WARNING: In this video you'll see shocking footage of a knife blade being used on a ferro rod. 😊 We know this may be offensive to some viewers. Please know that no harm came to the knife or its handlers in the making of this video. 😉😊 We knew before making this video that this topic would "strike" a chord with some viewers who would kindly inform us that we should use the spine of the knife or a dedicated striker to avoid "ruining" our knife blade. Thank you all for your concern and suggestions. You may feel better knowing that the knife in this video IS our dedicated ferro rod striker. That's its primary job. It has had this job for over 50 years. Or in other words...because this knife is so superior to any striker or knife spine that we've ever used... (control, finesse, exact placement of sparks) we made fire-making its full-time job. It rarely dulls, and on the VERY rare occasion that it does, it is easily and quickly resharpened to be as good as new even for woodworking if needed. A sharper edge produces more spark with less force and dramatically increases control and spark placement which is very helpful for the charring method that we use in the video. We aren't making a recommendation that everyone use the knife blade on each knife they own for ferro rod work. The subject isn't mentioned in this video. If you have concern about dulling your woodworking knife or don't know how to sharpen your knife you may choose to not use it for ferro rod work. To each their own. We have simply made the choice to take this one specific knife and give it the designated task of producing incredible spark and making fires for us which it has done for half of a century with no damage or signs of slowing down. We have plenty of great woodworking knives which are given different tasks. The knife in this video has one primary task...which is to make fire, and it has done an incredible job of that for many years and still acts as a fantastic knife for woodworking.
yeah I'm confused by that too. This guy has a ton of field time though and it doesn't seem to bother him, so maybe using the edge is less of a big deal than we've been told? Maybe it depends on the exact ferro rod too, some use softer recipes than others. Still if you have a good spine, I can't see a reason to use the blade over the spine. EDIT: ahh so it's just a dedicated striker, they don't use that knife for anything else, here is their reply elsewhere: " The knife in the video has been specifically set apart as our dedicated striker because it does such a great job and feels so comfortable in the hand. It does not have a suitable spine for striking. We’ve used it for 60 years for this exact purpose and it rarely dulls but we also keep a small sharpening stone handy which quickly makes it sharp enough for any cutting task. But even that stone is rarely needed. Using the spine instead of the blade is a long-standing bushcraft rule that we of course understand and endorse, but at the same time the blade of this knife gives us a major advantage when it comes to control, finesse, aim and accuracy specifically for the charring method that the video is covering. We’ve still never used the spine on any knife that replicates the smooth control and aim/accuracy that we get using the blade of this particular knife/striker. But if someone does achieve the same control and accuracy with their knives spine they should go with that. I do have knives with sharp spines that are great for throwing sparks down onto more flammable tinders that don’t require much finesse or aim, but when it comes to this specific charring technique which was covered in the video we went with the extra control and finesse of our favorite fire steel striker. (Which also happens to be a knife blade) But again for the record - we are pro spine, we use the spine, and recommend the spine for most fire starting scenarios. Thanks for bringing that up. "
Great video 👍👍. 1 thing though and put my stomach in knots. Striking your Rod with the Blade side of your knife blade. Won't that destroy your blate and pit your rod??
Thanks for watching. That’s a great question. We actually discussed this while we made the video. It’s a common recommendation to use the spine instead of the blade for the reasons you mentioned and we often do that, but for us it depends on the knife (some have sharper spines) and also the type of tinder we’re working with. We regularly use the blade of the knife and just don’t experience pitting and dulling issues. (At least not in any significant way). We believe it’s due to the following reasons: 1. The angle and light/even pressure on the rod prevents it from pitting. We’re also using nearly the entire length of the rod rather than digging out the middle which is common. The rod in the video is the same one we’ve used for years and it’s still in great shape after hundreds of fire starts. 2. The knife in the video is the same knife my dad has owned for 50 years. We use it most often for fire starting and rarely need to sharpen. But we do keep a sharpening stone in the pack which only takes a minute to sharpen with. Considering the great pay off for big easy sparks from a sharper blade we’ve reasoned it as a small price to pay. But we do also have experience using the spine of the knife which is commonly recommended and works well for many situations, just not as well for the specific charring technique showed in the video specifically when lighting more stubborn tinders.
