View Full Version : Fomes Fomentarius Tinder Production
PatrickM
15-09-2005, 10:11
There are a few ways of manufacturing tinder (amadou) from the Fomes Fomentarius this is but one. Many would-be alchemists will add in all sorts of things, urine, saltpetre etc try this yourself as it's all about experimentation.
You will find this hoof fungi growing on birch.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/Tinder1.jpg
Once gathered you need to strip out the layer between the outer case and the woody pores, the remains can be added to the fire so as not to waste it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder2.jpg
Add in some hardwood ash and boil up for around 24 hours on the camp fire. You then can get on with other projects.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder3.jpg
This is what you will end up with.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder4.jpg
Place on log and flatten with wooden baton.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder5.jpg
Flattened out trama layer.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder6.jpg
It will then resemble slithers of jerky beef. Leave to dry.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder7.jpg
Once dry it resembles chamois leather.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder8.jpg
Fluff up surface with flint.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder9.jpg
Strike with steel in a downward direction with the tinder on top of the flint.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder10.jpg
You now have a smouldering ember for the production of fire.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/diabolik/tinder11.jpg
outdoorcode
15-09-2005, 10:25
great tutorial, with good pics too. I might give this a try as I have some Fomes to play with.
Excellent, Patrick, and thank you. That is exactly what was needed.
lardbloke
15-09-2005, 11:08
Fantastic set of piccz and a great help all round,
many thanks my frieind, I shall go and set forth my attempt.......
jdlenton
15-09-2005, 11:56
he's gone and done it again another great post :cool: , nice tutorial Patrick thank you:)
James
BorderReiver
15-09-2005, 12:02
Wonderful stuff.Thankyou. :)
happy camper
15-09-2005, 12:40
great post :)
just wanted to clarify...do you keep it on the boil for 24 hrs?
also, where did you get your flint and steel? the only flint i've managed to find in scotland, so far, are tiny bits in gravel driveways.
nicley done Patrick :D ;)
Now, you see, I tried this before, but I didn't put wood ash into the water. How much do you put in? The stuff I made will not take a spark from a flint and steel, but the fire stick gets it going.
I've seen loads of FF around here aswell, so I may go and collect one or two specimens for my next trip out.
Cheers for the tutorial!
Fire Starter
22-09-2005, 23:00
Patrick thanks, thats great....I'll be giving this a try!
Would charring it work as well? Would be a lot quicker.
Recently checked out a shelf fungus growing on a poplar. Looked a bit like this one.
http://www.sfu.ca/halk-ethnobiology/graphics/plants/big_bracketfungus.jpg
Between the upper dry surface and the vertical pores underneath was a layer of firm material. When I stripped it out and bashed it a bit it became rather like felt. Seemed to me that it was rather like the layer in fomes fomentarius. It would also keep a smoulder going and would light directly from a ferro rod spark.
Is this layer common to all shelf fungi that are polypores? Can you make amadou from others as well as fomes?
What a great tutorial.
I have tried this from one of my ray mears books but unfortunately i failed miserably. The problem was being able to get through the hard outer shell. Also i was under the impression that i needed to get the middle layer out whole. I nearly chipped my knife on the shell and even a small claw hammer just made small indentation even with frustrated death blows :D .
Could you tell me the best time of year to collect the fungus and the best tool ( you found ) for extraction of the middle layer please?
Can't wait to see your collected works :)
Best
ian
Hi Bilko.
The big FF are a bugger to get separated. The last one I opened up I used a combination of knife, laplander and a judiciously applied SFA. It took about an hour to strip out a 9-inch diameter fungus.
Don't laugh, this works. I use these fungi quite often for dye so I cut up lots of them. Use a potato peeler to remove the *crisp* outer skin, and then a small sharp knife to pick out the grooves. The inner core removes easiest if you slice it finely from the edge that was attached to the tree. These thin slices catch and hold an ember really well too. When you have taken out most of the centre the fungi will spread out almost flat to let you slice off the rest of the fibrous grain-like inner material. This will eventually leave you the inner layer, the stuff that's used as amadou. If you find really young F.f. the centre is soft and works as amadou just as it is.
Basically, take thin slices, don't try to break it up by main force.
Cheers,
Toddy
Thanks Marts and Toddy.
I seem to remember reading about the potatoe peeler somewhere else.
Next time i'm in Knole park i'll get some more fungus i think.
Fenlander
30-01-2006, 20:46
"Add in some hardwood ash and boil up for around 24 hours on the camp fire. You then can get on with other projects."
