Nice, and I like how you showed the how to baton properly using another log as an anvil. too many people on youtube baton it into the ground and bury a 1/4 of the log or drive the knife into soil, thanks
I even broke a brand new Old Hickory butcher knife trying to do that on a log with an internal limb. I did fix the knife, superficially, I wouldn't trust it for a serious batoning; but, I can still use it for cutting.
This was a GREAT video! I was taught by an old timer here in Idaho to look for small stumps from broken off pine, fir, and spruce saplings located on finger ridges on steep slopes. (You get a lot of wind and snow damage to the trees on these spots.) You kick the stumps and if they don't break off, they are full of fat wood. I never knew about looking for steeply angled branches on live trees. A person learns something new every day! Thank you!
Whenever you saw into fatwood, place a drop cloth or tarp below the cutting area to catch that sawdust. It's the best Maya Dust and catches a spark easily.
12 minutes packed with knowledge. Did not realize how much knowledge and what a great teacher Dave is. So glad he got away from junk TV. It's all for the better.
One of my favorite fire resources. I know you have mentioned it in other videos, but one good indication that you have a high resin content is the smoke it gives off when burning. Good fat wood gives off some really black smoke. I'm not sure what type of pines we have here in Georgia, I always thought they were Longleaf Pines or Yellow Pines, but when I started researching I found out there are a whole lot of varieties. I just know I have found some stumps just chock full of beautiful, dark amber colored fat wood recently and it burns like rocket fuel. That's why your your advice to learn the attributes of important resources rather than trying to memorize exact species is so important. (At least I'm sure I've heard you say that before.)
Dave thank you so very much for taking the time to really give a detailed explanation of your FatWood gathering and ignition techniques. You are the man.
The video in this link shows fatwood collection from a pine stump, different areas and different trees will produce better fatwood but about any pine will contain enough to start a fire in the area show in this video- Journal of the Yurt 38 A day in the Life
I've watched many of your videos now and I appreciate the respect you give to your viewers and recognize your skill, effort, and patience in passing along your knowledge. Thank you.
I thought Fat Wood was Pine but wasn't sure how it was harvested. Thanks again Dave for another great video. I've almost watched them all but I also watch some more than once. I love this stuff and I really like the way you present it. I can tell you love what you do. Dave-Utah
I was at Krogers this morming in the grill section and you won't believe what I found. Pine Mountain company is producing 100% pine fat wood. 6.50 a box, that ways about 1.5- 2 lbs. you can smell the resin in it . just a heads up .
Just a simple advice from personal experience; in Europe we got black pine (Pinus nigra) which is very rich with sap but we don't cut the branches, we look for already broken branches where you can see just around 5 inches of branch sticking out. That 5 inches is super rich, it's very hard to cut it off, so the best way to harvest it is to keep battoning it with axe and it will just fall off. Happy holydays Dave! :)
We find whole trees down that are solid lighter pine. I have one about a foot around,5 feet long (it takes a bit of muscle to move it) that My Grandfather gave me 35 years ago.He was chipping peices off of it since the 1930s! Good vid.
Definitely listen to Dave when he says to look for red pine over white pine. I looked for red pine with white, hardened sap running down the trunk. Once I found that, I look for the low-hanging, broken branches. After searching for a long time for fatwood using other techniques, I had astounding success using this one. Happy hunting!
Dave, One thing I rarely see is the use and combustibility of dead pine needles. They are a go-to for me up here in Montana. Usually the ones still on the tree branch, not ground duff. Also, Using pine bough as a pot scrubber.
They call it "Fat Lighter" in the south. Used to "light" fires made from "Fat" wood. We usually just find an old pine stump and bust it up. Major resin in the stump. Grind it to a powder to take a spark.
Hey Dave just throwing this out there but in the woods often u will see what looks like a rotten stump on the ground if u kick it and its solid it's most likely what we call in the south lighter knot or pine knot. Its the whole heart of the pine which is always there after the rest of the tree has deteriorated away but it's slap full of resin and its how we start fires after a big rain or when it's real cold. Just throwing that out there buddy love what your passin on out there roll tide
Dave, Doing some dirt time the other day, and collected a piece of pine to make my own fat wood. I can not wait to try in out. When I cut it with the saw, the saw dust pile burned for about two minutes.
You ever see some of these videos where they find a big 6" pine log, or bigger, just completely saturated with resin? Saturated with that good dark amber pitch? and deposited in good straight grain.... There must be some pine species that under the right circumstances collects and builds up fat wood like that. The biggest stores of fatwood I've found is the hard to get at, gnarled up sections of some root balls.
