In this video, I show how to light a fire with tinder fungus, a ferrocerium rod and the spine of my knife.
Eastern Woodlands firecraft
Best tinder material in the wild
Over time I have experimented with various different tinder material while out in the wild. Most tinders in the wild can fit into 1 of three categories: inner/outer bark of trees, woody stalks/outer fibers, light fluffy material/seed heads. In the first category of inner and outer tree barks, in particular I like: cedar, willow, paper birch (perfect for cold and wet weather; good initial tinder), aspen, poplar, tulip poplar (hard to find this far north) and some pines. As far as wood stalks/outer fibers I like: milkweed, fireweed, thistle and stinging nettle. As far as light fluffy material/seed heads I have had luck using several different plants, such as cattail. To use cattail as a tinder, first gather it, tie the stems together and hang upside down and let air dry for 2-3 weeks for a “flash” tinder. My first successful bow drill fire was lit using cattail as tinder. Dried out goldenrod is another good tinder source. Not only is goldenrod a good tinder source, it has numerous medicinal uses. Another favorite tinder of mine is the white fluffy silk of milkweed. This is the real fine stuff that floats through the air and goes all over the place. Inside the milkweed pod, from where the white fluffy stuff comes from, you can find a light brown papery material which is the plants ovum. This too is also good for starting fires. There are of course numerous other tinder sources out there in the wild. So get out there and experiment. I hope to see you sometime in the wild. Come train with me at Arcturus Primitive Skills Institute.
Featherstick Material
When carving feathersticks for fire lighting, I have found that the best woods to use are similar to wood you would use for a bowdrill set. Like with a bow drill set, I have had good luck making feathersticks from cedar, willow and certain types of pine. I have been told that Sweet Chestnut, Sycamore and Ash also work very well for making feathersticks. Some bushcrafters have also claimed luck making feathersticks out of oak and maple, but in my experience, I tend to have better luck with softer wood. I would imagine that tulip poplar would work well for feathersticks; it certainly works well for bow drill sets, for making birds nests and for tinder. I have found that I am a little too far north for tulip poplar to grow, however, I swear I found a tulip poplar tree nearby a creek south of Whitehall, Michigan, which needless to say surprised me (maybe I’m wrong). So get out there, practice making feathersticks, and come see me sometime at Arcturus Primitive Skills Institute. Stay safe out there and I will see you in the wild.