Fire skills

[Le-Loup]

Thank you both. It is good to be back in my forest home again, but it will be a while before I can go gadding about with a pack on my back!
Regards, Le Loup.

[Rhys ap Ieuan]

From another old-timer, I can say with authority that getting old just bites!

It is, however, better than the alternatives!

[Le-Loup]

It is good to know that you can make fire with a fire-bow, but it is much easier using flint, steel and tinderbox. If you have watched my videos you will know that plant tinders are charred directly in the fire, and then extinguished/smothered in the tinderbox. In the same manner one uses the tinderbox to make fire, then the lid is closed and the same tinder is ready for use another time.
You do not have to char the material right through, one side is sufficient.

Here you can see some bracket fungus (Ryvardenia Cretacius) and some punk wood charred in my tinderbox. Not all plant tinders need to be charred. I think you have chaga in the states which I am told does not require charring, but punk wood does.

Same tinder turned over so you can see the underneath is not charred. You can add uncharred tinder to the tinderbox as room becomes available, and it will char with use.

This is my greased leather fire bag. In this bag I carry a little kindling dry grass, a candle stub for using if I have damp kindling, and my tinderbox. The top rolls down keeping water out if it is submerged, which has happened!

This is my belt bag. In this I carry my fire bag, a brass sundial compass, and my brass fishing tackle tin. My fire steel is tied off to the bag's buckle so it cannot be lost.