Buck MountainTop While catching your shavings in your hat would certainly keep them better, I don't know that I would necessarily want to remove my cover/hat in cold weather, allowing more heat to escape. Perhaps a handkerchief or other material, or a container. I think the idea is that you could build your fire right on that log if you wanted to get it off of wet/questionable ground.
Thanks dave another good vid how about one on the use and importance of fire dogs I use them over here in uk contain lots of resin ans gives light for working round your camp fire atb paul.
Hi Dave, great video. I am not much of a tree guy so maybe you can help me out and tell me how to tell the difference between red and white pine. Thanks for the great teachings.
Hello Dave, I enjoy the videos and appreciate the time you take to show us. I see alot of people showing how to start a fire with a bow drill which is great. But I see mostly people showing and using a ferrocerium rod and even char cloth to spark a fire which is great but I dont see it likely at all to have a ferrocerium or magnesium rod or even char cloth on you in a survival situation lol, youd be more likely to have a lighter than a ferrocerium or magnesium rod. As I said, I see most videos showing "how to start a fire in a survival situation", then they pull out a ferrocerium rod and a piece of char cloth and poof, 5 seconds later they have fire, hell they work so well you may as well of used a cigarette lighter, and anyone can start a fire with them as easy as a lighter (if you happen to have one on you in that unexpected situation lol) and if you carried a ferrocerium rod around with you, wouldnt it be easier to just carry a cigarette lighter, I mean if your preparing for a trip to the bush, you would have a lighter in your plan the same as a ferrocerium rod. Theyre a great product dont get me wrong, I just dont see anything learned from them, you are still depending on a man made device just the same as you would with a lighter. And 99 out of 100 times your not going to have a ferrocerium rod if something unexpected happens where you have to depend on it unless your on a planned trip such as camping. Maybe sometime in the future you can do a video on using natural materials to start a fire other than the bow drill because altho it is natural and is a good thing to know without depending on a device, it doesnt work if its wet. I like the bow drill because you can make it anywhere in any situation where you need fire and you dont have to depend on a man made device such as a ferrocerium rod. But in a downfall situation if its raining or wet a bow drill wont work. I would never depend on a ferrocerium rod because I know if Im ever in an all out situation, I wont have one, its not like Im gonna be stranded with nothing, then like He Man I luckily pull out my ferrocerium rod and say " I have the powerrrrr!" and save the day lol. Id like to personally see a video made up of using all things natural other than the bow drill which weve all seen. Things such as stones, steel, flint etc., anything you can make a "spark" from other than a man made device such as a ferrocerium rod that you wont have if your screwed. Maybe even some advice on where to find these materials such as flint, quarts, pyrite, marcasite, pentlandite, granite, iron rock etc. Just a thought, Sorry for the long post. I appreciate all your videos and advice to us all. Filthy~
Hey Dave, Here in Missouri we have more Junipers (Cedar) than pines; in most areas anyway. Do Cedar trees contain "fatwood" in the same manner as those Pines?
I think I may have cut my fatwood sticks too small for camping purposes. I have them in a quart baggy. I try to sliver them for the house wood stove. Not so easy with knotwood. Been slicing off the pitch seams from the firewood. By the way I have a froe, will maple or walnut make a good frog? Neighbors recently cut some trees down.
I bought the Old Hickory and love it ain't had much dirt time with it's been bow season so been chasing whitetail but I keep it on my side In pathfinder sheath got say sheath is very high quality and I also carier a high robust Mora you can get these 2 knives and Pathfinder Sheath for about 60$ with these 2 knives I don't think you can go wrong JMHO
I have a personal question for you. If you are out for an overnight, what is your favorite fire starting material AND igniting tool? I enjoy the task of finding, processing and using fat wood with my ferro rod, but find just a pocket of dryer lint, sometimes is easier if I'm pressed for time. I would like to know your favorites
Hey dave, huge fan. I was wondering which knife from your site you would recommend as a good overall wood processing and survival blade. My apologies if you have already covered that topic. You have legitimately inspired me to go on multiple camp trips with minimal equipment. I know you get a'lot of questions so if this doesn't get answered i'm aware of why. keep up the great work brother!
Once you have cut your fat wood and processed it. How long is it still good in your haversack if you don't use it right away. Weeks, months, years? Does keeping it in your haversack in a hot trailer affect it?
Very cool. I saw an interesting video where the guy made his own fatwood by melting resin in an Altoids tin and soaking a few sticks in it. Seemed like a pretty good idea to me. Thanks for the video =D
Thanks for the video always a pleasure watching your videos im from the deep south we always called pine knot it i really dont know why but this is my favorite fire starter been using this stuff since i was a kid the only thing i dont like about it is it always made my blades gummy an sticky
Is there a cap on how long the fatwood will stay viable? Should you replace the wood from your fire kit if it hasn't been used for a certain period of time?
