Lighting Cramp Balls

[mick miller]

Well, as some of you had mentioned, it took and age to spot my first cramp ball but since then I'm spotting them everywhere (even places I've investigated before without success).

As such I've gathered one or two for firelighting practice, but I have to admit I'm having problems getting them to take a spark with a fireflash firesteel, only a lighter seems to get them going.

So, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong? Should I be using a regular steel and flint combo (cooler sparks) or do they only light from a flame? I've tried breaking them open and using thin slices but the sparks from the fireflash still won't catch hold.

I would be grateful for any advice, at the moment the only use for these I can see is transporting fire from place to place or as a charcoal substitute.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Unusual Mick,
Have you dried them at all?

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[mick miller]

Hi Ogri,

Yes, over a week during which time they spread a lovely grimy circle of black spores all over my floor, then I did another search and read that this is often the case and they're generally better once they have 'spored' out.

I have another one inside at the moment ready for any tips, its been in for a 24 hours stint so far but I seem to remember reading that 48 hours should be long enough.

So should I break of the outer shell, crumble, slice, dry longer I wonder? The firesteel is the type made by 'Light my Fire' and I can generally get a host of other materials to take a spark quite easily, maybe its in the way I'm using the steel? At the moment I rest the steel on the ball, and apply thumb pressure to a blade to scrape off shavings. Its the method I've found to be the most controlled for me but maybe not the best with cramp balls?

 

[maverick moocher]

Hi Mick
Once the cramp ball is nice and dry (it will help if you break it in half first revealing the concentric rings ) Drop a spark onto the rings, blow gently and hey presto! the cramp ball should glow/smoulder all on its own for atleast 10-15mins.

Maverick

 

[mick miller]

I clearly need to try again (and again and again!)...

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

Ive also had a problem lighting them with a spark, even having dried out for a week, I could see the sparks hitting it and sometimes sitting on it and glowing but it not catching.

I lit one from a flame, does anyone else think that they produce a wonderful smelling smoke? it was almost like insence.

 

[rich59]

Well, as some of you had mentioned, it took and age to spot my first cramp ball but since then I'm spotting them everywhere (even places I've investigated before without success).

As such I've gathered one or two for firelighting practice, but I have to admit I'm having problems getting them to take a spark with a fireflash firesteel, only a lighter seems to get them going.

So, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong? Should I be using a regular steel and flint combo (cooler sparks) or do they only light from a flame? I've tried breaking them open and using thin slices but the sparks from the fireflash still won't catch hold.

I would be grateful for any advice, at the moment the only use for these I can see is transporting fire from place to place or as a charcoal substitute.

Sometimes an immature crampball is resistant to fire. I would try collecting old, black, fragile things in your next trip.

 

[-Switch-]

I clearly need to try again (and again and again!)...

Aint that always the way

Try 'roughing up' the surface of the crampball to give the spark more surface area to come into contact with. This also helps to hold the spark on the crampball instead of it bouncing off.

And make sure they're very, very dry.
You shouldn't have trouble with the sparkstick you mentioned and should even be able to get an ember from flint and steel with some effort.

I've not heard about the age making a difference before but if Rich59 is suggesting that mature fungi work better then I'd go with that advice - he's the man to listen to where this kind of thing is concerned
(Cheers for the tip Rich - that'll have saved me some wasted foraging time )

 

[WhichDoctor]

I've had a cramp ball sitting around for more than a month and it still wont take a spark, I have managed to set it smoldering with a lighter but the ember doesn't spread and goes out within 30ecs or so.

Sounds like mine was way too young, thanks Rich couldn't work out why it wasn't working aether.

 

[slowworm]

I've had no problem lighting cramp balls with a 'Light My Fire' firesteel, and they are very common round here. I use the old, black and quite light cramp balls just snapped in half to reveal a dry surface; the younger ones tend to be brown and those are the ones that leave spores all over the place.

They also take very easily from a magnifying glass and I have a handy flat credit-card style lens that's easy to carry. A word of warning, it's quite hard to spot them smouldering in the bright sunshine - until you try and pick it up!

 

[mick miller]

Thanks everyone for your tips, I think one or two were partly brown so indicating immaturity and thus, difficult to light from what I've read, I never knew that so thanks again.

Rather than waste the two specimens I have they'll be put to use on the next barbeque. Meanwhile I'll go on the hunt for an aged example as suggested and try that. As always the devil appears to be in the detail.