Fire With Nandina Domestica

new one to add to you folks list. Nandina Domestica works well with a harder hearthboard. I used a yellow poplar hearth. this was the first time I tried nandina and it worked right off with the bow drill. It's a familiar plant with often very straight stalk sections, perfect for spindles.
cattail fluff and dry grass is my favorite flame starter.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN2427.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN2420.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/DSCN2423.jpg
this actually started an ember a few seconds faster than the yucca/willow combo.

if there's a better thread for this info, mods please move it there!

Nice job YCC. I thought your post deserved its own thread. Well done.

That is Awsome, Looks like you have that method of fire starting in the bag.

That's why if you have a group, make sure each person has a set of skills. You don't want a large group, just enough to get by. After your established in your location, you can teach everyone the different skills. I feel bad for people who rely on lighters!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kiltman

I feel bad for people who rely on lighters!

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Seriously? Why's that? A lighter is a quick, efficient method of obtaining a spark. Whatever works seems logical to me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kiltman51

That's why if you have a group, make sure each person has a set of skills. You don't want a large group, just enough to get by. After your established in your location, you can teach everyone the different skills. I feel bad for people who rely on lighters!

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The only group I rely on is the group of one, ME, and I do argue with my self from time to time, mostly I win.
"We having a fire tonite"
"No, can't, fire starter guy got hisself kilt today".
"Anybody got a lighter?"
"Nope, those are for sissies"

Sorry, but I only rely on about 6-7 ways to start a fire, but mostly use my lighters(s).
I guess I just don't want to haul around that much stuff just to start a fire.

YCC great job!
I can truthfully say that that is one skill that has alluded me, for a long time.

I won't say that I can do it until I can gather, local, found, compontants and tender and be successful.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick

Seriously? Why's that? A lighter is a quick, efficient method of obtaining a spark. Whatever works seems logical to me.

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There is nothing wrong with using a lighter, just like there is nothing wrong with getting your food from a grocery store. But if you are ever in a situation where you don’t have access to a store it’s nice to have the skills to hunt and forage for food, just like it’s nice to be able to make fire by primitive means. A lighter works a lot faster then a bow drill, but lighters can be lost or broken. It’s better to have the skills and never need them than not having the skills when you do need them.

thats very true dbldrew, and all the more reason to try different materials.
I find when I want a fire quick, nothing surpasses fat-lighter and a bic! ;)
But when the bic does run out or let me down sometime in the distant future, hopefully I'll know a whole woost of things that burn when you rub them together. A KC and the Sunshine band song comes to mind...

I'm not arguing that fact. In fact, I agree with it. But to discount any means of fire starting seems a bit, well, illogical. Whether you use bow and drill, flint and steel or napalm, if it works then good for you.

LOL. I agree with ya Rick.
I can do this and I STILL carry a bic in my pack. primitive skills are cool, but I have to admit, I'm pretty lazy. a wet bic is easy to dry out and will start a fire in minutes, as opposed to sleeping cold and wet in the rain 'cuz I ain't no sissy! the important thing is getting the fire going. Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ignite...

I demonstrated this at a blacksmithing show this Saturday. It was the interesting bark on the nandina and the underlying yellow color of the inner bark that intrigued people. When I told them which plant it was and showed them some, they were like "That grows in my yard!"
There were flint and steel demo's and I just brought a bunch of random stuff wrapped in skins with yucca cordage to tie it up. Wore my buckskin suit, so they knew right off I was into primitive stuff. I was really only there because Craig (you guys know who he is by now right?) was knapping and I could get free lessons, but it turned into a good opportunity to demo some of my stuff. The kids were most interested, besides the other folks there that were into a little primitive stuff.
One kid walked around with my bow for about 30 minutes. It's long enough to double as a walking stick, and he just fell in love with it and the whole idea of rubbing sticks together. when I held fire in my hands, you should have seen their faces. That was better than starting the fire, the look they had when they went "AAHH COOL!"
The wife said there were lots of folks walking up and taking pictures, I'm sure some will be on the blacksmithing.org site soon (any of you guys familiar with this site?) I can't say where pics will be from visitors; I didn't notice anyone watching or taking pictures, I only saw the kids and one adult (Focus! Breathe!) I do remember the one lady in the back telling her husband that was a good use for those weeds.. burn them.. I chuckled a little ;)
It was a cool experience. I learned a little about doing demos and I met some people that can connect me with other people into this sort of thing in my area.

If it hadn't been for the interest in Nandina, I might have gotten a few knapping tips, but I really didn't have long before people started asking questions.
Thank you, Nandina domestica!

Oh yeah.. the funny part, I almost forgot lol.

I put the fire out and sat down for a little break and some questions, pulled out a cigarette and a bic.
The adult that had been watching said "Thats a lot easier ain't it!"
"yeah, If I had to light a cigarette like that every time, I'd quit!"

Good for you!! Learning is a two way street and any discourse, demos or conversation, can be the vehicle to precipitate that learning. I'm glad you had a good time and I'm glad some youngsters were interested. Sounds like you sparked some real fire and some fire for learning. Nice!!!!

Well done YCC.

Hey YCC. This one is for you.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/rmc0020l.jpg

LMAO! that's at least 3 times today Rick made me laugh. Thanks buddy!
I wonder how far down that list of "things to try" was toilet paper!!

You know the old joke......

You know what burns my azz? A flame about three feet high!

hahaha! that's 4 times!

Rick - you know how those cavemen are.........they laugh at all the fire jokes.

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