Make Better Charred Punk Wood: Open Tin Char Method

While you can cook punk wood and other natural materials in a closed tin using the method popularized for making char cloth; it is not always the best approach.
I have been getting a lot of questions and requests for videos about how I make the char that I have been using in my flint and steel videos, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to share this alternative approach that works very well for me.
In some cases, putting your material into a closed tin and cooking it over the flames is the best approach, but there are a lot of advantages to open tin charring; particularly with punk wood.
My understanding of the science behind charred materials, carbonization, and how this stuff actually works is rudimentary at best but you don’t necessarily have to heat material in an oxygen deprived environment to make it suitable for catching sparks. Materials that are snuffed out via oxygen deprivation can work even better.
The basic idea is to get some punk wood smoldering to the point where it flames up; letting those flames char the outer portions of the material, and then depriving it of oxygen. In this case I used a weak ember from a bow drill set, but an ember from an existing fire works the same way.
Why is this sometimes superior to simply cooking it in the tin? This is where my understanding of the science fails me, and I can only speculate based on what I have seen and what I have heard from others. There is some disagreement about whether or not material can be over-charred, but I believe that this is a real factor and one of the reasons that people struggle with natural materials.
Char cloth tends to be more forgiving, but in my experience cooking punk wood, bark, wood shavings, fungi, and lots of other local materials, letting the tin sit on the fire too long usually results in an inferior or unusable final product. If I do cook natural materials in a closed tin, I have the best results when I remove it long before the flames stop shooting out the vent hole.
David West has put forth a theory that soot build-up may be a factor as well. The idea there being that if a tin is not well ventilated, soot and other particles are not ejected from the tin and collect on the charred material, creating a coating that can interfere with the sparks landing.
I don’t know if this is true, but it does make some sense to me, and could be one of the reasons that the open tin approach works so well.
Besides making the material more likely to take a spark, charring in this fashion also leaves more of the material (fuel) intact, resulting in embers that last longer and burn hotter. Material cooked in a tin seems to be consumed in the process and is much less likely to be able to produce flames without the addition of tinder material. Different species will have different properties. The black cottonwood punk I used here is great at taking sparks, but is somewhat resistant to flaming up. Cedar punk charred in this fashion will often produce large long burning flames with just the addition of oxygen.
I have to stress how important it is to give the material plenty of time to smolder if it is damp. Gather more than you need because some of it will be consumed in the drying process. You might notice in the footage that during the drying process it will initially catch flame with forced oxygen, but the moisture in the materials puts it out quickly. Only once it is dry enough to catch and hold flames is it safe to put the lid back on. Remember, if it is dry to begin with, you can light it with an open flame, snuff it out, and skip most of the smoldering.
This approach also leads into the philosophy of the perpetual char tin. For the sake of efficiency I shot all of this in one sitting, but realistically, you could gather new punk wood each time you needed to make a fire, and the act of drying your new batch not only refreshes your tin, but also replaces the conventional tinder bundle for turning your embers into flames to light your fire.
I shot quite a few long takes without cuts showing the process over and over again to demonstrate both how consistent it is and how easily this material will take a spark. I can’t say that I always get ignition with one strike, but a combination of practice and a better understanding of materials has made that a much more frequent occurrence.
I have to thank the great members of Bushcraft USA for introducing me to the idea of open tin charring, and so many other nuances around flint and steel.
David West Channel
/ @davidwestbgood2ppl
Materials:
Punk Wood for Char: Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa)
Bow Drill Set: Red Alder Hearth & Spindle, Fatwood Bearing Block, Vine Maple Bow, #36 Tarred Bank Line Cordage
Music:
Sappheiros - Lights
• Sappheiros - Lights (V...
Luca Stricagnoli - The Last of the Mohicans (Guitar)
• Luca Stricagnoli - The...

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Thumbs up for another well done and informative video.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Lonnie. I hope you've been out there enjoying what must be the last days of fall for you. 🙂

[@Woodenarrows]

The ease of preparation, the ease of ignition and the abundance of raw material are the reasons I switched from charcloth to chared punkwood a couple years ago. I really like the stuff.

[@nwprimate6416]

Me too. It took me a while to get the hang of finding the right stuff, but I'm sold.

