Nature's Razor Strop

[nataryn]

I've been lurking on these boards for a little time now and now, after a walk in the woods with my local fungi expert, I'm ready to post.

I'm not sure if anyone has posted about this before but I read a thread about 'wild' ways to sharpen knives... people were talking about belts and rocks... But threre is a common fungus that has been known as the 'Razor Strop Fungus' or Piptoporus betulinus... or Birch Bracket.

http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6642.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch_bracket [Wikipedia serves sometimes]

I hope that this comes in handy... to someone.

Anyway, thats my first post out of the way...

 

[JonnyP]

Nice one....
Welcome here....
Its also known as birch polypore and can be used as an ember extender, and it will make a pretty good emergency bandage... Just cut the under side to size on a fresh specimen and peel off the outer layer and apply to a cut as you would a band aid... It would need some sort of cordage to hold it inplace... It is mildly antiseptic too...
Plenty on here about it, just type birch polypore into the search bar...

 

[RobertRogers]

You can even eat a bit of it too

 

[John Fenna]

Sliced thin and held around a good ember the polypore can easily be blown up to a flame as well - it is in all my flint and steel kits for this reason.
Good thread this!

 

[nataryn]

Oh yeah, also it is used in thin slices to pin tiny insects to... something to do with big labels and small insects. They are still commercially available I've heard but, if anyone thinks they can exploit the niche market of tiny insect collectors...