Don't Forget to Shave Your Fatwood when Starting a Survival Fire

Like what you see? Want more? Visit us at..
www.coalcrackerbushcraft.com
/ danwowak
/ coalcrackerbushcraft
and as always....
Stay in the Woods,
Dan

[@Regularcitizen1]

Dan is definitely in his element. He loves the cold

[@pirateofsteeze]

That Stump is slowly becoming Dan’s Co-Host.

[@frikkiesmit327]

Haha you need a prize for this comment!

[@parnold-mora8924]

Beautiful scenic background, short/concise fatwood tutorial, another A+ for Dan.

[@isaiahsacks9791]

Thank you so much, for making the videos Dan. I have been traveling the country by foot for 2 years now going on 3, and have been utterly lost during winter... No longer, I have been learning and growing rapidly thanks to your wisdom. I could never tell you how grateful I am, though perhaps if you get to see this message, you might have an idea. ♡

[@codycampbell3562]

Do you walk the highways? What do you carry with you?

[@isaiahsacks9791]

@@codycampbell3562 yeah, I carry a military rucksack, 2 days of water, a water filter, a flint and steal, a tarp, a blanket, a tent, a Bible, an extra change of clothes, a dozen pairs of socks, a bag of chargers and battery packs, a pocket full of snacks(usually trailmix), a couple lighters, a couple notebooks, my phone, my wallet, a pair of binoculars, a few packs of baby wipes, some extra string, my cat, about 20 pounds of cat food, steal toe boots, a case of momentos, a can opener, a case of tide pods, a pigy bank for my change.... Probably left some things out... The moat useful things on this list other than food and water from experience would be: Baby wipes. Socks. Blanket. Heck, before I brought my cat with me, I wouldn't need any of this. Straight cowboyed it. Though that is alot more "hardcore" than I'd recommend to anyone else. Hope this helps ^.^

[@dirkhagen7341]

Love it how you gently explain it to someone who has no experience at all - but still as an advanced bushcrafter myself i still love to watch your lessons. Thanks for your great work.

[@RandomCommentHandle]

I wish you were my dad. And don't get me wrong, my dad was resourceful, but you're on another level. Have many children, you're a real man.

[@o-redstoothbrush7916]

I keep a carpenter pencil sharpener in my pack to use on fat wood and other wood processing quickly .you Should try it

[@allanlarmour7460]

I spent a whole summer collecting lumps of pine tree, sections with protruding branches. Once I cleaned it all up and was left with just the fatwood I started sawing it into smaller sticks. The sawdust is as easy to light as gasoline. I sawed up as mush of that as I could and still have usable pieces of fatwood. I filled a couple of fist size cloth bags and a couple of old sweet tins with this sawdust. I did this over a few weeks of lockdown out of boredom but its certainly paid off. I've enough fatwood sawdust to last a lifetime. And Ive still got a small sack full of 1 x 1 inch x 4 to 5 inch sticks that will last someone else a lifetime too.

[@jasongarling20]

That's awesome! Could I possibly talk you into sending me that fat sack of fat wood! Lol! I love fire..one of mother nature's greatest! Hit me up if you are interested! You are truly blessed to have all of that fat wood!

[@allanlarmour7460]

@@jasongarling20 That would depend on where you are? If you're in the UK I don't mind but if youre further away then the cost to send it maybe more than it would cost to buy it. Its very heavy because of the resin. Its like plastic its so dense with resin. I will be going to the post office on Monday or Tuesday next week so its no problem.

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Hard work but worth it in the end. (Unless you’re afflicted by “tennis elbow”! Haha) You’ve inspired me to do the same. Thank you.

[@chmod1777]

Dan sure loves to utilize the word utilize 😉

[@AMC-eq3jr]

Jeffrey Toobin said the same is why CNN rehired him.

[@cowboyroy1961]

“Don’t just scrape your fat wood… shave it too!”….LMAO! Sandi and I are dying over here! Love your video as usual Dan. Thanks! Still crackin ‘ up!😁

[@markphillips5724]

To preserve my knifes edge I'll use a potato peeler to get those slightly larger shavings. Less sharpening & honing of my blade.. works great.

[@jerrodlopes186]

Awesome idea. Thanks.

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Genius!

[@MutsPub]

Is the peeler tough enough? How to sharpen it? That steel is not meant for wood. You should already carry two knives, or tools, capable of wood processing. The peeler has limited uses. If it works for you, go for it!

[@adamtedder700]

Down south we put down a plastic tarp when sawing up our Fatwood to catch the sawdust. Then put in large pill bottles. Down here in Georgia and Florida we call it Lighterd.

[@willdenoble1898]

And oh my is fat wood amazing down there. It lights up almost like gasoline! Im used to using fat wood from NW AR or Central KS, so when I lit up some shavings from fatwood I found down in GA, it nearly exploded and scared the shit outta me, my dad, and my brothers! 😂😂😂

[@harrisquicksilver6595]

Dan, its Dan, and u said it right, most people mess these up. Scrape the 90deg. Spine, it makes scrapings... run the blade across the wood it shaves it, making shavings. U rock buddy!

[@michaelchristiansen787]

Watching from a dugout shelter in Northern Indiana December 3 2021. Love your channel. Keep it up man!

[@RickTOutdoorAdventure1969]

Keep in simple, no messing, great film, great reminder of the simple things work with the right resources and techniques 🔥👍. Great stuff as always Dan Atb Rick n Billydog

[@garycorbett1305]

Brendan let's go

[@forester057]

☝🏻oh yeah

[@scully7733]

Let's go Bannon!

[@intoBush-craft]

4:06 he’s so proud of himself aha. love it. thanks for the tips 🇨🇦

[@robertr2731]

3:39 Nice, very Nice !! 💙

[@KENFEDOR22]

Excellent advice, Dan. I had previously focused too much on the shavings. On a funny note, a friend showed me an old "Survivor" episode. The contestants were handed a pile of dry coconut husk, a ferro rod and a knife. It took the first contestant 53 minutes to ignite! The reason? They all used the BLADE to scrape their ferro rods - damn. Made me feel pretty good about my limited bushcraft skills. They should rename the show "Poser".

[@hidebehind2604]

We out in NW and northern states call it pitch. It is formed much as speaker says in certain evergreens such as fir, pines and spouse. We also find pitch in liquid form, so thick it can actually slow or stop a power saw. Old growths almost extinct but rotten remnants still have pitch streaks in great shape within. If near a recently logged of spruce and fir patch one can find pitch in the slivers left on stumps that get ulled from center of tree as it is not fully cut off leaving a hinge to direct fall. On larger Fir and pines especially, one can get pitch from some roots. I scout along old stream and river beds in search of bull horns , they look and are shaped like cows horn. They are actually solid pitch left over from long dead or even delimed branches of old of 80,-100 year old growths logging days. The outer woods rot away leaving this odd shaped pitch I used to find many some as long as two feet or more and 8 inches on big end that took many an axe whack to shred into kindling size, hard as rock. Usually into hunting back pack one saved smaller 4" small pointed curled end as fire starter. Realy old pitch if exposed will be jet black and between and on outside one will find flat pieces of old pitch seams, it all burns well and great fire starter. In old days of logging and log camps men used to refer to these slivers and black pitch as "trading material" for favors of old maids, widows and single school marms. Warmed their hearts and their fanny! Would like to know where ter. Fat Wood comes from. Might it be that down south all old maids, widows and single school marms were fat ?

[@memathews]

Yep, I wondered what they meant by "fatwood" until I saw a guy pick up a lump of pitch. Another quick source is the bark blisters on Noble Fir in the lower foothills of the various mountain ranges above 4,000'.

[@hapax-si2fd]

U can literally hear the resin sizzle!!! Great video man!!

[@4HI-4LOW]

Good tip, recently moved to the North East in NH seacoast from down south, so I’m having to relearn a few fundamentals with the different trees and weather conditions.

[@earlshaner4441]

Hi from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing your thoughts and adventures and your family and everyone else

[@ceri1796]

Another great tip, thanks Dan from the UK

[@ponderosat316]

Great tip! We love our Georgia Fat Lighter!!

[@joepublic573]

that "stay in the woods" always makes me smile :) - thanks for another great tip dan.

[@darrenleigh201]

Great information! It may seem simple but it is always good to relearn the basics. Thanks for sharing👍

[@jaketalley2240]

I just bought a bundle and tried it out. This stuff lights up fast! New favorite fire starter.

[@doncarleone973]

Yea, this guy knows his stuff! And is a very good teacher. Love this channel 👍

[@johnashby2196]

As always..... Another great short, precise and educational video. Definitely enjoy & learn from your videos. Thanks !

[@rvbsail4fun]

Wow nice fat wood information. TKS I’ll be trying this tonight. Total TKS.

[@HWCism]

Nice demonstration, thanks

[@cillaloves2fish688]

Good tip! Thx Dan!

[@artthrower7773]

Thanks Dan another thing we can use to save our lives

[@charlesgillette2925]

Great video easy to understand and on point

[@laineysilva3146]

Thanks Dan, I love your quick tip videos. Awesome!!!!

[@OldPackMule]

"Don't just scrape your fat wood, shave it too". 🤣🤣. Let the comments commence.

[@bushhack]

The Alone series contestants didn’t show much or any use of fatwood. Some complaints were that they couldn’t start a fire at all. I wonder how widely it’s actually used in bushcrafting. I will be doing a video on this someday, I live in Utah and lots of our pines have died from pinebore beetles.

[@avprepping9006]

Thanks for another great video Dan.

[@cdpace2477]

Always great info, keep up the good work.

[@smokepole14]

I literally started my fire last night with using this method, then woke up to see this video lol nice work Dan! Keep up the good vids!

[@drabadix]

Today is the first time I’m on your channel, and I instantly subscribed. LOVE YOUR CONTENT! Keep it up 🔥

[@mat-ventures]

Really useful tip, as useful. Thanks Dan!

[@johnwyman5939]

Outstanding video !!! Another good idea for my tool box. Definitely gonna use it year round..

[@keithsce]

Great vid thanks. Can't wait to try this technique for lighting fires in my new smokeless firepit.

[@MOAON_AABE]

You laughing at yourself for the commentary is hilarious 😂 love it man, stay in the woods,

[@lloydyboyblue6714]

Thanks 4 your videos they're awesome

[@clintonminer7636]

Fantastic video

[@Crafty.Veteran.Survival]

Love fatwood. Thanks Dan!

[@Steve-mx6lz]

New favourite channel 🤘

[@dmtnw4480]

Thank you for sharing this information

[@jasonz7788]

Great work Sir thank you

[@deadmetal8692]

I was just thinking about Fatwood last night. It popped in my head when I was trying to sleep. lol

[@AMC-eq3jr]

Jeffrey Toobin was thinking the same at CNN.

[@trinityBushcraftandsurvival]

Great tip!

[@kevinm.gallant4537]

Nice one Dan. Thank you. Kevin M.

[@OrderOfWoods]

Great and informative video!

[@stucklescrafter5712]

Thx from Germany

[@rickkerans8485]

Another tool for the toolbox. If your knife doesn't have a 90° spine the Pack Pal is a great easy scraper for getting alot of that fine fluff.

[@larryfath2673]

Last night’s fire was started with fat wood! I made the slivers, but forgot the shavings. I didn’t understand why it wouldn’t start as I had a ton of sparks showering the slivers from my ferry rod. Then it occurred to me that there were no shavings. Duh… it has been a few months since I’ve made a fire and I forgot that critical step.

[@KENFEDOR22]

I've been down that road too!

[@morethanbushcraft]

Cool video!

[@edwarddemedeiros3607]

Good stuff!

[@throatpunch4789]

Awesome video great info. super duper good tip!!

[@DanShaferMusic]

I will actually lay 4 1”x 8” pieces of fat wood as a base, creating a box then lay slivers in a small pile in that base and light. It provides a great fire to start instantly adding pieces of firewood to the box!!🤘😉🇺🇸

[@ryanblystone5153]

Thank you

[@erolkavlakverizon6112]

Dan, I have a T-shirt from another KZbin channel on the back it says."love me some fatwood" some people think it's about something else. Hahaha

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Haha very clever. What channel is that from?

[@erolkavlakverizon6112]

Survival on purpose

[@Mr-Mark69]

Great advise Dan, have collected quite bit Fatwood recently, be doing as tutorial, thanks.

[@mjhill72]

Good tip, Dan. 👍 The vast majority of fat wood videos fail to mention this. Pro tip: slap some powder on them freshly shaved chestnuts & fatwood. (Hey, you started it 😆)

[@rogersleep]

Brilliant thanks for sharing your knowledge 🤓

[@canoecycle7005]

Couldn't have put it better myself good short video

[@ronmenges6825]

The perfect opportunity lost... Shave and a haircut,two bits!!!!!

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

I get my fat wood at Walmart in the charcoal section it’s good to have in your camping /hunting kit . 😁

[@drowssapma]

Hopefully you know how to collect it in the woods. In a SHTF situation, don't count on Walmart for your fatwood.

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

@@drowssapma lol yes very much

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

@@drowssapma I actually taught alpine and arctic survival in the military for years

[@michaelmaier7262]

@@sheerwillsurvival2064 Wish I had that. I get scared of being trapped in my attic!

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

@@michaelmaier7262 lol missed that

[@krbushcraftaustralia5976]

Love ya work mate. From Downunder 🤘❤️

[@michaelcarter8209]

Outstanding

[@theprophetez1357]

I keep some may dust in a little baggie in my fire kit. I generally use it to start my wood gassifier stove. I load it with sticks including a couple of pieces of fatwood then I sprinkle the scrapings on top and light it. Sure is convenient.

[@crazynok5511]

I'm on video 3 , nice job .

[@allanmoral3867]

Dan's cheerful enthusiasm is enough to start a fire. Who needs ferro rods. Just watch Dan until his outdoor mastery rubs on you!

[@johnnybushman651]

😂 lol , Dan that was funny. Thanks for your In put.

[@stevenstovall9668]

Man, do I love me some Fatwood!!!!!!

[@kennethwilson8633]

Thanks for the info and way safer than the gasoline I use. Have fun be safe.

[@badgerandthewoodsman]

Love your channel and totally agree with shaving and thin strips but I’ve been camping in marsh lands were every thing is damp with a high humidity, and I’ve found you need slightly more slow burning chunky pieces to dry out the branches/twigs and even shavings, a little bit of everything is needed in these conditions. Much kudos and may your chimney smoke long 🔥

[@badgerandthewoodsman]

Also on a foot note I like using a very small portable wrasper to get an even finer grade of fatwood and very quickly and neatly collects it for you, you can also then roll these ultra fine shavings with some charcloth into what I have named fireballs! (Dramatic music!)maybe a good thing to try out on your channel I wrap them in tin foil and always carry them in my survival tin. Much respect ✊

[@richarddeyarmin3986]

Hey, thanks.

[@allenharoldsen9040]

I hope people don’t expect to find the nice straight grain fat wood like we get commercially from Walmart. My understanding is the commercial stuff comes from a special tree in Honduras. The pine knots we get in the woods are going to be kinda gnarled and twisted. Great job!

[@SpencerDonahue]

I find pieces of perfectly straight grain Douglas fir here in BC all the time. Thats most of what is out there and it is infinitely easier to work with than fussing with crotches and knots. Honduran long leaf pine is high in resin, but doesn't burn as hot or as fast as other fat wood sources.

[@jerrodlopes186]

If you're getting your fatwood from the base of a limb or trunk there really shouldn't be any knots since knots occur where a branch comes off a limb. Most pines aren't going to have significant branches on a limb shooting off that close to the trunk where the fatwood is.

