1st Experiment with various forms of Tinder Fungus to fire Snap Locks

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Thanks Richard...yes back to Flint62Smoothies tender fungus research...much too easy to get side tracked.

 

[TobJohn]

Wheellock,
Simon Stanley can draw a 190 pound War Bow,..but says it Hurts! He can pull a 170 pound bow all day.
I have two half tillered. At present they both pull 80 pounds at half draw. I'm Not Simon Stanley!

Robert Hardy's book is V interesting, "The Great War Bow".

Re wheellock, There a re a good many duel ignitions to be seen, both match and wheel!

Edited to add a link...
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18376&highlight=early+matchlock+wheellock+combination
Flint,
In a way we should bleed all the OT stuff from this thread!

BTW Dale, I see now why you needed pliers to insert and dismount your tinder!
I make mine whatever length I can, but usually no less than an inch and a half. Makes handling easier.
In the battle of Pavia details, you will see quite long pieces of tinder being used. probably over two inches.

Those tinder wheellock combos are such a graceful solution to add the second lock with minimal extra pieces. Graz has a large collection of military ones for infantry and they are super cool.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Dale and all,
This link shows tinder very well, fitted in the serpent jaws....

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17923&highlight=Styrian+tinderlock
Also Flint, if you scroll down this link, I was wondering if your serpent would benefit by this method of tightening the serpenjt's jaws on the tinder?
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7854&highlight=Styrian+tinderlock
a close up,

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

This old post is incredibly interesting....thanks Pukka !
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7854&highlight=Styrian+tinderlock
Another:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/using-natural-tinders-alternatives-for-charcloth.114322/

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Ooooohhhhh, I like that stirrup idea to tighten the jaws! More experimental archaeology coming up ! But alas, SAT milsurp offhand shootin' @ 100-yards and the hunting seasons are now upon me ... so it'll be a while.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Good hunting Flint!

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Hunt with snaplock, Flint!
I want to make a lock with the sliding collar. I saw it on another of Mikaels but not found it yet.
What's SAT?
We shoot the Somo Hayha sniper course in January or Feb. (own range)

Here is the thread where I first saw the sliding collar Flint.
Scroll down near bottom of page 1.
"Styrian wall gun, C 1555"

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7524&highlight=Tinderlock

 

[Rudyard]

It's too bad such fungus can't be eaten like a mushroom, or at least the edible ones! Because this fungus is heftier and meatier than any portabello mushroom ever hoped to be! I bet it would be wonderful steaked and cooked ... if indeed it was edible without killing you!

Interesting angle but I think Ile pass on the eating test .And may I suggest you decline as we don't want to loose you .
Regards Rudyard

 

[BillinOregon]

More please, gentlemen. This has been fascinating.

 

[RAEDWALD]

Has anyone tried lead acetate soaking their tinder fungus?

Not a difficult period thing to make, only needing lead soaking in vinegar until well corroded. I used no6 shot for my current batch. Leave it to dry out and you will find white lead acetate splinter crystals which you can store until needed. Aka sugar of lead and poisonous to consume so wash your hands after handling it but safe enough when the fungus/cord is soaked in a saturated solution of it and dried off. Makes cord burn slower, hotter and with less ash and none of the sparks one can get with potassium nitrate soaking. I may give it a try next time I am home in France and dig out the matchlock again.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Has anyone tried lead acetate soaking their tinder fungus?

So far ... of the 3 major types ... I've only tried the Birch Polypore, which looks like a flat mushroom or even an Italian calzone, lol ... growing out of the tree. It worked so well I can't imagine even taking the time to try and treat it further!

This past weekend in VT, I got some Chaga and some real 'horse foot' Tinder Fungus. They are drying now, but then will be tested against the BP above, to see which:

• Takes a lit head the fastest
• Burns the cleanest
• Burn the slowest
• Lasts the longest or provides for multiple shots

Chaga chunks & Tinder Fungus

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Being short of birch trees here, I only use the horseshoe/hoof type Dale. Grows on poplar etc. Have a bag of chaga, but it looks and feels like cinder toffee!

 

[BillinOregon]

I wish I had known about tinder fungus and experimented with it when I lived in the Pacific Northwest. All sorts of conks -- on Douglas fir, hemlocks, alders ...

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Wrong info. Made a mistake on ID-ing tinder, so deleted it!

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Flint62Smoothie: This is on the trunk of a 300+ year old massive 200' Shumard Red Oak in our backyard..is this tender fungus, chaga, or just a growth from the tree? It's about 6' up from the ground.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Wheellock,
If you knock a piece off and it's red inside , it may be chaga.

Dunno if it grows on oaks though!

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Pukka you got me all pumped up....I went out and had to use a saw...it was just solid hard oak wood......

 

[TobJohn]

Pukka you got me all pumped up....I went out and had to use a saw...it was just solid hard oak wood......

View attachment 275305

Chop it off, cover it in resin, sell it as art at the farmers market

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

TopJohn...you mean folks will buy anything????

 

[TobJohn]

TopJohn...you mean folks will buy anything????

Only one way to find out!

Sectioning that into flat slabs and then making them into cheese boards would actually be pretty cool, but I am hipster with poor financial discipline and therefore biased