It’s so cool to learn something in minutes that’s taken years of experience from other people who part with that knowledge so freely. What a great thing to learn and thanks for taking the time to show others.
I like that you pull the ferro rod away from the blade while holding the blade still and close to your starting material. So many times I see people run the blade down the rod and towards the starting material, hitting it and knocking it around and out of place. 😎👍
Instead of sawing the branches off, just knock them with a big baton and get not only the resin filled branch but the pine knot as well. They burn bright for hours.... They would pop right out of that punk wood. I like the pencil sharpener trick. I use one for a contractor or carpenters pencil. It allows you to use bigger pieces of wood that are odd shaped. Great tip. Thanks
I know I'm commenting to an "old" video but wanted you to know this is the best fatwood video I've seen. You've inspired me to start my first ferro rod fire with fatwood. I'm feeling pretty confident! Thanks!
Jerry Derr sorry it’s taken me so long to get to this comment. Thank you for your kind words. It is definitely fun to start a fire with Fat-Wood. God bless you. John
This video encompasses the true value of RUclips: Patient instruction of uncommon knowledge with extra tips along the way. I had heard of fatwood but did not know what it was or how to find it. Bonus points for your gear that you carry, how to process fatwood for firestarting once you've found it, the use of a ferro rod....and then finally the pencil sharpener trick. Thank you! p.s. - Also nuggets in the comment section about not cooking food over a fire made exclusively with resin-laden pine wood as the resin off gasses bad stuff while burning....to which another poster said to wait until the fire is burnt down to embers and coals before food cooking to solve that issue as well! TONS of great info all around! Thanks again and God bless!
I lived in Arkansas for a couple yrs, and the locals called it pine lighter. We got it from stumps, that had been there for many years. My area was timber country, so there was no shortage of old pine stumps. The stuff lights instantly. We just kept a small pile of it around for whenever we wanted to light an outside fire or the inside fire place. Very handy for camping, and if it's ready available in the woods, you don't have to stock pile it.
I have knobbly old dead pines all over Georgia. I never knew those eaten out old trees might provide something useful when wet. Now when kayaking, I have a source of firewood in wet conditions. thank ya
Doesn't really need to be a dead tree. A dead branch on a live tree is good, too. Btw fun fact: Back in the day , at RR camps and mining camps, etc. Pine knots were used as currency, 'cause it burns like Coal.
@ken thomas You do not ingest any of those things on such a large scale. Also, besides terpenes, there could be other things in fatwood that get vaporised and condense on your food. I think the food may just reek of turpentine, but still not a good thing to be playing with?
Some 'tough guys' might snicker at you when you're wearing gloves. Not me, I'm wearing gloves anytime I'm near any kind of blade (I keep everything razor sharp) you get even a minor cut in wilderness / survival situations you can seriously compromise a finger or hand, possibly leading to infection and other issues.
Yesterday I wasn't wearing gloves. I was using a short 9 inch hatchet on a rotten stump. Last evening I used a scalpel to cut my thumbnail open up the entire length to remove the rest of a splinter 3/4 the size of my thumb nail. It hurt sooo much! I now have my gloves in my bushcraft bag. And a sore thumb
@@joez26 I hope you recover without complications and will spread the word about gloves to your friends. Showing them that thumb won't get much argument, I'll bet. I've still got the end of my middle left finger because was wearing gloves and got crosswise with a power saw. Good leather took the hit, I got a minor cut. Lesson: Don't saw distracted.
Yep- I have one of those Corona folding saws. That blade is so sharp if it so much as touches you, you;re cut. I call it the ritual blood sacrifice to ensure a plentiful firewood season, lol.
Fatwood is amazing fire tinder. I used to carry 6-8 different tinders, but now only fatwood and cotton balls w/vaseline. Fatwood has never failed to produce flame for me yet, and I enjoy hunting for it. Always carry a piece of fatwood in your pack as it is waterproof and takes up lottle room. Guaranteed fire!
Sounds silly, but I keep a metal cannabis grinder from a dispensary in my fire kit. It makes fine powder out of plant materials. Takes to a ferro rod well. 🔥
I grew up camping and learned many skills from my dad. Fatwood was not one of them. I had no idea this gem was hiding all around us. I watched your video and immediately went out back and located/processed 7 beautiful peices of fatwood. I counted 5 dead/rotting pines just steps away from my door. I will be processing more and giving them to friends as gifts. Thanks for the video
I know this video older, but I wanted to comment how cool this is. I first learned a similar trick in another video, in regards to the branches. You can even harvest the knot from the branch in the stump, if possible, and increase the amount of fatwood you get. This is due to the sap collecting in the knots when the trees die.
