Tinder mushroom - how to prepare?

[Survival31]

Recently I found a mushroom, growing on a tree trunk. I heard that this mushroom is ideal tinder when it is dry. But only a certain part is useable as tinder. But I don't remember which part. Can someone help me?

[crashdive123]

Don't know exactly what you found, but maybe this will help you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaga_mushroom

BTW - your English is fine.

[Rick]

I don't know what you've found but I think what you are referring to is the True Tinder Fungus.

http://wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/tinder/tinderfungus/true.html

There is another one that is similar called the False Tinder Fungus or Horse's Hoof Fungus. It looks exactly like a horse's hoof.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36603228@N00/237510468/

[Survival31]

There is another one that is similar called the False Tinder Fungus or Horse's Hoof Fungus. It looks exactly like a horse's hoof.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36603228@N00/237510468/

Yes, I think that is it. The only difference is the surface. My mushroom has a darker surface on the top but that could be caused by the weather

[Survival31]

Another question: How should I dry the mushroom? It is quiet wet and not inflammable in this status. I would place it in the sunshine, but unfortunately it is rainy and cloudy outside. I was thinking about putting it in the microwave, but I am not sure. Any ideas???

[Rick]

You'll want to dry it slowly. If you use an oven or the microwave then it won't work well as a tinder. This is from the first link above:

"While on the topic, there seems to be some debate as to how to prepare tinder fungus.
I have read in places that it doesn't work very well when dried.
My limited experience has shown that if the fungus is dried to quickly - then it is less effective.
Drying in an oven turns out a particularly bad product.
For this large fungus, I cut it up into pieces which were then placed into a pillow case. The pillow case was kept out of the sun, but did have a bit of airflow.
The trick is to dry slowly, but not so slowly that molds start to appear. The dried fungus works very well."

You don't have to cut into pieces. I think he just did it to make it more convenient.

True Tinder fungus is more water resistant and can used as a cooking stove. Here's a post I did earlier on that.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1286&highlight=tinder+fungus

[wareagle69]

i don't think that in a survival situation you will have a microwave close by. now when out in the bush especially in canada i carry a small axe you would be amazed how much dry tinder you can scrape off a tree also learn what a cedar tree is the bark is the best for tinder, i also always have my swedish fire steel attached to my body read bushcraft by mors kochanski also wilderness survival by gino ferri, if you are just going to camp i would just focus on a 72 hour survival don't really need plants in that enviroment if you came up missing they would know very quickly