Starting fires with my Mora number 2 and rocks.

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Part 1. Uncharred natural tinder:

Just wanted to show some firecraft using my Mora nummber 2 and rocks. For me that often means quartz because I don't have any flint. I will sometimes use chert. Going to add a few methods within this thread. These methods are probably well known but still fun just the same.

Up first: Mora number 2 and Chaga dust.

For this practice I went into the woods packing a Mora #2 plus a small chunk of chaga with the intent of getting flames. Wasn't looking to build a sustaining fire given I had limited time.

Go!



I already knew the chaga would catch a spark but didn't pack a rock, tinder, coal extenders and whatever else would be needed beyond the knife and fungus. First order of business is a rock. Found some quartz in a drainage area. Used a special knapping method called "drop big rock on small rock". This is the results of years of practice. Complex physics like the effects of gravity on objects must be first understood before attempting it. These broken quartz rocks were left in place. Would come back for them later.



Found some of this hollow dry weed. Didn't know if it would be good in the tinder bundle but what the heck.



Stumbled on some dry tree bark. Not sure what that was but found some dry hickory bark as well. Going to fluff up the bark from the dead branches for the tinder bundle.



Tossed what I had for the tinder bundle on a fallen tree then headed out for more.



This punk wood will make for a good coal extender. The chaga is also a great coal extender but punk wood is easier to find. Punk wood can make the coal large enough to ensure the tinder bundle will ignite. I had plans for the large oak leaf.



Working on the tinder bundle. The redish bark just fragmented up. Not all that fluffy however the hickory bark fluffed up good.





Looking good. Given the amount of punk wood I was confident this tinder bundle would burst into flames.



Dusted up the chaga into the leaf. The plan was to toss a spark into the dust then put the smoldering chaga into the tinder bundle. Once that was done everything would be moved to the drainage area with water. I don't have a cleared fire ring. The ground was very wet but better safe than sorry.



Maybe a minute or so later the quartz shaved off some carbon steel which then ignited the Chaga dust.



Moved it to the water. Looking about ready to go. Just a little air flow would be enough.



Dropped the flaming tinder bundle into the water.



The practice was fun. I also have a video for those who enjoy that format. Thanks for looking.

[video=youtube;IE40qinNzfs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE40qinNzfs[/video]

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Part 2. Starting a fire with a Mora #2 in the snow. Flint and Steel:

Just a short video showing foraging for yellow birch which was then used to help start a fire on the snow. This fire was ignited using a Mora #2, chert, jute and charcloth. The fire was started on snow using the twig fire method for the purpose of heating a day camp shelter, boiling water for Hemlock tea and cooking deer meat on a stick.

Platform for kindling.



Twig fire platform, pile of Yellow Birch bark and Mora knife ready to go.



Success.



Check out this short video showing the foraging and firestarting.

[video=youtube;VrDUAOTTxCw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrDUAOTTxCw[/video]

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Testing to see if this gets posted. My thread is MIA.

 

[Mesquite]

Testing to see if this gets posted. My thread is MIA.

If it's got pictures in it then it's probably awaiting Mod approval before it shows up.

Once you've got more than 10 posts you're assumed to not being a spammer

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Part 3: Charred natural materials.

In part one we used a natural not charred material in that case chaga. In part 2 we used a man made charred material in that case charcloth. This time we are going to use charred natural materials and a rock to start a fire. This was done during an overnight outing last winter in the so called polar vortex. I used my Mora #2, charred cedar bark, rocks and dried grass to start a fire for warmth and a little cooking. After that hiked more to find a good spot to weather the incoming storm.




I find it easier to put the charred materials on the rock then holding the blade strike the spine on the rock's sharp edge. However if the charred materials are too delicate for placement on the rock or if holding a knife with the blade's sharp edge pointed into the hands is simply too risky there are alternatives.

A person can hold the handle and strike the rock on the spine. The downside being the blade can bounce around some. It was mentioned that sticking the point into a log would support the blade. Not too far away was this log. Granted it wasn't a big log however location, location, location.



I tested the knife sticking in log method and it worked but as stated IMO holding the blade and striking steel on rock is easier in some situations. Holding the handle with blade free also works just fine.

Twig fire ready to go.



Bacon!



Here is a video for those who enjoy that format. It took some time to get the charred cedar bark to catch the spark. Charred cedar bark is one of the most effective charred materials but there are multiple factors which could work against success. Rounded off stone, poor luck in the direction of the flying sparks, improvised striker in this case a knife's spine and cold hands were factors working against me.

[video=youtube;fLo8loNyfUQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLo8loNyfUQ[/video]

Thanks for watching.

 

[Tiley]

Many thanks for these. It is always good to see slightly different approaches to lighting fires. Personally, I got into the habit of seeing my knife as just a cutting tool rather than a legitimate means of creating sparks - I have a separate steel for that which helps to keep the spine of my knife square, true and pretty!


What is 'chaga' - the material you use in the first post/video? I assume it's something North American but wonder if there's a European equivalent.