I get good sparks from a flint striker with less effort. The striker is extremely lightweight, and a small tin will hold hundreds of flints. Some magnesium and a ferro rod are useful, and can even be added to your kit to augment this fatwood process. I was successful starting a fire during a cold January downpour, using a flint striker and a small cotton ball soaked in vaseline. For kindling, I gathered small twigs from downed trees. I focused on twigs that were vertical, so water had run off instead of laying on top and soaking the wood. I had a rocket stove made from a soup can and had my hot chocolate going in no time. I didn't have a tarp to go overhead, so I had to work a little bit to keep the falling rain from extinguishing the fire, but once I got my small pot over the fire, it sheltered it. It was one of those days when I decided on a whim to trek out into the nearby woods just to see if I could get my rocket stove going and make some hot chocolate. In my haste to get going, I forgot to take a tarp for setting up an overhead cover from the rain. But I learned that I could do it even without the tarp. Now, I am confident that I can do it. It's one thing to do it on a warm day, but to do it on a cold and rainy January day, that builds confidence tremendously. Don't be fooled though. A person can get hypothermia in the summer also. A cold rain during a summer night can be just as disastrous.
I heard 'fatwood, fatwood, fatwood" but had no idea what it was. I assumed it was something you needed to purchase. Thank you for explaining where to find it, what it is and how to use it. Great video. Now, I will search for my own.
Thank you for your excellent video very informative lacking all arrogance and ego which Seems to be uncommon lately so again thank you I think you may be my favorite RUclips site Huge thumbs up!
making "Fuzz sticks" takes me back to my bushcrafting days in the late 60's to early 1970's in BOY SCOUTS good old flint and steel firemaking... Ferro rods make it soooo much easier these days!
Thanks for the info. With this method in 90% of the cases find fatwood.On your channel I first saw this method and for a while I use it and I recommend it to others.
OMG, I just stumbled across your video..1st of all, ty for the tutorial on fatwood. I am fairly new to bushcraft, and learning any and every tip I can find to help me along my learning curve is appreciated. Then to top it off, I found a bushcrafter who lives in NYS!!! I also, am in NYS. I live in the Rochester area. SO glad to find someone who lives in my area, where the videos will show the same terrain and resources I am likely to find. How awesome! Although I have gained a lot of knowledge from other you tubers, none have been in my area, using the same resources I Will be using. It DOES make a difference! I am not going to find the same resources here, that someone in NC or Georgia, or even Northern Canada, will find. Canada will be similar though, more so than those from the deep south. Hardwoods are not hugely different, but the species of trees and plants will vary somewhat. Ya got a new subscriber!
Tim Gannon Hey thank you for the kind words. Almost all of my videos are from NY. I did move to southern Missouri a couple of years ago, so my newest are from there. Don’t miss out on my give-a-way! Check my latest videos to find it. Dave Smith from HighCarbonSteel Love is in Mendon Ponds area. He is a great guy!! Check him out as well. God bless. John
I grabbed a pallet at work one hot day and was surprised to find it was made of green pine heart....literally dripping resin. Yes l took it home. Have started many fires with one piece of one board. Will begin teaching my grandson soon.
When I started my job many years ago in the paper mill finishing dept. One of my tasks was to pallet wrap stacks of sheeted greeting card stock . I never could understand why I would itch all over from handling the new pallets with still green wood . But after reading this maybe it was the resin in the wood .
I haven't had any luck finding fatwood in stumps, but have founds lots in branches. I carry some with me because in wet conditions it is the best natural tinder there is. If you have no pine in your area, buy some at Walmart or online. Hunting fatwood is addictive, so beware! Thanks John for a great demonstration.
csh 62 Thank you for your kind words my friend. What state do you live in? I found at the further south you go the more likely you’re going to find it in stumps. I think it has to do with how hot it is and the growing season.
Pine comes can also explode with no warning, sending burning & molten particles and resin into your face. One actually hit the corner of my eye and forehead from a distance of over 4.5'.
@@daphneraven9439 Well, Daphne, there's just no accounting for the bad luck that befalls some people. Especially those who sit within five feet of an open fire. Kind of hard to happen if its under some kindling. In 58 years I have yet to be felled by an exploding pine cone. I'd be more likely to take damage from an exploding cigar, and I don't smoke.
@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry May you always be so fortunate! This was a campfire that I'd started on a particularly soggy evening; the couple of cones that I used were well and truly inside plenty of kindling, with (wet) firewood outside of that. I'd obviously heard cones explode before, but it had never occurred to me up to that point that it could have any real velocity or distance. How far do you sit from your campfire?
@@daphneraven9439 6-8', if I'm not roasting marshmallows. We don't camp when it's so cold that we NEED a fire to stay warm. That's what inside the tent's for.
@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry I live in a climate that gets very cold for long periods of time, and days can be quite short; most of the time, when we build fires, it's to be warm. Sometimes, it's for social reasons, but even then, it's usually also about the heat.