I've just been processing some fomes fomentarius, and although not very traditional....I used my slow cooker for the above process. It has worked incredibly well :D So if you don't have 24 hours to spare boiling it up over a camp fire, give it a try :)
"Add in some hardwood ash and boil up for around 24 hours on the camp fire. You then can get on with other projects."
I've just been processing some fomes fomentarius, and although not very traditional....I used my slow cooker for the above process. It has worked incredibly well :D So if you don't have 24 hours to spare boiling it up over a camp fire, give it a try :)
Excellent: :D I've been swithering about using the pressure cooker to speed up the dye extraction, I hadn't considered the results on the amadou :rolleyes:
Cheers,
Toddy
Laurence Dell
30-01-2006, 21:40
Thanks Marts and Toddy.
I seem to remember reading about the potatoe peeler somewhere else.
Next time i'm in Knole park i'll get some more fungus i think.
I was in Knole Park today deadwoding oak trees for the NT great site just a shame the high visitor numbers spoil it a bit. The Fallow deer are so tame they come right upto you and they didn't even run very far when we started up chainsaws.
I have got half of a very large Fomes to turn into Amadou when I get round to it, sounds like it is going to be a bit of a task.:(
Longstrider
30-01-2006, 22:05
Surely not too much of a task for a man with the tools to deadwood oaks? ;) Careful application of raw power can work wonders with stubborn problems you know...
Either that or break out the potato peeler like Toddy says. :)
I know... I'll keep repeating the mantra until I remeber...
Stihl and McCulloch do not make traditional bushcraft tools.
Stihl and McCulloch do not make traditional bushcraft tools.
Stihl and McCulloch do not make traditional bushcraft tools....
I was in Knole Park today deadwoding oak trees for the NT great site just a shame the high visitor numbers spoil it a bit. The Fallow deer are so tame they come right upto you and they didn't even run very far when we started up chainsaws.
I have got half of a very large Fomes to turn into Amadou when I get round to it, sounds like it is going to be a bit of a task.:(
Make life easy (ier :rolleyes: ) cut it up while it's fresh, 'cos it's a bit of a bu88er when it's dried hard. You don't need to do the boiling, etc., just now, but get it apart while it's still moist.
Sounds like a good day's work.
Cheers,
Toddy
I don't mean to put down what many people have suggested, but I have extracted quite a bit of F. Fomet. and so long as you do what Toddy suggests (i.e. extract it while fresh) I have always been able to use it without any kind of additional treatment, just ruffing it up with the edge of a blade once it's dry has always been quite enough for me to take a spark from a firesteel. In fact using one of Jason01's viking steels and flint still works with a bit more patience. (Big hand BTW for Jason's steels which are awesome)
Don't know whether this is a case of 'folklore' on preperation methods or what, but I've always found it doesn't need anything else.
One last point - if you don't do what Toddy suggests you will have a hell of a time - I kept one 12 inch specimin for a year in the shed. When I tried to cut it open I hadn't a chance in hell - it was tougher than concrete. I ended up putting it in my chimenea, where it burned merrily for hours.
Laurence Dell
30-01-2006, 22:40
Looks like I could be attacking it with a chainsaw then:lmao: it was already quite an old and mature specimen when I found it attached to a tree that we were felling.:headbang: :red:
No Lawrence that shouldn't matter. The fungus would still be alive if the tree was viable. It should continue sucking the nutrients it needs right up until you killed the tree. That being said - the older the F.F. the harder its outer shell will be as it's an annual growth fungus (i.e. it can live and grow for years)
Looks like I could be attacking it with a chainsaw then:lmao: it was already quite an old and mature specimen when I found it attached to a tree that we were felling.:headbang: :red:
If it's straight off the tree you can slice it up with a pocket knife, if you let it dry you'll wish you *had* taken the chainsaw to it! ;) :D Age/size doesn't matter once the fungus is past the baby stage. Did you notice if it was shedding spores, down you way already? They aren't, yet, up here.
Thanks for the info Marts, I've got some to take along this weekend and we might have a play.
