Video by Andy Tran, InnerBark Outdoors
If you’ve ever watched the sun go down while struggling to start a fire, you have probably contemplated the consequences. The idea of spending a cold night without a fire is not appealing. However, there are steps you can take to ensure success, regardless of the conditions. Learning how to make char cloth helps ensure that you always have dry tinder, that is ready to light quickly.
The importance of fire in a camping or survival scenario cannot be overstated. Fire provides for warmth, water purification, cooking, and predator deterrent. Not to mention the mental boost that comes from sitting around a warm fire and watching the flames dance.
Finding dry tinder might not always be a realistic option, so preparing something beforehand is a good idea. Char cloth is very combustible and takes even small sparks easily, making it a great tinder.
Our friend, Andy Tran of InnerBark Outdoors, has put together a great video detailing the process of making char cloth. The below video demonstrates easy steps to make your own before your next outing. He then goes into how to easily ignite it without modern fire making tools.
Once you understand the basic concepts behind making char cloth you can practice more advanced methods. For example, start playing around with using certain tree barks and natural fibers. Also, in the absence of a tin, you can bury your materials in sand or dirt and put coals on top of it to heat it up.
Make sure to follow Andy’s InnerBark Outdoors YouTube channel for more great content like this. K&G
In order to follow along with the video to make your own char cloth, and then ignite it, you will need a few items.
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Inner Bark Outdoorswww.Inner-Bark.com/YouTube
Joshua Swanagon has studied survival in both urban and wilderness environments in Colorado and Michigan for most of his life, while also adding experience in harsher terrains abroad. He utilizes his experience and years of diverse martial arts and combatives training and real world application as a self-defense/combatives instructor, published freelance writer and Field Editor for various magazines in the fields of knives, survival, self-defense and tactical subject matters. Joshua also brings with him his years of experience as Editor of, and Subject Matter Expert for, Knives Illustrated Magazine.
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