Bulrush Tinderin a PE bag

Cattail tinder / bulrush.

Here you can buy well-dried cattail tinder / bulrush, 5 grams packed in a polyethylene bag.

In the past, fire was only made with fire steel or flint, for which dry, easily inflammable tinder was needed, such as cattail T(ypha)

The fire steel and stone are struck against each other until a spark falls on the tinder. As soon as it glows, place the tinder between a few pieces of tinder wood and/or other easily combustible material and then continue to blow gently but steadily until a delicate flame appears.

The tinder consists of the seeds of the common bulrush, which is also called bull broom in the vernacular and is easily inflammable due to its very large surface. To increase this effect even more, the cattail can be nitrated beforehand, thus obtaining a perfect tinder.

To make nitrated tinder, the cattail must be washed in hot soapy water to degrease it. Then squeeze the tinder properly until it no longer drips, carefully pull it apart and place it in a sealable bucket.

Now pour a 20% nitrite solution over the cattail, with 200 mg of potassium nitrate per 1 litre of boiling water. Close the lid and leave the tinder to stand for one to two days. Take it out with rubber gloves, wring it out, pull it apart and let it air dry for 3 to 5 days, depending on the weather.
In the Middle Ages, birch ash or urine was used instead of potassium nitrate, but ammonia or ammonia solution also served well.