Nitrated Bulrush Tinder

Well dried nitrated tinder from Bulrush (Typha)

In the Middle Ages, a fire was lit exclusively with fire steel, flint and tinder, for which dry, highly inflammable tinder such as bulrush was used.

Besides real tinder fungus, nitrated bulrush seed (also called cattail) is probably one of the best spark catchers you can find.

The nitrated cattail tinder is packed in a waterproof plastic bag of 2 grams.

To make a fire, simply form a small ball of nitrated cattail tinder and place it on one edge of the flint. When striking with the fire steel usually immediately a small spark is caught in the tinder, which one must then immediately put into easily combustible material, such as dry moss or birch paper and then gently but steadily blow until a small flame is created, which one can feed with more tinder.

Bulrush is due to its characteristic form also Cattail in the vernacular and is a reed plant that thrives in ponds or humid areas. The fully matured and dry bulbs contain fine seed wool, which is extremely flammable due to the very large surface and is therefore suitable for use as tinder.

The dry bulrush is washed after harvesting and then nitrated for tinder production. Here a 20% saltpetre solution is used. In the Middle Ages, birch ash or urine was used instead, but ammonia or ammoniacal spirit also served well in nitrating.