Mate, i think its dumb to use your blade. Dumb. Have a dedicated striker or sharp 90°spine. Show me a big name bushcrafter who uses his blade to strike a ferro rod and why? You won't because they know better, they don't want to compromise there knife's edge. I love everything else you have done except this. Not good.😭😭
@@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897 Thanks for your thoughts. The knife in the video has been used for over 50 years and is specifically “dedicated” for this exact purpose. It rarely dulls and if it does we easily sharpen with a small stone from our pocket. Small trade off for the results we get. The reason it rarely dulls is because of the angle and light pressure we use. If it was ruining our knife we would have stopped doing it decades ago. But again this is not specifically a carving/cutting knife although it’s still sharp enough that it easily could be. I actually do often use the knife spine with other knives if it’s a knife that I need to keep a really sharp blade on. The point of the video though, was comparing tinders and one specific and unique technique for lighting stubborn tinders (even green or damp) using a charring method. I personally find the results of the video to be educational and beneficial regardless of what type of striker someone uses or how they use it. If we were going to make the classic “How to use a fire steel” instructional video we would use the knife spine because we wouldn’t want anyone thinking that the blade isn’t affected at all. Especially if they’re using the same blade for carving/cutting. As we made this video my Dad and I had a friendly debate about how someone might miss the value of the video because they were focused on the blade vs. spine subject. Your comment proved one of us to be correct. Thanks again for your direct and honest observations.
@@wildernessstrong6131 i was just thinking from the point of, someone with not alot of knowledge copying you. Who may not be proficient at sharpening. And new to bushcraft/ fire craft. Especially if they are needing emergency tinder. Copying your video's for survival situations. Everything you covered was fantastic. That was my only concern. That it might give the wrong impression to someone new who wasn't paying attention taking in all your information. It distracted me straight away. Seeing you use a knife edge. Thanks for your reply, thanks for your channel. And thankyou for your ground breaking findings.😁👏👏👏👏
Hay really like how you teach your techniques , and how inform us views on what is best . My wife and I have really got the out door bug and we love it in the crazy time of said illness lol . Thanks for your awesome work great content . God bless
Great video!! You definitely master using the cutting edge on the ferro rod and you obviously at ease with sharpening your blade so when the advantages are greater than the negative aspect, why not do it. 👍for thinking outside of the box. Thanks for all that info. Cheers!👍
Well said. Ya that’s how we think of it. This knife in the video was specifically designated as a striker but even after decades of use it’s still more than capable as a wood working knife as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video! I really like the down/fluff we can acquire from cattails or any other plant. I have even used the lint from my clothes dryer. These materials are certain one strike ignition! But what I do is mix bark scrapings, fatwood scraping/shavings, or any fibrous material that immediately takes a flame if not a spark with the super light downy material! This has worked for me without fail for a single strike ferro rod fire.
Without a doubt, this is the most comprehensive, and useful, video I’ve seen on using a Ferro Rod. Well done. 👍🏻👍🏻 I’ve been a flint and steel guy since 1967, and that’s my go-to fire method. Only in the last seven or eight years have I been putting the ferro rod into my kits (you know, if I need fire in a hurry).
This particular knife was set aside many decades ago specifically for the purpose of ferro rod use. It doesn’t have a sharp spine but the blade (which rarely dulls and is easily sharpened) is far superior to any striker we’ve ever used. Specifically for the charring method we use in the video. The blade gives us great finesse and control not to mention big spark. However if someone has a nice sharp spine they should use that. We do that as well with other knives.
That was our terminology for condensing/packing the “fluff” in the cattail tinder so that it was more compact. A possibly more accurate term would be “compacting”. When fluff/flash tinders like that are left fluffy and loose they will give a quick burst of flame, but little to no smolder after the flame dies. By rolling it, packing it tight, and condensing it, it will smolder much longer and greatly increase your time and likelihood for success.
You do a great job at narrating these videos! I have learned alot from you about fire starting technics and how to find wild tinder that will take a spark and hold and ember. The char method is really neat because if you didn't know this method you might pass up an opportunity to get a fire going thinking your tinder is useless. Thanks!!
