Hickory Bark Tinder

[Buckeye]

I have a half dozen big shag bark hickory trees on my property, which not only keeps me supplied with more hickory nuts every year than I know what to do with, they also supply me with premium firewood. I have never cut a branch, just used the fallen branches. These trees shed their bark quite often and I have always collected bark which is then thrown in my tinder box. It dries quickly and is excellent for fire-starting. Sometimes I just crumple one end which gives it a feathery consistency, very easy to ignite. I also lightly coat a few pieces of bark with wax and keep in my camping gear. Not so much to increase flammability, which it does, but to waterproof it. Four or five waxed hickory bark pieces will give you a nice flame for fifteen minutes or so.

I have used other types of tree bark as a fire-starter with success, but it seems to me the hickory is superior to all others. Maybe because the shag bark is thick and naturally textured, I don't know. I'm sure a lot of folks here have used dried bark as fire-starters. I'm just curious if there is anything you would consider superior to hickory. I have used cedar, apple, maple, oak and others I am forgetting right now, but for me nothing beats hickory.

[crashdive123]

Not sure about superior, but the bark from Southern Red Cedar works well for a tinder.

[hunter63]

Thanks for the heads up.....we do have some shag bark hickory's in our area.
I have not personally tried any....most use shredded cotton wood bark (need to be DRY), birch and fatwood....good stuff.

So I can't make a comparison as to what is better....
Doesn't matter what is "best"....It has more to do with what you have, what works for you in your area, time of the year and weather when collecting...
If you carry it....I can come from anywhere....just another think to carry...like fat wood.

Just knowing it work for you is a important tip....For all.

[DSJohnson]

I have never really used or tried the bark of the Shag Hickory. Buckeye are you talking about using the outside layer and just "frizzing" it up or are you talking about peeling the insides off of the fallen/shed outer bark? The inside layer of the Western Red Cedar (the "cork cambium") is excellent tinder. Of course, I also have some native grasses here in Oklahoma that make excellent tinder when they are dry and frizzed.

[kyratshooter]

I have never found the shag bark of hickory to be superior to much of anything, and as a person that heated with wood for most of my adult life I can not remember six members of the species being capable of keeping me in firewood just from dead falls year around.

I have burned a lot of hickory and it is a good fire wood, but not a super wood.

As for coating hickory bark with wax, it seems that I have found that if you coat about any kind of bark with wax it will burn better than the untreated variety. You can treat dryer lint with wax and it will burn for 15 minutes!

The eastern red cedar Crash mentioned being the best stuff I have ever used on a regular basis, and it needs no added wax. Birch bark is good too, but not available in my location.

[hikermor]

One of the best bark tinders I have ever used is Utah Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) - naturally shaggy and lights right up, burning vigorously. If you are ever in the Four Corners country, give it a try.

[crashdive123]

One of the best bark tinders I have ever used is Utah Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) - naturally shaggy and lights right up, burning vigorously. If you are ever in the Four Corners country, give it a try.

Sounds similar to the Southern Red Cedar, Juniperus silicicola.

[Buckeye]

I have never really used or tried the bark of the Shag Hickory. Buckeye are you talking about using the outside layer and just "frizzing" it up or are you talking about peeling the insides off of the fallen/shed outer bark? The inside layer of the Western Red Cedar (the "cork cambium") is excellent tinder. Of course, I also have some native grasses here in Oklahoma that make excellent tinder when they are dry and frizzed.

I would say using the outside layer and "frizzing" it up is a pretty good way to describe what I do. Thanks.

[hunter63]

I would say using the outside layer and "frizzing" it up is a pretty good way to describe what I do. Thanks.

I know it take a number of post for pic's....but I sure we would like to see your methods.

BTW...went to my mail box and picked up a handful of inter cottonwood bark that came down for my tree........
Pays to keep stuff like this in your mind ....you never know.

[finallyME]

Sounds similar to the Southern Red Cedar, Juniperus silicicola.

Many people who aren't local (and many who are) confuse the Juniper out here for cedar and call it cedar. I found a lot of it in Texas, so I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same da** tree. If you go out in the west desert, and are in the foothills, it is pretty much the only tree there is. You have to go higher up to hit pine and aspen.

I haven't every used hickory. Out here, there is pretty much just maple in the low elevation canyons, Juniper in the foothills, pine/ Douglas fir a little higher, and aspen up top. You can also find scrub oak. In the populated areas and farm areas, you can find other trees, but they are all planted by people. In fact, if the tree is in the valley, there is a high chance it was planted by someone, as there really weren't any trees when the Pioneers arrived.

Because Juniper is the most prevalent, that is what I have used the most. The inner bark is very flammable when it is fluffed. I found that it is also perfect for lighting a fire with a magnifying glass.

[finallyME]

Doing a little research on wiki, what I see mostly is a Utah Juniper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_osteosperma

Juniperus silicicola is a variation of Juniperus virginiana. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_virginiana

It looks like a big difference between a cedar and a juniper is size, and that a cedar cone is woody, while a juniper cone is berry like.

[hunter63]

Doing a little research on wiki, what I see mostly is a Utah Juniper https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_osteosperma

Juniperus silicicola is a variation of Juniperus virginiana. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_virginiana

It looks like a big difference between a cedar and a juniper is size, and that a cedar cone is woody, while a juniper cone is berry like.

That's kind of interesting.....
We have quite a few "ceder" trees at "The Place"......called that by the locals....but do have the bluish gray berries the ruffed grouse....and other birds like so much......
Was told the grayish powder is a form of yeast..can be used to start a sourdough "start"

Make me wonder....lol

[Graf]

I have a lot of shag bark hickory on my land as well as birch, shag bark does work well but birch is my go to for fire starting. Birch loses a lot of bark during storms as well as branches, like you I don't strip the tree I use what falls off.