Using a pencil sharpener to make tinder?

[tombear]

Has anyone used a Pencil sharpener to make tinder? I was poking about the net looking for something else and I stumbled on a US site selling them for that perpose.

http://www.survivalresources.com/Products/Firestarter.html

its never occurred to me but I'll try it next time I'm out.

atb

Tom

 

[Biker]

Hey that's a pretty good idea! Got to get finer shavings than chipping them off a branch. Top tip! Thanks!

 

[bopdude]

Great idea, thanks for sharing.

 

[Ogri the trog]

An arrow taper cutter is a little larger and arguably of more uses when out-of-doors!
A good thing to carry especially if you find feathersticks difficult.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Jared]

KUM make magnesium pencil sharpeners http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Kum_Simple_Sharpeners.html £1 each, and made of magnesium.. though havent tried scraping some off as tinder.


There is also this thing, http://www.protoolindustries.net/products/mag-na-fire-fire-starter but its way overpriced imo and a pants whistle.

 

[Stringmaker]

I'd heard of that idea before but never actually done it.

I bet even with damp wood you'd get good fine shavings.

 

[Bumbler]

Pencil sharpener now in my "hi-tec" fire kit

 

[tombear]

Now I wonder if you can make pencil shaped maya or fat lighter sticks? Hammer a stick through a metal plate like when making pegs for a rake? That's me faffing again. We need to get a new taper cutter as the old ones missing from herselfs old archery kit (just went to nick it).

Atb

Tom

 

[Rod Paradise]

There is also this thing, http://www.protoolindustries.net/products/mag-na-fire-fire-starter but its way overpriced imo and a pants whistle.

Clever but ouch.....

 

[IanM]

Make sure you get the type with two holes, large and small, as the small hole is useless.

The best type are carpenter's pencil sharpeners from an iron monger or tool supplier.

 

[nuphoria]

I was thinking carpenters sharpener too, although I always use my knife to sharpen my carpentry pencils!

It does seem like an easy way to make a quick pile of tinder though.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Mang had that as a tip here from a post on ESCOUTS

THE BUSHCRAFT WOOD SHAVINGS MAKER
(secondary use as a pencil sharpener)

The best ideas are often the simplest.

 

[Miyagi]

I've been using one of the two hole sharpeners for a while now. Don't get the plastic ones, they smash easily.

When hands are cold its easier than making a feather stick.

Liam

 

[tombear]

Anyone know where you can get Beaver Brand carpenters pencil sharpeners in the UK?, it's the only all metal ones I've found on the interweb. I've a plastic job but if I can get a metal one it would be shinier....


i'll get my coat


Tom

 

[Miyagi]

Tom, check out stationery shops and supermarkets when the schools are due to go back. They usually stock loads of metal pencil sharpeners.

Liam

 

[tombear]

Oh I've plenty of normal sized metal sharpeners cheers, I just fancy a big chunky job like this one

http://www.thatwellknownhandyman.com.au/Beaver.html

i'm just a sad gear hound at heart,

 

[Nomad]

Now I wonder if you can make pencil shaped maya or fat lighter sticks? Hammer a stick through a metal plate like when making pegs for a rake? That's me faffing again. We need to get a new taper cutter as the old ones missing from herselfs old archery kit (just went to nick it).

There's a YouTube video somewhere of a guy that makes his own Maya dust using fatwood sticks held in a cordless drill - he pokes the stick into a pencil sharpener that has a plastic box shavings catcher bit on it. Fills the thing in a few seconds.

This one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLUZDyc8wLA

 

[calgarychef]

At the risk of sounding like a naysayer (again!) when does bushcraft turn into nothing more than camping with a bunch of gadgets to use? A knife works just fine for tinder.

 

[Kepis]

I've carried a pencil sharpener in my fire kit for a long while, i wrote a small entry on my blog back in 2011 on the very subject http://kepisbushcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/pencil-sharpener.html, it also works well for keeping the pencil i use to write in my notebook nice and sharp too

 

[Big Stu 12]

I've carried a pencil sharpener in my fire kit for a long while, i wrote a small entry on my blog back in 2011 on the very subject http://kepisbushcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/pencil-sharpener.html, it also works well for keeping the pencil i use to write in my notebook nice and sharp too

Same here........ well did not do the blog thing..