[@MrKmoconne]

I was going to blah blah blah about the closed tin method, but then stopped and read your comments and watched one of your other videos. Very interesting!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks JD!

[@joesoutdoorplaces]

This has become my favorite way to make and use punk wood char for flint and steel.

[@nwprimate6416]

Great to hear!

[@bcwoodsman876]

I have made countless tins of charred punk and it never occurred to me to do it this way. Definitely going to give this a shot. Good job!

[@nwprimate6416]

Let me know how it works for you, and don't forget to post over on BCUSA too.

[@bcwoodsman876]

You betcha!

[@20p65s]

Your detailed notes are exceptional, one of the best bushcraft channels around.

[@nwprimate6416]

🙂 Thanks buddy!

[@thomasleebrown3136]

Your horizontal strike is a beautiful thing to behold. Thank You !

[@synergyvid]

love the last of the mohicans tune coming on as the spark takes - so badass!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@hermit6208]

Awesome man! I giggle every time the Mohicans theme starts up. I am such a child. 😁

[@nwprimate6416]

😅👍

[@willb9388]

I am in awe of how beautifully you have coincided the music with the embers lighting after that first flint strike.

[@nwprimate6416]

🙂

[@zoltanvonsomogyi7272]

This is true old time woodsmanship. Just fantastic to see. Thank you!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Zoltan. You have to appreciate the fact that it took the internet for me to learn and share this old time woodsmanship. 🙂👍

[@rokhnroll]

Excellent demo on your method, I like the approach makes sense to replace the punkwood every time you use it, almost like a life cycle of punk wood to char to fire then rinse and repeat.Thanks NWP

[@nwprimate6416]

Perpetual char! 🙂

[@davidf4958]

That is the way to go! It will make life easier for sure. There are some incense cedars around here and I've been looking for a punky one for experimenting. Would like to find cedar sap too. We mostly have pines, oak and manzanita. Thank you for doing all these exceptional videos.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks David. Outside of some time in SW Florida, most of my experience is limited to the Cascades and coastlines of Washington state, so I would be very interested to hear what works well in your area.

[@davidf4958]

Revising this one and realized the screw-on lid metal containers sitting around here will work just as well. I used the ones with lids that pressed on for closing the vent hole trick, but not anymore. Oh, and most any punkwood seems to work here, oak or pine. Still have not found cedar. Hope more videos are coming!

[@AxisOffGrid]

Very cool. Loved seeing the cycle

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks AOGS! 🙂

[@broketackle]

The Machine of Fire!!! Get it done bud. Always a great video from the Primate. Thanks again bud. Be safe out there!!!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Broke!

[@garyminick1050]

Good one NW primate . You're always finding new stuff !

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Gary 🙂👍

[@SurvivalSherpa]

I've been researching David West's theory and use of ashed char for a few weeks now. As you've seen on his channel possibly, ashed tinder can be blown into flame without being charred. The chemical reaction in the combustion process produces several byproducts, ash being one. I think the ash in the open tin process may be a huge help catching weak sparks. I'm still intrigued by the entire role ash plays in the combustion process. Still haven't found a scientific explanation but will keep geeking on. Thanks again for all the thought provoking videos and information!

[@nwprimate6416]

You might be onto something there! 👍

[@kasparhauser1425]

This guy has got to be the best Bushcraft master on the 'Tube!

[@thomasgold-1000]

Very informative write-up and video! 👍👍 Seems to be a great method with lots of advantages... excellent! Thanks a bunch for sharing...

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Thomas!

[@WayneTheSeine]

Awesome NWP.... you have the flint and steel strike down pat. Really some great info...perpetual charred punk wood and viable tender.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy! 🙂👍

[@pacificbushcraftandfirecra6358]

Ahhh... the magic everlasting char tin... Constant replenishing of the goods is a great concept. You may be doing it open burn, but you still seal it up to gasify the material. Real smart B!

[@nwprimate6416]

It's a nice system!