Nice, and I like how you showed the how to baton properly using another log as an anvil. too many people on youtube baton it into the ground and bury a 1/4 of the log or drive the knife into soil, thanks
I even broke a brand new Old Hickory butcher knife trying to do that on a log with an internal limb. I did fix the knife, superficially, I wouldn't trust it for a serious batoning; but, I can still use it for cutting.
This was a GREAT video! I was taught by an old timer here in Idaho to look for small stumps from broken off pine, fir, and spruce saplings located on finger ridges on steep slopes. (You get a lot of wind and snow damage to the trees on these spots.) You kick the stumps and if they don't break off, they are full of fat wood. I never knew about looking for steeply angled branches on live trees. A person learns something new every day! Thank you!
Whenever you saw into fatwood, place a drop cloth or tarp below the cutting area to catch that sawdust. It's the best Maya Dust and catches a spark easily.
12 minutes packed with knowledge. Did not realize how much knowledge and what a great teacher Dave is. So glad he got away from junk TV. It's all for the better.
One of my favorite fire resources. I know you have mentioned it in other videos, but one good indication that you have a high resin content is the smoke it gives off when burning. Good fat wood gives off some really black smoke.
I'm not sure what type of pines we have here in Georgia, I always thought they were Longleaf Pines or Yellow Pines, but when I started researching I found out there are a whole lot of varieties. I just know I have found some stumps just chock full of beautiful, dark amber colored fat wood recently and it burns like rocket fuel.
That's why your your advice to learn the attributes of important resources rather than trying to memorize exact species is so important. (At least I'm sure I've heard you say that before.)
Dave thank you so very much for taking the time to really give a detailed explanation of your FatWood gathering and ignition techniques. You are the man.
Love the plumbers vise idea! never saw that. thanks! was worth the price of admission!
The video in this link shows fatwood collection from a pine stump, different areas and different trees will produce better fatwood but about any pine will contain enough to start a fire in the area show in this video- Journal of the Yurt 38 A day in the Life
Awesome! Thank you very much!
I've watched many of your videos now and I appreciate the respect you give to your viewers and recognize your skill, effort, and patience in passing along your knowledge. Thank you.
I thought Fat Wood was Pine but wasn't sure how it was harvested. Thanks again Dave for another great video. I've almost watched them all but I also watch some more than once. I love this stuff and I really like the way you present it. I can tell you love what you do.
Dave-Utah
Always learn so much from your videos, thanks for this one
Excellent instructions...just like every other vid you make
Thanks for doing an update on this Dave ;)-
I love everything about this video. Thanks Dave!
Nice video Dave and thank you. Looks like a beautiful day in SouthEastern Ohio. Take care and all the best.
I was at Krogers this morming in the grill section and you won't believe what I found. Pine Mountain company is producing 100% pine fat wood. 6.50 a box, that ways about 1.5- 2 lbs. you can smell the resin in it . just a heads up .
Just a simple advice from personal experience; in Europe we got black pine (Pinus nigra) which is very rich with sap but we don't cut the branches, we look for already broken branches where you can see just around 5 inches of branch sticking out. That 5 inches is super rich, it's very hard to cut it off, so the best way to harvest it is to keep battoning it with axe and it will just fall off. Happy holydays Dave! :)
We find whole trees down that are solid lighter pine. I have one about a foot around,5 feet long (it takes a bit of muscle to move it) that My Grandfather gave me 35 years ago.He was chipping peices off of it since the 1930s! Good vid.
Thank you mr Canterbury! Iv just learned something, sending you and you're family love from the uk xx
Thank You So Much ! For all you do and the information you share.
A well crafted and informative presentation. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for another great video Dave.
Great short vid Dave, right to the POINT!
Definitely listen to Dave when he says to look for red pine over white pine. I looked for red pine with white, hardened sap running down the trunk. Once I found that, I look for the low-hanging, broken branches. After searching for a long time for fatwood using other techniques, I had astounding success using this one. Happy hunting!
I appreciate you showing us how to gather this, even though you have show us before, its good to refresh
Very cool. You're a great instructor. I always learn from your vids. God bless you and yours.
Great video. Thanks and keep them coming.
i love seeing you using that old butcher's knife.
Dave, One thing I rarely see is the use and combustibility of dead pine needles. They are a go-to for me up here in Montana. Usually the ones still on the tree branch, not ground duff. Also, Using pine bough as a pot scrubber.
