Woods Walker
The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
I posted this in a non flashlight related forum but in someways the flashlight was really the star of the show. So will post it here.
One of the downsides of many primitive/marginal firecraft methodologies is the need to blow a coal into flames. Modern means does this heavy lifting for us. Just flick a Bic or strike a match. Bingo instant flames though that's no guarantee of a sustained fire. There are many ways to get a coal. Fire by magnification, Flint and Steel, ferro rod, transportation via another established fire etc etc etc. But very often it takes a tinder bundle to turn that coal into flames, kindling to catch those flames then larger fuel to sustain the fire. So it's clear that every part of the process is equally important. Even if some steps can be replaced with modern means failure is still a real possibility. I am no expert but failed enough in the past to know what can go wrong. A blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. My primary goal was to turn a coal into flames without the traditional tinder bundle. Tinder bundles often consist of materials which are fluffed up to resemble a bird nest. What if dry cedar bark or other suitable tinder bundle materials can't be found?
Dang it was cold and getting more so. Forcasted to be yet another subzero F night. Seems that's all the rage these days. I like taking time to observe my environment in an attempt to overcome a natural tendency to screw up.
The snow is deep.
River mostly frozen over and undercut.
Those factors tell me odds are I might not so easily distinguish the river bank from actual water. Best to keep clear of that.
Leaves off the ground. I am going to need them.
Deer. I see this group around dusk at least twice sometimes more during my conditioning hikes in this area. They keep circling back only to run into me again and again. Each time acting like I was from mars.
I am going to need this chunk of bark with dead under layer.
The star of the show. Hemlock punkwood. I will take a BIG piece.
About 1/2 mile away look who crossed the river bumping into me again. One watches as the rest retreat. I wonder if they understand it's not hunting season or just how slow I am in comparison?
This skills practice called for a coal. There are many ways to get one but I am going to do it via bowdrill. The method isn't important as the goal is to get flames without a traditional tinder bundle. Maybe next time I will use a coal from charred natural materials?
Burn-in and V-groove cut. I will put a leaf between the fireboard and bark to transfer the coal. I didn't really need the dry leaves but somehow it just felt like the right thing to do.
I intentionally foraged the biggest, driest punkwood I could find during this hike.
Then removed what I determined to be the best from the chunk putting it aside.
Keeping the snow off my set was a pain. I should have removed a boot but it was just too cold. My hands were starting to freeze up. This small coal was nearly extinguished before taking hold.
The little coal was given a first class trip to the large chunk of punkwood. The prime pieces removed earlier were sprinkled on the coal. With coal extenders I think there is a fine balance between smothering the ember and enlarging it.
Normally the coal extenders would help facilitate the ignition of a tinder bundle. This time they are the tinder bundle. A few puffs of air later we have fire.
Once ignited the entire larger chuck became one large coal extender. I find though punkwood can be blown into flames that fire generally will not sustain itself. Like any other method the flames must be caught by other tinder, kindling then progressively larger fuel. However unlike a normal tinder bundle it will keep on bursting into flames for many times not just a few or only one if more oxygen is supplied. It does so with a great deal of heat.
This isn't the end to this story. Packed everything up, drank some water then put the micro spikes on.
Not sure how long all of that took but the purpose of the larger chunk of punkwood is apparent. I think it's probably best to collect enough materials to start a fire several times over then sustain it longer than what's perceived as needed but it's not a prefect world. I have messed up the detail before and guessing not alone in this. The large smoldering chunk of punkwood is not only easily moved but might allow someone time to recoup from a failed attempt. Still smoldering before heading out.
Guessing tracks from the same deer.
I believed this adventure was over but nope. As stated it was cold. I used this headlamp a few days ago inside the house putting in a new alkaline battery with the intention of replacement with a LSD NiMH. Also planned on packing some Lithium primaries in case of failure because of the cold. I did none of the above. It wasn't long before the headlamp faded. My PSK does have a 1xCR123 flashlight.
4/7s Quark QPLC flashlight is crazy bright. If someone told me 20 years ago that one day flashlights this small would be this bright I wouldn't have believed it.
Looks like one hiking pole goes into the pack because I needed the free hand for the flashlight.
This brings up another matter. What to do? It's only 1.5 miles to the truck but I was down one headlamp on a moonless subzero night. Got two trails back, one along the river the other higher up. I remembered the deep snow and ice which obscured the banks of the river. Worse still the ice was undercut. How hard would it be to accidentally walk out on the river then fall though possibly getting swept under or at the very least a good drenching? Add in my natural goofy goober nature the decision for the higher path was easy.
That's all for this outing. Just some ramblings about firecraft and avoiding trouble. Thanks for looking.