You made a feather board with fatwood. Good job. The idea is to add oxygen,then pitch is great. I live in oregon doug fir forest. We have loads of pitch or fatwood, the pencil sharpener is genius. Thanks. Like and Subbed.
Great information, that makes total sense when you think about it. Thanks for posting it, I'm amazed that there are thumbs down... can't imagine who would dislike knowledge.
Hi my friend thank u for the video. Also u can use a small hatchet & chop off that dead punkwood from along the sides of the branch & saw the branch off a good few inches longer than that. The branch goes down to a point eventually at the heart wood of the trunk, that way u get way more fatwood.
Been hearing about "fat-wood" since my days as a scout, but even the grown-ups were clueless...Mystery Solved!! ..Many thanks (now) and, most likely, the thanks of my fellow campers in the future. There's a Donner party joke in here somewhere, but I'll leave well enough alone...
I'm just finding your videos for the 1st time; it's super nice to find such a good source of info, patiently & clearly explained & demonstrated, using clean, respectful language. It might be necessary to subscribe! :D Tyvk!
Many thanks, I love the pencil sharpener idea that's a really very useful thing to carry it's small and looks very effective I must try that so often I go out with very little in my pockets but try not to forget my knife . knife = life to me and is so important to live and make fire my knife so useful just to eat little bits of meat on my travels
Awesome video, I noticed in my neck of the woods some trees are better for finding fatwood than others. Around here Red Pine is a sure bet for fatwood followed by White Pine. Also when hunting for Fatwood take a container along to put pine sap in if you find it, pine sap combined with fatwood is sure dry twigs off on a rainy day along with pencil size wood.
Love gathering fatwood. And I love the smell of it when it's burning. Where I live in Ohio, we have white pines just about everywhere. Once that fatwood catches a spark, it burns nice and hot. Great tutorial video.
Here in the South, we have an abundance of Loblolly Pine,and when you find a dead one, you will have no problem having plenty of " lighter knots" as we call them. An old stump is also a great bet.
I just use the Corona saws. The Bahco is great, and so are the silky saws, but there's something to be said for being able to pick up a new blade at any local hardware or feed store.
Great video, and good idea with the pencil sharpener. I never thought of trying that, I'll have to get one for my gear bag. I just made a campfire yesterday using fatwood to start it & saved the video on my RUclips channel. That wood burns like crazy.
Or . . . you just carry a bag of cotton rounds smeared with Vaseline and save the time and calories and risk from using tools. But yours is one of the best videos on this I've seen. Many thanks
Good video, Thanks Just learning about finding and using fatwood. Pines are not native here in E.central IL. but now days there are small groves that have been planted,the last 50 years.
Nice John. Fatwood has become my favorite tools to start fire lately. Although I have to admit John, I've given up on the using the back of the knife for striking the rod. I simply cannot direct it as well as when using a smaller tool. Great for emergencies, but for regular use, the small hacksaw blade or striker works better for me.
I agree with you. I was using the knife because I was testing out the notch. I had just gotten it in the mail before I left the house. I use the strikers from firesteel.com. I carry two of them all of the time. I mentioned you in my last video. I had sausage. I think I'm hooked on it. lol Be blessed my friend. John
Great piece of knowledge thank you and God Bless. I am sure We'll be doing things like this very soon.So once again God Bless ............and Survive with the Lord Amen
Hi there, great vidio, I actually learned some stuff. I am Sweden Born, Special Forces 1st Air Cav, Vietnam, glad to see some stuff that actually works - Peace Brother
I would like to hear more about , Special Forces 1st Air Cav, Vietnam ? I never heard about them. 1/8th A-co., 1st Plt. weapons squad '67-68 you can look me up @ jumpingmustangs.com
Carole Just Carole It seems like the farther north you go, to a point that is, the Lord puts the means of fire in the trees. Like resin from Pines Fat-Wood, Birch Bark etc.
ladybug Vue If you live in the South (warm temps. ), you can find it in stumps. I moved to southern MO, so now I am finding it in the stumps. God bless. John
The ferro rod works much better if you hold it in or on the fatwood and strike the knife down towards the fatwood without moving the ferro rod, it concentrates the spark on the fatwood not spraying them all over.
Yes, more than 2 or 3 strokes is amateurish. But everybody doesn't know something. I didn't know the limb remnants would be "fat" if the tree was rotten. I did know/have seen the center sapwood exposed as one commenter mentioned. I always looked for stump roots for the fattest wood. I was a land surveyor, and used to haul in pine roots out of the woods in excess, so never ran into having to "find" it. Good info.
Every time I see someone use a ferro rod it always reminds me to never forget to include a Bic lighter in my survival kit as well. The regular bic lighter is always my first choice; then if it fails I can dick around with the ferro rod.
You should try just bringing your Bic lighter and nothing else. Then try making a fire with a bow and drill when you’ve lost the lighter. lol. Have a blessed day. John
Way COOL...never knew this before. However here in SW Texas we don't have any Pine Trees, only Old Oaks and Elm Trees. I have a wind-blown Elm Tree down on the back of my property here, I'll go and see if I can find any Fatwood in those branches. Great tip tho if I am ever in a Pine Forest.
So, I have a bunch of red and white pines on my property. I've been meaning to trim some lower branches to make it easier to mow. I was going to trim the branches to the trunk. Instead, if I cut the branches 8 to 10 inches from the trunk will this eventually create fat wood? What would be the best time of year to do this? How many could I do without damaging the Tree? It's fall, going to start experimenting.
It’s so cool to learn something in minutes that’s taken years of experience from other people who part with that knowledge so freely. What a great thing to learn and thanks for taking the time to show others.
Stephen Howlett You are very welcome, my friend. Be blessed. John
I've heard the term fat wood for years now but no one ever showed me what it actually was until now. Thank you for that!
aaronholloway2 You are very welcome.
I like that you pull the ferro rod away from the blade while holding the blade still and close to your starting material. So many times I see people run the blade down the rod and towards the starting material, hitting it and knocking it around and out of place. 😎👍
Good advice, I'm going to practice that. Cheers! UK.
Instead of sawing the branches off, just knock them with a big baton and get not only the resin filled branch but the pine knot as well. They burn bright for hours.... They would pop right out of that punk wood.
I like the pencil sharpener trick. I use one for a contractor or carpenters pencil. It allows you to use bigger pieces of wood that are odd shaped. Great tip. Thanks
So many times I've done that but not known the resin burns. Good stuff.
Something like an axe, perhaps? 😏
I know I'm commenting to an "old" video but wanted you to know this is the best fatwood video I've seen. You've inspired me to start my first ferro rod fire with fatwood. I'm feeling pretty confident! Thanks!
Jerry Derr sorry it’s taken me so long to get to this comment. Thank you for your kind words. It is definitely fun to start a fire with Fat-Wood. God bless you. John
snaponjohn100 I need some to make drawling salve. Also looking for bees wax. Do you know where l can get some?? I need it for a infected cut.
This video encompasses the true value of RUclips: Patient instruction of uncommon knowledge with extra tips along the way.
I had heard of fatwood but did not know what it was or how to find it. Bonus points for your gear that you carry, how to process fatwood for firestarting once you've found it, the use of a ferro rod....and then finally the pencil sharpener trick. Thank you!
p.s. - Also nuggets in the comment section about not cooking food over a fire made exclusively with resin-laden pine wood as the resin off gasses bad stuff while burning....to which another poster said to wait until the fire is burnt down to embers and coals before food cooking to solve that issue as well!
TONS of great info all around! Thanks again and God bless!
Matt P Thank you for your kind words my friend. They are much appreciated. Have a blessed day. John
I lived in Arkansas for a couple yrs, and the locals called it pine lighter. We got it from stumps, that had been there for many years. My area was timber country, so there was no shortage of old pine stumps. The stuff lights instantly. We just kept a small pile of it around for whenever we wanted to light an outside fire or the inside fire place. Very handy for camping, and if it's ready available in the woods, you don't have to stock pile it.
robert michael I have since relocating to S. Missouri. I find it in stumps here also. I think that the milder the climate, the easier it is to find.
Didn't know about the broken branches for fatwood, thanks for sharing. Cheers, Marc
I have knobbly old dead pines all over Georgia. I never knew those eaten out old trees might provide something useful when wet. Now when kayaking, I have a source of firewood in wet conditions. thank ya
You are welcome my friend. Be blessed. John
Doesn't really need to be a dead tree. A dead branch on a live tree is good, too. Btw fun fact: Back in the day , at RR camps and mining camps, etc. Pine knots were used as currency, 'cause it burns like Coal.
Just don't cook over them. The tar makes food inedible.
Is it poisonous or just tastes bad?Never heard of that one.
@ken thomas You do not ingest any of those things on such a large scale.
Also, besides terpenes, there could be other things in fatwood that get vaporised and condense on your food.
I think the food may just reek of turpentine, but still not a good thing to be playing with?
Some 'tough guys' might snicker at you when you're wearing gloves. Not me, I'm wearing gloves anytime I'm near any kind of blade (I keep everything razor sharp) you get even a minor cut in wilderness / survival situations you can seriously compromise a finger or hand, possibly leading to infection and other issues.
Silas Longshot I could not have said it better brother. God bless you. John
Yesterday I wasn't wearing gloves. I was using a short 9 inch hatchet on a rotten stump. Last evening I used a scalpel to cut my thumbnail open up the entire length to remove the rest of a splinter 3/4 the size of my thumb nail. It hurt sooo much! I now have my gloves in my bushcraft bag. And a sore thumb
@@joez26 I hope you recover without complications and will spread the word about gloves to your friends. Showing them that thumb won't get much argument, I'll bet. I've still got the end of my middle left finger because was wearing gloves and got crosswise with a power saw. Good leather took the hit, I got a minor cut. Lesson: Don't saw distracted.
