Lighting from an Ember

[Blackthorn]

Ok,

Been a while since i posted a thread here but have a couple of queries.

I have been experimenting with lighting various dried out mushrooms. Dont ask me what they are coz we couldnt get agreement on that the last time i posted pictures up.

Anyway using a firesteel i can get one to actually to burn like an ember (no flame) for quite a long while. It lasts really long and burns brightly when i blow on it.

Problem is i cant get it to light any tinder regardless of what i use.

Any tips?

 

[Ogri the trog]

Strange one.
The thing that I've found with mushroom embers is that they burn in toward the centre of themselves - so blowing the ember to a red heat only serves to move the tinder away from the heat source.
You could try breaking the fungi into smaller pieces so those bits should have corners and edges which should actually touch your tinder
What sort of tinder are you using? is it fluffed up or in its raw state - it might make a difference.
Now comes the blowing bit, some people use the "one long blast" approach and others use a "huff and puff" like blowing individual candles out on a birthday cake - both methods appear to work, but a blaster can't use the hufpuf and vice versa - find which method works for you.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Toddy]

I presume you've tried the usual thistle down, cattail fluff and the like?
Sometimes it's best to break up the fungi with the glowing ember and centre the ember in a *bowl* of fluff, wrap loosely in dry grass and gently but determinedly blow through and over the ember with looooong, even breaths. The centre material gets very hot and will roast the fluff into flames.
Works for me

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Blackthorn]

Ogri you have it in one,,,thats exactly what keeps happening its constantly burning away from what im trying to light. But its still hard with smaller pieces.

'I presume you've tried the usual thistle down, cattail fluff and the like?'

Toddy, I never knew you could use these. Have been doing what you suggest with dried grass and the like and placing it in the centre. Havent tried the alternative breaths idea either. Usually use a series of short blows while holding it at the centre of dried grasses.

I assume thsitle down is just the hairy bits on thistles?

 

[dommyracer]

Don't be afraid to Squeeeeeze.

I've found that once your fungus ember is going good guns, its hard to put it out. Make sure you have a decent amount of tinder to form a nice tightly packed mass as well.

 

[rich59]

I had this problem a couple ot times with cramp balls. With the cramp ball outer shell it seemed as if the shell was stopping the ember spread.

The key is to think through how the ember will spread through your bundle. I find it needs to spread from your ember into a bit of dense, powdery, dry(ish) material before it will link to looser material. Have a look at http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=14445