Hi,
I harvested a couple of Fomes fomentarius last week, one large one from a 150+ yr old beech and another from a birch stump. Being my first lot I prepped them a few different ways to edge my bets as I read loads of different posts on what to do.
The first bit I tried raw as it were as it had not rained for a couple of weeks. It was just a lump of the brown layer beneath the hard outer crust. (which is a pain to remove!)
This first raw bit would not take a spark, I reckon there was residual moisture, it did however form an ember when lit with a naked flame and smouldered well for a long time.
The second lot I cut into 3mm strips and boiled in wood ash for a few hours, word of warning, wood ash and water with ff boils over really easy and will ruin a aluminium pan, so don't use your best. These black strips were then air dried for a few days.
The third lot I cut into strips and air dried.
None of the samples took a spark from either a flint and steel or a fire steel rod. So I tried fluffing the top surface into very fine stuff. Even then it would not catch a hot or cold spark from either method above. Again the edge would catch with a naked flame.
I did notice that the black strips I boiled smouldered slightly differently, a bit faster than the air dried strips.
I have a nice piece of amadou from a purchased Wilmas traditional fire kit. It seems much lighter, almost yellow compared to my dark brown samples. It also feels much airier, lighter and more flexible. That piece also takes a spark from any method.
I suppose my point is I don't seem to get the desired starter tinder for a cold spark from this old specimen. It would be great for expanding a coal or ember and the bigger pieces would transport fire well. I'm going to have to search out a younger specimen I think to get the desired properties.
I harvested a couple of Fomes fomentarius last week, one large one from a 150+ yr old beech and another from a birch stump. Being my first lot I prepped them a few different ways to edge my bets as I read loads of different posts on what to do.
The first bit I tried raw as it were as it had not rained for a couple of weeks. It was just a lump of the brown layer beneath the hard outer crust. (which is a pain to remove!)
This first raw bit would not take a spark, I reckon there was residual moisture, it did however form an ember when lit with a naked flame and smouldered well for a long time.
The second lot I cut into 3mm strips and boiled in wood ash for a few hours, word of warning, wood ash and water with ff boils over really easy and will ruin a aluminium pan, so don't use your best. These black strips were then air dried for a few days.
The third lot I cut into strips and air dried.
None of the samples took a spark from either a flint and steel or a fire steel rod. So I tried fluffing the top surface into very fine stuff. Even then it would not catch a hot or cold spark from either method above. Again the edge would catch with a naked flame.
I did notice that the black strips I boiled smouldered slightly differently, a bit faster than the air dried strips.
I have a nice piece of amadou from a purchased Wilmas traditional fire kit. It seems much lighter, almost yellow compared to my dark brown samples. It also feels much airier, lighter and more flexible. That piece also takes a spark from any method.
I suppose my point is I don't seem to get the desired starter tinder for a cold spark from this old specimen. It would be great for expanding a coal or ember and the bigger pieces would transport fire well. I'm going to have to search out a younger specimen I think to get the desired properties.
Lovely stuff, but it takes time and patience.