Yep- I have one of those Corona folding saws. That blade is so sharp if it so much as touches you, you;re cut. I call it the ritual blood sacrifice to ensure a plentiful firewood season, lol.
Yeah I don't give a damn. Girls like guys with soft hands lol. That's my defense and I'm sticking to it
The pencil sharpener is a great idea. I've never thought of that, but I will be throwing a couple in my backpack.
Fatwood is amazing fire tinder. I used to carry 6-8 different tinders, but now only fatwood and cotton balls w/vaseline. Fatwood has never failed to produce flame for me yet, and I enjoy hunting for it. Always carry a piece of fatwood in your pack as it is waterproof and takes up lottle room. Guaranteed fire!
csh 62 Well said. I could not agree with you more!
Sounds silly, but I keep a metal cannabis grinder from a dispensary in my fire kit. It makes fine powder out of plant materials. Takes to a ferro rod well. 🔥
Name Less That is brilliant!
Carry a pencil sharpener
@@Aeneid14 I keep a sketch pad and pencils with me when hiking, but never thought of using the sharpener as a fire tool, thank you for the tip. 😯
i keep a metal one hitter and a cannabis bud. I get a fine high out of plant materials.
I grew up camping and learned many skills from my dad. Fatwood was not one of them. I had no idea this gem was hiding all around us. I watched your video and immediately went out back and located/processed 7 beautiful peices of fatwood. I counted 5 dead/rotting pines just steps away from my door. I will be processing more and giving them to friends as gifts. Thanks for the video
Troy Williams I am so glad that you benefited from this video.
I know this video older, but I wanted to comment how cool this is. I first learned a similar trick in another video, in regards to the branches. You can even harvest the knot from the branch in the stump, if possible, and increase the amount of fatwood you get. This is due to the sap collecting in the knots when the trees die.
WindWolfAlpha I’m glad that you enjoyed the video. John
Great video , never thought of dead trees , always got mine from fresh cut trees , you got me thinking about new sources in town , thanks !
I get good sparks from a flint striker with less effort. The striker is extremely lightweight, and a small tin will hold hundreds of flints. Some magnesium and a ferro rod are useful, and can even be added to your kit to augment this fatwood process. I was successful starting a fire during a cold January downpour, using a flint striker and a small cotton ball soaked in vaseline. For kindling, I gathered small twigs from downed trees. I focused on twigs that were vertical, so water had run off instead of laying on top and soaking the wood. I had a rocket stove made from a soup can and had my hot chocolate going in no time. I didn't have a tarp to go overhead, so I had to work a little bit to keep the falling rain from extinguishing the fire, but once I got my small pot over the fire, it sheltered it. It was one of those days when I decided on a whim to trek out into the nearby woods just to see if I could get my rocket stove going and make some hot chocolate. In my haste to get going, I forgot to take a tarp for setting up an overhead cover from the rain. But I learned that I could do it even without the tarp. Now, I am confident that I can do it. It's one thing to do it on a warm day, but to do it on a cold and rainy January day, that builds confidence tremendously. Don't be fooled though. A person can get hypothermia in the summer also. A cold rain during a summer night can be just as disastrous.
Finally!! Someone else who realizes the value of carrying a simple pencil sharpener for that exact reason. Greetings from Minnesota.
Punk Monkey They are definitely easier to use. I have moved to the heart of the Ozark’s in Southern MO.
Hugely benefited by this video. thanks so much for spreading the knowledge, never know when it can save ones life when in a survival type situation.
Archie Leech Thank you so much for the kind words my friend. I hope you have a blessed year ahead. John
I heard 'fatwood, fatwood, fatwood" but had no idea what it was. I assumed it was something you needed to purchase. Thank you for explaining where to find it, what it is and how to use it. Great video. Now, I will search for my own.
Thank you for your excellent video very informative lacking all arrogance and ego which Seems to be uncommon lately so again thank you I think you may be my favorite RUclips site Huge thumbs up!
Steven Rogers Thank you for your kind words my friend. Have a blessed day. John
making "Fuzz sticks" takes me back to my bushcrafting days in the late 60's to early 1970's in BOY SCOUTS good old flint and steel firemaking... Ferro rods make it soooo much easier these days!
Thanks. I knew bits and pieces of this but you fine tuned it and made it come together in my head. Thanks John.
I’m very glad that I could help you. God bless you. John
My first technical introduction to fatwood - extremely informative and easy to follow. Thanks for the great video!
Thanks for the info. With this method in 90% of the cases find fatwood.On your channel I first saw this method and for a while I use it and I recommend it to others.
