" is all blue while it's cooking, and then she adds some vinegar to turn it red.
Tara - I have not been able to determine exactly how the potassium hydroxide is supposed to improve ignition quality of the amadou. With boiled concentrated urine I can understand how nitrate salts might improve things. The combustability of paper is much improved by soaking in potassium nitrate for example.
I suspect the function of the hydroxide (lye), is to weaken some of the bonds in the material. Hairs from skins, fibers from stalks etc.
In this way, lye would loosen the bonds between the tiny fibres in Fomes Fomentarius, making it easier to bash the material "open", creating air space between fibers.
Thus, the material should be easier to ignite, as a single spark might ignite a single strand, without several other strands leeching the heat away too quickly (too dense material).
This is just my quasi-scientific idea of it just now, only having planned to do a lye-assisted 24-hour boil of my fomes.
(It can be lit without it, you know? It's just MUCH harder...)
In this way, lye would loosen the bonds between the tiny fibres in Fomes Fomentarius, making it easier to bash the material "open", creating air space between fibers.
Thus, the material should be easier to ignite, as a single spark might ignite a single strand, without several other strands leeching the heat away too quickly (too dense material).
This is just my quasi-scientific idea of it just now, only having planned to do a lye-assisted 24-hour boil of my fomes.
(It can be lit without it, you know? It's just MUCH harder...)
Thank you Infagreen and Jeff for the additional information. I was thinking about the basic ph of wood ashes, lye, soap, etc, in breaking down the enzymes of what it's added to. I soaked (not boiled) my recent amadou from last weekend in commercial soap... I looked for lye or a lye based soap, my local stores dont carry anything similar, or dont list it in the ingredients... so... I went with "lava" soap which seemed the most 'rugged' and most apt to be the most base in it's ph (highest in PhO content). I shaved the soap into it, which dissolved immediately into solution.
The results after two days soak were dramatically different from my first water only soak... the outter layer of the amadou (closest to the white hard skin of the fomes) was acting like a leather hide about to slip... however... a knife wouldnt get under the skin layer that felt like it was slipping... and my knife tip rebounded like against rubber... very interesting difference
regardless, I pounded it after rinsing the soap off ... I'll be interested to see any difference in ignition. This weekend I'll collect some hardwood ashes at my mother's home, and save it for the next piece. How long does anyone recommend boiling it for? (I have only indoor facilities... i assume you keep it at a low simmer and not a rolling boil?)
Tara
The results after two days soak were dramatically different from my first water only soak... the outter layer of the amadou (closest to the white hard skin of the fomes) was acting like a leather hide about to slip... however... a knife wouldnt get under the skin layer that felt like it was slipping... and my knife tip rebounded like against rubber... very interesting difference
regardless, I pounded it after rinsing the soap off ... I'll be interested to see any difference in ignition. This weekend I'll collect some hardwood ashes at my mother's home, and save it for the next piece. How long does anyone recommend boiling it for? (I have only indoor facilities... i assume you keep it at a low simmer and not a rolling boil?)
Tara
Tara - You might consider Drano as an alternative to wood ashes. I have heard of it being used to make soap from anaimal fat.
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