Your videos are fantastic, well researched, educational and entertaining. I will recommend your channel to anyone I know who is into the bushcraft community. Keep up the excellent work!
Hi Luke. Great videos. The plants you mention, such as willow, or maple can be taken for granted, but there are many types of maples and willows. Also, some plants have a local generic name that may be called something else in other places than your locality. Would it be too much to ask for the latin name (botanical name) of these plants so we can identify them in a plant book for our region? Thanks. For example, you speak of one plant in another video, 'waterleaf', but there are a few waterleaf plants, one in the pacific, another out east (hydrophillum virgianum for example), so, do any of the hydrophillums work, or only the one in your area?
Point well taken. I’ll do my best to keep up with adding specific scientific names. I have not tried other varieties of waterleaf. Only Hydropyllum tenuipes. Would love to hear from anyone trying it with a different variation of waterleaf.
I was experimenting the other day and found that very dead, dry and brittle elderberry stalks or limbs are excellent at smoldering. Just use the dry fibers in the bark and make something like a birds nest. It’ll stay glowing until everything is completely burned up and it’s not too fast. Nothing like a flash burner.
Great video and as always I learned a couple things. I have a question, I see you using the edge of the knife and that I don’t understand. Most all my knives came with a sharp 90degree spine and I was taught to always use the spine.
The knife in the video has been specifically set apart as our dedicated striker because it does such a great job and feels so comfortable in the hand. It does not have a suitable spine for striking. We’ve used it for 60 years for this exact purpose and it rarely dulls but we also keep a small sharpening stone handy which quickly makes it sharp enough for any cutting task. But even that stone is rarely needed. Using the spine instead of the blade is a long-standing bushcraft rule that we of course understand and endorse, but at the same time the blade of this knife gives us a major advantage when it comes to control, finesse, aim and accuracy specifically for the charring method that the video is covering. We’ve still never used the spine on any knife that replicates the smooth control and aim/accuracy that we get using the blade of this particular knife/striker. But if someone does achieve the same control and accuracy with their knives spine they should go with that. I do have knives with sharp spines that are great for throwing sparks down onto more flammable tinders that don’t require much finesse or aim, but when it comes to this specific charring technique which was covered in the video we went with the extra control and finesse of our favorite fire steel striker. (Which also happens to be a knife blade) But again for the record - we are pro spine, we use the spine, and recommend the spine for most fire starting scenarios. Thanks for bringing that up.
@@wildernessstrong6131 I kinda thought that. I was playing around with the charring method last night and I definitely see what you mean about control. I found my dedicated ceramic striker to be much more controllable than even my best knife spine. Again I thank you for your videos and sharing of knowledge
It’s a skill worth practicing for sure. Especially for stubborn tinder’s. The control is crucial so you don’t knock your tinder all over. Definitely took me some practice. Glad you’re enjoying the videos.
I Love your videos! I been doing fire for 17 with cedar and am just ventuing out on new woods thanks to your amazing video's Question: I am having a hard time lighting the maple inner bark with the ferro rod? Maybe it is too old it still is ribbony? I got a delicate ember once and lost it when I moved it. It just is not flaming up like yours
Good question. While we try to get those ribbons of maple bark as thin and skinny as we can, the older (near rotting) bark would rather make an ember and not a flame, though we still try to make it flame, and tilt it quickly when it does. To get one that doesn't flame to make and hold an ember without having it go out or fall through the rest of the ribbony tinder, it needs to be well condensed. So as it begins trying to make an ember with a bunch of sparks, you might quickly pick it up and condense it with your fingers while blowing. The maple tinder we used in the video was completely dry and in very good condition. That may have been the difference.
Sometimes we use the term “mulch” to describe the process of breaking down or processing organic matter into a softer, smaller, form. For example “mulching up” cedar bark in our hands to make it more effective for fire starting.
a lot of people watch videos and get that one strike mentality. which isn't realistic. or throw sparks from 6 inches away. striking towards the tinder is what I do most with it pinned down, there are exceptions. this was right on.