Agreed
Thanks! I've heard about fatwood all my life, but never knew how to locate, process and use it in a systematic way. Great job.
glad you did this topic. Interesting and informative
Great video as always Dave
They call it "Fat Lighter" in the south. Used to "light" fires made from "Fat" wood.
We usually just find an old pine stump and bust it up. Major resin in the stump. Grind it to a powder to take a spark.
awesome vid dave I love your fire starting vids
Great info Dave, about the wood and also the "plumbers vise"...Happy New Year!
As always thank you...BTW... The take down arrows are great addition to my pathfinder bow sling...!!!
Excellent Dave
Well done Dave!!!! ...Jimmy...
Great video. Thank you for sharing the knowledge.
Another wonderful video.
Hey Dave just throwing this out there but in the woods often u will see what looks like a rotten stump on the ground if u kick it and its solid it's most likely what we call in the south lighter knot or pine knot. Its the whole heart of the pine which is always there after the rest of the tree has deteriorated away but it's slap full of resin and its how we start fires after a big rain or when it's real cold. Just throwing that out there buddy love what your passin on out there roll tide
Dave,
Doing some dirt time the other day, and collected a piece of pine to make my own fat wood. I can not wait to try in out. When I cut it with the saw, the saw dust pile burned for about two minutes.
this was important to redo, thankyou for that
Great video I'm definitely have to go out tomorrow and look around and try that trick... also hope you had a great Christmas and have a happy new year
You ever see some of these videos where they find a big 6" pine log, or bigger, just completely saturated with resin? Saturated with that good dark amber pitch? and deposited in good straight grain.... There must be some pine species that under the right circumstances collects and builds up fat wood like that. The biggest stores of fatwood I've found is the hard to get at, gnarled up sections of some root balls.
We have many of those here as well, but we save them for students during classes, it just depends on the tree and the location
I haven't found great fat wood in a long time even older trees that's got a god root
another great video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Dave.
Thanks for all the knowledge you've generously given over the years Dave . Hope you and your family have a great new year in 2014 .
Thanks, Dave!
Thank you for this! This is exactly what I was looking for.
Always find a great takeaway in each of your videos. Definitely going to be using the Plumber's vise.
I was learn something from you Dave! Many thanks Homie!
love how you used the spine of your knife in this vid!
Buck MountainTop
While catching your shavings in your hat would certainly keep them better, I don't know that I would necessarily want to remove my cover/hat in cold weather, allowing more heat to escape.
Perhaps a handkerchief or other material, or a container.
I think the idea is that you could build your fire right on that log if you wanted to get it off of wet/questionable ground.
made Maya dust the other day with fatwood worked well for the fireplace on xmas eve :)....as always a good video Dave
That was very informative. Thank you for sharing.
Yet another great trick to store in the knowledge locker.
Use it or you'll lose it :)
Thanks dave another good vid how about one on the use and importance of fire dogs I use them over here in uk contain lots of resin ans gives light for working round your camp fire atb paul.
Thanks Dave.
If you find pitch on the outside of the tree, will it get hard so you can scrape it like you did fat wood in the video?
thanks for what you do.
Hi Dave, great video. I am not much of a tree guy so maybe you can help me out and tell me how to tell the difference between red and white pine. Thanks for the great teachings.
That butcher style fat blade knife is awesome! Perfect for all task i think. Dave, what tags of it i should be looking for to get one?
Good video thanks for sharing always learning
Hello Dave, I enjoy the videos and appreciate the time you take to show us. I see alot of people showing how to start a fire with a bow drill which is great. But I see mostly people showing and using a ferrocerium rod and even char cloth to spark a fire which is great but I dont see it likely at all to have a ferrocerium or magnesium rod or even char cloth on you in a survival situation lol, youd be more likely to have a lighter than a ferrocerium or magnesium rod. As I said, I see most videos showing "how to start a fire in a survival situation", then they pull out a ferrocerium rod and a piece of char cloth and poof, 5 seconds later they have fire, hell they work so well you may as well of used a cigarette lighter, and anyone can start a fire with them as easy as a lighter (if you happen to have one on you in that unexpected situation lol) and if you carried a ferrocerium rod around with you, wouldnt it be easier to just carry a cigarette lighter, I mean if your preparing for a trip to the bush, you would have a lighter in your plan the same as a ferrocerium rod. Theyre a great product dont get me wrong, I just dont see anything learned from them, you are still depending on a man made device just the same as you would with a lighter. And 99 out of 100 times your not going to have a ferrocerium rod if something unexpected happens where you have to depend on it unless your on a planned trip such as camping. Maybe sometime in the future you can do a video on using natural materials to start a fire other than the bow drill because altho it is natural and is a good thing to know without depending on a device, it doesnt work if its wet. I like the bow drill because you can make it anywhere in any situation where you need fire and you dont have to depend on a man made device such as a ferrocerium rod. But in a downfall situation if its raining or wet a bow drill wont work. I would never depend on a ferrocerium rod because I know if Im ever in an all out situation, I wont have one, its not like Im gonna be stranded with nothing, then like He Man I luckily pull out my ferrocerium rod and say " I have the powerrrrr!" and save the day lol. Id like to personally see a video made up of using all things natural other than the bow drill which weve all seen. Things such as stones, steel, flint etc., anything you can make a "spark" from other than a man made device such as a ferrocerium rod that you wont have if your screwed. Maybe even some advice on where to find these materials such as flint, quarts, pyrite, marcasite, pentlandite, granite, iron rock etc. Just a thought, Sorry for the long post. I appreciate all your videos and advice to us all. Filthy~
Hey Dave, Here in Missouri we have more Junipers (Cedar) than pines; in most areas anyway. Do Cedar trees contain "fatwood" in the same manner as those Pines?
