Making and using a viking fire kit. I forge a fire striker, do flint knapping and processes tinder from the Hoof Fungus... And I use it to make a fire, just like vikings and many others used to do it. Open the full video description for more information.
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Date: April 2024
Day: about 15°C (59°F)
Night: about 5°C (41°F)
Hours of daylight = about 15
Location: Scandinavia, Northwest Denmark - sea, spruce/pine and hardwood forrest. Some of the most remote in Denmark, but limited how remote it can get. A lot of birds and deers etc. No bears, only a few wolves.
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Consuming: coffee.
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A few questions:
1. Can you tell me more about processing the fungus?
Yes - I briefly boil the hole fungus, just a few minutes. The heat makes it easier to separate the amadou layer from the rest of the fungus. Many ways to do the separating, but I like to do it by boiling and hammering. You only use the amadou layer/the top layer for tinder - it's okay to keep the hard shell attached to the amadou. When separated do I boil the amadou for a few hours - giving it time to absorb the qualities from the wood ashes. While hot and wet, do I hammer the amadou flat and dry it. If you have limited amount of wood ashes, hard woods makes the best ash, when wait adding the ashes until the amadou is seperated from the rest of the fungus. Amadou is usually only about 5% of the fungus - can though vary a lot. The amount of amadou made in the video is enough to light 50 plus fires.
2. Is the blacksmith setup inside a tent?
Yes - a large lavvu/tent. Just made from cheap tarps, spruce poles and nails. Nothing fancy... Made it a few months ago.
3. What blower do you use in the blacksmith shop?
In my case is it one made in Denmark for the danish military. Bought it local from a private seller here in Denmark. Similar is common for blacksmithing - if you want one try to google "Hand crank forge air blower" or similar. I use the same blower in most of the other blacksmithing videos - I have just made a wooden box for it - keeps it more stable and more quiet. Here is a video showing my blower without the wooden box czcams.com/video/kWgESobxudc/video.html
4. Can you tell me more about the striker?
Yes - the design shape can vary a lot, but the common thing is that it is hard steel. You want it as hard as possible - as hot as possible for the hardening and use water, no tempering. My recommendations would be to use old files or coil springs - in this video did I use a coil spring from some farming equipment.
5. What type of axe are you using?
A classic russian axe design. Homemade - C45 steel and ash handle.
6. Where did you get the flint/stone from?
Here in Denmark do we have flint all over, so no problem for me... Flint is ideal because it is very hard - but you can use other stones as well, the stone just need to be harder than the steel striker.
7. Where did you get the anvil from?
Forklift fork, cut with angle grinder and heat treated like an anvil.
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Some of the gear used in the video:
1. Pants = Klättermusen Gere 02
2. Axe and knife = homemade
3. Boots - Lundhags Forest
4. Backpack = Eberlestock Mainframe F1
5. Kettle = Eagle 1.5L
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Camera gear:
Nikon D4
Nikon 50mm 1.8
Nikon 20mm 2.8
Nikon 300mm 4.5
Røde videomic NTG
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