Tumble dryer fluff

[Faz]

Sadly, I have been collecting the fluff from the tumble dryer for several months. Cue widespread laughter from family, however, I am finding that it makes great fire lighting material.

Anyone else got ideas for more weird stuff I can get from the house/garage/shed to use outdoor?

 

[kiltedpict]

Not so much weird, but strips of old inner tube make good wet-weather fire lighters.

Oh, I also collect the tumble drier fluff!

 

[rik_uk3]

Tumble drier fluff collection is a little.....strange, hence the family ridicule (and yes, it is a sad pastime), petrol is a better fire starter but contravenes many current health and safety regulations in this role so what is a bushcrafter to do?

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I had a stunning collection of dryer fluff till the Mrs decided to go in the garage and threw it all away.
She still doesnt understand me.

 

[bilmo-p5]

...petrol is a better fire starter but contravenes many current health and safety regulations in this role so what is a bushcrafter to do?

Daily Telegraph (especially Saturday's); loadsa tinder and a good crossword.

 

[Faz]

I had a stunning collection of dryer fluff till the Mrs decided to go in the garage and threw it all away.
She still doesnt understand me.

Must find padlock to fit bag for life to protect fluff stash.

 

[Gray]

Belly button fluff not that I'm a collector you understand :yelrotflm

 

[Prawnster]

I've never really understood the idea behind using tumble dryer fluff or any man made tinder for that matter. If you're going to practice with that kind of stuff you may as well use a match. Much better to try and use naturally occurring tinder if you can. It's not as if you are going to come across some tumble dryer fluff when you need a fire is it?
I'm no bushcraft purist, I don't bother with friction fire lighting techniques and I'm happy to use matches when a ferro rod is too much trouble. Inner tubes are different as I see them more as an emergency fire starter rather than tinder.
Maybe it's just me but if I'm lighting a fire with a spark then it would not be as satisfying using something artificial like dryer fluff. At least a match isn't silly



Sent from my phone.

 

[Samon]

I also use a match/lighter

but! I found grating egg boxes with the spikey zester side, it goes really fluffy and fiberous and takes a spark really well!

 

[georann]

I've never really understood the idea behind using tumble dryer fluff or any man made tinder for that matter. If you're going to practice with that kind of stuff you may as well use a match. Much better to try and use naturally occurring tinder if you can. It's not as if you are going to come across some tumble dryer fluff when you need a fire is it?

You can often collect enough of a similar material by pulling off the little bits of fluff that collect in the bottom of your trouser pockets for example, so not too unlikely.

 

[Prawnster]

You can often collect enough of a similar material by pulling off the little bits of fluff that collect in the bottom of your trouser pockets for example, so not too unlikely.

Similar but not really the same. In a pinch I would use pocket lint to take a spark but that isn't the same as the premeditated storage of dryer fluff. My point is that a person with a mind to start a fire in the wild should really give some thought to a more reliable method of getting a spark to flame. We may as well pop a few paraffin bbq firelighter blocks in our packs if we're going to use modern materials to start fires. What's the difference?


Sent from my phone.

 

[Stringmaker]

If you happen to have a cat with a scratching post, the shredded string makes very good light tinder too. It's nowhere near as good as jute twine but it is very good to get something going.

Old toilet rolls filled with this and shredded egg boxes are great synthetic tinder too.

 

[Faz]

All good ideas. I didn't say using the fluff was my only way of lighting fires, just that I had been collecting it for several months and have found that it works well.

 

[Prawnster]

All good ideas. I didn't say using the fluff was my only way of lighting fires, just that I had been collecting it for several months and have found that it works well.

Peter forgive me I've not made my point very well at all. I'm not singling you out for your methods of firefighting. I like lighting fires as much as any pyromaniac and would be interested in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways to burn stuff Nor am I saying dryer fluff is not good tinder, it plainly is.

My point is (and this is not addressed to you specifically but rather the forum on the general subject of man made fluff) what does it have to do with the 'Bush' part of Bushcraft?

Would you not agree that if we are going to take a byproduct from a modern household appliance into the woods to light fires then why don't we just bring a match?

Instead of collecting dryer fluff over a period of months we could be collecting natural tinder over the same period and storing it at home, all the while learning which types of tinder are available at what time of year and which are most effective. Isn't that what bushcraft is supposed to be about?

Like I say, I'm no purist but it just seems to me that dryer fluff is kind of missing the whole point.


Sent from my phone.

 

[mountainm]

Peter forgive me I've not made my point very well at all. I'm not singling you out for your methods of firefighting. I like lighting fires as much as any pyromaniac and would be interested in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways to burn stuff Nor am I saying dryer fluff is not good tinder, it plainly is.

My point is (and this is not addressed to you specifically but rather the forum on the general subject of man made fluff) what does it have to do with the 'Bush' part of Bushcraft?

Would you not agree that if we are going to take a byproduct from a modern household appliance into the woods to light fires then why don't we just bring a match?

Instead of collecting dryer fluff over a period of months we could be collecting natural tinder over the same period and storing it at home, all the while learning which types of tinder are available at what time of year and which are most effective. Isn't that what bushcraft is supposed to be about?

Like I say, I'm no purist but it just seems to me that dryer fluff is kind of missing the whole point.


Sent from my phone.

I agree. I've made the same point about charcloth before.

 

[resnikov]

It does allow you to practise easily getting a fire going from a spark when you dont have any access to natural tinder or are insure of what to use for natural tinder. So when you do have access to natural tinder getting a fire going should be second nature as you have practised with the manmade tinder.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Does the fluff that grows on my chin come with in the man made or natural catogory ?

 

[Gray]

I agree. I've made the same point about charcloth before.

i think char cloth is ok if you make it in the woods using the fire that you lit naturally. This is one of those differences between B/craft and survival, in a survival situation you may already be carrying a survival kit with what i call false tinder inside, man made tinder. Bushcraft...you wouldn't. Just my opinion

 

[mountainm]

i think char cloth is ok if you make it in the woods using the fire that you lit naturally. This is one of those differences between B/craft and survival, in a survival situation you may already be carrying a survival kit with what i call false tinder inside, man made tinder. Bushcraft...you wouldn't. Just my opinion

But you still have to carry the tin and cloth in and light a fire to make the cloth - don't get me wrong I make it myself and use it. But nowadays most of the time I use part burnt cotton wool balls as they do the job just as well and are just as man made but quicker to produce. If I wanted to be completely natural then I use downy seeds and birchbark. If I want a cup of tea quick a lighter and meths.

 

[ol smokey]

I tend tomake char cloth and am chuffed when I get a fire going with flint and steel, but to be perfectly honest, I think that we are really kidding ourselves about being Bushcrafters if we cannot get a fire going on a wet miserable day , with just the natural materials that we can pick up, when we are out in these conditions, with just a flint and steel, or a ferris rod and knife on our person. This is surely the test of a true Bushcrafter. I am not that sure that I am one yet, but there is still hope and something to aim for.