Try doing the mixing when they are both in a small Zip-lock bag, this saves you getting your fingers all messy ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Yep.

Great tests and good info. I will be doing some camping soon so this will come in handy, thanks.

Good info, thanks.

Alright: so here's the report on some fatwood I've been using. The bit was harvested from a ponderosa pine snag and was totally dry. I used my RatManDu so make tiny shavings (I placed the edge perpendicular to the wood and scraped back and forth, so it was basically dust. I then pressed most of the dust into a tight ball, and placed it on the end of a very thin oak skewer. I tried to light this with my ferro rod, but I didn't have much luck because the ball was so compact. I then mixed the remaining unused dust with magnesium shavings and then ignited the pile with a ferro striker. With this burning pile, I lit the ball and then put the flaming hunk of compressed fatwood-dust into my tinder (oak curls) at the heart of my pre-laid fire. Then voila, I was in business.

Fatwood vs. cotton

fatwood:
-burns longer
-available in nature (therefore you can gather more if you run out)

cotton:
-much easier to ignite
-lighter

Bottom line: if you have both, use fatwood for kindling and cotton for tinder. With tinder, the most important aspect (In my opinion and experience) is how easily it takes a spark. No doubt, cotton catches quicker.

Cloak,

I think our cube of fat wood worked the best. It was actually quite easy to ignite. Just needed a good strike on the striker. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Also, with my experience I found that cotton and fatwood shavings (not the cube) are about the same when it comes to which one is easier to strike. For both of them, you just need a really good and directed strike.

I can get both in one strike now (rather than 50 or so previously <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ).

hmm, yeah I didn't have much luck the other day... perhaps that fatwood of yours is better? not sure...

Question for the fatwood experts (I've seen it but have never used it).

How weatherproof is it or do you recommend keeping it wrapped/protected in plastic while in your PSK?

Not an expert, but I would keep it dry.

Hmm... we should have done this.... grrr.

Recently we harvested some fresh fatwood in Forest Park. It was wet and we did not test it.

However, by nature, the fat wood is somewhat moist, due to the amber. Which in this case, as it burns you will see steam.

From what I can tell you it would be a good idea to keep it away from moisture.

Next time Cloak and I go out into the woods, we'll harvest some wetter fatwood and test the striker with it.

I would think the sap would waterproof it. I've never used it wet though.

The Cogland's Emergency Fire Sticks can easily be lite by fire steel. Shave very thin, wide flat curls. Spark into them on the flat. Cutting them into chunks will not work for fire steels.
For those in the Mt Hood or Mt Adams areas look for an old fire or logged area. I found a pine stump near Mt Adams (east side) that produce a box of fat wood from one root only. I could of gotten 4-5 boxes full from the whole stump, but Why? Just how much Fat wood does a guy need. The stuff was as good as the central america stuff sold by DLT (quite cheap however).
Ron Athay