Handy Winter Fire Tinder Drying Tip

Lonnie of Far North Bushcraft and Survival YT Channel hasn't made a video in four months, but just now has with this one sporting a large grey beard that his followers noticed first thing. His comments are always worth reading so check that out too.
He has a lot of knowledge in Alaska wilderness survival so try his others.


Link to YT Direct for comments

Use a sock to store tinder in, never use a plastic bag as moisture will condense inside any enclosed space. Don't put the bag in your hat or anywhere on your body where you sweat. Keep it at least 1 layer of clothing away from your skin. Grass, dead moss, certain types of tree fungus, inner bark from dead branches all make viable tinder.

If you get caught out in a very wet woods you can cut a dead branch and whittle down through the wet layers until you reach dry wood. Cut fine shavings and voila, usable tinder. It takes some time but better than running out of matches trying to light a fire with wet tinder.

a reply to: Granite

I wonder if that would work as well after a heavy rain?

My guess is no, since the moisture would have been sucked into the grass from the root and distributed along the entire length of the grass blade, or stem depending on the type of grass involved, but I would be interested to hear clarification on that point!

That's a handy little tip. I've found that laundry lint is excellent for starting a fire. So are used dryer sheets. They go right up. I also use pine needles when I can get them. Bark also works wonders if it's dried out enough.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Use a sock to store tinder in, never use a plastic bag as moisture will condense inside any enclosed space.

Good point on the plastic bag and condensation I never thought of that before and being a plastic ziplock bag junky that was bound to occur.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Granite

I wonder if that would work as well after a heavy rain?

My guess is no, since the moisture would have been sucked into the grass from the root and distributed along the entire length of the grass blade, or stem depending on the type of grass involved, but I would be interested to hear clarification on that point!

He is using the dry grass beneath a tree from last summer's growth that is wet but dryable with this technique.
I think he covers rain fire starting I will search and reply with the video.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Granite

I wonder if that would work as well after a heavy rain?

My guess is no, since the moisture would have been sucked into the grass from the root and distributed along the entire length of the grass blade, or stem depending on the type of grass involved, but I would be interested to hear clarification on that point!

But this is for wood, not tinder...your question might be a candidate for next Bush Craft & Survival and Semp.

nevermind

This brings me back to when I was a kid camping in the woods. After I turned eighteen I started using gas and charcoal lighter. Then when I turned around fifty three, I went back to using birch bark again. Second childhood I guess.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Granite

I wonder if that would work as well after a heavy rain?

My guess is no, since the moisture would have been sucked into the grass from the root and distributed along the entire length of the grass blade, or stem depending on the type of grass involved, but I would be interested to hear clarification on that point!

If left close enough to the body for long enough even wet tinder can be usable but it may take nearly a day to drive out enough moisture. You're better off finding something drier to begin with. Another trick on sunny days is to spread tinder out on a dry rock face and allow the sun to do the job for you.

As for grass stems hold water badly, use only the leaves as they are much thinner and dry or burn much more readily.

Best bet of all is to bring tinder or immediately find some long before you need it.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: Granite

I wonder if that would work as well after a heavy rain?

Correct one:

originally posted by: rickymouse
This brings me back to when I was a kid camping in the woods. After I turned eighteen I started using gas and charcoal lighter. Then when I turned around fifty three, I went back to using birch bark again.

Second childhood I guess.

Lonnie has several Birch bark videos to puruse.
I live 1000 from birch bark terrain so next trip I have collecting it on my list.

IMHO, find some rich pine (lighter knot) this stuff will burn when its wet. It will burn with a real high temp and dry out the other wood placed on top of it. Easy to light and will burn longer than any other peace of kinling you try to start a fire with. I have a chain box for a chain saw filled with lighter knot shavings in my pack or just kick over a rotten pine stump and get the hard center out and scrape it till you smell a strong oder of pine and your good to go.

a reply to: Granite

Nice one!

Both these videos are helpful, but the best one for me is the Far North one. Building a fire is a simple matter of basic high school chemistry and physics. But getting dry tinder in a crap storm, that is outbound stuff right there. I like it!

Keep in mind when starting a fire in snowy conditions not to do so under a tree that's covered in snow. In a survival situation you could end up like the protagonist in Jack London's To Build a Fire, where he waited too long to build a fire and his hands started stiffening up. When he finally got one started, he did it under a snow covered tree. The snow fell onto the fire that would have saved him and he wound up freezing to death.

a reply to: hillbilly4rent

Best answer yet imo. We're fortunate to live in a cedar/pinon forest. I cut little strips of "magic wood." I typically find it in stumps but sometimes the whole trunk is full of pitch. You can smell it right away.

I also find clumps of pitch stuck to trees and pitch balls on the ground. Wet or not pitch lights with a match. It makes such a hot fire it quickly dries/burns small pieces of wet wood. Once you've got a good coal bed going larger pieces can be added along with more pitch if needed. Use it like lighter fluid.

I gather dead cedar sticks from trees for kindling, I never pick off the ground. The tree canopy protects lower branches from rain/snow, at least they're not as wet as those on the ground. In a pinch my dad lassoed higher dead branches/pulled them down. He's even climbed trees to get at dry branches.

Pitch bark/pine cones are also good. A large piece of bark can be used as a container to gather pitch ooze.

We keep our split wood in a dry place but we've had to burn wet wood from the big wood pile. Typically pinon wood is so full of pitch it doesn't take long to get it going even when a little wet but soaked pieces need some extra pitch. It's similar to throwing gas on a fire. The pitch liquifies/drips and coats the wood allowing it to burn/dry.

I believe pitch can be used to water proof things. Sailors back in the day used pitch to help seal leaks. It can be used as glue and as a kid my dad chewed pitch balls like gum, yuck never tried that one.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Everything one uses for a fire in the bush is basically dead.

Like Morningglory said, pine cones and pine resin are wonderful fire starters. My mom makes fire starters with pine cones. She puts laundry lint in them and seals the whole thing with paraffin wax.

I carry a bottle of hand sanitiser the ones with lots of alcohol in and put that on my kindling when a little wet.
Or take match boxes stuff them with lint from a tumble dryer (as said above) and pour wax in them and when needed I light the end of the box and put the wood around it....it burns for ages.