Making char punk

[RHensley]

I've learned a very valuable lesson when choosing the right punk to char. The more decade the wood is the better you are. I made some char punk out of some wood from an old oak tree that blew down. I must have gotten lucky the first time around because after it was made it would catch the tinniest spark and worked great. Well after this was gone (because I do like to play with fire) I made more. This did not work as well . I took all I could do to get an ember going. I think I wore a indention in my steel beating it with the flints until I made sand out of the flint. I finely realized that something was wrong so I went back to the tree and found some punk that was almost gone. Actually fell apart in my hands. So I took this back to the house and filled several Altoids cans with it and put them in the fire. Now I'm back to the tinniest spark works great. Just something to think about If you're having trouble with the tender. This actually works as good as char cloth.

 

[Le Loup]

I've learned a very valuable lesson when choosing the right punk to char. The more decade the wood is the better you are. I made some char punk out of some wood from an old oak tree that blew down. I must have gotten lucky the first time around because after it was made it would catch the tinniest spark and worked great. Well after this was gone (because I do like to play with fire) I made more. This did not work as well . I took all I could do to get an ember going. I think I wore a indention in my steel beating it with the flints until I made sand out of the flint. I finely realized that something was wrong so I went back to the tree and found some punk that was almost gone. Actually fell apart in my hands. So I took this back to the house and filled several Altoids cans with it and put them in the fire. Now I'm back to the tinniest spark works great. Just something to think about If you're having trouble with the tender. This actually works as good as char cloth.

Yes & it is more sustainable.
Keith.

 

[hawkeye2]

I have no shortage of punky oak limbs on the ground on my property so I'll have to give it a try. A tin can full in the fire? Do you punch a small hole in the lid like you do for char cloth? I know when I'm burning limbs the punky stuff lights easy as it is.

 

[Carbon 6]

Punk should be light, spongy, and able to pulled from the tree with your fingers. With practice you get a feel for it. Red oak can be less than optimal. There are better tree species. Still,
I'll take punkwood over charcloth any day. Some species don't even need to be charred.

 

[Carbon 6]

A tin can full in the fire? Do you punch a small hole in the lid like you do for char cloth? QUOTE]

A hole is only necessary if your can lid is completely air tight, like a screw on lid. Then it could rupture without one from expanding gas. A hole can serve as an indicator of when it's done, but I've never needed one because escaping gas still serves as an indicator regardless if where it comes out.

Otherwise, the process is exactly the same as char cloth.

 

[RHensley]

The tree I used was a blown over White Oak. The punk the second time pulled off the tree in my hand with no trouble but it was still too hard for good char ing. The first and third time I really thought it was too far gone to make anything but dirt. I was wrong. that was what I needed. I filled the Altoids can with it and put that in the fire. Now the altoid can had hinges and the gases from the heated wood escaped there. If the tin had been air tight I would have punched a hole in the top. Other wise the can could have opened from the pressure inside and ruined the whole process. I know there are softer woods out there that will work better and quicker but one uses what one has.

 

[hawkeye2]

"Some species don't even need to be charred."

While burning slash I've often seen punky Oak limbs waiting their turn on the fire catch a spark and start smoldering and I'd often pick some rotten wood to get the fire started, just never occured to me to use it in place of char cloth.

"Don't use no green or rotten wood, they'll get you by the smoke" Lyrics from "Copper Kettle"

 

[Carbon 6]

If you make a small pile of uncharred punkwood and touch an ember to it, you can walk away and go gather your wood. when you return you'll have a huge coal ready to blow into flames. It's a real lazy (albeit smokey) way to start a fire.

 

[Eutycus]

I have seen several varieties of Oak mentioned. How about Live Oak? Every time we get wind like a strong norther the backyard has "dead" limbs lying around.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I have seen several varieties of Oak mentioned. How about Live Oak? Every time we get wind like a strong norther the backyard has "dead" limbs lying around.

Well get one of those dead limbs and see if you can get a spark going.

 

[Tb54]

Do you punch a small hole in the lid like you do for char cloth? I know when I'm burning limbs the punky stuff lights easy as it is.

I use an empty Crosman pellet tin... the round screw together type, and unscrew it slightly to let the gasses out when I put it in the fire.

 

[Eutycus]

I'm new at this, how long do you leave it in the fire?

 

[Carbon 6]

I have seen several varieties of Oak mentioned. How about Live Oak? Every time we get wind like a strong norther the backyard has "dead" limbs lying around.

Generally no. Dead fallen limbs have little or no usable punk. A large limb that had been on the ground for some time might. This may vary in your area, but that's how it works in mine. I tend to avoid oaks when looking for punk. Oak is too dense and doesn't make as nice of punk as hardwoods that are less dense and faster growing.

 

[Carbon 6]

I'm new at this, how long do you leave it in the fire?

Generally, I watch the smoke coming out of the can. at first it will be thick and white, then it will ignite. usually when the flame stops burning from the gas being ejected from the can the wood is done. it can then be removed and cooled.
Time wise, depends on a lot of factors but generally 20 minutes or so does the job. You can always throw it back in the fire.

 

[RHensley]

I have seen several varieties of Oak mentioned. How about Live Oak? Every time we get wind like a strong norther the backyard has "dead" limbs lying around.

For me it's been the the fallen trees that have all but rotten away . When the wood is almost dirt that's what works best.

 

[Carbon 6]

If you take a piece of of punkwood and light it it will burn like a "punk" Hence the name. It should ignite with extreme ease and burn without flame, smoldering with large amounts of smoke and propagating coal. If it doesn't its not suitable for charred punkwood.
Punkwood is created by fungi and the type of rot is called white rot.
White-rot fungi specialize in lignin degradation that leaves behind cellulose and a distinctive white color in wood.

Punkwood should be white, stringy, porous, and spongy.

 

[jrmflintlock]

I'm new at this, how long do you leave it in the fire?

Poke a pin hole in the lid of your tin and fill loosely with small chunks of punk and place in fire. watch for smoke coming out of hole. if flame starts coming out, blow it out so just smoke comes out. when it stops smoking, shake it a bit and put it back. If no smoke its done. pull it out and put a hand full of dirt on it to plug hole and let it cool. once cool its good to go.

If you plan to use the tin to smother your ember after use, put it in a tin with no hole for use, or it will not smother when you close the lid and continue to suck in oxygen through the pin hole and result in one big ember!!

I use a round friction lid tin with a hole drilled in the edge of both lit and tin that line up. when making char I line up the holes, to smother I don't line up the holes. Easy Peezy!

SO out west I get mine from ponderosa pine trees that have been on the ground a while. Or if it has had bugs in it even better for some reason. I usually find it when a bear has torn it apart.

I have used very old (down on the ground a long time) cottonwood or aspen also but I usually have to let them dry real good inside my house first unless its been a hot dry summer.

 

[jrmflintlock]

I went out for a stroll looking for bunnies and decided to make some Char and snapped some pictures.

Here is the Raw Punkwood in the Char tin

 

[jrmflintlock]

Here is the Vent Smoking. As I said before, the hole in the body and the hole in the lid line up to make the char.

 

[jrmflintlock]

Here is the finished product! Charred Punkwood!