Tinder scraper/ rasp

[tombear]

I was poking about the net looking at various ( over priced ) tinder makers. Basically they are small cheese graters for preparing tinder more quickly than with a knife. Non impressed with any I thought, how about a small Microplane coarse grater? Now I've a large woodworking Microplane and it's a great tool, cuts faster and smother than a surform. However I couldn't find a small coarse Microplane that wasn't prohibitively expensive so it finally occurred to me why not use the blade off of a surform shaver tool as they are cheap and I've used them enough to know it will work well enough. Then it further occurred to me the complete tool is only a few pence more than a blade on its own and I can trim the handle off. So I've put a chit in for one of these.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-367023-STX-Surform-Shaver-Tool/dp/B0001IWCUM/ref=asc_df_B0001IWCUM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=208050023643&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18338364271533579406&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046599&hvtargid=pla-420760075380&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

The blades will work on soft metals like magnesium and i've still got some of the scrap rod from a industrial heating system I was giving away a few years back. I've been loathe to use my woodworking Surforms on it as its bound to wear the out faster than if just used on wood. I dare say i could make a simple sliding lid for it to collect the scrappings.

I'll post a pic when I've sorted it.

AtB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Well, that was easier than I thought, took about 20 minutes with out power tools.

All I used was a bone/ x-acto saw, a scalpel, sand paper and a steel ruler.








It weighs 16 grams or just over half a ounce. The lids just a bit of thin aluminium, a bit of pop can would do, scratched and snapped and sanded to be a good tight fit. I've tried it on some bought fatwood and a old block of magnesium. Naturally it works best on the wood.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

PS I'll cut a piece of fat wood to store inside it, maybe a bit of magnesium as well.

Atb

Tom

 

[MrEd]

Great idea! I have used a nutmeg grater but it isn’t very good

 

[bobnewboy]

Seems like a good idea and easy to use.

I use a pencil sharpener to generate fine tinder - sharp blade, light pressure, and twirl a dry stick in it. I suppose it would work with a split stick of fatwood too, but probably not the magnesium block.

 

[tombear]

Cheers! I forgot to give the dimensions,
2.5" x 1.5" x 5/8th"
So is quite compact. The blade itself is available as a spare part. It would be a bit awkward to hold on its own but a frame would be easy to make or it could be incomperated into a tin or other container.

Atb

Tom

 

[Robson Valley]

That scraper looks essential in stone-free environments. Adding some tinder stock makes you quite independent of circumstances.

I use a rock. We have lots of them.
The fine dead twigs closest to the main stems of big spruce trees are usually the driest. Those twigs have several resin ducts, loaded with very flammable hydrocarbons.
Just use one rock to bash the twigs over another rock will separate the wood fiber into a hair-like mass. That heats to ignition temperatures very easily.

 

[tombear]

Somewhere i have a large pencil sharpener made from magnesium ( not the blade of course) which you can scrape for tinder. I would have actually carried it more if i they had put some sort of loop on it so it could have been attached to some thing.

I've always liked using surforms for roughing out, less so since I got some course Permagrits, but I keep them to hand



I may fold a bit of sandpaper to go inside with the fat wood for finishing small carved jobs.

ATB

Tom