[@funonvancouverisland]

You lit it on fire and I was wondering where you would go with it. Works unreal! Your full of tips my friend. Very talented. Cheers!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@gonagain]

This is an amazing demonstration. Nice work!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@patrickgermond2750]

Nice find on the punk wood.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@usernick8928]

Rinse and repeat! Solid, I like it. I guess conventional wisdom is all about char CLOTH, which wouldn't work this way. But why use cloth when natural materials are so effective and abundant?

[@nwprimate6416]

That's it! I've been using #whoneedscharcloth on IG.

[@usernick8928]

Makes you wonder why it ever came about...

[@nwprimate6416]

It might have started as a city life tradition.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks MT!

[@seanthomasdowd]

I will try that out next time, got a fair amount of charred punk at the moment

[@nwprimate6416]

Keep me posted buddy!

[@seanthomasdowd]

Had some punk wood lying around and got bored so tried your open tin method, works really well, also now using the metal mesh over the tin and the oblique striking angle, thanks muchly

[@UTClans_96.27UT]

You did a darn good job and time for me to find a char tin without a hole in it or maybe cover the vent hole with a glove or dirt ? I always like seeing your forest and is the "moss" in the trees like Spanish moss ? Cool video and description . THX

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Nav Star. The hole in this tin is punched through the side of the lid and the side of can. When you line the two holes up, it can vent the gasses. Rotating the lid in either direction seals it up. 🙂

[@kylewilshusen9898]

Once again, enjoyed the video. Great content as always

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Kyle!

[@branni6538]

The char heat is less intense than an actual fire embers so the tin will last much longer this way. Great effort!

[@nwprimate6416]

👍

[@stephensgate1]

I need to try experimenting with some punk wood. I have to be honest, I haven’t yet. Your videos motivate me. Thank you! -Stephen, Ohio

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Stephen! I love hearing that. 👍

[@waveman0]

a wonderful demonstration mate, I often revisit your videos just to refresh my knowledge base.

[@marvinzammit4889]

Amazing N.W. great, your videos are always entertaining and educational.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Marvin!

[@JoshDogMoto]

Man your a legend. I miss these videos !!

[@RogerBays]

That is great to know. I had been wondering if it is possible to make charred punk-wood by simply dropping a piece on the edge of a campfire and letting it blacken, then fish it out, pop it in a tin, and close the lid. The idea being that you keep a nice clean tin. I am guessing from your video that this would be possible. Have you tried this way? Appreciated an informative video without the need for a bunch of dialogue and an informative title that explained what you were doing.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Roger! You can definitely do that. In fact, you don't even need the tin. I've been able to make char in a piece of kelp, in the ground, and even in my bare hands. If you can get it smoldering and deprive it of oxygen without compressing it or getting it wet, it should work great.

[@ReddenFamilyFun]

I always wanted to make charcoal. This is a cool video on how to do it.

[@nwprimate6416]

There are a few different ways to make this stuff, so don't be afraid to experiment, and I would love to hear back from you if you get a chance to try it.

[@ReddenFamilyFun]

@@nwprimate6416 I read you can burn the wood and cover it with sand or dirt as well.

[@nwprimate6416]

I have tried that and only had varying success with it. What works better for me is making a bark sandwich and covering it with sand or dirt. This keeps the fragile outer surface of the char from being damages, and also keep the moisture away from it. Here's a video on this that you can check out if you're interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHTYoq19fp6sZtE

[@Woodsman_wildcamper]

Nice one Brian, another trick to keep in mind. I'm heading out myself tomorrow to do some flint and steel stuff. Thanks for sharing, buddy, take care.

[@nwprimate6416]

Keep me posted! 👍🙂

[@bushcraftsurvivalslovenia5241]

lot's of great information. Though I have to say I never found that I overcharred my charcloth, but again as you said char cloth is more forgiving. For other charred materials I still have a lot of experimeting to do before I can say anything, so far all the experiments and charred materials worked well for me.

[@nwprimate6416]

That sounds like you're off to a good start. It took me quite a bit of trial and error to figure out what types of punk would work well for me.

[@radosawzajac7701]

Warching your's movies make me happy ;) It is good for my stressfull head.

[@nwprimate6416]

:)

[@AdirondackBadger]

Great video. Love the Last of the Mohicans music as well!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@kisavracar]

Great video,as always.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Dejan! 🙂

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

If you just cooked up some char, and have let it cool, then the very first time you take the lid off, whether an hour later or a week later (in a well sealed tin), it will be highly reactive to sparks. Every second it is exposed to the air (moisture) it is becoming less and less reactive. I think that applies to all char regardless of cooking method... Oh yeah, You are INCREDIBLE with the written word!!!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thank you David. It is always a pleasure to hear from you. I couldn't agree more on your point about moisture in the air and char. It isn't very bushcrafty, but all of my metal tins sit in plastic zip lock bags in my pack. Char will go bad in just a day or two in wet weather in my area. I would love it if you think to bring this up in a future video. It is something that doesn't get addressed often enough and a subject that would be hard to tackle with my style of making videos.

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

Nicely demonstrated and your thoughts and theories are well written and interesting . You do indeed have usable fungi in your neck of the woods ? ATB from AK with freezing rain and WINDY .

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy! Freezing rain and windy is about as dangerous as it gets. Stay safe if you head out up there. I have played around with a few different local fungi, and had the best luck with Artist's Conk so far, but I have only charred it and haven't tried processing amadou yet. A lot of the stuff that I play with doesn't make it to KZbin, but you can check it out on Instagram if you're interested. There is some overlap, but lots more ends up over there than here on the channel. You don't have to sign up to check them out. instagram.com/nwprimate/

[@QuantumPyrite_88.9]

Already up here . Flew up wed night / early thur morning in some seriously lousy turbulence . Thanks for the link and reminding me why heavy duty aluminum foil is always in the kit . L Cat

[@nwprimate6416]

MT makes forum videos? I want in! 🙂👍

[@foopadr9076]

It's like an infinite fire glitch! Cool.

[@nwprimate6416]

I like that!

[@sethwalter8751]

Those mushrooms almost look like p.Azurescens but it's likely they're galerina depending on location excellent video thank you

[@nwprimate6416]

Good eye Seth..I haven't started learning local fungi yet, so I'll have to take your word for it.

[@mage8838]

Thanks for the great vid. New subscriber from fellow BCUSA member Zornt

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Jon! Always great hearing from BCUSA friends. 🙂

[@williamboyd8146]

You're badass dude! Nice work!

[@nwprimate6416]

😆 Thanks William!

[@leoscheibelhut940]

Great video! Changed how I make char. I've long thought that char cloth was over used. Great material but historically cloth was too valued, even rags and scraps which could be sold to papermakers. I was super impressed by the way you started the char with just one strike of the flint.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Leo!

[@cloudsRniceC0M3]

My eyes are teary from all that smoke

[@nwprimate6416]

You'll be ok.

[@davidharvey5672]

I love to ponder these things and was thinking how cool it would be if some clever scientist might analys a sample of various woods charred in different ways. My punk char never seems as good as yours or David's no matter how I do it. I have a feeling that it's down to micro dust on the surface which might be why over handling or as David explained a coating destroys the dust a spoils a chars spark catching ability.

[@nwprimate6416]

I would love to have access to a fully staffed bushcraft lab. 👍

[@patrickgermond2750]

It looked like you had one of those funky black and orange caterpillars next to you on that board.

[@nwprimate6416]

Good eye!

[@jabohabo3821]

Well done. Altoid containers are gold.

[@nils5471]

This blew my mind! Can't wait to get out and try it myself!

[@2manysigns]

That was impressive.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks again!

[@SmooreMC85]

You make this look so very easy, it makes me think, "oh, i can do that!" But i remind myself that just because i binge watch 7 seasons of Kitchen Nightmares featuring Gordon Ramsey, i cannot in fact own and operate a resturant, and that, like what you do in your videos, its simply not as easy as it looks. Thanks for the longer video too! No dog? Seems like its been a bit since we've seen him(?). Hope everything is ok. Yours has become one of just two channels i get notifications to, and watch immediately once youtube has alerted me. The other one is primitive technology, a gentleman in AU outback. I selfishly would like to see some of your content and skills applied to a survival setting more akin to what his channels' content is, but again, thats just for me, and i'm sure you're running your channel exactly as you wish. Either way, keep em coming!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy! You can do anything you've seen me do if you're willing to fail enough times in the process. Every video where it looks easy is the result of countless frustrating failures over the years. It has definitely gotten easier with practice, but I hope I haven't given you the impression that I never fail at this stuff. I just like to hone things to the point where I can get them to work consistently for me. I'm not sure what the future holds in terms of videos, but right now these fire lessons are what I feel the most qualified to share, but I expect the topics to branch out as I get more confident in other areas. I really do appreciate your feedback. 👍🙂

[@johnearhart8811]

Well done. Never tried that

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks John!

[@parecearabe]

Another great vid.

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Lobo!

[@MrMycoo]

Excellent job! I like it!!!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@73FORGE]

Very nice 👍🏼

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks buddy!

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

You are the Fireman 🔥👍👊

[@nwprimate6416]

😆👍

[@simplymeansoutdoorsman4933]

Great video buddy keep going and going endless

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks SMO!

[@jasonedwardledburynewzeala9897]

Awesome method brother! Thanks for sharing! 🙂👏👏👏👏

[@anjales.4156]

Great! Anja from New Zealand

[@nwprimate6416]

👍 :)

[@michaelmaccalla6701]

Excellent technique!

[@linklesstennessee2078]

Good information NWP have never tried that

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks LT. Give it shot!

[@bluesGs]

Very interesting video and text Sir ! I had trouble with some of the charred material i made in the past (in a closed tin) but since i've been putting the punkwood in much smaller pieces (almost dust like) it catches really really easy. (but everything flies away if i blow too hard... or hit the tin :) ) I'll have to try this open method, i like not having to make a bird's nest ... and i will also have to work on my striking method (glancing like from your other recent video) to prevent wasting all of the char. Awesome video Sir, keep 'em coming :)

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Will! Did you get a chance to see the video with the screen cover?

[@bluesGs]

I did :) I didn't find any around the house but i'll keep that in mind. I'll get an altoids sort of tin very soon because my pellet gun tin is nice but a bit too small and gets hot quick.

[@Flederratte]

@NW Primate Thank you very much for making and uploading such top quality videos! At the moment I do not have the possibility to go outside. However I really enjoy watching your videos and I am looking forward to do some of the things myself. I appreciate your uploads and I also like your text in the description of this video, it is very well written. However I do not know much about this topic so I can only enjoy reading your text and think about it, but I can not give a definitive answer.

[@nwprimate6416]

I am really sorry to hear that and don't know the nature of your limitations, but I am really glad to hear that you are still learning and enjoying these videos. Please don't hesitate to ask if you ever have any questions that you think I might be able to help with.

[@Flederratte]

I am just limited because I am living in a city and at the moment do not have the time for a longer trip into the nature. However it is great watching a video like yours and I am looking forward to doing fun stuff as soon as I have the time and opportunity. I want to try out making a fire with a bowdrill which I have never done. So I might ask you when I am struggling, or I will tell you after I was successful ;)

[@nwprimate6416]

Please do. Keep in mind that you can probably find materials to practice with in the city. Whether you keep your eye out for landscapers pruning bushes, or stop by home depot, you don't have to wait until you can get to the woods to start practicing what you're learning. 👍

[@rodrigocalota7579]

Hello! I love your videos, Very Nice!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Rodrigo!

[@dirkbergstrom9751]

Pure magic.

[@nwprimate6416]

:)

[@willieneckbone5035]

Like it, thanks for the video

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Willie!

[@Bushmanschool]

Great vid bro thank you

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks for taking the time to watch buddy. 🙂

[@TroopLeader]

I've had success catching a spark on charred punk wood, but have a question regarding the next step in making the fire. My limited experience has taught me that putting a tinder bundle on top of the smoldering char wood works to ignite the bundle, but in the process also consumes practically all of the charred punk wood underneath. How do you actually light your fire after catching a spark on the punk wood? Do some folks remove a smoldering piece of punk wood from the tin and somehow deposit it into a tinder bundle? If I can get my charred punk wood to flame up, like you illustrate in your video, do I then hold some tinder over the flame and then feed that with more tinder to get the fire started? I know there must be varying approaches. Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[@nwprimate6416]

Glad to see you excited asking good questions! Not all punk wood will ignite on its own like this...depends on species and state of decay, but if it is smoldering, it is putting out enough heat to ignite standard bundle material. If your bundle is dry, you can take out a small piece of smoldering char and add it to your bundle, but if it is damp or pouring down rain, the extra heat of a glowing tin goes a long way. Getting the started is the priority, and once it is going it is easy to make more char. 🙂

[@mateirodacaatinga]

Bravo amigo. Muito bom seu canal.

[@nwprimate6416]

Obrigado parceiro! 🙂👍

[@cmargheimable]

Tried today while hunting. Way easier than always doing feathers.... also seemed to last a lot longer than using char cloth...

[@nwprimate6416]

Awesome! 👍

[@Jonboyr700]

Wickedly awesome!

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Jon Boy!

[@Cozy_Camp_Fire]

Very good video and info. I wonder how many continual fires I have made with my tin since first filling it years ago. TN_Woodman

[@nwprimate6416]

That would be awesome to keep a tin running for as long as possible. It almost seems like it could be a cool story element, a perpetual char tin passed down through generations. 🙂

[@joeurbina2267]

Insane.

[@nwprimate6416]

Only slightly. 😉

[@sobi20]

Thanks for the video. I've tried it myself, but the punk wood i used was wet (i mean - most of the punk wood is soaked to some degree most of the time). I could make it burn only while blowing into the tin, which combusted the material as fast as the new one dried. Result was an empty tin :-/. Do You have some hint on how to know that the punk wood is right for the job? Should the punk wood smolder on it's own, without forcing air in? Throwing a closed tin with punk wood into fire is different to this method in the sense that it is sure bet that it will dry and char.

[@nwprimate6416]

Great point buddy. The downside of this open tin method is that the punk really does need to be dry. This demonstration is a bit flawed in that regard, as you would usually have a large fire to dry out punkwood with before charring it, instead of relying directly on the ember. Setting pieces of punk next to the fire for a while to dry out should solve this for you.

[@sobi20]

@@nwprimate6416 Thanks for Your reply! I found one of Your videos where You do exactly that.

[@seekNdestroy217]

Whats ur striker made of? And how do you get you rope to stay on ur bow .... As am having issues keeping it there Thank you Johnny

[@nwprimate6416]

The striker is made from hardened carbon steel. If you have any old files in your garage, they will likely work just as well. Grinding one of the edges smooth will make it work even better. As for the bow drill cordage, here's a post where I shared what works best for me... bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/bowdrill-ways-to-attach-cordage.204243/#post-3459618

[@meh2b2]

Got to try this for sure. Question? Is the fire steel you are using commercially available? If yes where?

[@nwprimate6416]

Unfortunately the guy that made this one is no longer with us, but you can get in touch with Red Yeti Forge on Instagram. He makes great strikers.

[@cloudsculptor1]

Bloody useful👍

[@gus1911]

#whoneedscharcloth indeed!

[@nwprimate6416]

🙂

[@lucianokruzeanjos3425]

Aqui no Brasil temos a árvore gameleira q é a mesma coisa dessa aí...se ela não for também a nossa gameleira.

[@nwprimate6416]

Nice! :)

[@themdwthemdw]

Foot on the hearth, cue Last of the Mohicans

[@nwprimate6416]

I don't think I would be able to get a fire started without my off-screen boom box.

[@themdwthemdw]

:)

[@thomasleebrown3136]

5 STARS !

[@fonimer]

So what precisely is the advantage of this over simply putting the tin in the fire?

[@HalfQ]

I just showed my mrs that technique she says its good but im better :P

[@nwprimate6416]

She's right. She's always right. 😆

[@handsguy5298]

your content is fucking gold

[@nwprimate6416]

Thanks Oscar!

[@aieraierduk8623]

Alwais the best. Ciao

[@nwprimate6416]

Grazie! 🙂

[@lurchie]

I'm curious - what is the benefit of doing it this way vs closed and in an anoxic environment? wouldn't you actually end up with more charred material because it doesn't burn away?

[@nwprimate6416]

I don't know the science behind it, but it seems to make a better final product, both in ease of accepting a spark, and in the quality of the resulting ember.

[@transporteur1985]

Merci 👍

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

A1

[@nwprimate6416]

🙂