Survival Fire Pods: Flint and Steel Fire without Char

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and as always....
Stay in the Woods,
Dan

[@floydsmith2296]

I've been watching bushcraft videos for a couple years now. (Including many of yours!!) Congratulations!! You made a video showing something, that I am almost certain, nobody else has ever shown!! Great job!!

[@backwoodstrails]

Depends where you live. Here in So. Calif, we use the Milkweed Ovum for flint & steel as a common occurrence. Takes the low grade sparks well. Also it's a common topic on the Bushcraft USA forum. All that aside, Dan does some excellent videos!

[@jackvoss5841]

As a kid in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades during WWII, I gathered large quantities of milkweed pods I took it to school and hung the bags on the fence. It was collected, processed, and made into life jackets. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@robvegart]

You show here a natural no char method. I have been watching this Father & Son team from out west, known as Wilderness Strong Channel where they've actually found several basic natural plant materials which take to flint & steel when processed properly. They used processed plants like Mugwort, Stinging nettle, Water leaf, Burdock, and about 1 dozen other common plants which readily take to sparks in a few strikes. It is revolutionary what they have done. This here is revolutionary. The more options you have and the better prepared you are the more you stand to succeed in a survival situation.

[@3AlarmBushcraft]

Been looking at survival videos for years and have never seen this idea before. Excellent tool for the tool box.

[@arctodussimus6198]

An excellent substitute for char. Just goes to show that even an old hiveranno like me can learn something new. In the black powder community, we will make ‘rub-cloth’. Take your cotton material (I like to take used gun cleaning patches) and get it wet. Then rub some black powder into it. When it dries, it’s better than char-cloth. No need to carry a metal tin or build a fire first. Even if it gets wet again, it will work after it dries out. Best part..... when you are blowing your bundle into flames, it smells like fireworks. 😎

[@ahayseed654]

David West channel shows how to use wood ash rubbed into cotton cloth that will smolder like char. He's a wizard. Hundreds of vids on fire making. To quote THE MAN, "The more you know, the less you need".😳

[@MichaelLHoel]

Michael L. Hoel Nice video, very informative. Milkweed is one of my very favorite bushcraft plants. It makes excellent cordage, rivaling nylon in strength, young shoots, flowers, and green pods are edible. The fluff from winter pods, like yours, also makes a great fire starter. Place a pinch of fluff at the base of a tinder bundle. Direct a flint spark or fire rod spark at it and it will burst into flame like gasoline. The flash is very quick, but if positioned with the right tinder it will ignite dry grass or cedar fluff instantly. Fluff from other winter weed sources, like golden rod flowers, will also work, but is more laborious to gather. I will add your technique to my bushcraft knowledge. Thanks.

[@RoyceKitts]

that intro blew my mind. gonna have to sit down for a bit.

[@eamoncrawford]

Milkweed is one of the most awesome "visual wind check" while hunting. The wind will carry the little fibers and allow you to see direction, speed, currents, up/down drafts, et cetera. Having a resealable baggie, plastic pill bottle or other water tight container of the full dried pods is very handy.

[@VondaInWonderland]

Dang, I've been watching these kind of videos for years, and I've never even gone camping ♥

[@jessierobbins6308]

I learn more from you than I do Bear Grills. Good job!

[@normanc.2021]

Very cool idea. As a kid we played with milkweed all the time who knew it was so versatile. Good thing to know. Thanks Dan be safe

[@baddogma]

In WW2 they used it for floatation vests.

[@larryeddings3185]

I learned something today. Thanks for sharing.

[@billclancy4913]

Very thinly shaved mullein stalk will take a spark from flint & steel as well. Like the milkweed ovum, it must be dry. You can get many fire starts from a fairly short length of stalk. I keep a chunk along with other tinders in my kit.

[@ladyofthemasque]

I have never seen milkweed here in Western Washington. I just checked, and it turns out we have zero native species. They only exist east of the Cascades (Eastern WA), so it was really interesting to learn about a plant I wasn't familiar with. Thank you for the clear visuals!

[@memathews]

I was just thinking the same, never see milkweed here in the Willamette Valley or anywhere from the coast to the top of the Cascades, just out near Bend and east from there.

[@garryrice1954]

FYI - milkweed is the only host plant for the monarch caterpillar and it is essential to the survival of the monarch butterfly, which is on the verge of listing as either an endangered or threatened species. Please consider planting milkweed to support this butterfly, an important pollinator species. Expanding milkweed plantings is probably the most important action you can take to assist in the recovery of the monarch.

[@bobnancymiller4931]

Wow. Thank you or this. I have used chaga to catch a spark , but wasn't aware of this material's capability . One more tool in the box !

[@johnwyman5939]

That's a damn good tool for the tool box!!! I never even thought about that milk weed being a fire tinder. Hell Yeah !!!! Gonna give it a shot !!!

[@lorriewatson7423]

🙂 I'm glad you threw the seeds

[@boundsgreenboy8354]

Loving your stuff as always, thank you Dan. 👍🇬🇧❤️

[@ourtechwriter]

Really important! Thanks, Dan.

[@o5245607]

Informative video and valuable to know should anyone ever find themselves in a survival situation. I haven't seen this demonstrated before and wonder if there are other substitutes for char? Thank you.

[@wildernesshermit2126]

I learn more from you via these short videos than from anyone else. Keep up the good work.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

AWESOME LESSON! As someone with tons of experience and also do an open to public lean-to at mississinewa 1812 I've never heard of seen of this and am excited to go try!!! Tks

[@mjhill72]

Cool. Completely new to me. Never seen this before.

[@forestgnome55]

Hey Dan! Cool! Great video! Thanks!

[@briansherrillruralliving9708]

Good tip!! Thanks for that! I know what milkweed is and it's fairly common around here

[@ivannasha5556]

Flint and steel what luxury. Back in my day you had to rub sticks together to make a fire ;-)

[@beanrunnerWA]

Dan dan the fireman!

[@h2hcamey]

Another awesome video!!! No BS just good Bushcraft/ survival knowledge. Thank you for your hard work!

[@JCole78]

Milkweed can also be processed into cordage while it’s still green similar linen. I’ve seen primitive bows that use milkweed to make the bow string.

[@tombeckett4340]

I’ve never seen that one before. Thanks 🇨🇦👍

[@brgaskill]

You come up with the best ideas.

[@mystiekmelody8857]

Thanks, I didn't know about this. I love all the "tools"!

[@seandadon4884]

It’s a “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” scenario!!!!

[@peterott9162]

Awesome video Dan!

[@Ghost_Os]

Love that it's not the seeds (or the fluff that carries them). Good excuse to help them spread. Great video, great knowledge drop!

[@DalemGumino]

Tinder flash, burns at a higher temperature than steel and chalcedony sparks. What is in the soil that deposited on the flower? Or are farmers intervening? Great video👏👏 Thank you😁👊🙏🍻🔥🔥🔥

[@Hemp1972]

Great! Milkweed is invasive in Holland, so I might be able to try this soon!

[@OverOnTheWildSide]

Awesome, I’m glad you’re talking about and demonstrating the wonders of flint and steel.

[@timterrill6318]

Excellent video! Definitely don't see that talked about very often. Keep the great information coming Dan!

[@TheTexasViking]

As much as I would love to use this as an alternative. I live in Texas, Central Texas, and here we have to find other things to use as tender. So my advice is this, go out into your local area and look around for things that have a high probability of catching a spark from your fire making tools. Experiment with them and whichever one's work best, put them in a ziplock bag and took it away and your bag. Another good option that I use is I will take dryer lint from out of the screen of my dryer and put it in a ziplock bag. I have used it many a times out camping. You just pull it apart and thin it out and it catches a spark very quickly! And it doesn't just smolder it starts to actually ignite into fire. But the best thing you can take away from this video is know your environment and know what alternatives you have available to you from your environment.

[@ahayseed654]

Might throw in some of those bags from med bottles to absorb moisture trapped in the plastic bag. The dryer the better.☺

[@TheTexasViking]

@@ahayseed654 I use those to put in my ammo cans and my magazine bag to absorb the moisture. I try to reuse whatever I can! But that is a great idea to use them for as well!👍🏼

[@thaddeusmikolajczyk4518]

Great tip.

[@Kenbur]

did not know this from the flint and steel aspect - thanks again for another tool - of course, it gets added to my other lists too - Ferro rod, lighter, etc. cause where I am at and knowing milkweed well, it will stay dry in some cases where other tinder will not - can't wait to give this a try

[@user-rm3ky3hv7s]

Great Info ! Can’t get enough tips on starting fires to survive out there. Thank You Sir.

[@anniereddj]

Thank you Dan for another great tool for the toolbox!!

[@allanf4756]

Thank you I really needed something like that, love your channel ,keep them coming

[@joepublic573]

another cracking tip there dan. love this channel

[@JD-gn6du]

Excellent video! Definitely something that I didn't know that I will be keeping an eye out for. Thanks Dan!

[@machineman6498]

Thank you for making this

[@xionix4]

In addition to milkweed, also: great burdock leaves, stinging nettle, and waterleaf (dried and processed) - credit to Wilderness Strong

[@darrenleigh201]

Excellent information! Thanks!

[@waveman0]

milkweed ovum, polypores, chaga, stinging nettle, there are several options for non-char flint and steel, all of the previous will take a spark from flint and steel without charring.

[@mister-action1]

Thanks, Dan!

[@GetUrPhil]

That is neat. I've never seen this way before. I was thinking that you could also use tinder fungus or horseshoe fungus also. And the last alot longer. But I do like this milkweed trick. Thanks.

[@eamoncrawford]

+1 on the fungus dried (of course) -Chaga comes to mind immediately

[@shanhutchison7332]

That is a gem. Ty. 👍

[@jamessotherden5909]

Never seen this before. Thanks.

[@kylewilkinson6975]

Just recently started buskcrafting and leaning a lot of tricks even if some of it is old, it's new to me. Thanks to you Dan and a few others on KZbin. Thanks. Oh, BTW Sunday we may get snow and I may get a chance to use this stuff in more severe weather than usual.

[@mikerelford1298]

Great video, Thanks

[@uvclips4815]

Good ole Susan at CCB signed my bill paper and said thanks for my purchase of a hat, ferro rod, and puck. She just said thanks and Susan if you see this, thank you

[@sandstorm6605]

Hey, that’s a new one on me. Thanks kindly for that.

[@jasonz7788]

Great work Sir thank you

[@alanrice39]

Thanks very much, great tip.

[@warrenlawson1294]

We have a lot of milkweek in my area. Going to have to try that trick. Thanks you

[@ervinslens]

Amazing video,informative and entertaining just brilliant.

[@terryqueen3233]

I keep some of the fluffy stuff in my fire kit but I didn't know that about the ovum. Thanks so much I love watching you I always learn something no matter how old I am. Just another tool for the kit. Thanks again have a great day stay safe and keep your powder dry!

[@BrotherHood_Exotic_Morphs]

How about making a couple videos on what to expect when coming to you bushcraft classes. A lay out of the gear list and maybe some alternatives of some of the gear. Or if you already have a video of this, point me in the right direction. Thanks keep up the awesome content

[@Thatsmisteroldguytou]

Nice job.!

[@charlesmckinney]

Milkweed ovum is very good and I've also used the pith of mullein and sunflower when I couldn't find milkweed and had nothing else with me.

[@douglasreed9237]

Awesome! Thanks 👍

[@bryanepp5340]

Before I started watching your videos I never even knew about flint and steel, char, or char cloth. For many years I've always been starting fires with very volatile material and just a spark from flint. I really appreciate your ability to make something very simple and teachable. That is a gift.

[@williammaurer9450]

Good one, very good.

[@joodhepa3450]

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

[@jeromeknasinski3862]

Good job...

[@mbathome112]

Great tip thanks. Cheers

[@timothyrothrock4173]

👍 great. Thanks again

[@jeffechols5302]

Great tool for the tool box

[@michaelcarter8209]

Outstanding

[@katotornado4312]

Good morning. Very snowy here in Iowa today. I’m planning to make a campfire and cook some fish later today!

[@Flashahol]

I discovered these last summer as they can have so much fluff coming out in the late summer you could fill a grocery bag standing in one spot. Now I know about the most interesting part of these...

[@toughscoutsurvival3347]

Grate video........👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@ryanblystone5153]

Thank you

[@HarshmanHills]

good tips

[@Rumblestrip]

A little black powder, even the synthetic stuff can help as a starter also... Most dry grass will light right off a spark too if its dry enough. Ive soaked cotton patches in black powder slurry too, that works well, just nothing left to salvage char wise from those patches, definitely not something you want in your hands as a fire starter. Lol but it works well.

[@shawnfisher9976]

I want to see you do the water harvesting trick of digging a hole and placing plastic over the hole.

[@Christyleadbitter]

Not sure if milk weed is found in the uk 🇬🇧 but that caught very quickly. Looks like an awesome field product.

[@w.patpeters4643]

awesome

[@kokopelau6954]

The ovum is also a perfect place to practice your glass skills with the sun and the magnifying glass cuz it will spark then switch it to your bird's nest

[@DavidLaFerney]

I've never been able to make a fire with this - thats just me though. What I can do reliably is friction fire with a bow drill, but it takes at least an hour to gather materials, make the kit and get a fire going. Whereas if milkweed is available and you can pull it off, it might just be a few minutes. Or a few minutes wasted. I'd probably consider it plan C.

[@Tuxdaddy]

Have always struggled with ovums . Will have to try bundling a bunch up next time I'm out. Thanks Sir

[@rikiray3370]

We love you

[@asmith7876]

Cool, off to go search for milkweed!

[@montanadad2223]

Another example of stuff you have in the lowlands that we lack up here in the Rockies. I just never forget Char. Maybe we have an equivalent that I am not aware of?

[@kalstreksandtrails7606]

Cool

[@3nertia]

Thank you! I was wondering if milkweed would be any good as a firestarter (I played with the seed pods a lot as a kid) but I hadn't tested it yet

[@timbo4374]

cool tip!

[@victormartin6608]

I save the lint from my clothes dryer "lint trap " . Put it in a good heavy duty Ziploc bag and good to go.

[@MichaelKunz-mt2oo]

Cool. Thanx for sharing. Have you ever fire rolled them ?

[@miked4152]

That's really cool man! I was always wondering about that if you didn't have char cloth what would you do. Not sure if we have those in my neck of the woods though. We call milk weed different where I live. If you snap the stem on the milk weed back home it has a milky substance inside it. And I believe it has medical properties too. I'd have to relearn about that though....lol. Thanks for the info man. Great video as always

[@MikeBius]

Hey, now that it is winter and the ground is frozen, can you address tent stake tips? You cannot drive them into frozen ground

[@brngrofdeth]

Will this work with a ferro rod or do you need a bigger spark? Much appreciated. Love and blessings from freaking cold Ontario Canada!