 

[Didgeridoohan]

It's this:

A fungus that grows on, among others, birch trees. According to Wikipedia (oh great sage) it can be found in forests of Russia, Korea, Eastern and Northern Europe, northern areas of the United States, in the North Carolina mountains and in Canada.

 

[robevs73]

Excellent threads buddy, thanks for sharing

 

[Ruud]

very, very, very nice thread, thanks for taking the time to upload all this.

 

[Tiley]

It's this:

A fungus that grows on, among others, birch trees. According to Wikipedia (oh great sage) it can be found in forests of Russia, Korea, Eastern and Northern Europe, northern areas of the United States, in the North Carolina mountains and in Canada.

Do you know its taxonomic name? It'll be easier to identify and see if there's a U.K. equivalent with it, that's all! Thanks for the photo though - it'll help a lot!

 

[Clouston98]

Chaga is Inonotus Obliquus- and it does grow in Britain, mainly Scotland I've found a few specimens and it's fantastic tinder!

Great thread mate!

 

[robevs73]

Just watched the video, excellent tutorial.
Mors gave me some of that tinder years ago whilst on a winter course and I've never used it, I also recently aquired a mora classic in carbon steel so I'm going to try this out next time I'm in the woods, probably Friday.
I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Many thanks for these. It is always good to see slightly different approaches to lighting fires. Personally, I got into the habit of seeing my knife as just a cutting tool rather than a legitimate means of creating sparks - I have a separate steel for that which helps to keep the spine of my knife square, true and pretty!


What is 'chaga' - the material you use in the first post/video? I assume it's something North American but wonder if there's a European equivalent.

Glad yea liked it. Thanks for looking. Here is some chaga that I foraged in Upstate New York on Yellow birch. I would imagine that if there is Birch and enough cold weather Chaga should be there. Granted it can grow on other trees and it's a big world so could be wrong.



You're 100% correct. Beating on a carbon steel knife with rocks is going to mark up the spine a great deal. Not only will a separate properly heat treated carbon steel spark better but it's also easier to manipulate with hands.



There is another option. The striker knife. The spine hard to toss sparks but blade tempered to not easily chip. Forging and heat treating is both magic and science IMHO.

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Just watched the video, excellent tutorial.
Mors gave me some of that tinder years ago whilst on a winter course and I've never used it, I also recently aquired a mora classic in carbon steel so I'm going to try this out next time I'm in the woods, probably Friday.
I'll let you know how I get on.

That's great. If the chaga is yellow and easily marked with a finger nail it could be firecraft grade. The chuck might catch the spark. If not turning chaga into dust helps. Good chaga is more effective than charcoth IMHO.

 

[Tiley]

Again, many thanks for your response. I love the look of that striker knife! As for 'chaga', it looks as though I'll have to head north to find some.

A fantastic thread - again, thank you very much for your effort!

Best wishes,
Richard

 

[robevs73]

I got out to the woods this morning to try this out, first I needed to see if the changa I had was good enough so I put it in my fire piston, worked fine.

Next step grinding the changa into powder with the back of the mora handle

I knew there's no suitable rocks around so i took some flint with me. After a few strikes on the back of the blade with the mpst pathetic sparls coming off at every other hit I really didn't think ot would work!
I positioned myself behind the fallen tree with the tinder on a leaf between my knees and started bashing the flint on my brand new knife spine (I had run the dremel over it before leaving home). I really wasn't expecting it to work but the fifth crap spark hit home and ot worked!

 

[robevs73]

I was very happy, shame I didn't have a tinder bundle ready as i didn't have much faith! I quickly ripped up some leaves and made two tiny feather sticks from twigs on the floor and managed to coax a tiny flame but it went out before I could take a picture!

Next thing on the agenda was a handrill set.......

 

[robevs73]

Just finished re handling a fallkniven F1 so I took it along aswel!

Sorry to hijack your thread mate.....I'm just happy I've learnt a new skill.
Rob

 

[Clouston98]

Glad yea liked it. Thanks for looking. Here is some chaga that I foraged in Upstate New York on Yellow birch. I would imagine that if there is Birch and enough cold weather Chaga should be there. Granted it can grow on other trees and it's a big world so could be wrong.



You're 100% correct. Beating on a carbon steel knife with rocks is going to mark up the spine a great deal. Not only will a separate properly heat treated carbon steel spark better but it's also easier to manipulate with hands.



There is another option. The striker knife. The spine hard to toss sparks but blade tempered to not easily chip. Forging and heat treating is both magic and science IMHO.

That larger striker knife is one of the nicest things I've seen in a while! Really floats my boat that- great job!

Rob the knife looks great too!

 

[Ruud]

Haven't tried chaga yet, thought it needed to be processed first (boil and dry?).

The Mora works great for shaving sparks, but I like holding the knife by the handle out of safety-reasons.
[video=youtube;JRkuFkUnLOA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRkuFkUnLOA[/video]

@ Rob: glad the F1-tang was still good enough to rehandle it that beautifully, nice work.