One of the downsides of many primitive/marginal firecraft methodologies is the need to blow a coal into flames. Modern means does this heavy lifting for us. Just flick a Bic or strike a match. Bingo instant flames though that's no guarantee of a sustained fire. There are many ways to get a coal. Fire by magnification, Flint and Steel, ferro rod, transportation via another established fire etc etc etc. But very often it takes a tinder bundle to turn that coal into flames, kindling to catch those flames then larger fuel to sustain the fire. So it's clear that every part of the process is equally important. Even if some steps can be replaced with modern means failure is still a real possibility. I am no expert but failed enough in the past to know what can go wrong. A blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. My primary goal was to turn a coal into flames without the traditional tinder bundle. Tinder bundles often consist of materials which are fluffed up to resemble a bird nest. What if dry cedar bark or other suitable tinder bundle materials can't be found?
Dang it was cold and getting more so. Forcasted to be yet another subzero F night. Seems that's all the rage these days. I like taking time to observe my environment in an attempt to overcome a natural tendency to screw up.
The snow is deep.
River mostly frozen over and undercut.
Those factors tell me odds are I might not so easily distinguish the river bank from actual water. Best to keep clear of that.
Leaves off the ground. I am going to need them.
Deer. I see this group around dusk at least twice sometimes more during my conditioning hikes in this area. They keep circling back only to run into me again and again. Each time acting like I was from mars.
I am going to need this chunk of bark with dead under layer.
The star of the show. Hemlock punkwood. I will take a BIG piece.
About 1/2 mile away look who crossed the river bumping into me again. One watches as the rest retreat. I wonder if they understand it's not hunting season or just how slow I am in comparison?
This skills practice called for a coal. There are many ways to get one but I am going to do it via bowdrill. The method isn't important as the goal is to get flames without a traditional tinder bundle. Maybe next time I will use a coal from charred natural materials?
Burn-in and V-groove cut. I will put a leaf between the fireboard and bark to transfer the coal. I didn't really need the dry leaves but somehow it just felt like the right thing to do.
I intentionally foraged the biggest, driest punkwood I could find during this hike.
Then removed what I determined to be the best from the chunk putting it aside.
Keeping the snow off my set was a pain. I should have removed a boot but it was just too cold. My hands were starting to freeze up. This small coal was nearly extinguished before taking hold.
The little coal was given a first class trip to the large chunk of punkwood. The prime pieces removed earlier were sprinkled on the coal. With coal extenders I think there is a fine balance between smothering the ember and enlarging it.
Normally the coal extenders would help facilitate the ignition of a tinder bundle. This time they are the tinder bundle. A few puffs of air later we have fire.
Once ignited the entire larger chuck became one large coal extender. I find though punkwood can be blown into flames that fire generally will not sustain itself. Like any other method the flames must be caught by other tinder, kindling then progressively larger fuel. However unlike a normal tinder bundle it will keep on bursting into flames for many times not just a few or only one if more oxygen is supplied. It does so with a great deal of heat.
This isn't the end to this story. Packed everything up, drank some water then put the micro spikes on.
Not sure how long all of that took but the purpose of the larger chunk of punkwood is apparent. I think it's probably best to collect enough materials to start a fire several times over then sustain it longer than what's perceived as needed but it's not a prefect world. I have messed up the detail before and guessing not alone in this. The large smoldering chunk of punkwood is not only easily moved but might allow someone time to recoup from a failed attempt. Still smoldering before heading out.
Guessing tracks from the same deer.
I believed this adventure was over but nope. As stated it was cold. I used this headlamp a few days ago inside the house putting in a new alkaline battery with the intention of replacement with a LSD NiMH. Also planned on packing some Lithium primaries in case of failure because of the cold. I did none of the above. It wasn't long before the headlamp faded. My PSK does have a 1xCR123 flashlight.
4/7s Quark QPLC flashlight is crazy bright. If someone told me 20 years ago that one day flashlights this small would be this bright I wouldn't have believed it.
Looks like one hiking pole goes into the pack because I needed the free hand for the flashlight.
This brings up another matter. What to do? It's only 1.5 miles to the truck but I was down one headlamp on a moonless subzero night. Got two trails back, one along the river the other higher up. I remembered the deep snow and ice which obscured the banks of the river. Worse still the ice was undercut. How hard would it be to accidentally walk out on the river then fall though possibly getting swept under or at the very least a good drenching? Add in my natural goofy goober nature the decision for the higher path was easy.
That's all for this outing. Just some ramblings about firecraft and avoiding trouble. Thanks for looking.
I will check that site out along with some of those manuals. Maybe on my next trip I can try to start a fire in a similar manner to the way it was done here (of course I will bring along some matches in case though, haha).
