Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: Lee B on May 23, 2009
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Hey all :)
So I'm just wondering... I don't see that much bushcraft discussion on oils. For example, stumbling upon an olive grove would clearly provide oil for cooking, oil for protecting blades, etc. I know fish/animal fat is pretty good, but I'm not sure what sources there really are, apart from arctic animals/fish and whales. Are there any general rules --- what part of a fish has oil, how to tell a good oily berry from a berry that feels oily, but is mostly acids that might damage a blade? Ways to convert fats to oils, maybe --- just heating animal fat would make oil, right? Any way to stop it changing back as it cools? I guess you can make fat from oil by churning?
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I know one method to get oil from Birch bark, It is done by filling a tin with Birch bark and sealing it air tight, then punch a small hole underneath the tin for the oil to run out, you then put another tin underneath to catch the oil and put the whole lot into a very warm fire, when it cools down you have your oil, The oil can then be left to salidafy or you can mix it with wood ash to keep it runny.
It has many uses from glue to medecenal.
I would be sure if you experimented with a few other plants and barks you would get the same process.
Davy.
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Thanks Davy, I never would have thought of that. Now that you mention it, it makes sense... I suppose it's a lot like cooking meat and catching the drippings.
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What tree is it that hads good resin to take a spark ?
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Pine has a flammable resin plus there is a process similar to what you do to Birch bark to get the oil out, there is also a lot of oil in nuts but I don't know the process for extracting it.
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Ill have to test the pine tree out there loads of them down the road from me, in a small forest.
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pine wont take a spark Wolf its birch bark you want as mouldsy says. You basically scrub the inner surface with the blade of your knife to form a small pile of punk then strike a spark into it. It takes a bit of preparing but works well. Make sure you have another pile of shredded bark to add to it before placing your first stage kindling sticks ontop.
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Cheers lads, ill look forward to carnfuniek ;D
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Not so sure I agree that pine resin wont take a spark.
If you find Douglas Fir (ok,ok,its not actually a 'pine' tree :P ) then pop the blisters over its bark, you will collect LOADS of resin this way.
Poured out onto a hearth or rock, it will take a spark from my firesteel and light up.
Great way to start fires even when your kindling is a bit wet.
P.S. I use that little yellow plastic egg thing inside Kinder eggs to collect my resin. Take some home with you and after a week or two it will harden which is also great to add to a fire to get it going. (plus you get chocolate, a surprise and a toy!!)
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Not so sure I agree that pine resin wont take a spark.
If you find Douglas Fir (ok,ok,its not actually a 'pine' tree :P ) then pop the blisters over its bark, you will collect LOADS of resin this way.
Poured out onto a hearth or rock, it will take a spark from my firesteel and light up.
Great way to start fires even when your kindling is a bit wet.
P.S. I use that little yellow plastic egg thing inside Kinder eggs to collect my resin. Take some home with you and after a week or two it will harden which is also great to add to a fire to get it going. (plus you get chocolate, a surprise and a toy!!)
LOL I always felted wick buying a kinder egg (as i love the choc egg) now i can buy it with pride. Cheers Cardnim 8)
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So what you have just agreed then is that PINE wont take a spark? I have never tried douglas fir, i find the best to use is birch bark.
Not so sure I agree that pine resin wont take a spark.
If you find Douglas Fir (ok,ok,its not actually a 'pine' tree :P ) then pop the blisters over its bark, you will collect LOADS of resin this way.
Poured out onto a hearth or rock, it will take a spark from my firesteel and light up.
Great way to start fires even when your kindling is a bit wet.
P.S. I use that little yellow plastic egg thing inside Kinder eggs to collect my resin. Take some home with you and after a week or two it will harden which is also great to add to a fire to get it going. (plus you get chocolate, a surprise and a toy!!)
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I have to agree with Paul on this one, i don't know of any native pines that will take a spark. There is a particular type of pine that is a native of Mexico which is commonly known as "fat Pine" which has a high resin content. If shaved up very fine, I can light it with a ferro rod, but it would be very difficult with flint and steel striker. As this stuff doesn't grow here, you'll not find it in the wild. The best you can hope for is to find an old dead Pine and knock out some of the branches near the bottom (Notice I say knock out and not cut off) there can be a turpentine content in the base of the tree that goes into the branches somewhat when the tree dies. A wind blown tree is even better. These will not take a spark, but I have found that they will burn long and hot with a large flame, making them great candles. They do need to be lit from a flame though.