Hello from Bavaria again: On our last overnighter in the woods near by, i collected a white and soft mushroom from an old an fallen beechtree. Its very dry here in the moment and today i could ignite this material without charing or any Präparation by flint an steel. After ignition it glows down just like brown tinder (fomes fomentarius) If you write me your adress, i would send you some. Do you have beechtrees overthere? Kind regards Albert Hell
Don’t use the sharp edge of the knife blade to scrape the ferro rod, unless that’s your only option. Use the blade’s spine, and simply prepare it by filing a nice 90 degree edge which is also great for making tinder scrapings. Why ruin your knife’s edge unnecessarily?
WARNING:
In this video you'll see shocking footage of a knife blade being used on a ferro rod. 😊 We know this may be offensive to some viewers. Please know that no harm came to the knife or its handlers in the making of this video. 😉😊
We knew before making this video that this topic would "strike" a chord with some viewers who would kindly inform us that we should use the spine of the knife or a dedicated striker to avoid "ruining" our knife blade. Thank you all for your concern and suggestions. You may feel better knowing that the knife in this video IS our dedicated ferro rod striker. That's its primary job. It has had this job for over 50 years. Or in other words...because this knife is so superior to any striker or knife spine that we've ever used... (control, finesse, exact placement of sparks) we made fire-making its full-time job. It rarely dulls, and on the VERY rare occasion that it does, it is easily and quickly resharpened to be as good as new even for woodworking if needed. A sharper edge produces more spark with less force and dramatically increases control and spark placement which is very helpful for the charring method that we use in the video.
We aren't making a recommendation that everyone use the knife blade on each knife they own for ferro rod work. The subject isn't mentioned in this video. If you have concern about dulling your woodworking knife or don't know how to sharpen your knife you may choose to not use it for ferro rod work. To each their own. We have simply made the choice to take this one specific knife and give it the designated task of producing incredible spark and making fires for us which it has done for half of a century with no damage or signs of slowing down.
We have plenty of great woodworking knives which are given different tasks. The knife in this video has one primary task...which is to make fire, and it has done an incredible job of that for many years and still acts as a fantastic knife for woodworking.
The universe wasn't harmed by using the edge of this knife.. nice 👌
The best video on lighting tinder’s ever!
🙏Kind words my friend, much appreciated! Thanks for watching.
I’m i right in saying the flint and steel is not as good to start a fire as a rod as the rod is much hotter spark?
Your videos are great by the way?
You should use the back of your knife to scrape the ferro rod, preserving the cutting edge for, well... cutting.
yeah I'm confused by that too. This guy has a ton of field time though and it doesn't seem to bother him, so maybe using the edge is less of a big deal than we've been told? Maybe it depends on the exact ferro rod too, some use softer recipes than others. Still if you have a good spine, I can't see a reason to use the blade over the spine.
EDIT:
ahh so it's just a dedicated striker, they don't use that knife for anything else, here is their reply elsewhere:
"
The knife in the video has been specifically set apart as our dedicated striker because it does such a great job and feels so comfortable in the hand. It does not have a suitable spine for striking. We’ve used it for 60 years for this exact purpose and it rarely dulls but we also keep a small sharpening stone handy which quickly makes it sharp enough for any cutting task. But even that stone is rarely needed.
Using the spine instead of the blade is a long-standing bushcraft rule that we of course understand and endorse, but at the same time the blade of this knife gives us a major advantage when it comes to control, finesse, aim and accuracy specifically for the charring method that the video is covering. We’ve still never used the spine on any knife that replicates the smooth control and aim/accuracy that we get using the blade of this particular knife/striker. But if someone does achieve the same control and accuracy with their knives spine they should go with that.
I do have knives with sharp spines that are great for throwing sparks down onto more flammable tinders that don’t require much finesse or aim, but when it comes to this specific charring technique which was covered in the video we went with the extra control and finesse of our favorite fire steel striker. (Which also happens to be a knife blade)
But again for the record - we are pro spine, we use the spine, and recommend the spine for most fire starting scenarios.
Thanks for bringing that up.
"
Great videos! Surprised you use your knife blade instead of the back, sure hard on your edge but to each their own.
Fabulous approach.
Omg I have learned so much thru this series and will send it out of my face book.
