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Thread: Firesteels - What Tinder?

  1. #11
    Tribesman paul standley's Avatar
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    If you don't mind using non-natural tinders then this might interest you...

    Last week I purchase some great hand sanitiser gel that is very high in alcohol and the actual gel takes a spark easy and burns hot on it's own with a blue flame and would make a great tinder material or even an emergency fuel source. Should work well as a fuel in an esbit type stove, open top alchohol can stoves etc or even a hollow in a stone, piece of tin foil etc.

    I've used several different hand sanitiser gel's in the last year and non of them were any good as tinder/fuel but this stuff is very good.

    I bought it from the UK store chain called B&M, (Cheap shop a bit like poundstretcher) they have it as a twin pack (2 x 60ml bottles) for 89 pence. The bottles are a perfect size and curved slightly like a hip flask so ideal for stowing in stoves, caddies, tinder boxes etc.

    I found it in the aisle with the liquid soaps. I went back today and bought some more...!
    Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's ALL small stuff...!

  2. #12
    Only ever use birch bark,it's never let me down and is easy to find.

  3. #13
    NaturalBushcraft Founder Ashley Cawley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chris grace View Post
    Only ever use birch bark,it's never let me down and is easy to find.
    Tis good stuff, but not easy to find down here in Cornwall.
    Ashley Cawley

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  4. #14
    It's all over South Wales,much like a rash.

  5. #15
    Natural Born Bushcrafter luresalive's Avatar
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    I use flax more than anything else, but use birch bark quite often too

  6. #16
    Natural Born Bushcrafter MikeWilkinson's Avatar
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    Ashley, I believe Bishops wood near Idless has a fair few birches growing it, like wise Trenant wood on the south coast, It is odd that there is not much about, due to the bog and moorland and the little bit of height, I would have expected there to be a lot more.

    In fact looking through a few ecology sites and woodland sites, Dartmoor use to be covered with the stuff, hence Birch Tor. You should find smaller woodlands with birch in adundance ith the little valley stands and on the higher/wetter edges of ancient woodlands.
    [SIZE=4][COLOR=#8b4513]Wake me up when things are over, and I'm Wiser and older.

  7. #17
    I know it's not very bushcraft, in the purest sense, but the fluff out of your tumble dryer filter is excellent free tinder if you go prepared. Might as well make a use for it eh? It can be squished into some vaseline/petroleum jelly which makes it burn longer and more damp resistant, but infnitely more messy.

    And on the same theme. You can make similar fluff in the field by scraping your socks, fleece, shirt, hat, etc etc with your knife.... If you really have too.... Not recommended as a routine solution for obvious reasons, but you know.
    Last edited by Iamnoone; 22-12-2010 at 04:18 PM. Reason: Spelling

  8. #18
    I try different things when I'm out, more than most times it's feather sticks, there aren't many birch near me so don't use it hardly at all. Have tried cattail though burns up too fast on it's own but used in conduction with dead bindweed it works a treat and if the bundle is tied into a couple of good feather sticks you have a 3 stage tinder bundle ready to go!

  9. #19
    Tribal Elder Fletching's Avatar
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    I still use them too.
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  10. #20
    NaturalBushcraft Founder Ashley Cawley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iamnoone View Post
    I know it's not very bushcraft, in the purest sense, but the fluff out of your tumble dryer filter is excellent free tinder if you go prepared. Might as well make a use for it eh? It can be squished into some vaseline/petroleum jelly which makes it burn longer and more damp resistant, but infnitely more messy.
    Good idea bud, makes use of a waste-product too

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