OMG, I just stumbled across your video..1st of all, ty for the tutorial on fatwood. I am fairly new to bushcraft, and learning any and every tip I can find to help me along my learning curve is appreciated. Then to top it off, I found a bushcrafter who lives in NYS!!! I also, am in NYS. I live in the Rochester area. SO glad to find someone who lives in my area, where the videos will show the same terrain and resources I am likely to find. How awesome! Although I have gained a lot of knowledge from other you tubers, none have been in my area, using the same resources I Will be using. It DOES make a difference! I am not going to find the same resources here, that someone in NC or Georgia, or even Northern Canada, will find. Canada will be similar though, more so than those from the deep south. Hardwoods are not hugely different, but the species of trees and plants will vary somewhat.
Ya got a new subscriber!
Tim Gannon Hey thank you for the kind words. Almost all of my videos are from NY. I did move to southern Missouri a couple of years ago, so my newest are from there. Don’t miss out on my give-a-way! Check my latest videos to find it. Dave Smith from HighCarbonSteel Love is in Mendon Ponds area. He is a great guy!! Check him out as well. God bless. John
I grabbed a pallet at work one hot day and was surprised to find it was made of green pine heart....literally dripping resin. Yes l took it home. Have started many fires with one piece of one board. Will begin teaching my grandson soon.
When I started my job many years ago in the paper mill finishing dept. One of my tasks was to pallet wrap stacks of sheeted greeting card stock . I never could understand why I would itch all over from handling the new pallets with still green wood . But after reading this maybe it was the resin in the wood .
I haven't had any luck finding fatwood in stumps, but have founds lots in branches. I carry some with me because in wet conditions it is the best natural tinder there is. If you have no pine in your area, buy some at Walmart or online. Hunting fatwood is addictive, so beware! Thanks John for a great demonstration.
csh 62 Thank you for your kind words my friend. What state do you live in? I found at the further south you go the more likely you’re going to find it in stumps. I think it has to do with how hot it is and the growing season.
The pencil sharpener..great idea. I always watch for awesome hacks like that and that one is a keeper I'll add to my bag. Thanks!
Always wondered what "fat wood" was and how they got it. Now I know! Thanks snaponjohn!
Thanks for the pencil sharpener tip! I will toss one in my bag. Fat wood is my favorite fire starter.
Awesome!!... Thanks for sharing that. Thanks for the pencil sharpener trick too!!... Great idea thanks
Pine cones and birch bark work pretty good, too!
Pine comes can also explode with no warning, sending burning & molten particles and resin into your face. One actually hit the corner of my eye and forehead from a distance of over 4.5'.
@@daphneraven9439 Well, Daphne, there's just no accounting for the bad luck that befalls some people. Especially those who sit within five feet of an open fire. Kind of hard to happen if its under some kindling. In 58 years I have yet to be felled by an exploding pine cone. I'd be more likely to take damage from an exploding cigar, and I don't smoke.
@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry May you always be so fortunate!
This was a campfire that I'd started on a particularly soggy evening; the couple of cones that I used were well and truly inside plenty of kindling, with (wet) firewood outside of that. I'd obviously heard cones explode before, but it had never occurred to me up to that point that it could have any real velocity or distance.
How far do you sit from your campfire?
@@daphneraven9439 6-8', if I'm not roasting marshmallows. We don't camp when it's so cold that we NEED a fire to stay warm. That's what inside the tent's for.
@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry I live in a climate that gets very cold for long periods of time, and days can be quite short; most of the time, when we build fires, it's to be warm. Sometimes, it's for social reasons, but even then, it's usually also about the heat.
Great idea on the pencil sharpener! I’m going to borrow the idea if you don’t mind
Great information! The pencil ✏️ sharpener is the cherry on top! Be well. 🙏
You made a feather board with fatwood. Good job. The idea is to add oxygen,then pitch is great. I live in oregon doug fir forest. We have loads of pitch or fatwood, the pencil sharpener is genius. Thanks.
Like and Subbed.
Ted Lance Thanks brother. John
Pencil sharpener is a great idea ... new to me !
Cheers
Great information, that makes total sense when you think about it. Thanks for posting it, I'm amazed that there are thumbs down... can't imagine who would dislike knowledge.
pinkiewerewolf Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad it helped you. God bless. John
Hi my friend thank u for the video. Also u can use a small hatchet & chop off that dead punkwood from along the sides of the branch & saw the branch off a good few inches longer than that. The branch goes down to a point eventually at the heart wood of the trunk, that way u get way more fatwood.
Thank you for your comment. That is a great idea. I was trying to be quiet, so that I didn’t draw attention to myself. Be blessed my friend. John
Been hearing about "fat-wood" since my days as a scout, but even the grown-ups were clueless...Mystery Solved!! ..Many thanks (now) and, most likely, the thanks of my fellow campers in the future. There's a Donner party joke in here somewhere, but I'll leave well enough alone...
