Mora Firecraft. Charred materials.

Woods Walker

The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
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Jun 8, 2008
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New England woods.
For this episode of Mora Firecraft I will be employing flint and steel methodologies.The premise will be using one piece of charred cloth and a tin to start multiple fires. I will use nothing beyond a Mora #2, tin and single piece of charred cloth. Everything else must be foraged in the woods. Lets GO!!!


Cedar bark.....


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Tulip Poplar bark.


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Often areas of drainage and moving water are best to find rocks for flint and steel.


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This quartz looks ok.


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I ran into this just sitting on the ground. No obvious erosion so I guess that theory is shot. Not really as stuff just happens. I take multiple rocks as it's not consistent in terms of effectiveness.


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Yellow Birch bark.


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Punk wood.


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Processing the rocks.


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Here is all the stuff I found then processed. For those not familiar with natural char I brought some examples however will only use the tin on the right with the single piece of char cloth to start the initial fire. The tinder, hydrocarbon accelerate and rocks were all foraged that day as show above and in the video. From left to right. Charred cattail which can be finicky (pun intended). Charred punk wood which tends to be a winner. Charred Tulip Poplar bark which is good. I think cedar bark is overall better at just about everything but can find more Tulip Poplar. Lastly the charred cloth.


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I picked the Altoids container as that's often used for a small PSK and there isn't much firecraft stuff inside many of them. Char cloth is thin and flat so I think it's a good addition. Time to get the fire going. I am holding the knife in one hand that the rock with charcoth on top in the other.


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You can see sparks flying which ignited the charcloth.


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Fire. I will go into the tinder bundle later.


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This method is dangerous IMHO. I tend to keep my knives sharp. If forced to employ this method a nasty cut hand might complicate things. Just something to keep in mind.


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Time to char the natural material for the secondary fire. That is the intent. Get the intial fire then char materials for additional fires.


Cedar bark.


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Punk wood.


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Cooking on the twig stove till they both try stop smoking. The bark was done first so that was removed. I charred a total of 3 tins worth of material. I would do the same over kill if employing this method out of need. The work is already done so why not.


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With the charring done it was time for some bacon. OMG! My bacon is on fire!!!!!


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Next I used the twig fire methodology for the second fire. I used the charred cedar bark and punk wood as was out of charcloth. Had plenty of rocks left over. My tinder bundle material was getting low so mixed the cedar and tulip poplar bark.


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The tinder bundle was a mixture of everything. I wanedt a BIG target and have plenty of char.


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This time I used a safer method. Striking down.


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The actual small spark which was caught by charred punk wood.


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Ignited charred materials get very hot when air is blown on them. As there was a large amount and given the winds the tinder bundle almost instantly self ignited.


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Fire!!


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There is a nearly endless supply of materials to keep the method going in the field.


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Here is a video. Thanks for looking at the second episode of Mora Firecraft.


 

scout24

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Mora goodness! :) Cheap enoigh to have a bunch of them... I always used to leave my char tin on the fire too long and ruined the material inside. I need to practice more.
 

gurdygurds

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"Hey everybody, it's The Walker." Love your videos sir! You and Virtuovice two of my favorites.
 

scout24

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So, I was at my local Agway hardware/feed/etc store this morning to pick up a few things. It's a nice place, lots of variety and lots of local made items, not like, say, Tractor Supply. (Stay with me, it's on topic... :) ) So, they've been a Case knife dealer for years, and I usually cruise past the display case to see what's new. Today, he's got Helle knives from Norway! I gotta look!!! So, I'm fondling one and see what looks like a Mora Clipper in the case too. Turns out it's a Hultafors copy of the Mora. Plastic sheath with drain hole, grippy handle, and CARBON STEEL!!! I made it all the way home before noticing the tiny "Made in Taiwan" stamped on it. Used it for a couple hours this afternoon making snap cuts through blowdown here on the property, it still shaves and seems like a solid knife. I'll grind the spine square and try some of Mr. Walker's firemaking techniques here this spring... :)
 

Woods Walker

The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
5,433
Location
New England woods.
So, I was at my local Agway hardware/feed/etc store this morning to pick up a few things. It's a nice place, lots of variety and lots of local made items, not like, say, Tractor Supply. (Stay with me, it's on topic... :) ) So, they've been a Case knife dealer for years, and I usually cruise past the display case to see what's new. Today, he's got Helle knives from Norway! I gotta look!!! So, I'm fondling one and see what looks like a Mora Clipper in the case too. Turns out it's a Hultafors copy of the Mora. Plastic sheath with drain hole, grippy handle, and CARBON STEEL!!! I made it all the way home before noticing the tiny "Made in Taiwan" stamped on it. Used it for a couple hours this afternoon making snap cuts through blowdown here on the property, it still shaves and seems like a solid knife. I'll grind the spine square and try some of Mr. Walker's firemaking techniques here this spring... :)

Do the second method at first. Unless you are experienced in flint and steel methodology bad things can happen if yea hold the knife like I do in the first part of the video. It's not hard but yea gotta totally focus. So many ways to get hurt doing that. One day you will probably see me posting a bloody hand pic!

I might do a Mora friction fire next for part 3. The hardest episode will be just walking out in the woods with the intent of doing a percussion fire using a Mora but packing nothing. It is a holy grail of firecraft like to 100% natural bowdrill set made on site or hand drill made on site. Goes without saying these things were probably never intentionally done. People probably always packed a fire kit within the first few seconds of learning to tame flames. Granted true control of fire is an illusion but yea know what I mean. No one did it naked and afraid style because that's a sure way to die. However the internet demands it. :twothumbs
 
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LiuryJaR

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Oct 7, 2018
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Mora Firecraft Charred materials

Will you post a pic of your favorite knife Mannlicher? Mora's aren't my favorite but I've certainly paid way more for way less.Creek
 

Woods Walker

The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
5,433
Location
New England woods.
Re: Mora Firecraft Charred materials

Will you post a pic of your favorite knife Mannlicher? Mora's aren't my favorite but I've certainly paid way more for way less.Creek

I will see if there is a pick someplace of my preferred. My favorite knife is always the one actually on my person if needed. Kinda like my favorite flashlight.
 
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