Natural tinder

[Adi007]

While out today I had a look around for natural tinder available and i was amazed as to how much I found ...
Silver Birch bark
Furry ivy bark
Old man's beard ... last years
Dry leaves
I stuffed a bit of each into my pockets and once I got home I lit the fire using these and a firesteel (no reason not to practice just coz I'm indoors!) and got a blaze going in the hearth in no time!
I always carry tinder with me but there seems to be plenty of the natural stuff, well, lying around and growing on trees!
Also, it's amazing to see spring on plants and trees ... signs of new growth abound. Trees still seem bare but closer inspection shows plenty of buds! :-D
The air might still be cold but spring is on the way folks!

[Tony]

My 5 year old has been out in the garden making small fires with birch bark and a firesteel, he's getting quite good at it now. We were out cooking some trout over the fire last week and he was practicing with some pampas grass, thistle down and dry leaves. He finds feather sticks hard to make so learning the tinders available is good for him at the moment.....Spring is definitely on it's way!

[Adi007]

So you've got a young one that appreciates firesteels too? :-D Feather sticks are a bit tricky for the little 'uns but doesn't stop mine trying with a Spyderco ladybug! She made some pretty good ones too!

[al]

when our 6 year old daughter lit her first fire with a steel after we had finished she started to watch tv and there was these anoying funky pretty "be like me" kids tv presenters on a survival course making a right balls of lighting a fire with a steel which pleased me no end ,i told her ,see it aint easy is it, as for tinders i went out the other day and was spoilt for choice,birch bark,clematis down and bark, cherry bark ,pine needles,leaves,an old fire dog (not mine) and in my bag some char cloth and fomes,like being in tinders r us,tony haw you finding that fomes? cheers al

[boaty]

So you've got a young one that appreciates firesteels too? :-D

Mine love 'em too - the littlest one (2 1/3) got her first spark from a firesteel last week!

[al]

nice one :-D

[Tony]

We're expecting a new one in May (baby!) I think that instead of giving him/her a finger to play with it will have to be a firesteel :rolmao: .......I wonder if that will work with teething? :rolmao:

[al]

congratulations tony :biggthump

[Adi007]

Nah ... sucking on a firesteel will corrode it ... I know!!! :-D


We're expecting a new one in May (baby!) I think that instead of giving him/her a finger to play with it will have to be a firesteel :rolmao: .......I wonder if that will work with teething? :rolmao:

[Tony]

:rolmao: