Fat Wood
I am planning on gathering some of the famous "Fat Wood" and was wondering if it could be found in all types of Pine trees including the Scotch Pine, which I have a lot of around my house. I have a Scotch Pine in my yard that has fallen down a few years ago and was wondering if I could get and Fat Wood off of it.
Fat wood is the resin that's left when the rest of the wood had burned or rotted away....
So the answer is maybe.........cut, split, and check heart wood and where the branches attach to the trumk.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Some of the best fatwood comes from the longleaf (long needle) pines found in the southern parts of the United States. Other high resinous pines found throughout the US do produce some descent fatwood.
"Just Get Out!"
WildernessSkillsTrailhead.com
Check the stump of that fallen tree.
I have found the best fatwood in trees that were damaged or stressed before their demise. Seems like the "resin pumps" in the tree sense the peril and start pumping to try and negate the damage. Of course, it is found in other areas......like the landscaping timber I just removed. The outside was giving way to decay, but the inside was heavy with resin.
I've been out looking for fatwood recently as well. My advice is this, go out to a hardware store, Walmart, or flea market. Just about any place they sell tools. Look for a chisel. It'll help you if you pull the wood out of the tree.Originally Posted by Billy13426
I found a 3' long piece of pine (I don't know what kind) that was had only fallen a day or so before I found it. I propped it up against a tree for a week, then came back. It was coated with a white, dried sap! I split it into pieces, and there was very little fatwood. But with this sap all over the outside of the wood, it may work even better. I don't know about Scotch Pines, but try what I did if you aren't having any luck!
If you have to resort to buying or trading for it, go PM Mr. Fix It. His stuff is great! Have fun with you're hunt and good luck!
The best stuff I have found was in Louisiana, ....the SIL's deer lease is in a 500 acre pine plantation.
While hunting I am of the habit of kicking stumps, and fallen logs, some of the best had burn makes on it....(seems funny that it didn't burn like gasoline?).
When doing this....be aware that the south has fire ants....fire anta like stumps....and I don't want to drag tem back to Wisconsin...besides the fact they will tear you up.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Ok I will check the stump for some fat wood soon and see if i find any good stuff
Talked about this a long time ago on this forum. Do not step on burning fat lighter with rubber sole boots or any kind of boots really, to put it out. Personal first hand (or hot foot) experience.
When Wealth is Lost, Nothing is Lost;
When Health is Lost, Something is Lost;
When Character is Lost, ALL IS LOST!!!!!!!
Colonel Charles Hyatt circa 1880
Ok i will keep that in mind
Not trying to be rude, but with the amount of modern items you can readily get, to improve fire-lighting, what's the big deal about collecting 'fat wood'?
It's just resinous timber?
I can think of lots of things that are easier to prep for your firelighting activities, than sourcing 'fat-wood' if you don't have pines nearby.
Wilderness Survival Forum tries to discuss methods and found materials .....In the wilderness......
Lots of stuff at Walmart.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Fatwood rocks
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Keep in mind that in some areas (SE United States for one) fatwood is more plentiful than a lot of other materials.
If you have pine, it's usually readily available & easy to ID
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And in some areas it is scarce. In the area where I grew up we replaced it with eastern red cedar, actually a red juniper, whose bark fairly explodes when presented to a flame, and if shredded/powdered catches a spark very well.
Each area on earth has its own best material available or fire would never have been possible.
If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?
Ahh, OK Understood.
As mentioned, I guess it depends where you are when you're trying to get a fire going, and how wet or dry your fuel is. I always say, to gather your tinder as you go i.e.: dried seed heads, dried grass etc, because you don't know if it will be raining, when you set camp in the evening. Wet rain forests are always a challenge :-)
I use natural material a lot, but I carry man made material if needed. If all else fails, I carry road flares.
Plus 1.......
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
There has been many a night when we get to camp late at night and most if not all of our firewood for the night is lighter knot. The next day we'll go out and gather proper cooking fuels. But, just to have a fire, we'll make do with a lighter knot fire.
Ever tried making a road flare or man made firestarter while in the woods. Most people can manage to survive with a $400 tent, a cot, sleeping bag, propane stove and road flares... What happens when those get washed down stream or tumble off a cliff or lost in a tent fire or...? A shaving of fat wood will light directly from a ferro rod.
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