Love the idea of creating a charred area in your tinder, thanks!
I love how detailed and practical are your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Detailed is what we’re striving for. Thanks for watching.
Where I live in Iowa finding wild pine is difficult. People get mad when you start messing with trees in their yard.
Great video 👍👍.
1 thing though and put my stomach in knots.
Striking your Rod with the Blade side of your knife blade.
Won't that destroy your blate and pit your rod??
Thanks for watching. That’s a great question. We actually discussed this while we made the video. It’s a common recommendation to use the spine instead of the blade for the reasons you mentioned and we often do that, but for us it depends on the knife (some have sharper spines) and also the type of tinder we’re working with. We regularly use the blade of the knife and just don’t experience pitting and dulling issues. (At least not in any significant way). We believe it’s due to the following reasons:
1. The angle and light/even pressure on the rod prevents it from pitting. We’re also using nearly the entire length of the rod rather than digging out the middle which is common. The rod in the video is the same one we’ve used for years and it’s still in great shape after hundreds of fire starts.
2. The knife in the video is the same knife my dad has owned for 50 years. We use it most often for fire starting and rarely need to sharpen. But we do keep a sharpening stone in the pack which only takes a minute to sharpen with. Considering the great pay off for big easy sparks from a sharper blade we’ve reasoned it as a small price to pay. But we do also have experience using the spine of the knife which is commonly recommended and works well for many situations, just not as well for the specific charring technique showed in the video specifically when lighting more stubborn tinders.
Mate, i think its dumb to use your blade. Dumb. Have a dedicated striker or sharp 90°spine. Show me a big name bushcrafter who uses his blade to strike a ferro rod and why? You won't because they know better, they don't want to compromise there knife's edge. I love everything else you have done except this. Not good.😭😭
@@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897 Thanks for your thoughts. The knife in the video has been used for over 50 years and is specifically “dedicated” for this exact purpose. It rarely dulls and if it does we easily sharpen with a small stone from our pocket. Small trade off for the results we get. The reason it rarely dulls is because of the angle and light pressure we use. If it was ruining our knife we would have stopped doing it decades ago. But again this is not specifically a carving/cutting knife although it’s still sharp enough that it easily could be. I actually do often use the knife spine with other knives if it’s a knife that I need to keep a really sharp blade on.
The point of the video though, was comparing tinders and one specific and unique technique for lighting stubborn tinders (even green or damp) using a charring method. I personally find the results of the video to be educational and beneficial regardless of what type of striker someone uses or how they use it.
If we were going to make the classic “How to use a fire steel” instructional video we would use the knife spine because we wouldn’t want anyone thinking that the blade isn’t affected at all. Especially if they’re using the same blade for carving/cutting.
As we made this video my Dad and I had a friendly debate about how someone might miss the value of the video because they were focused on the blade vs. spine subject.
Your comment proved one of us to be correct. Thanks again for your direct and honest observations.
@@wildernessstrong6131 i was just thinking from the point of, someone with not alot of knowledge copying you. Who may not be proficient at sharpening. And new to bushcraft/ fire craft. Especially if they are needing emergency tinder. Copying your video's for survival situations. Everything you covered was fantastic. That was my only concern. That it might give the wrong impression to someone new who wasn't paying attention taking in all your information. It distracted me straight away. Seeing you use a knife edge. Thanks for your reply, thanks for your channel. And thankyou for your ground breaking findings.😁👏👏👏👏
Hay really like how you teach your techniques , and how inform us views on what is best . My wife and I have really got the out door bug and we love it in the crazy time of said illness lol . Thanks for your awesome work great content . God bless
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. We’ve caught the same outdoor bug as you and looking forward to making more content as a result!
Excellent information
I just use a chunk of pinesap spread over a thumb size stick. That thing lights and your fire is going
Great video!! You definitely master using the cutting edge on the ferro rod and you obviously at ease with sharpening your blade so when the advantages are greater than the negative aspect, why not do it. 👍for thinking outside of the box. Thanks for all that info. Cheers!👍
Well said. Ya that’s how we think of it. This knife in the video was specifically designated as a striker but even after decades of use it’s still more than capable as a wood working knife as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Great video! I really like the down/fluff we can acquire from cattails or any other plant. I have even used the lint from my clothes dryer. These materials are certain one strike ignition! But what I do is mix bark scrapings, fatwood scraping/shavings, or any fibrous material that immediately takes a flame if not a spark with the super light downy material! This has worked for me without fail for a single strike ferro rod fire.
