Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Mike_H on February 12, 2014, 10:08:31 pm

Title: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mike_H on February 12, 2014, 10:08:31 pm

Innards of a gourd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YlioTqwA1A

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mohawk13 on February 12, 2014, 11:56:59 pm

Very good information. His steel was throwing some great sparks.

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mike_H on February 13, 2014, 08:12:38 am

Quote from: Mohawk13 on February 12, 2014, 11:56:59 pm

Very good information. His steel was throwing some great sparks.

hehe that's me in the video.  And not the best striker I got, but it works.

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Buffalogobbler on February 13, 2014, 09:42:53 am

Good info Mike, Thanks!
I grow gourds myself and I always start my fires with flint and steel.Never thought to use the gourd innards in place of char clouth.

Kevin

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mike_H on February 13, 2014, 02:31:20 pm

No problem, Kevin.  A thread on no char flint and steel over at paleoplanet got me thinking and I experimented.

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mallorn on February 18, 2014, 12:14:30 pm

Thanks for sharing Mike!  I just tried flint and steel myself recently, and it is nice to hear of alternatives to char cloth. It isn't hard to make but it is more effort than using all of that stuff you scrape out of gourds for sure.

Title: Re: No char flint and steel
Post by: Mike_H on February 18, 2014, 08:40:40 pm

Yeah, char cloth is pretty annoying, especially when you have to make quite a few fires.  My preference is actually charred punk wood.  Easy to get and easy to char.  I just stick it in the fire, blow it out and toss it in my tin and snuff it out.  Works well.