Soaking the cotton rope in saltpetre (potassium nitrate) would seem to make it into what's called a slow match http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_match . I don't think it's necessary and I don't think the Aussie original did, it might produce better results but I've no idea about extinguishing it though. Having a little search there's a post on British Blades which is basically just about a piece of copper tube and cord, the tube protects the charred end of the rope making it easier to catch sparks the next time you use it. http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7726 That looks useful, rather than the full kit Ray used (which to be fair to Ray he was just trying out what the old Aussie explorer was using).
That Aussie flint & steel
- Thread starter Indoorsout
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
For my tindertube I use a piece of cotton lamp wick as is used in old kerosene (Aladdin) lamps. In use you simply push out some wick, flatten it and hold on the flint as you would charcloth. I find the longer flat end of the wick is much easier to spark into than a cord and works without any saltpeter or other treatment (after the initial burning the end before first use). Pull the glowing end back into the tube and it goes out. The tube also protects the char left on the end. What you are doing is creating a small amount of charcloth each time you use it.
Hope this helps someone.
Forest
Hope this helps someone.
Forest
The item is just a somewhat fancier version of a tinder tube with a flint striker slipped into a clip on the side, and a piece of flint in that clip on the other end of the chain. It's based on a number of originals from the mid to late 1800's from Europe.
That "tinder tube" can be most anything. Simplest version is a short section of copper tubing. Just cut to length and smooth off any rought edges. If you can, flair the ends out a bit.
And using potassium nitrate to make "slowmatch" is not necessary. Just roll up some cotton clothe and slide it into your tube. Those kerosene flat wicks work pretty well.
A simple striker can be made from a short section of a common file - without any forging. Just snap off about 3 inches, and then carefully grind the teeth off of the narrow edges. Be sure to keep it cool enough to hold in your fingers. And you need to grind the teeth down to full bare metal. It should now work well as a striker.
The rest is a just a matter of ... tinkering ... to tie them all together.
Hope this helps.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
That "tinder tube" can be most anything. Simplest version is a short section of copper tubing. Just cut to length and smooth off any rought edges. If you can, flair the ends out a bit.
And using potassium nitrate to make "slowmatch" is not necessary. Just roll up some cotton clothe and slide it into your tube. Those kerosene flat wicks work pretty well.
A simple striker can be made from a short section of a common file - without any forging. Just snap off about 3 inches, and then carefully grind the teeth off of the narrow edges. Be sure to keep it cool enough to hold in your fingers. And you need to grind the teeth down to full bare metal. It should now work well as a striker.
The rest is a just a matter of ... tinkering ... to tie them all together.
Hope this helps.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
Agree with many of the comments above.
I have a tinder tube that I use occasionally. It lives it a tobacco pouch with a bunch of foraged tinders as a back up.
I've never used saltpetre to keep it going and if you draw it into the tube and put your thumb on it it does go out without the stuff.
Don't know if that would still work with it, but my guess is it probably would.
To me it seems that having to soak some cord in saltpetre first defeats the improvised and readily available nature of the idea though.
I have a tinder tube that I use occasionally. It lives it a tobacco pouch with a bunch of foraged tinders as a back up.
I've never used saltpetre to keep it going and if you draw it into the tube and put your thumb on it it does go out without the stuff.
Don't know if that would still work with it, but my guess is it probably would.
To me it seems that having to soak some cord in saltpetre first defeats the improvised and readily available nature of the idea though.
looks like an early version of a rope lighter to me. developed in the early 19th century in the version pictured; since 1906(after discovery of ferrocerium) also in a version more similar to a "zippo". apparently very popular in world war one (as they produce no open flame and the user was less visible for snipers.)
i made a more modern version couple of years back from two empty cartridges(30-06 for the tube and .45 for the cover(to extinguish the ember and protect the charred end)) and an empty gas lighter. as a wick i used a short "rope" made out of twisted paper tissue. worked quite well and still lives somewhere in my kit as a backup.
"disappointed by the monkeys, god created man. then he renounced to further experiments." mark twain
I shall have to try char-tubes again,
my previous experience with them has not been a positive thing. Even with pre-charing, I can't get the tip to ignite reliably and so I've dismissed them from any of my fire kits. Up to now I've used yellow dusters, torn and rolled - hemp rope - parafin wicks and the like; all of which have been mentioned as being suitable for the task - but not in my hands apparently.
