The importance of the tinder

Recently several informative threads regarding making a fire have appeared on this forum.

My post won´t be big news and I am sure that 99 % of the people on this forum are aware of this.
I just thought I would share it as an example (and maybe reminder) how people underestimate the importance of a reliable tinder.

I have recently re-read an article in the old National Geographic Adventure magazine issue (December 2005/January 2006). This article is titled "How to survive nine days in the backcountry". It´s written by the survivor himself - Charles Horton. He had broken his leg during his return from cross-country skiing trip. After 9 days he was discovered and rescued but he was hypothermic and near death. It was amazing achievement to survive that long. He gives some good advice and tips in this article.
He also wrote this:

"I had matches, a lighter, and a magnesium bar - and I still couldn´t dry out the wet leaves. I would have given anything for a long burning tinder cube."

In this case not having a good tinder could cost him his life.
This is another example that in tough conditions the lighter, firesteel, matches etc. can become useless toys without good long burning tinder.

I have found article on the Internet about this survival story.
It seems that a whistle played a big role in his rescue.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16812778/

One type of tinder I really like, but I haven't seen on here is wax paper. Yeah, the stuff you buy at the supermarket for baking. Its completely water proof (surprise), burns relatively long and hot, burns even in high wind like newsprint and a lot of it can be folded into a small space. Alas, its not for you firesteel only types as it doesn't really take a spark.

Amen to that. Unless you can start a fire by rubbing two sticks together (I can't), good tinder is almost as important as an ignition source itself. I keep tinder scattered around as much as I keep ignition sources stored in various places. I'm especially sold on waterproof or water resistant tinders. I like sticks of fatwood, film canisters of extra greasy cottonballs, and trioxane bars in foil packages. There's lots of good alternatives out there. But if you wanna be prepared, you ought to keep some good reliable tinder with you all the time.

This is so, so true! Most of us know a lot of fire starting methods: matches, firesteel, battery and steel wool, some chemical reaction etc. I can make an ember with the firebow. So for me, the hardest thing is not the source of fire but getting it to catch! I agree that the step from spark to a hot fire the size of your fist is just as crucial as creating the spark in the first place. Things become even harder with a colder spark like from traditional steel and (stone) flint, not to mention pyrite. Just go outside when it has rained, take one (1) match and try to light a fire with what is naturally available.
This is so hard! Training this technique is important. You have got to collect lots of wood, kindling, and a lot of fine fluffy stuff so everything is ready so you can “feed” the spark and later on the fire. You don't want to run around with a barely lit fire looking for fuel. Exercise and then exercise some more in all kinds of weather and with all kinds of materials!

For very cold and wet you can not beat strips of rubber cut from an old tyre or a cut up inner tube from an old bike.

Put yourself a dozen or more and a lighter in a smokers oilskin or a plastic ziplock. One strip or two under a tinder pile will work wonders.

If you crinkle it up, it can take a spark pretty well. I like wax paper, and also cut up milk cartons. They function the same (waterproof), but don't take a spark.

This is why I choose a Bic as my primary firestarter - a flame is much more forgiving than a spark for getting things started. Something like an esbit tablet started off a flame is a great way to get a fire going

That sounds like you're describing the WetFire tinder cubes, not Tinder-Quik.

Jim

Hi BigDaddyTX, I may be wrong but it seems to me that you have described WetFire. Edit: Paragon was faster .

It looks like excellent choice. I have one inside my Strike Force. I haven´t tried it yet because I have only this one. I want to purchase more of them and carry it also separately because it really looks like the "ultimate" tinder.

I wonder if the new version (if there is new version) still deteoriates with exposure to air (Doug Ritter wrote about this in this article) and therefore should be quickly used once it´s unwrapped. Does anyone know?

Anyway my current selection of tinder I carry is:

WetFire inside Strike Force (from Ultimate Survival Technologies)
Tinder-Quik (from Adventure Medical Kits)
MayaSticks (from Light My Fire) plus some variations I made from it
birch tree bark
candles

"I would have given anything for a long burning tinder cube."

My take-along kits always include a nice fat candle and a Cricket lighter.

My favorite tenders are a bit of rolled up corrugated cardboard soaked in melted paraffin and wrapped in wax paper, or Vaseline soaked cotton balls stuffed into a 35mm film can.

Jeff