Tinder Tube

Was showing a friend of mine the flint and steel when we were camping. Of course, the discussion went to char cloth and other char materials. I let him use the las of my char cloth to practice. Told him I normally would take a tinder tube with flint and steel. Couldn't show him since I lost my old one.

So after camp, I made him one. Made another to replace my lost one.

IMG_0230 by Hanzo posted Jul 20, 2017 at 17:14

Was trying to do everything myself, so sorry about the lack of pictures. I thought I caught every stage, but other than the first two, the rest of the pictures came out crap and I deleted them.

Caught a spark with the flint and steel really easily.

IMG_0231 by Hanzo posted Jul 20, 2017 at 17:14

The rest did not come out. You'll have to take my word it worked great.

Blew it into a big red cherry.
Stuck it into a tinder bundle.
Blew to flame.


Went back in the house to pull up pictures and was disappointed. One handed one person filming while fire making was a big fail for me. Sorry. Should have dragged the monkey out to record it. Just didn't feel good pulling her away from schoolwork for that.

Maybe I'll film HER catching a spark and getting flame later.

 

I know that as an eastern woodland indian method. Been considering converting over to it myself, if is highly effective. Good job.

 

Highly effective to me. And every time you use it, you make char for next time.

Even seen it made with cut off shell casings. Mine was aluminum this time. It was what I had on hand. The last one I made for my friend was brass.

Maybe in a future time, I will do a test where I submerge it and soak it and see if it works squeezed and shaken dry.

 

I really have to try that idea. Have used cotton balls, char cloth, etc, and often trying to start the fire gets me about as warm as the fire does. I don't think I have ever started a fire with only a couple of strikes. Thank all of you for the ideas.

 

One or two strikes usually does it. Try it with the char material on top of the flint vs trying to strike sparks down onto the char material. Much easier and faster with the on top method.

 

Totally. I always hold my charcloth in my left over my flint. 3x as many sparked go up as go down, in my experience.

 

This is really cool! I'm making one this evening, for sure.

 

Great idea, now for some brake line.

 

Was putting some kit together for my friend's son. He was playing around with tuna can stoves, so I gave him a spare Emberlit that I wasn't using. As we were talking about kit, found out he still needed some stuff. So since I had extra stuff left over from kitting out our 4H kids, I put some together for him too.

So he is getting a mess kit, a long hank of jute rope and a long hank of the cord I use to make tinder tubes. Was going to make him one, but since we moved, I cannot find my tube cutter. So I figure this way, he can make his own and he has enough material to make about 20 of them. He would be a big hit with his scout buddies if he makes for them.

My old one.

601B324A-15E2-4194-96DD-B049551A79EA by Hanzo posted Oct 4, 2018 at 13:47

The reason I am posting is that I bought a large supply of the cord for the tinder tubes. And I bought the larger diameter cord. about 3/8 inches unfluffled and probably over 1/2 inch fluffed up. Fits perfectly in a 1/2 inch tube. The smaller one if convenient and little. But this diamer will take the smallest spark, and more importantly, blow into a huge cherry like on the end of a cigar. Easy for lighting prepared tinder.

So if you want some of the cord, let me know and I can send you some while my supplies last. The one in the picture has not been used much, so it is still about what it started at. About a foot long. Half that is fine. But we live in America. Super size it!

 

Was also thinking of trying the cord soaked in bees wax. That might waterproof it and blow it into flame versus a coal. Will try when I figure out which of wifee's pots to double boil in. Or I can just use old cans, I suppose.

 

Old cans Hanzo, old cans. Knuckle bumps from Mrs. Hanzo would show up too well on your near bald noggin.

 

Was even think an easy alternative my be to shove a few fatwood slivers in the existing non-waxed cord.

 

excellent idea hanzo, going to set me up one, for sure.

 

Take pictures.

 

1st chance will do.

 

Plz do so we can ALL learn
Sloth

 

are you just using a cotton cording, aka welting or piping

Visit the Great Lakes Cordage Store

or

Braided White Cotton Rope