here are my success vids with various strikers

[Wave Man]

Olivemead FS2

BeaverBushcraft Old Nordic

BeaverBushcraft Traditional "P"

I have to say I prefer to use strikers in the nordic fashion (pinch grip) and put the flint at a very steep angle about 90 degrees and have to learn to slow down. I am also learning to preserve my edges as much as possible and use lighter strikes.

 

[Wave Man]

and with my traditional style Viking striker

 

[barra650]

That's a good looking possibles bag you have there .

 

[Wave Man]

I have two of them Barra now, bought from Fusion gear, quality kit mate and suits flint and steel kits, and I like them a lot.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Large-Handmade-Bushcraft-Leather-Utility-Belt-Possibles-Pouch-EDC-hunter-ammo/272765805171?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

[Wave Man]

I reshot this video, initially disappointed in the sparking ability of this striker I have finally worked out how to get it to work

 

[Wave Man]

and now with my one finger sardinian, and for the first time ever I used amadou, interesting stuff, I will be buying more of it, really nice tinder takes a spark very easily and smolders hot. Pity it is so expensive.

 

[Chigger]

If I am repeating myself my apologies, tree fungi is a great tinder. Hard to find thanks to the prolonged drought and not seen any for a long time.

Does combust away very quickly in the tinder box so have to be quick with fire lighting if other fires have to be lit.

This is a piece I found.








And here is a smaller one seen only a few months ago. Left it there hopeing it will grow more.

 

[Wave Man]

is that amadou mate? I understand it has to be processed properly to get to how I have it as shown in my videos. I also believe it only grows in colder climates, is that true?

 

[Chigger]

Truely do not know when the fungi shown in my photo is called amandou here in Australia. There are a number of different species and I am not an expert on this.

Amandou may be a specis from N. America. I have never seen or used amandou from America.

The fungi will take a flint and steel spark as it is however ignition is a lot faster and more reliable when charred.

As mentioned it combusts away very quickly so when charring pieces over a fire or gas stove have to be quick to pop the piece into the tinderbox so as to smother it straight away.

 

[Aussie123]

Hi Chigger.
It's not amadou !
The fungi is probably Laetiporus portentosus (aka white punk fungus)

Fungi - Laetiporus portentosus (white punk fungus)

Botanical Name: Laetiporus portentosus Common Name: white punk fungus Other Names: Habitat A bracket fungus which grows on eucalypt trees Distribution: South Eastern Australia - Tas, Vic and NSW in eucalypt forests, possibly into QLD too ? Field Notes: See also...

bushcraftoz.com

When dry, it is very light weight and very much like a piece of polystyrene foam ! The first time I found it, I thought it was stray rubbish !

 

[Chigger]

Yes was pretty sure the fungi I have was not called amadou in this country. Remember now an earlier discussion on fungii and the fungi Laetiporus portentosus as you mentioned is most likely what it is.

Hard stuff to find as of late.

 

[Wave Man]

and my latest striker, the oval from BeaverBushcraft, bought as a pocket kit, I really like this little striker

 

[Wave Man]

getting embers with my new titanium striker

man I am loving my new titanium striker, very different to anything I have (and I have a heap of steel strikers to compare), very light and sort of feel strange in the pinch grip but I get lots of ember with it easily. I have added a leather thong to it, some flint, some amadou and char cloth and will be adding some jute as well.

 

[Wave Man]

my OliveMead collection

 

[Wave Man]

my latest OliveMead, the FS-1

and the little trifold wallet I made for it

 

[Wave Man]

 

[Wave Man]

my latest striker, and getting it to ember

 

[Wave Man]

and me getting embers on char cloth with the Dragon Head, again really easy.

I have gravitated towards these type of strikers, easy to hold nordic style with a good length of strike (lateral, I like between 60-80mm) good strike face thickness, 4.0mm is what I consider minimum so they generate a heap of sparks.

The Dragon Head is a great firesteel, despite being a fantasy striker, and I am so happy with it.

 

[Wave Man]

 

[Wave Man]

and showing success with my laced and beaded striker, took a bit more with char cloth than I am used to but most of that was because of fragile char cloth.