Making Amadou

[addo]

Just made up a fresh batch for general use and demonstrations, so I thought I'd do a write up of the process in the blog if you fancy a look. Nothing new really, but nice to find the time to make some for a change.

http://woodsmancrafts.blogspot.com/2011/10/making-amadou.html

http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad353/Addo_bucket/Amadou/100_3529.jpg

Addo :)

[Man of Tanith]

brilliant and well timed for me
thanks muchly

[Stringmaker]

Would you echo the sentiment expressed by Toddy that the best time to strip off the outer layers is when you harvest the fungus?

I have one at home which is dry and it's like concrete!

[addo]

Yeah, its slightly softer when fresh, and Ganoderma sps are thinner on the outer layer too.
The trick though, is to cut under the outer layer and sacrifice some of the trauma layer (the Amadou part) It's very easy then regardless of age.

[pauljm116]

Just wondered if horses hoof fungus can be used without making amadou? Im sure Ive seen uncle ray light a fire just using the trama layer and Ive read somewhere that if you get the trama layer, dry it and fluff it up with a knife you can get it to take a spark. Anyone tried it?

[Stringmaker]

Just wondered if horses hoof fungus can be used without making amadou? Im sure Ive seen uncle ray light a fire just using the trama layer and Ive read somewhere that if you get the trama layer, dry it and fluff it up with a knife you can get it to take a spark. Anyone tried it?

You can definitely do it that way.

Check out www.paulkirtley.co.uk

There is a good article there to do it as you mention.

[pauljm116]

You can definitely do it that way.

Check out www.paulkirtley.co.uk

There is a good article there to do it as you mention.

Thanks stringmaker, that looks like a much easier option.

[addo]

Just wondered if horses hoof fungus can be used without making amadou? Im sure Ive seen uncle ray light a fire just using the trama layer and Ive read somewhere that if you get the trama layer, dry it and fluff it up with a knife you can get it to take a spark. Anyone tried it?

It can be done but its much harder to get it to take a spark from traditional flint and steel. Fireflash works better.

Thing is the boiling and drying increases the amount it fluffs up when scrapped and the addition of ash increases its chances of taking a cool spark. The hardest bit is to cut it up from the original bracket after that just leave it to do its thing in the solution. You could leave out the flattening and masaging process, but your fluffed up fibers from larger peices will want to go all over the place when used on the flint.

You could make a pile of fibres on the ground and fire down sparks but this is less acurate and slower. Again maximising your chances especially with this method is in your interest, if you want it to be easy.

End of the day though give it a go and see what works for you :)

[redneck]

like it.....

[pauljm116]

It can be done but its much harder to get it to take a spark from traditional flint and steel. Fireflash works better.

Thing is the boiling and drying increases the amount it fluffs up when scrapped and the addition of ash increases its chances of taking a cool spark. The hardest bit is to cut it up from the original bracket after that just leave it to do its thing in the solution. You could leave out the flattening and masaging process, but your fluffed up fibers from larger peices will want to go all over the place when used on the flint.

You could make a pile of fibres on the ground and fire down sparks but this is less acurate and slower. Again maximising your chances especially with this method is in your interest, if you want it to be easy.

End of the day though give it a go and see what works for you :)

Will get some, dry it out and give it a try with flint and steel and ferro rod and see if I can get it lit.