The Versatile Brazil Nut; a natural improvised candle, and firecrafting material

[mistwalker 0]

Well...if you are sitting around this holiday season and the power goes off...and you have no candles or flashlights, if you have some mixed nuts...or Brazil nuts at least around you can have some light. They burn like a candle, relatively slowly...though your spouse may not enjoy the smell lol. They don't take a lot to start burning, they are re-lightable, they burn for several minutes, and could also be handy igniting damp wood.

 

 

 

 

[Swede 4]

WOOOHOOO another food item to set on fire.  scared011.gif

[tsegura 0]

That's cool ! Can you eat them after ?

[mistwalker 0]

Due to weather work was delayed today...so...I took the opportunity to go out back and experiment a bit. Using only one match, a Brazil nut, and some damp wood I started a small fire...it was small but enough to let me know how much Brazil nuts could come in handy out on the trail.

 

The conditions are very damp after three day of precip. with yesterday's being a wintery mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

 

 

 

 

I picked my smallest tinder from some dead vines hanging above the ground

 

 

 

 

and the rest from dead branches tangled in vines and other limbs

 

 

 

I prepare my tinder and kindling as always, smallest to largest and ready to go

 

 

 

then using only one match and a Brazil nut

 

 

 

 

I light the fire, you can see all the steam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see the nut burning well and drying out the damp wood above it in this one

 

 

 

I didn't do enough prep to actually get a good fire going as I didn't have that much time to kill and didn't want to have to put out a big fire, but it was plenty to let me know how well it would work in the future.

 

 

[Guest smallgamehunter]

guess thats what u would call a dark roasted nut

[mistwalker 0]

That's cool ! Can you eat them after ?

 

I'd say so after using them as a candle for a few..., I haven't tried that yet, but I'd cut off the black part. After starting the fire there was nothing left of it.

 

guess thats what u would call a dark roasted nut

 

Yep, lol, gets pretty dark.

[Doro22 0]

And I thought Brazil nuts was just for eating......I LOVE Brazil nuts to eat...... :thumbup: Isnt there another nut to use like Acorns or something? :scared:.............There is another name for Brazil Nuts.....and when I was young..........many many years ago, that was the only name I knew them by. And It wasnt Brazil Nuts......

[mistwalker 0]

And I thought Brazil nuts was just for eating......I LOVE Brazil nuts to eat...... :thumbup: Isnt there another nut to use like Acorns or something?

 

I love them too..., and all other tree nuts. I'm not sure yet, the experiments have just begun

 

 

There is another name for Brazil Nuts.....and when I was young..........many many years ago, that was the only name I knew them by. And It wasnt Brazil Nuts......

 

 

I remember that name too...wasn't very appetizing was it lol?

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

Last year we had a thread with burnable foods, I'll have to try to find it again!

 

Edit- Found it! http://www.wildsurvive.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=72&topic=1771.0

[Askdamice 0]

And I thought Brazil nuts was just for eating......I LOVE Brazil nuts to eat...... :thumbup: Isnt there another nut to use like Acorns or something? :scared:.............There is another name for Brazil Nuts.....and when I was young..........many many years ago, that was the only name I knew them by. And It wasnt Brazil Nuts......

 

I know the name you're talking about, same with black licorice candies. I was a different time back then, Doro. My father drilled those into my head. :nop:

[Kentucky Bob 0]

My in-laws still use that name, but I'm trying to break them of the habit.  I told them I wouldn't tolerate that word around me, they're finally starting to get the idea that I'm serious... :glare:

[Kentucky Bob 0]

Last year we had a thread with burnable foods, I'll have to try to find it again!

 

Edit- Found it! http://www.wildsurvive.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=72&topic=1771.0

 

Thanks for digging that out, SK!  I had forgotten that I hadn't ever taken photos of the breath strip on fire.  Got a project for tomorrow!

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

I know the name you're talking about, same with black licorice candies. I was a different time back then, Doro. My father drilled those into my head. :nop:

I know that one : hear um' reffered to as that now and then.

[mistwalker 0]

I know that one : hear um' reffered to as that now and then.

 

I don't understand how that name stuck so long on someth

Last year we had a thread with burnable foods, I'll have to try to find it again!

 

Edit- Found it! http://www.wildsurvive.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=72&topic=1771.0

 

Yeah, like Bob said, thanks..., I had forgotten about that thread.

[survivorgirl 1]

wow that's great. thanks for the link sk.

[mistwalker 0]

wow that's great. thanks for the link sk.

wow that's great. thanks for the link sk.

 

Jeeeez, I suffer through having to go out into the damp woods..., struggle with starting a fire with a new means and put all this work into this thing  :whistle: , and SK sits there on his duff typing out a link and gets a bunch of praise for it.....it's unfair I tell ya 

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

When your as talented as I am.... Oh I can't even keep going with that lol, just joshing ya buddy.  Wish I had been out in those damp woods too instead of in this dark basement

[mistwalker 0]

When your as talented as I am.... Oh I can't even keep going with that lol, just joshing ya buddy.  Wish I had been out in those damp woods too instead of in this dark basement

 

Lol, what's stopping you....snowed in?

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

Lol, what's stopping you....snowed in?

Yup, knee high drifts, and its dark at 4:30, I get home at 4:15  

[mistwalker 0]

Lol, now I remember why I only made that one trip up north.

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

Love the area, but school hours and the sun make it hard to get out!

[mistwalker 0]

I'd love it up there in early autumn, but I'd want to be gone after playing the first decent snow

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

Ya, the snow really gets to ya, we're supposed to get 4-5 inches tommorow

 

 

[mistwalker 0]

you gonna build another snow cave?

[Watcherofthewoods 0]

you gonna build another snow cave?

Not enough snow yet, but when there is I might try to make a Quinzee or however its spelled later.  But yes, both of those are on my list for this winter,