crampball fungus

wrogers · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 10:46 PM

I have found some crampball fungus, but I have no Idea what to do next to light them with my Firesteel

I have tried lighting a dry fungus after splitting it (I am not that silly)
and I have left some to dry out in my garage on top of a cupboard..

do I need to scrape the middle out??

any help is much appreciated.

Will

ron1863 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 11:38 PM

Try this link:

Using Crampballs for Fire (King Alfred's Cakes)

Badger Watching Man · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2009, 09:00 PM

Cramp balls are great. My pockets always contain a few. If you break one open so you can see the rings (and if it's dry) you should be able to light it with a firesteel. Blow on it and it glow like charcoal.

I can light them using my magnifying glass in moderate sunlight - they do light very easily. The trouble is, if I'm ever in an emergency situation requiring me to light a fire then it probably won't be sunny!

wrogers · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ron1863

Try this link:

Using Crampballs for Fire (King Alfred's Cakes)

thanks for the link, maybe I should just keep trying, only problem is the rain!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badger Watching Man

Cramp balls are great. My pockets always contain a few. If you break one open so you can see the rings (and if it's dry) you should be able to light it with a firesteel. Blow on it and it glow like charcoal.

I can light them using my magnifying glass in moderate sunlight - they do light very easily. The trouble is, if I'm ever in an emergency situation requiring me to light a fire then it probably won't be sunny!

might have to try the magnifying glass at some point. time to grab some straw from the garage to try to turn the embers into fire!!

thanks for the help

Will

FungiJus · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2009, 10:30 PM

Don't leave it in the garage too long, I did this once and found that they degraded to the point where they weren't much good.

They caught the light ok, but didn't burn for long.
Cheers.
J.

Malkie · #6 (**permalink**) 24-04-2011, 08:21 AM

I'd strongly urge restraint when collecting any of this fungus. It's more important to the scarce fungus weevil, Platyrhinus resinosus, than it is to you. Please don't scoop up whatever you find.