Without a doubt, this is the most comprehensive, and useful, video I’ve seen on using a Ferro Rod.
Well done.
👍🏻👍🏻
I’ve been a flint and steel guy since 1967, and that’s my go-to fire method. Only in the last seven or eight years have I been putting the ferro rod into my kits (you know, if I need fire in a hurry).
Thanks for that great compliment! Very much appreciated.
Love the videos, but why use the edge of your blade as opposed to the 90 degree spine 🤔??
This particular knife was set aside many decades ago specifically for the purpose of ferro rod use. It doesn’t have a sharp spine but the blade (which rarely dulls and is easily sharpened) is far superior to any striker we’ve ever used. Specifically for the charring method we use in the video. The blade gives us great finesse and control not to mention big spark.
However if someone has a nice sharp spine they should use that. We do that as well with other knives.
Great video .
Great stuff gentlemen! Thanks for sharing 🤠
Thank you sir, appreciate you watching and commenting as always.
Wow thank you 🙏 ❤
Burdock leaves are also a good tinder, and you won't need to search for it. Thanks for more ideas.
See our recent complete updated list of incredible Flint/Steel No Char Tinders here:
ua-cam.com/video/i1N0voqDk0Y/v-deo.html
BAMBOO !!! if u make scrapings or curls from bamboo it burns bright hot and catches quick! Do a vid on it please??
Please explain what you mean by "mulched up" cattail? Thanks!
That was our terminology for condensing/packing the “fluff” in the cattail tinder so that it was more compact. A possibly more accurate term would be “compacting”. When fluff/flash tinders like that are left fluffy and loose they will give a quick burst of flame, but little to no smolder after the flame dies. By rolling it, packing it tight, and condensing it, it will smolder much longer and greatly increase your time and likelihood for success.
I always try to carry at least a flat plastic fresnel lens sheet. Even if it doesn't start a fire easily, it will help magnify things you need to see.
You do a great job at narrating these videos! I have learned alot from you about fire starting technics and how to find wild tinder that will take a spark and hold and ember. The char method is really neat because if you didn't know this method you might pass up an opportunity to get a fire going thinking your tinder is useless. Thanks!!
Hey thank you!! Glad you've been able to learn a few things...that's what it's all about for us.
Your videos are fantastic, well researched, educational and entertaining. I will recommend your channel to anyone I know who is into the bushcraft community. Keep up the excellent work!
Hey thanks! Really appreciate the compliment and support. Plenty more to come so stay tuned!
A piece of foil or a broken or empty bottle may only give a larger spot of heat, but may dry out tinder more quickly.
Great job again. Loved your knife comment.
Hey thanks. 😄Ya the knife blade issue really gets folks riled up in this community I thought a bit of explanation was in order.
Hi Luke. Great videos. The plants you mention, such as willow, or maple can be taken for granted, but there are many types of maples and willows. Also, some plants have a local generic name that may be called something else in other places than your locality. Would it be too much to ask for the latin name (botanical name) of these plants so we can identify them in a plant book for our region? Thanks. For example, you speak of one plant in another video, 'waterleaf', but there are a few waterleaf plants, one in the pacific, another out east (hydrophillum virgianum for example), so, do any of the hydrophillums work, or only the one in your area?
Point well taken. I’ll do my best to keep up with adding specific scientific names. I have not tried other varieties of waterleaf. Only Hydropyllum tenuipes. Would love to hear from anyone trying it with a different variation of waterleaf.
I was experimenting the other day and found that very dead, dry and brittle elderberry stalks or limbs are excellent at smoldering. Just use the dry fibers in the bark and make something like a birds nest. It’ll stay glowing until everything is completely burned up and it’s not too fast. Nothing like a flash burner.
Hey fantastic! Thanks.
Will magnesium shavings char a spot if ignited?
