Tinder fail with old mans beard

[jackcbr]

Hi all

not being the most skilled firecrafter in the world, I thought I'd ask where I'd gone wrong.

on a recent trip to the Dolomites I spent sometime in the woods (and snow) and collected a big pocket full of dry old mans beard. On one of my walks I spent nearly an hour with a fire steel (ferorod) but couldn't get it to take a spark. The tinder was very dry and some of it had been in my pocket for a couple of days.

Any clues where I went wrong? Also can you find old mans beard in the UK? I didn't bring any back in case it brought some nasties with it.

 

[mountainm]

I find it helps to scrape off some shavings off the rod when I'm lighting up thistle down. Not tried old mans beard, sorry.

 

[Kepis]

Also can you find old mans beard in the UK?

Certainly can its the seed head of the Clematis, how much do you want as i have a bag of the stuff i use for demo's?, many things are called Old Mans beard though, all depends where you are in the world, not sure which they classify as OMB in the Dolomites?

OMB covers all sorts of things from Clematis fluff to Lichens, all depends which one you used, of course, it could have been lack of sausage power that did it

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I know it as hanging off trees, and if dried in the pocket for a bit, always lights easily.

Didn't realise it's also Clematis.

 

[Kepis]

yup, ive always known it as Clematis fluff, Uncle Ray shows it being used as tinder to good effect in his America episode.

 

[Shewie]

I never knew about the Clematis being called OMB, I'm familiar with the lichen variety though, it's a sign of good air quality I was told. I've seen vast swathes of forest in the west coast of Scotland covered in it.

I've collected the lichen and mixed it with birch bark which works well, it acts more like an extender I've found.

 

[Kepis]

here you go from 0:33

[video=youtube;RG0tgOR7URY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG0tgOR7URY[/video]

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

yup, ive always known it as Clematis fluff, Uncle Ray shows it being used as tinder to good effect in his America episode.

It burns very fast though, compared to birch etc.

 

[jackcbr]

Ok, so it was me then. It's the lichen stuff I was using. Thanks for the offer Kepis, I will take you up on that as I want to work through as many natural tinders as possible.

Does anyone have some lichen local that they could send on, I'll cover the postage and packaging. I don't like being beaten by things.

 

[Shewie]

Does anyone have some lichen local that they could send on, I'll cover the postage and packaging. I don't like being beaten by things.

I've got a Quality Street tin full of it somewhere, I'll have a poke about tomorrow and see if I can find it.

 

[jackcbr]

I've got a Quality Street tin full of it somewhere, I'll have a poke about tomorrow and see if I can find it.

You're a star, thanks matey

 

[jackcbr]

Cool video Kepis. And by a strange quirk of fate, I've got plans to try some smoking at a meet. I'm devising something to hang from the chute that will work as a smoker over the fire. Thought it would be something different to do.

 

[Kepis]

It burns very fast though, compared to birch etc.

yup, it's a flash tinder, so you need to add something else to it as Ray did

 

[Kepis]

Ok, so it was me then. It's the lichen stuff I was using. Thanks for the offer Kepis, I will take you up on that as I want to work through as many natural tinders as possible.

nah, it's not you at all, it's different regions of the worlds using the same name for different things, it's a cultural diffference.

Ive a load of different tinders here Jack, i'll sort a load out for you and bring it along one time

 

[jackcbr]

nah, it's not you at all, it's different regions of the worlds using the same name for different things, it's a cultural diffference.

Ive a load of different tinders here Jack, i'll sort a load out for you and bring it along one time

Thanks mate, I really appreciate that. I need something to keep me occupied till I find another job.

 

[Shewie]

PM me your address Jack and I'll get a combustible parcel away to you

 

[oldtimer]

I tried fire lighting with old man's beard and nearly burnt my face off!

 

[Kepis]

I tried fire lighting with old man's beard and nearly burnt my face off!

 

[jackcbr]

Big thanks to Shewie for the care package, but still struggling to get the stuff to go. I've occasionally got a small amount of flame but its not lasting long enough for the rest to catch. Just to make sure I'm not completely duff at this I grabbed a bit of the dead ornamental grass from the garden and got that to take. Think I need to video what I'm so some might be able to point me as to where I'm going wrong. Gonna need a new fire steal soon.

not tried the bum fluff yet

 

[Shewie]

Try tearing up some of that birch bark into really thin strips and then mixing it into the OMB. That's how I tend to use it, the birch bark takes the spark and then ignites the OMB which then burns much longer than just birch bark alone.

Trying to light the OMB alone is hard work, the really old dark brown stuff works better than the green I sent you.