Maya sticks for firelighting

[alick]

While I've been ferreting around for information on firelighting, tinders, hobo stoves and the like, I've been seeing references to Maya sticks - a resinous wood from guatemala (?) By chance I've picked some up today but haven't had time to play yet. Anyone know if you can light this wood from a (modern) firesteel if you shred it fine enough ? Ta. Alick

 

[Tony]

Never tried myself but it would have to be very fine. I split the sticks down and light them. Once they are going they are great but sometimes they can be a bit of a pain to get going.

If you find a good pine stump you can make your own :mrgreen:

 

[alick]

Ah been lookin' ....

Just haven't found it yet. :-D

 

[MartiniDave]

I use kindling cut from old railway sleepers for our household fire. Some of these seem to be pine and are saturated with creosote and/or tar, so I chop some much smaller than usual and keep them in my pack in a poly bag. Burn well, light easily and work out much cheaper than maya sticks.
Be careful not to get splinters from them because they fester like crazy.

Dave

 

[Tony]

Dave You should put that in the tips and tricks section! :mrgreen:

 

[bigjackbrass]

You certainly can spark-light fatwood shavings if they're fine enough. "Light My Fire" market the stuff as "Maya Dust," but at about three quid for a small tin it's hardly a necessity. Far better to shred your own in advance and carry it in a Zip-Loc or a film canister.

Incidentally, the naturally occurring stuff is widely used in northern America and a great favourite with residents in places like Maine, whether they camp or not. Lots of wood-burning stoves over there, and plenty of thrifty people.

 

[alick]

Jack, thanks for the encouragement - I'll get on and try it this weekend.
Tony, I've found this link about resinous timber which reinforces your advice too.

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/fire.html

There are some very detailed articles about gransfors axes and fettling hatchets there too. Cheers

 

[Tony]

Excellent bit of info there, thanks alick :biggthump

 

[alick]

Proof of the pudding:
So I made half a thimblefull of maya dust by sawing at a stick with the woodsaw on my leatherman... Whittled a few splinters ready to throw on top and started throwing sparks at it. The "dust" was pretty coarse so it took about twenty strikes before a spark landed just right, then off we go. No problem lighting small sticks of the stuff from the first flame. Burns just like a smokey candle. Great. Thanks Jack. :biggthump

 

[bigjackbrass]

Glad to hear that the experiment worked. On the other hand, I was out today and managed to spark some fatwood shavings with great success, then utterly failed to light anything from them, resulting in one cold meal, several spooked cows and a section of the woods looking like a stage effect from "Spinal Tap." I could blame the heavy rains lately, but no, the culprit was basically me not getting it together.

 

[Anonymous]

No problem lighting a maya stick with a firesteel, just scrape it to make a pile of shavings and strike away.

 

[Gary]

Maya sticks can be shaven (feathered) and lighted that way or split down thin and lighted with a match or shaven into a saw dust and sparked on.

Interestingly enough you can find or make your own - if you find a damaged pine that has lived long enough after damage for the scar etc to be full of resin - pine knots are similar things and burn well.

 

[Tony]

Some of the outdoor/garden centres have something like the Maya sticks. I have seen them going cheap as they sell off the BBQ, patio heater stuff. I got some last year and it was only about £2.50 a pack in the sale and I still have some left as I split it down into thin bits.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Have a look at Orvis:
http://www.orvis.co.uk/store/produc...cat_id=1&Dir_id=583&Group_id=725&feature_id=5

They carry sacks of "Fat lighter" pine wood from the USA. I reckon that it is a better deal per stick than buying it in little bunches. After picking through my sack I was able to give the rest as a gift to a friend with an open fire. They love the stuff!

Think it is basically the same as Maya sticks, can light the scrapings with a fire steal no problem.

Chris

 

[Tony]

Nice one :biggthump

 

[Rob]

You should never pay too much for Maya products. I think they get a bit overpriced in the small packs.

You can pick them up on eBay for £2.50 a tin for the dust and £4 a kilo for the sticks. Just run a search for "Maya" including the descriptions field and email the guy for a price list. But dont let eBay catch you

 

[Rob]

Better make that "maya sticks" or you will end up with a load of old guff (individual tastes accepted)

 

[ally]

if you contact rob from this site he sells the above and others at bloody good prices........and he's a nice bloke too!

 

[PC2K]

i used to have a hard time lighting mayawood, but after some practise i could light scrapped mayawood with one strike using the full lenght of mine swedish firesteel, now after a lot more practise i can even light mayawood scrapped with a P-38 and lighted by a bcb rangerflint with the same P-38 as striker. however that is in mine kitchen... building a fire in the local park close where i life is almost garantied to urn a fine. no really woody place nearby...