You use the cutting edge and not the spine of your knife to scrape a ferro rod...??
Great video and as always I learned a couple things.
I have a question, I see you using the edge of the knife and that I don’t understand. Most all my knives came with a sharp 90degree spine and I was taught to always use the spine.
The knife in the video has been specifically set apart as our dedicated striker because it does such a great job and feels so comfortable in the hand. It does not have a suitable spine for striking. We’ve used it for 60 years for this exact purpose and it rarely dulls but we also keep a small sharpening stone handy which quickly makes it sharp enough for any cutting task. But even that stone is rarely needed.
Using the spine instead of the blade is a long-standing bushcraft rule that we of course understand and endorse, but at the same time the blade of this knife gives us a major advantage when it comes to control, finesse, aim and accuracy specifically for the charring method that the video is covering. We’ve still never used the spine on any knife that replicates the smooth control and aim/accuracy that we get using the blade of this particular knife/striker. But if someone does achieve the same control and accuracy with their knives spine they should go with that.
I do have knives with sharp spines that are great for throwing sparks down onto more flammable tinders that don’t require much finesse or aim, but when it comes to this specific charring technique which was covered in the video we went with the extra control and finesse of our favorite fire steel striker. (Which also happens to be a knife blade)
But again for the record - we are pro spine, we use the spine, and recommend the spine for most fire starting scenarios.
Thanks for bringing that up.
@@wildernessstrong6131
I kinda thought that.
I was playing around with the charring method last night and I definitely see what you mean about control. I found my dedicated ceramic striker to be much more controllable than even my best knife spine.
Again I thank you for your videos and sharing of knowledge
It’s a skill worth practicing for sure. Especially for stubborn tinder’s. The control is crucial so you don’t knock your tinder all over. Definitely took me some practice. Glad you’re enjoying the videos.
Great,useful and essential information. Use a burning lens to pre-char a spot?
That’s interesting. I haven’t tried this but it makes sense that it would work.
I Love your videos! I been doing fire for 17 with cedar and am just ventuing out on new woods thanks to your amazing video's
Question:
I am having a hard time lighting the maple inner bark with the ferro rod?
Maybe it is too old it still is ribbony? I got a delicate ember once and lost it when I moved it. It just is not flaming up like yours
Good question. While we try to get those ribbons of maple bark as thin and skinny as we can, the older (near rotting) bark would rather make an ember and not a flame, though we still try to make it flame, and tilt it quickly when it does. To get one that doesn't flame to make and hold an ember without having it go out or fall through the rest of the ribbony tinder, it needs to be well condensed. So as it begins trying to make an ember with a bunch of sparks, you might quickly pick it up and condense it with your fingers while blowing. The maple tinder we used in the video was completely dry and in very good condition. That may have been the difference.
How do you "mulch" cattail and cotton? No sure what it means and how it is done. Thanks!
Sometimes we use the term “mulch” to describe the process of breaking down or processing organic matter into a softer, smaller, form. For example “mulching up” cedar bark in our hands to make it more effective for fire starting.
Genius!
a lot of people watch videos and get that one strike mentality. which isn't realistic. or throw sparks from 6 inches away. striking towards the tinder is what I do most with it pinned down, there are exceptions. this was right on.
Hey exactly! Great comment, thanks.
I believe this is how cigars/smoking was invented. Have you tried tobacco?
Hello from Bavaria again:
On our last overnighter in the woods near by, i collected a white and soft mushroom from an old an fallen beechtree.
Its very dry here in the moment and today i could ignite this material without charing or any Präparation by flint an steel.
After ignition it glows down just like brown tinder (fomes fomentarius) If you write me your adress, i would send you some. Do you have beechtrees overthere?
Kind regards Albert Hell
That’s REALLY interesting. I do believe we have those trees. Will add to the “try” list for this summer. Thanks.
Don’t use the sharp edge of the knife blade to scrape the ferro rod, unless that’s your only option. Use the blade’s spine, and simply prepare it by filing a nice 90 degree edge which is also great for making tinder scrapings. Why ruin your knife’s edge unnecessarily?
Great video. I cringe hard watching you use your knifes edge to strike 🤦🏻♂️
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