Cheers,
Toddy
another top class how-to patric, Thanks!! :D
No worries Toddy - I have my fungi jedi master to blame for this (read: local mycology professor). I bothered him so much about fomes F. that he carried out his own research on it. He now teaches his students that F.F. was a fungus used by primitive people and also by modern bushcrafters for fire lighting. He hadn't a clue about it before until I demonstrated it on a foray one day lighting my kelly kettle with Jason01's fire steel ;) . one-nil to the bushcrafters :)
Fenlander
31-01-2006, 21:10
Excellent: :D I've been swithering about using the pressure cooker to speed up the dye extraction, I hadn't considered the results on the amadou :rolleyes:
Cheers,
Toddy
I feel less guilty about using the slow cooker, knowing you'll be using a pressure cooker :lmao:
I don't mean to put down what many people have suggested, but I have extracted quite a bit of F. Fomet. and so long as you do what Toddy suggests (i.e. extract it while fresh) I have always been able to use it without any kind of additional treatment, just ruffing it up with the edge of a blade once it's dry has always been quite enough for me to take a spark from a firesteel. In fact using one of Jason01's viking steels and flint still works with a bit more patience. (Big hand BTW for Jason's steels which are awesome)
Don't know whether this is a case of 'folklore' on preperation methods or what, but I've always found it doesn't need anything else.
One last point - if you don't do what Toddy suggests you will have a hell of a time - I kept one 12 inch specimin for a year in the shed. When I tried to cut it open I hadn't a chance in hell - it was tougher than concrete. I ended up putting it in my chimenea, where it burned merrily for hours.
Yep I agree with you Marts, no need to boil it up in urine and ash for days on end, Ive also managed to get unprocessed F/F to catch a spark with a flint and steel, surprisingly easily as it goes. I should say the F/F was somebody elses and it appeared to be a particularly large specimen but it was definately just dried out and fluffed up. I had less success with smaller specimens that I'd gathered myself, couldnt seem to get the cambium? to fluff up enough and of course theres less of it on the smaller ones.
Too Much Kit To Carry
28-11-2006, 19:34
I also posted this to the Christmas Moot thread: -
I have been kindly given some fomes fomentarius <thanks Fred> and was wondering if anybody would like me to bring one along to prepare at the Christmas Moot?
I've never had a go at this so it might be interesting!
Will need suitable vessel to boil it in though.
Phil.
jamesraykenney
06-08-2007, 21:30
Yep I agree with you Marts, no need to boil it up in urine and ash for days on end, Ive also managed to get unprocessed F/F to catch a spark with a flint and steel, surprisingly easily as it goes. I should say the F/F was somebody elses and it appeared to be a particularly large specimen but it was definately just dried out and fluffed up. I had less success with smaller specimens that I'd gathered myself, couldnt seem to get the cambium? to fluff up enough and of course theres less of it on the smaller ones.
I have only heard of using that method with 'False Tender Fungus'. That makes them work as well as the real stuff.
bearofbritain
24-04-2011, 17:06
Is there a right time to harvest the fungi?
I have tried this and its not worked out for me how I hoped.
I wonder if you can help?
Once I boiled it for 24hrs the fungi appeared spongy, as soon as i started to pound it, it just broke up into tiny pieces. Evidently I have not done something correct...?
Hello and welcome :)
Did you take out the fibrous stuff or did you boil the whole fungus ?
cheers,
Toddy
Is there a right time to harvest the fungi?
I have tried this and its not worked out for me how I hoped.
I wonder if you can help?
Once I boiled it for 24hrs the fungi appeared spongy, as soon as i started to pound it, it just broke up into tiny pieces. Evidently I have not done something correct...?
Dont boil the fungus just put it in hot water and ash solution and leave it over night ,take it out rinse and let it dry give it a gentle pounding if you want but it works without doing it at all
Oh and as toddy has all ready asked did you just use the outside layer ?you need to remove the fibrous stuff in the middle of the fungus
Jason
bearofbritain
26-04-2011, 15:04
Arr ok, I think this is where I went wrong, I stripped the outer case, and thats all.
So forgive me for asking a stupid question as the photos are excellent, however, (I evidently put the hole thing in), how thick is the fibrous layer, and is there a distinct difference between that and the rest of the fungus?
Thanks!
The Big Lebowski
26-04-2011, 18:07
This should help... You can see the 'trama' layer between the two pictures.
It may go a bit further bown below the white marked area , but its difficult to see from the image.
http://i53.tinypic.com/35hhaps.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/5wzgcj.jpg
Copy form web...
Amadou is made from the Horse’s Hoof Fungus, which has a fine, velvety layer resembling suede leather.
This suede-like trama layer is sandwiched between a tough nut-like, outer,
layer called the Cuticle and the pores, which are thousands of tiny tubes all packed together.
21st century pict
25-05-2011, 19:20
We got tons of horses hoof fungus here Birch country and all that but no flint and very little chert. Nice and clear tutorial Bravo.
kodiakjoe
25-05-2011, 20:19
Great illustrated tutorial and excelent collective advice - definitely going to give it a go. Thanks for posting :)