In the information below, you will find over a dozen tinders from a large range of climates and environments that can be found and used in your fire piston around the world.

First off I will tell you the tinders that are traditionally used with the fire piston. In Europe, fire pistons were traditionally used with three tinders: Charcloth, Amadou and 100% cotton rags soaked in Salt Peter. Amadou was also soaked in Salt Peter to provide the owner a more reliable tinder. In South East Asia, fire pistons were used with Amadou, the fluff material from the leaf base of the Tukas Palm, and the fine inner bark of the Caryota Mitus Palm.

Here are some tinders that are native in a variety of climates that have worked for Darrel, myself and others.

Chaga: True Tinder Fungus 

Chaga true tinder fungus is very reliable. There are three parts of Chaga: the corky interior, a harder more compressed interior and darker exterior. The corky interior works very well. The more compressed interior and harder outer part do not work very well, unless it is ground up into a powder, but that is difficult to use with the fire piston in that form. The trick here, your Chaga MUST be dry!

Shelf fungus. Horse Hoof false tinder fungus. There are different species of shelf fungus that work in the fire piston with varying results. Horse Hoof Fungus is easy to identify and is probably the most reliable, although I have not tested all shelf fungus’ from all environments, I know that this one is easy to use. If you can find one dying that is dry, the leathery interior should work right off the tree for you, otherwise it needs to be dried first. Prepared as Amadou it is also very reliable.  (picture to come.)

Mullien Plant  

Mullein is a tinder that is found widely throughout the world. It comes naturally from Europe and Asia and grows in North America from Mexico to Canada. It likes alkaline soil and is found in disturbed soils, along roadsides, fields, near seashores. In the United States, it is found in all 48 contiguous states and Hawaii. There are over 250 distinct species of mullein (and many other subspecies) that grow between 2 and 9 feet tall. The pith has produced a coal, but it is not as reliable as the feathery bark, which is very easy to light. Unlike wood punk, you do not need to have "just the right" mullein to work in your fire piston, just make sure it is a brown stalk.  It takes little preparation and works extremely reliably and can be found in a variety of climates.  One last tinder that you can get from Mullein is from charring the Pith much like Charcloth.  It makes the pith much more reliable.

Mullein Pith

Feathery Mullein Bark 

Milkweed

Milkweed offers another tinder for your fire piston. Actually, to be honest, it offers two. Various species of Milkweed are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa and India. Some of them grow in rocky environments and some in a swampy habitat. I see them here in Minnesota in my backyard and different species are found in Canada and Mexico. The distribution of this plant is widespread. They like sun and moist soil. The two tinders this plant offers are the fluff and the ovum. The ovum is VERY reliable with the fire piston while the fluff is quite the challenge. As with other plant fluffs, it lights and burns out quickly. The trick is to have just the right thinkness ball and very quickly transfer it to your tinder bundle. Unlike the Ovum, it is not very reliable and would make a better addition to your tinder bundle.

Wood Punk  

Wood punk is another tinder that works in the fire piston, although not as reliably as the other tinders mentioned. I have seen Darrel create a coal many times but both of us have had varying results. The wood punk has to be in just the right stage of rot and dry. I found that even though the punt felt dry, it always seemed to have hidden dampness or simply would not light. Although I have made wood punk work, I would recommend trying to find one of the other tinders mentioned first. Wood punk is one to use if there are no other tinders available. While some swear by it, my experience, as well as others, tells the truth. (The photo is only a representation of wood punk. I would recommend that you choose it from standing trees.)

I have tried a variety of plant fluffs in the fire piston. Each produced varying results. They are not easy to use and not really worth the trouble. I have not tried all plant fluffs so there may be another out there that might just produce a nice coal that does not burn out so quickly. Others have made Yucca, scrapings from inside bamboo, and ground up Cedar bark work in their fire pistons although these I have not yet tried for myself.

As you can see, there are many tinders that work in the fire piston. Tinders are still being discovered. Both Darrel and I suggest experimenting with different natural materials from your environment and trying the others mentioned to see what works best for you.