Any tips as to things I can do to improve their performance would be welcome, barring of course the soaking in saltpetre which as Wayland points out, goes against the improvised nature of our hobby.
ATB
Ogri the trog
my previous experience with them has not been a positive thing. Even with pre-charing, I can't get the tip to ignite reliably and so I've dismissed them from any of my fire kits. Up to now I've used yellow dusters, torn and rolled - hemp rope - parafin wicks and the like; all of which have been mentioned as being suitable for the task - but not in my hands apparently.
Any tips as to things I can do to improve their performance would be welcome, barring of course the soaking in saltpetre which as Wayland points out, goes against the improvised nature of our hobby.
ATB
Ogri the trog
Saltpetre is not so far off the mark for bushcraft. One of the early sources for this was dung heaps. Maybe not something you'd find in the bush but certainly readily available in primitive communities.
Just for the record, I looked around the web for the cheapest/ smallest possible quantity of saltpetre to buy after watching the show, just to have a play with lighting fires. This person on ebay seems to be it: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Voodoo-Vesta-...yZ116117QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
The key point to using a tinder tube is that charred end of the cotton clothe/rope/wick. It is the same thing as charclothe - just on the very end of it. So when you have it burning/glowing red and pull it back into the tube to let it go out, you are turning the end into charclothe. The tube then helps protect that fragile charred end. To use it, you push that charred end out a bit to expose it. And then strike your sparks into it.
The hardest part for me is striking my sparks into that charred end. It takes a bunch of practice to get good at holding everything in just the right places to work.
Of course, once you have caught a spark in the end and have it glowing, you then have to figure out how to transfer that heat into your "bird's nest" tinder bundle. That also takes a bit of experimentation and practice to figure out what works for you.
A couple notes on using potassium nitrate to soak the cotton clothe and make it into "slowmatch". Potassium Nitrate is hydroscopic - it fairly easily draws moisture out of the air - and that can cause some problems. And potassium nitrate adds its own oxygen to a fire when burning - the heat releases the chemical oxygen. So it can be hard to put out once you get it burning/smoldering. Plus soaking too much into your clothe can turn it into a FAST burning fuse!
Just a few rambling thoughts to share. Take them as such.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
The hardest part for me is striking my sparks into that charred end. It takes a bunch of practice to get good at holding everything in just the right places to work.
Of course, once you have caught a spark in the end and have it glowing, you then have to figure out how to transfer that heat into your "bird's nest" tinder bundle. That also takes a bit of experimentation and practice to figure out what works for you.
A couple notes on using potassium nitrate to soak the cotton clothe and make it into "slowmatch". Potassium Nitrate is hydroscopic - it fairly easily draws moisture out of the air - and that can cause some problems. And potassium nitrate adds its own oxygen to a fire when burning - the heat releases the chemical oxygen. So it can be hard to put out once you get it burning/smoldering. Plus soaking too much into your clothe can turn it into a FAST burning fuse!
Just a few rambling thoughts to share. Take them as such.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
I would be wary about buying from them as there description is wrong. Saltpeter is not flammable.
Potassium Nitrate (or saltpeter) is also used in preserving/curing meat - as in curing ham, bacon, and making sausage. So any place that sells sausage making supplies should carry it, or be able to order it. Also check with your local butcher. They might sell you a small quantity. My one buddy just went to the local drug store, and they ordered a small container for him.
But many places have extra controls on its sale. Mixing it in the right proportions with sulfur and charcoal and you get black powder. Mixing it with sugar and you get rocket fuel. And numerous other things that can be done with it.
In the past, people soaked potassium nitrate out of urine and dung. It is a natural "salt" excreted by our bodies, and also by most animals.
Fun stuff.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
But many places have extra controls on its sale. Mixing it in the right proportions with sulfur and charcoal and you get black powder. Mixing it with sugar and you get rocket fuel. And numerous other things that can be done with it.
In the past, people soaked potassium nitrate out of urine and dung. It is a natural "salt" excreted by our bodies, and also by most animals.
Fun stuff.
Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
Similar threads
