Feather stick

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Feather stick is a length of wood which has been shaved to produce a head of thin curls: it is used when starting an outdoor fire or campfire when dry tinder is hard to find, and is often used in conjunction with charcloth.

It has been popularised recently in the media by exponents of Bushcraft such as Ray Mears.

It is believed to be a traditional method of fire starting, utilising basic tools and methods.

[edit] Using Feather sticks

In wet woodlands, or rain forests, it may be difficult to find enough dry wood to get a fire started - this is where a feather stick can be used. It is made from dead "standing" wood, such as a branch that has broken from a tree and died, but has not yet fallen to the ground. The bark and the outer layer of wood are removed to reveal the dry heartwood. This is then shaved, with axe or knife, to produce as many curls as possible.

Alternatively, it works just as well in your own garden: take a piece of kindling, hold it upright with one hand and with the other, slide your knife or small axe gently down one outside corner, stopping just before the bottom. Repeat this, rotating your slices slightly to left and right in order to get as many as possible, and taking care not to cut too far and lose those you have already made.

As can be seen from the image above, they can be fairly coarse, but the finer you can shave the curls, the more easily they will light.

Feather sticks are often used in conjunction with charcloth: a small piece of charcloth is wound around the curls and a spark is struck on to it, using either the traditional flint and steel or a modern magnesium striker. This is then blown onto until the curls catch fire: the whole feather stick is then placed into the waiting kindling to start the campfire.

[edit] External links

• Using Charcloth Website showing feather sticks in use.