Post by: rickevans on September 13, 2011, 01:36:11 PM
In the mean time, I started unraveling a piece of 1/2" hemp rope for tinder. Let me tell you, it unraveled nicely and looked an awful lot like the hunk of flax tow I had in the fire kit. I found my striker (made in my coal forge from a star-drill bit) and tested my flint in preperation. Zoounds!! Good sparks from that striker!
Once the char tin had cooked I removed it from the fire to cool down. When it was cool to the touch, I opened it up and boy oh boy did things look good! Cloth was all blackened, not too fragile and not burned to a crisp. I took my kit and a new piece of this char cloth and struck steel to flint....
...only to be disappointed by the lack of sparks that the char would catch. If it did catch a spark, instead of an ember starting the chart to burn, it would just sort of burn away. Tried a couple different pieces with the same results.
Bummed by this turn of events, I turned to testing the tinder made from a hunk of hemp rope and picked up a piece of char from my old kit struck the steel to flint again, caught a spark ,caught the ember and folded it into the hemp fiber birds nest. Held it up a bit and blew some air into the nest. Lemme tell you, it looked good, lot's of hot reddness and plenty of smoke. Just. No. Flame. I like'd to pass out trying to get enough air into the nest to burst into a flame, but nothing doing. That hemp mess would just red-ember and refused to flame.
So...all in all not what I expected. But better to learn while in town instead of on the frontier.
Tell me what your favorite charcloth source is and which tinder is in your kit?
Post by: SAWMA on September 13, 2011, 01:44:15 PM
Post by: Riley/MN on September 13, 2011, 02:17:29 PM
Post by: Bigsmoke on September 13, 2011, 03:44:49 PM
On twine/rope, like Riley said, some have built in fire retardent. The rope that is greasy like will not burn with a propane torch encouraging it along.
Post by: greyhunter on September 13, 2011, 03:51:11 PM
Post by: rickevans on September 13, 2011, 04:12:30 PM
Post by: Buzzard on September 13, 2011, 09:42:05 PM
Post by: vthompson on September 13, 2011, 10:55:28 PM
I had never heard of them let alone see one work so I read up on them and watched some YOU -TUBE videos learning how to use them. I learned quite a bit about them and now I can get a glowing ember just about every time that I play with it now.
Post by: mario on September 13, 2011, 11:37:50 PM
For tinder, pretty much anything that is dry and "fibery". Grass, tow, hemp rope, etc.
Mario
PS- The fire piston IS 18th century (and earlier), but NOT used in North America, BTW.
Post by: vthompson on September 14, 2011, 07:29:21 PM
I have been playing with the one that my son brought to me to check out and it is really a neat tool. I have a glowing ember just about every time that I use it and it is a lot more dependable than the flint and steel. I am just stateing an observation and was just curious as to whether or not they could have been used in early America or possibly used as a trade item to the Native Americans.
Post by: mario on September 14, 2011, 07:40:08 PM
Quote from: "vthompson"
I found out that a patent was granted in England in 1807 and I don't think that it is to far fetched to think that the device or the technology made its way to America from Europe. I was just wondering if anyone has ever come across any documentation of them being used in America in the 1800's.
I am just stateing an observation and was just curious as to whether or not they could have been used in early America or possibly used as a trade item to the Native Americans.
It's been discussed on other boards and in my own research, the answer is no. Simply because an item was in use in Europe, Asia, etc does not automatically mean it was probably or likely used in NA.
As far as it being a trade item, a look at the hundreds of trade lists will tell you no.
Quote from: "vthompson"
I have a glowing ember just about every time that I use it and it is a lot more dependable than the flint and steel.
Is it more dependable because you not very good with the flint and steel yet?
Mario
Post by: Fort Greene Ville on September 14, 2011, 09:53:54 PM
Quote from: "Buzzard"
All types of natural fiber ropes have a rot resistant chemical in them, it needs to be washed first! Macrame cord works well even if not washed, but better when washed.
Just to add to Buzzard here, most all natural rope and cords today are treated with fire retardant.
Best to check before you buy!
FGV
Post by: Kermit on September 14, 2011, 10:24:11 PM
I cut the fabric (scraps, remnants, or thrift store stuff) in strips about an inch wide. You can even cut it into 1" squares--I do. I have a couple of old tea tins that look like little paint cans--tight fitting lids. Woodstain and such come in little cans like this. Save a couple, burn off the label and whatever is left inside. I stuff the cloth into the can pretty loosely, not packed in. But I fill it right up. There's a nail hole in the lid. I toss the can into the fireplace embers or a dying campfire. When "smoke" starts to make a steady jet coming from the hole, I make sure these gasses are lit to make a wee flame, sort of like what comes out of a carbide miner's light, if you've ever seen one. When the flame dies, all the gasses are driven off of the cloth. Take the can out of the fire and leave it til morning. DO NOT open it while it's hot.
Folks seem to buy largish flint chards to use with their steel. I seem to have a steady supply of used rifle flints. Small, convenient, free. Percussion shooters: befriend a flint shooter. I lay a square of char on top of the flint with the edges aligned. Then I strike the steel across the edge of the char and flint. I can almost always catch a spark on the first strike.
I use unspun linen fiber called "tow" for my tinder. I carry several tightly coiled "bird's nests" of tow, and fluff one up into a loose nest before I strike a spark. The glowing charcloth goes into the middle of the tinder and I hold it above my face and blow upwards into the tinder until it flashes into flame. When it does, I have a fire laid or a candle handy to catch the flame.
A trick I learned a bunch of years ago is to carry a "hair pipe" as part of my kit. Those are those long white bead-like things you can find on trader's row. They come in many lengths. I bought one that would fit in my fireworks container. I put that in my mouth before striking a spark and then use it as a blow tube to direct a jet of air into the tinder with the glowing char in the middle. It really helps keep the air where you need it and saves a lot of huffing and puffing. Next rhondy, get you one.
Just the way I do it. Works for me, and I'm getting too old to go experimenting to seek some minor improvement. Fire piston? Newfangled gadget. Never catch on. Parlor toy at best.
Post by: greyhunter on September 14, 2011, 10:56:08 PM
Post by: Riley/MN on September 14, 2011, 11:18:49 PM
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I didn't leave it there.[attachment=0:xo6lnp6g][/attachment]DSCN1454.JPG[/attachment:xo6lnp6g]
Post by: rickevans on September 15, 2011, 11:09:06 AM
i will wash my hemp rope and try again.
Post by: Riley/MN on September 15, 2011, 11:47:28 AM
Post by: greyhunter on September 15, 2011, 01:32:30 PM
Post by: No Rod on September 15, 2011, 08:08:39 PM
Quote from: "Riley/MN"
That is true tinder fungus. Once dry it should catch a spark just like char. Use small pieces, because it is hard to put out once it catches!
boy that's the truth! It works great.
Jon
Post by: Kermit on September 16, 2011, 09:06:02 PM
Or there could be a geezer looking to pay the medical insurance? Man, I'D do it if I lived where the stuff grows.
Post by: graybeard on December 23, 2011, 10:15:19 PM
Post by: pathfinder on December 24, 2011, 10:09:49 AM
Post by: Riley/MN on December 24, 2011, 10:52:25 AM