Stang Theoriginal u should check out my latest fat wood video find
Interesting video. I like to learn new skills and you are a good instructor. Thanx for the lesson.
Pteston Ruzic Thank you for your kind words. Have a blessed weekend. John
I'm just finding your videos for the 1st time; it's super nice to find such a good source of info, patiently & clearly explained & demonstrated, using clean, respectful language. It might be necessary to subscribe! :D Tyvk!
Daphne Raven Thank you for your kind words. God bless. John
Great video, I have never done this and now plan on seeing what I can find next time I'm in the woods. Thanks for sharing!
Many thanks, I love the pencil sharpener idea that's a really very useful thing to carry it's small and looks very effective I must try that so often I go out with very little in my pockets but try not to forget my knife . knife = life to me and is so important to live and make fire my knife so useful just to eat little bits of meat on my travels
tom dawson I am glad this was helpful. God bless you, my friend. John
Awesome video, I noticed in my neck of the woods some trees are better for finding fatwood than others. Around here Red Pine is a sure bet for fatwood followed by White Pine. Also when hunting for Fatwood take a container along to put pine sap in if you find it, pine sap combined with fatwood is sure dry twigs off on a rainy day along with pencil size wood.
William Zimmerman Thank you. Pine sap is a great resource. God bless. John
Great video!!! New to the whole Fatwood craze and boy I'm hooked! LOL Gonna start right in my backyard :) Thumbs up!
Love gathering fatwood. And I love the smell of it when it's burning. Where I live in Ohio, we have white pines just about everywhere. Once that fatwood catches a spark, it burns nice and hot. Great tutorial video.
Thanks for the vid. Fatwood has been very elusive for me to find. I will be using you tips next time I'm out.
That I did not know! Nice knife, nice presentation, Thanks bro!
Thanks for the knowledge ,I did learn how to locate it
Here in the South, we have an abundance of Loblolly Pine,and when you find a dead one, you will have no problem having plenty of " lighter knots" as we call them. An old stump is also a great bet.
Love the pencil sharpener idea. 👍
Thank you for the lesson. I'm looking forward to a backpacking trip in a few weeks in Maine with my sons and hope to pass this on to them. God bless.
Great video! I didn't know a lot about Garwood and your pencil sharpener idea is great!!!
Jay Cimbak I’m glad that you learned something new. God bless. John
Pencil sharpener so good so good hey how about applying it 2 making arrows.
Bahco Laplander saw is an excellent, lightweight tool for bushcraft !
I just use the Corona saws.
The Bahco is great, and so are the silky saws, but there's something to be said for being able to pick up a new blade at any local hardware or feed store.
So you find Fatwood by looking for dead Pine trees and searching for part of the tree that has not dry rotted? Cool didn't know that.
Great video, and good idea with the pencil sharpener. I never thought of trying that, I'll have to get one for my gear bag. I just made a campfire yesterday using fatwood to start it & saved the video on my RUclips channel. That wood burns like crazy.
Or . . . you just carry a bag of cotton rounds smeared with Vaseline and save the time and calories and risk from using tools.
But yours is one of the best videos on this I've seen. Many thanks
I am glad you enjoyed it. Have a blessed weekend. John
I learned something very useful just now...thanks! hmmm....think I need to get myself one of those BIG knives
Good video, Thanks
Just learning about finding and using fatwood. Pines are not native here in E.central IL. but now days there are small groves that have been planted,the last 50 years.
great video. thanks for sharing. I knew what pine knots were. but heard it called fatwood. take care from Arkansas.
always enjoy your videos, keep them coming.
Very cool. Thank you. Good information to know.
Nice John. Fatwood has become my favorite tools to start fire lately. Although I have to admit John, I've given up on the using the back of the knife for striking the rod. I simply cannot direct it as well as when using a smaller tool. Great for emergencies, but for regular use, the small hacksaw blade or striker works better for me.
I agree with you. I was using the knife because I was testing out the notch. I had just gotten it in the mail before I left the house. I use the strikers from firesteel.com. I carry two of them all of the time. I mentioned you in my last video. I had sausage. I think I'm hooked on it. lol Be blessed my friend. John
Great piece of knowledge thank you and God Bless. I am sure We'll be doing things like this very soon.So once again God Bless ............and Survive with the Lord Amen
Thanks John. Very informative. Been using store bought fatwood for years. I use it and a ferro rod to start my grill. New sub my friend. Tennessee
Hi there, great vidio, I actually learned some stuff. I am Sweden Born, Special Forces 1st Air Cav, Vietnam, glad to see some stuff that actually works - Peace Brother
I would like to hear more about , Special Forces 1st Air Cav, Vietnam ?
I never heard about them.
