Experiments with fatwood

[Askdamice]

So... this is what I did....




Experiment A - I left the fatwood as I recieved it. (Roughly the size of thick magic marker.)

- These were easily lit with a flame but could not be lit with a ferrocium rod. Smelled great.


Experiment B - I split the fatwood into toothpic sized splinters.

- These pieces caught fire readily when exposed to flame (as expected) but were difficult to ignite with a ferrocium rod. (1 out of 10 strikes would generate a flame, 30 strikes total.) Smelled great.


Experiment C - I shaved the fatwood into fine, curly, paper-like pieces.

- The shavings caught fire quickly when exposed to flame (lots of sizzle) and ignited with almost every strike from a ferrocium rod. (8 out of 10 strikes would generate a flame, 20 strikes total.) Smelled great.


Experiment D - I Ground the fatwood to a fine pulp (twice as fine as pencil shavings)

- The pulp stayed moist with rezin which burned readily when exposed to flame (like napalm!) but failed to maintain a spark from a ferrocium rod... hmm... interesting. (6 out of 10 strikes generated a small ember but would very quickly die out, 30 strikes total.) Smelled great.

Conclusion...

If I were you, I'd do the fine paper shavings thing. I will be making up some tinder kits using shaved fatwood in old tobacco containers. Smells great.



I'd like to thank my friend and master sheath maker, Eric, from On/Scene Tactical (http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel) , for supplying me with the fatwood and containers. I would also like to thank my wife and kids, for remaining calm after the first fire alarm went off in the kitchen.


Rick

[JP]

Nice one buddy, its good to experiment with things learning by doing is the best way,:You_Rock_Emoticon: id tend to leave the fat wood or Maya sticks whole rather than shave it up we have stuff over here called maya dust comes in a little tin absolute rip off if you ask me as when its shaven fine and dusty it allows damp / water into the fibers making it impossible to light, if you put a fat wood stick in water then shavings the shavings will be sodden and difficult to light, if you take the stick out and shave some bits off then scrape off a good clump of fresh shavings it'll light easily with a ferro rod then you can cut small match stick size bits off and add them to your kindling to start your fire. I carry a couple of maya sticks in the bottom of my pack for emergencies if im away for a while as they are a pretty much waterproof easy way to light fires. Your right it does smell great eh :wink::biggrin: .
Try getting your self a couple of rubber tobacco pouches for your tinder too, keep one on you and the other in your pack and fill them full of handy firelighting stuff so its ready when you need it, birch bark,little bits of fat wood, a peice of hemp rope so you can fluff the fibers up and light it as a tinder bundle etc.....just something to think about sorry to ramble on bud lol :redface::wink: