Flint & Steel Complete "NO CHAR" Tinder List...Declassified

[@DannaGesellchen]

I caught the flint and steel bug several years ago while hosting a camp meeting with Jim Buller. I haven't looked back and still love it!! Thanks for all those strikes! Every blow is an aim at higher education!

[@jenevadavid]

Greetings! Your enthusiasm and videos are infectious. Don't know if you're familiar with uncharred punkwood as a flint & steel tinder or if you consider it previously well-known? This is my first uncharred success - this stuff's just incredible, often taking a spark first strike and it has a worldwide distribution, wherever wood can be found.

[@TrusT_LUV]

How so ground up dried ?

[@robvegart]

“When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressive creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and opens ways for better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it and shows there are still more pages possible.” Robert Henri 'The Art Spirit' 1923.... Thankyou for all that you do! You truly are bushcraft artist... Just starting on chapter one!

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Wow, what a great quote. Thanks for sharing!

[@danieltheisen5259]

Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you posted one video with all of them. And what great timing! I was just telling my buddy about no char tinders and I was going through showing him your videos, and he’s like “we gotta watch all these different videos?”, and I was like “yeah, I wish they had them all in one place but they don’t”, and like three minutes after I said that I saw that this video had been posted so we switched over to watching this one. Thank you!

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Amazing! That’s a great story. Thanks for sharing and hopefully you guys enjoyed the video.

[@jaybird1091]

Your videos will save countless lives in the future to come. Your knowledge and hardwork is priceless. BEST CHANNEL FOR OUTDOOR FIRE SURVIVAL PERIOD. WOULD LOVE TO SEE A SURVIVAL BOOK FROM YOU ON THIS SUBJECT AND MORE.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Thanks for that great compliment!

[@kentdeneal1188]

63 years old. Very active outdoorsman my whole life. Always had a ferro rod in my survival kit. I assumed it would guarantee starting a fire. On an overnight camping trip i wanted to exercise the skill. It had been raining, but i was confident to find some dry enough tinder . I tried until i had blisters. I failed

[@user-qo7qt3wq7h]

The examle that Science can provide new knowledge !! Haven't seen this kind of tinder in ANY ethnographic records. Top top top thank you !!

[@SonnyCrocket-p6h]

you, sir are one motivated, disciplined man!

[@Kv8682]

but you turned the whole process around everyone is following you thank you i have a flint and steel and felt like there had to be one plant now you found that out

[@marksibert963]

Thank you for all your hard work.This will help all of us!

[@ANXIETOR]

Such valuable info, for sure. Now a request. Could you do a video using your favorite tinders, but with no striker? You carry a high carbon knife, and you find some flint, now can you get an ember? You seem like the right guys for this task.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

We’re on the job! We’ve been thinking about this for quite a while now. Would love to feel confident enough with it to make a video and share.

[@christineedwards4865]

Thank you for your extensive research. I love that you included latin names in your video. It makes it so much easier to know what you're talking about, because common names can vary depending on who you're talking to (for instance, I've met people here in VA that call rhododendron "ivy"). I can't wait to check out the pdf! As far as what you said about the dead trillium leaves, I think the nitrogen content would actually be reduced. It's recommended in composting to add brown material to the green material because otherwise it's too hot (meaning too much nitrogen). It's very cool that you have a type of trillium growing over there. There is are supposed to be 39 species of trillium native to the US, and certain species are more rare than others. Trillium grandiflorum grows all over the Blue Ridge here in the east, and is not very rare (uncommon, but not if you know where to look), but there are also threatened/ endangered species like Virginia Dwarf Trillium. I think grandiflorum gets mistaken for being rare because it's a spring ephemeral, so it isn't seen for a large portion of the year, but maybe it's way less common out west.

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

As always, tremendously useful information.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

We appreciate it, thank you!

[@lisamcqueen8509]

Thanks again for sharing all your time and effort! Really enjoy watching and learning! Milkweed ovum is still my go to here in the midwest. But I love nettle, it still works best for me with ash. Steve

[@tammykeith5909]

this is amazing! I like knowing that there is more I can do for those times when life throws you a curve ball and I need to do more for my family.

[@charlesartificer2158]

Been waiting for this, thumbs waaaaaay up!

[@vinceraineing]

Best survival channel

[@normanjones1594]

I have used aspen punk wood .What I found was in a hollow log. I would rate it a 7,.each time I got an ember I switched flints. Never did I have to go over 8 strikes. many on the first strike and many with 2 and 3 embers on the first strike, I would have never known this with 0ut your video . thanks

[@wildernessstrong6131]

This is fantastic info, thanks so much for sharing!

[@schlempfunkle]

Your cousin Tim here. We just got back from a nature walk with some nettle to dry and test

[@samthai818]

Really awesome compilation! Thank you to you both for sharing your valuable expertise and experience!

[@johnscrivy]

This is an excellent video

[@charlesartificer2158]

Thanks so much for the pdf! This info is great and will save someone's life.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Hey Charles we noticed the pdf from yesterday was missing a bit of info. Updated version is up now in the description.

[@charlesartificer2158]

@@wildernessstrong6131 thanks will get it. You guys rock!

[@yoiyomismo]

I loved this comprehensive video on no char tinder plants. Thank you!

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DalemGumino]

Tinder is great. I really admire the produce of this earth It can even be sensitive from spark which has a lower temperature than steel. Thanks Brother,😊🙏🔥🔥🔥

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Well said Dalem. Your fire videos are legendary. Thanks for watching!

[@konradMtal]

Great! I just stumbled upon this video, and it looks like some of this might also work in Europe (we do not have waterleaf, but stinging nettle and mugwort). Thank you! It is one year old, I hope you haven´t given up.

[@user-qo7qt3wq7h]

8:40 Hey Circium arvense is a really good plant ! You can eat the young leaves, the stem and what's inside and you can also eat the capitule of the flowers like artichoke (really tinier on this plant). For the leaves, you just cut the needles with scissors and boil for about a minute, a bit of lemon, some salt and there you go, the Crétoise way ! :)

[@Jarensportstime]

very good tinders in this one. I appreciate all the work this took you two. well done. 👍

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Thanks fun films! We appreciate the support.

[@josephcherney9066]

Thank you so much for these videos. This information is of incredible value. Many of us have been trying to find a list like this and are very grateful. Keep up the amazing work.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Great to hear that! Thanks for the great comment.

[@jesseherbert2585]

This is epic! Have you considered putting this in a textbook? Or travel pamphlet? You deserve funding...

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Nice of you to say…thank you! We’re just happy people are enjoying the content. Thanks!

[@clivedunning4317]

Great information. Thank you.

[@richmoran5915]

You guys are rad.

[@michael_and_lowe]

You can also use stinging nettle seed fronds when harvesting the highly nutritious seeds around about the same time you would harvest the stalks but saves you double the time in terms of processing as you are getting 4 resources at the same time. 1. The highly nutritious seeds as Food. 2. No Char Tinder. 3. Pot scourer. 4. Exfoliater.

[@wrbruce6100]

Have you ever tried Titanium striker, they throw a lot hotter spark then regular steel. It’s harder to get a spark, but I believe it would change the ratings. Good video.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Yes it would definitely effect the results and ratings. We don’t use titanium strikers but I’ve heard they throw hotter sparks.

[@chronosferatu345]

Thank you so much for researching this thoroughly and carefully, and for presenting it to viewers in such an accessible and digestible format. Thank you for your efforts and videos.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Hey you’re welcome. Thanks for watching and for the comment.

[@BerserkerGang2019]

I really love the flint stell videos and the educational tinder videos. I am a blacksmith and my favorite work piece to forge is flint steels. would love to see if you could do a video on what rocks spark.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Glad you’re enjoying the videos. I’m really interested in your blacksmith work related to making steel strikers for flint and steel. If you have any pictures/website/any more info on what you do please email to us: [e-mail]

[@rambler138]

I have a hypothesis, but mugwort and stinging nettle are both oily plants, perhaps these oils help their flammability. Juniper, Sage, Wormwood also contain the same oil that mugwort does, next time i pass some junipers i will grab some and test it.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Fantastic. Keep us posted. Would love to keep adding to our list.

[@user-qo7qt3wq7h]

Ok now I need to try with European plants !! And we also need to try with pyrite stones and not steel ! I guess the top 3 of your list might work with sparks from a iron-containing rock striked ! Thank you guys for your work it is very exciting !!

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Great to hear. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@JohnVance-fz1rd]

thanks for the up date

[@KnifeCrazzzzy]

Amazing! 🙌🏻🙏🏻 Did you try Mullen?

[@HarshmanHills]

Impressive testing

[@leemckinney6471]

Love the video but how do you break the material down we need another video 😅

[@joodhepa3450]

Thanks again that was very helpful keep up the good work we love you man yeeeeees

[@egordo2]

Very good video! Thanks

[@chrisfritz6720]

Well done

[@JackBlack-gh5yf]

Well done guys, this is ground-breaking research!

[@missionpreparedness1533]

Excellent.

[@gerardvanengelen9001]

Awesome 👍

[@theplantista25]

Thank you so much!!!🔥🔥🌱🌱👍

[@graftedin3]

Great video

[@genewyrick8328]

Another great video , I love ur curiosity and persistence

[@TheOaken1]

Thank you

[@stephengarrett8076]

Outstanding study !!! Thank you.

[@aaronrhoades509]

Thank you so much you're doing such a great job!! I live in North Central Texas and live near the Red River and have a few of the plants that you discussed I do not have great burdock but I do have burdock I don't know if they're the same plant but I am eager to find out.. Keep up the good work👍👍

[@christineedwards4865]

There are 3 commonly known species in the burdock family in the US. If you don't have great burdock then you probably have arctium minus or arctium tomentosum. They should both have similar edible and medicinal properties to arctium lappa, so that could also mean similar no-char potential. The only way to know for sure would be to test it. There is also a toxic plant that can sometimes be mistaken for burdock called cocklebur, just so you know. You can find easy to spot characteristics and photos with the right Google search to help you id your plant. Burdocks are all supposedly invasive species from Europe, and are considered noxious weeds in some states, so don't feel bad about harvesting them for experimentation. You'd probably be doing the native plant species a favor.

[@Finn-mp8pk]

This is amazing. Thank you so much for all this research!

[@waveman0]

thanks for this. Well done. Shared on my flint and steel facebook group

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Awesome, thank you! Keep us posted on any tinder breakthroughs you may come across. Would love to keep adding to the list.

[@bushcraftsurvivalslovenia5241]

thank you for sharing this video and the knowledge contained within. I have tried burdock and stinging nettle myself, but so far with no success. I will have to try more but I am wondering if it is possible that the same species of plant can be differnet based on the location where it is growing? the climate where you an I live are quite different and could be a huge factor in plant's composition leading to different characteristics and properties in regards to the fire making .

[@wildernessstrong6131]

That could play a role. We have only done this throughout the Pacific Northwest but have had comments from others who were successful in other regions of our country. You are the first to check in from Slovenia, keep us posted if you get it to work.

[@bushcraftsurvivalslovenia5241]

@@wildernessstrong6131 thanks, well i'll keep trying and if I have any success I'll let you know. Keep making this great educational content, I really appreciate it.

[@CougarClan]

Excellent!!! :))

[@Kv8682]

birch tree work to

[@mattnolan4213]

STINGING NETTLE REPORT: USING the outer layer of the stems while green plants about 3 feet high,at first I was disappointed with 200 strikes and no ember after well dried I ground it even finer no luck with Flint but I used the flint only on my magnesium bar and that did take so I took the Nettle to the finest level much like fluffy cellulose insulation, very fluffy I got several embers at this point in probably 20 strikes with Flint and my homemade file striker❤️.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Wow, great! Thanks for sharing and for not giving up. As we mentioned in the video sometimes it takes several "failures" in order to learn the nuances of each plant and what the expectation should be for success. I predict that you will now experience many future successes as well. Thanks again for sharing. 👍

[@ang9968]

Do a video on the best steel strikers and the best methods for striking.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

We cover striking methods in this one: Flint Steel Top 5 Methods | NEW Striking Technique kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYWlomyDr6yrick

[@ang9968]

I watched the video. Thank you. I'm still curious about which steel strikers in your opinion throw the best sparks. I bought two on etsy, and they were both duds that thrown little to no sparks.

[@fernandsavoie6641]

What produces the spark, is it the metal or the rock/stone?

[@FBIforreal152]

This is so damn cool

[@JDE4045]

Would false nettles give the same results?

[@coydog6665]

Thanks for passing this valuable info! Where do you get your fire steels?

[@Labyrnthdom]

I want to try dock. And the burdock

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Ok great...can't wait to hear your results.

[@vladtepist3539]

Soybean dust found up stock and leafs but it has to be full dead and dry

[@Jacobzladder]

Greetings. Thanks for your work. Do you have an email? I have some questions about Burdock. I have harvested a bunch of dead and live leaves from various plants up in Minnesota and have been trying to catch an ember. No success and further more, it wasn’t receptive to a lighter. Curious about time how it works best. Whether time of year, moisture content, the stalk leaves, the lower bigger leaves, or type of processing works best. Thanks

[@wildernessstrong6131]

[e-mail] Reach out any time.

[@simonlabozetta5063]

I'm curious why chaga wasn't covered? It works incredibly well. Then again it's not available everywhere.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Mostly because the project was to discover new plants that were not previously recognized by the fire making community already. Chaga has been pretty well known and discussed for some time so we focused on the plants that most likely were unknown to most. Thanks for the question.

[@simonlabozetta5063]

@@wildernessstrong6131 that makes plenty of sense in said context. I really enjoy your videos, and look forward to your upcoming adventures and content.

[@heyarno]

Have you tried birch seeds yet? I mean that state when they popped open and the white fluff is out.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

I don’t believe that was on our list, thanks for the suggestion.

[@RedBranchBushcraft]

I have gone through everything thing I can think of in my area, processed them all in different ways, spring, summer,autumn, winter, the only thing I got to take was cramp balls, do you guys use titanium strikers?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

No we don’t use titanium. I’m interested in cramp balls, I don’t think we tried that. Did you do a video on it? We enjoy your channel, persistence and enthusiasm. Many of the Tinders that worked on our list only worked using specific striking methods. The most successful method we used was putting the flint to the floor surrounded by tinder and striking over the top of it. It’s the last method we demonstrated in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYWlomyDr6yrick

[@torrysands969]

Can you use a hand or bow drill to make char from any wood then save energy and use flint steel to ignite the black char powder

[@wildernessstrong6131]

That has crossed our minds. It would take quite a bit of dust since placing the sparks where you want them is not always possible, but in theory it could work.

[@garyminick1050]

What is the difference between curly dock and other plants called " dock "?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Our experience is mostly with curly dock and broadleaf dock. They are definitely similar but the broadleaf has wider and flatter leaves while the curly dock leaves are skinnier and wavier. Broadleaf Dock is the variety that we’ve had success with in flint and steel fire making. Also just fyi dock plants are not related to Greater Burdock although the dead leaves process in a similar way for fire tinder and share some similarities in that department.

[@JDE4045]

Is Elephant Ear leaves the same as Great Burdock leaves?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

They are different species. Arctium lappa is the scientific name for Greater Burdock. Elephant Ear - Colocasia. Thanks for the question.

[@Theantichrist9Tails]

Is there a pdf or book for purchase in no char methods?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Well we have a list in the description that covers a lot of information. No books yet, but a few comments here on the channel have made us think about it some.

[@TheDarkSkorpion]

What state are you all in? I haven't seen most of these plants where I live (Northeast Florida). There's probably different plants here you don't have access to that will work also. There should be a list somewhere where fellow flint and steel fans can add locally available materials to. Maybe there already is, if so, link?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

I’d like to see a list like that. We are in Oregon but I’m curious about other plants around the country that we don’t have access too. We get a lot of questions specifically from Florida so if you find any plants that work there keep us posted.

[@maxmannsperger2816]

Your Videos are amazing!!! Sometimes u used an old file as striker, as i do. are there any differences in the quality of the sparks, compared to other strikers? Still yet i was not succesfull with some of your plants growing also in south germany. Best regards

[@wildernessstrong6131]

That’s a good question. We still haven’t officially concluded that the file works better, but that would make a good comparison video. Sometimes we switch the type of flint and the style of steel several times when we’re trying to get a tinder to work. We need to do a bit more research on the subject to see which produces more/hotter spark.

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

How do I find ocean spray??? I've been looking for it in Idaho, Utah and for a short time the Oregon coast. Never found it.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

We’re in Western Oregon and have had success finding it along streams and rivers and in Rocky soil. Also in areas that have been logged.

[@FlintStryker]

What about rhubarb? It is akin to burdock. Also what about winter dogbane. That’s when I usually harvest it for cordage - after it dies back. I saw that dried green dogbane did not work. Thanks! Can’t wait till Spring so I can go look for the plants you suggest!!!!!

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Thanks for the good suggestions. We love dogbane.

[@mysterytechknowledge3664]

@Wilderness Strong What part of the NW are you in?

[@wildernessstrong6131]

Western Oregon. Great for Bushcraft, Wilderness Survival, and practicing wet weather survival skills.

[@tim-timman8868]

Great video. I'm very interested in trying your top candidate, mugwort. However, from my research I cannot find the plant you show and mention as mugwort to be Artemisia vulgaris; the leaves to start are very different. Best I could find would be Artemisia douglasiana, but that too looks too different. Could you perhaps show off more of this plant in another video (your previous mugwort video is basically the same footage)?

[@tim-timman8868]

Looking over the older video again: one of the plants you show along when striking outdoors and what you collected green appears to me to be Artemisia douglasiana. But what you show in this video, and at the start of the older one appears to be a different plant all together.

[@wildernessstrong6131]

It looks like you’re correct. I believe we mislabeled our variety of Mugwort. It closer resembles Artemisa douglasiana. We’ll do a bit more research. Thank you.

[@ronmartin3755]

Why didn't you use a Ferrous Rod and the back side of a camping knife to make sparks? I use an old knife that I found in a lake diving years ago and since the rust had pitted it so bad it is useless except striking the Ferrous rod. And it throws several huge sparks that will light anything flammable! Now I suggest anyone wanting to get in the far out country back woods load up a good size plastic bag with cotton balls with about a third of the ball slathered with Vaseline! The cotton cathes fire so well it is amazing and I keep mine in a plastic bag in my camping gear. It last forever and nothing makes a good fire easier to make than a couple of cotton balls with Vaseline sparked by a half inch diameter ferrous rod and a carbon steel camping knife.

[@wayfinderali]

Many people carry knives on them all the time, everywhere, but may find themselves in a situation where they need a fire and don't have a ferro rod, lighter or matches. If you all you have is high carbon steel knife, you can start a fire with a piece of quartz or flint and one of these plants.

[@user-qo7qt3wq7h]

damn i thought artemisia vulgaris and urtica dioica were on the top end ! let's see what surprises you found

[@paulwhitaker2816]

I understand its called 'flint' , but what is the brown stones you are using . Is it an iron stone , It looks very durable . Thanks again for a great video

[@wildernessstrong6131]

We refer to it as Jasper. Our understanding has been that the darker chert with reds and browns has iron oxide and is then classified as jasper. But we’re always trying to broaden our knowledge on the topic.

[@sipapito]

All this process to make a fire? I just go to my laundry room and I have bags of that highly flammable stuff in my tinder pouch.

[@joodhepa3450]

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[@Goldenhammer8]

Charlene Flynt death replay 8 forever

[@PaganLad3121]

How did you get that stone bowl