1/8th A-co., 1st Plt. weapons squad '67-68
you can look me up @ jumpingmustangs.com
Great informative video on Fatwood. Nice resin content
The pencil sharpener is an excellent idea. I'll adding one to my bug out bag. Thanks
Great vid! I like the pencil sharpener tip, a new one on me. I keep the pine knots too, they burn quite hot.
Very nice instructional video. Very informative and I enjoyed the vid. Keep em coming
Thank you. This was helpful. : )
I’m glad that it helped you.
tks for tips keep safe from Toronto Canada🍁🇨🇦 from covid -19
I have never had much luck starting fires, I am going to check this out!
Carole Just Carole Good luck. Fat-Wood is a major gift from the Lord.
Carole Just Carole It seems like the farther north you go, to a point that is, the Lord puts the means of fire in the trees. Like resin from Pines Fat-Wood, Birch Bark etc.
snaponjohn100 I hope I am able to find some, I don’t do any primitive camping, but I find it really interesting.
Great video, share knowledge, ignore any dislikes, thanks
David Carroll Thanks for the kind words. Be blessed my friend. John
My camping gear will include a pencil sharpener for the rest of my days. Thanks!!!
Thanks. Very useful and honest about problems encountered.
Very cool John !!
how cool thank you, I learned something new today
ladybug Vue If you live in the South (warm temps. ), you can find it in stumps. I moved to southern MO, so now I am finding it in the stumps. God bless. John
Same! I’m gonna use this trick! I won’t look at dead trees the same way anymore while I’m looking for firewood. Mind blown!👍
Great video love fat wood takes a spark from a ferro rod very easily
Thanks for the video, much respect to you.
Vlad Bellic You are most welcome my friend. Have a blessed day. John
Thank you for that, the info and the work you put into the video. Knowledge is valuable.
Greg S You are very welcome my friend. Be blessed. John
Great tips, sir! Thanks for sharing ... God Bless
Im from Sweden and its colder. And we have it alot to.. wather don't matter here.. just the right tree .. much love
Thank you for your comment, brother. Have a blessed weekend.
@@snaponjohn100 same to you:)
thank you for sharing your knowledge sir. very good content
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. Have a blessed day. John
Thanks for the intell. Great video brother.
Godspeed. Just subscribed.
Nice video thanks for your hard work.
You are most welcome blessed my friend. John
Useful, well done. And, thanks for sharing the info on that knife!
Thanks for a great little video! Very informative.
Dan Washam You are most welcome. I am glad that you liked it. Be blessed my friend. John
Good, clear explanation. From western NC.
Thank you my friend. That is a beautiful part of the country. Have a blessed weekend. John
I was about to buy some fat wood. Not now! Thank you! God Bless!
I really have fun looking for it. It’s sort of like treasure hunting...Like looking for morel mushrooms.
The ferro rod works much better if you hold it in or on the fatwood and strike the knife down towards the fatwood without moving the ferro rod, it concentrates the spark on the fatwood not spraying them all over.
Yes, more than 2 or 3 strokes is amateurish.
But everybody doesn't know something. I didn't know the limb remnants would be "fat" if the tree was rotten. I did know/have seen the center sapwood exposed as one commenter mentioned.
I always looked for stump roots for the fattest wood.
I was a land surveyor, and used to haul in pine roots out of the woods in excess, so never ran into having to "find" it. Good info.
Nice video, John! Great to see you back! -Dave
Hey. When can we spend some dirt time in our favorite park? I'm off this Thurs. and Fri.
Every time I see someone use a ferro rod it always reminds me to never forget to include a Bic lighter in my survival kit as well. The regular bic lighter is always my first choice; then if it fails I can dick around with the ferro rod.
You should try just bringing your Bic lighter and nothing else. Then try making a fire with a bow and drill when you’ve lost the lighter. lol. Have a blessed day. John
Way COOL...never knew this before. However here in SW Texas we don't have any Pine Trees, only Old Oaks and Elm Trees. I have a wind-blown Elm Tree down on the back of my property here, I'll go and see if I can find any Fatwood in those branches. Great tip tho if I am ever in a Pine Forest.
Fatwood is found in pines, spruces, and furs.
Very nice video. Next time I'm in a park/wooded area I'll be looking for dead pine/spruce... Thanks.
Good vid, brother! That's a sweet area you're playing in. Looks very similar to our place here in Texas!
So, I have a bunch of red and white pines on my property. I've been meaning to trim some lower branches to make it easier to mow. I was going to trim the branches to the trunk. Instead, if I cut the branches 8 to 10 inches from the trunk will this eventually create fat wood? What would be the best time of year to do this? How many could I do without damaging the Tree? It's fall, going to start experimenting.
David Meyer I think if you cut them in the spring when the sap flows.
Very well done John!
Thank you my friend. God bless. John
the pencil sharpener, yea I liked that. I'm gonna put one in my bug out bag thanks
Chuck Orsburn You are most welcome. Be blessed. John