I think I may have cut my fatwood sticks too small for camping purposes. I have them in a quart baggy. I try to sliver them for the house wood stove. Not so easy with knotwood. Been slicing off the pitch seams from the firewood.
By the way I have a froe, will maple or walnut make a good frog? Neighbors recently cut some trees down.
Happy New Year Dave!!
right on Dave !
Fantastic video, 10/10
got a chris caine knife for christmas.... looking forward to using it camping this weekend......
Dave, ever try to light these shavings with char cloth???…I used lower resin shavings for mine…👍👍👍👍👍👍
thanks for video I am new to this and here term fat wood but did not know what it was, thank you robert...
Thanks for that Dave!
This was very helpful an i am a big fan good video
I bought the Old Hickory and love it ain't had much dirt time with it's been bow season so been chasing whitetail but I keep it on my side In pathfinder sheath got say sheath is very high quality and I also carier a high robust Mora you can get these 2 knives and Pathfinder Sheath for about 60$ with these 2 knives I don't think you can go wrong JMHO
Great video. This may be a stupid question...but how do you distinguish between white pine and red pine?
I have a personal question for you. If you are out for an overnight, what is your favorite fire starting material AND igniting tool?
I enjoy the task of finding, processing and using fat wood with my ferro rod, but find just a pocket of dryer lint, sometimes is easier if I'm pressed for time.
I would like to know your favorites
Hey dave, huge fan. I was wondering which knife from your site you would recommend as a good overall wood processing and survival blade. My apologies if you have already covered that topic. You have legitimately inspired me to go on multiple camp trips with minimal equipment. I know you get a'lot of questions so if this doesn't get answered i'm aware of why. keep up the great work brother!
Once you have cut your fat wood and processed it. How long is it still good in your haversack if you don't use it right away. Weeks, months, years? Does keeping it in your haversack in a hot trailer affect it?
Dave, what gloves are you using, I've been looking for a pair that are warm but still provide dexterity
Thoughts on the fat wood you can purchase at the store? Better or worse than harvesting your own?
Best rod I've seen.
great video. DC, would it be a good rule of thumb to say that no matter where in the USA one lives, an evergreen tree would be a source of fatwood?
Hey, Great video. What type of knife is that? been making knives for about 2 years and really like the style of that pacific knife?
Is fatwood what we call in the south. Lighter pine
One of the best video lessons I've watched, and, I've watched a lot. Now, for my question; how do you tell a red pine from a white pine?
Well done !! Thank you !!
Hey Dave, did you make the fire with a "swedish" ferro rod or with a "mishmetall" rod?
Is it possible to make fatwood by soaking dried pine wood in pine resin?
Hey Dave what kind of knife are you using in this video and what knife do you carry the most
thank you. ONCE again. U R awesome
Very cool.
I saw an interesting video where the guy made his own fatwood by melting resin in an Altoids tin and soaking a few sticks in it. Seemed like a pretty good idea to me.
Thanks for the video =D
Thanks for the video always a pleasure watching your videos im from the deep south we always called pine knot it i really dont know why but this is my favorite fire starter been using this stuff since i was a kid the only thing i dont like about it is it always made my blades gummy an sticky
Thanks for breaking it down Barney Style, Dave.
Is there a cap on how long the fatwood will stay viable? Should you replace the wood from your fire kit if it hasn't been used for a certain period of time?
Fantastic info.
i never knew this. thanks for showing this technique.
family jewels. Funny and good to point out too.
Dave, what gloves are you wearing in this video?