[@ruinedrx8]

Commercial fat wood is almost always just impregnated with resin and an accelerant, via a factory and not naturally

[@slickydicky]

I can't remember the brand. But I used to buy some from the local farm store and it was grown and harvested in the USA.

[@elund408]

where I grew up in Oregon, we found it in old logged off stumps. The tree was cut live and when the next spring the sap ran up the stump filling it. After 30 years or so the wood had rotted away and left the fatwood. it was straight grained and full of sap.

[@beanrunnerWA]

Dan dan the fireman!

[@bigernmccracken5736]

Another great video, Dan. Although I admit, my adolescent brain thought the title may have been a euphemism for something.

[@COMB0RICO]

Good stuff

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

Thanks that was helpful 😊❤️🇺🇸❄️☃️🛷🔥⛺️🌄

[@IntegrityandKarma]

Just found your channel. Fantastic for someone like me, who knows just enough to be dangerous to herself lol.

[@bobrees4363]

Another place to sometimes find fatwood is cheap pine pallets. If it smells resinous, try it.

[@rj6812]

In the south we call it lighter pine.

[@waveman0]

while processing fatwood with a knife is 'bushcrafty' I find using a block plane the best way to do it. Block planes produce superior curls and very quickly produce a lot of curls. Unless you are very, very skilled at using a knife you'll never produce curls like I can with a block plane and I defy you to do it as quickly as I can with a plane. Planes are specifically made for processing wood as I describe.

[@NikosKatsikanis]

good one

[@willdenoble1898]

Honestly my favorite method for lighting a rocket log. Tip the log on its side, drop in the scrapings, light em up, then stand the log back up, drop in the shavings on top of the inferno, then drop in whatever is left of the fat wood stick that I used, then just let it burn and enjoy! NOTE: works best if you drill the vertical hole just a 1/2”-1” deeper than the side hole, so that the scrapings, once lit, have something to drop into when you stand up the log.

[@SouthernPatriot1]

Way down south....in Dixie 😉😂 Happy Fatwood Friday FIUF, Dan!

[@sendapez]

Intriguing

[@SpencerDonahue]

Fatwood doesn't form from sap leaching down the tree. Resin is formed as a reaction to damage from insects, fungus or storm damage. Resin is produced at the roots and the outer wood of the tree and is "bled" to the damaged area to prevent further incursion from pests and fungus. Sap is an entirely different element of the trees function and it most certainly doesn't flow down the tree to form fatwood. When you find a stump that was clearly cut years ago and its filled with resin, how exactly do you propose that sap flowed down a tree into the stump when the tree is gone and it was alive when it was cut? Your videos are great, but this is a very common misconception about the formation of fatwood.

[@jerrodlopes186]

So what is sap for?

[@SpencerDonahue]

@@jerrodlopes186 Sap transports sugars and nutrients via the phloem and xylem system. It is made up of minerals and water mostly and is water soluble. Resin is not water soluble and is present in the outer portion of the wood, not in the transport system for the sap.

[@sendit7777]

I don't know if there was a joke in the title, but I caught it. Lmao. Great info and video.

[@ColeCortner]

I wont forget

[@edrodabaugh2598]

Dan Dan the fatwood man

[@mattshaffer5935]

Great tips and humor 🤣

[@stoneysdead689]

I don't practice much with fat wood, we call it rich pine in the south, because I grew up using it, it's extremely plentiful down her, and it's almost fool proof. I feel like if I have access to rich pine then I've sort of already won- I'm going to have a fire- as long as I have at least a ferro rod or something- a lens, anything. I try to practice for when I don't have rich pine- then it's going to be tougher. May still be relatively easy depending on the conditions and what's available but, it's not going to be as easy as rich pine. I'm going to have to go through making a bird's nest and blowing it to flame and all that- much easier to fail. I grew up with a wood burning stove for heat and we used rich pine to start a fire every morning or decades of my life- if you have a lighter it's as easy as it gets. You don't need to shave it or anything- stick a flame to a piece the size of my wrist or smaller and most of the time it will light right up and keep on burning until it's gone.