Feather stick

Feather stick

A feather stick is a length of wood which has been shaved to produce a head of thin curls.

It is used when starting an outdoor fire or campfire when dry tinder is hard to find, and is often used in conjunction with charcloth.

It has been popularised recently in the media by exponents of Bushcraft such as Ray Mears.

It is believed to be a traditional method of fire starting, utilising basic tools and methods.

Using Feather sticks

Feather sticks are made from dead "standing" wood, such as a branch that has broken from a tree and died, but has not yet fallen to the ground. The bark and the outer layer of wood are removed to reveal the dry heartwood. This is then shaved, with axe or knife, to produce as many curls as possible.

While the flakes can be fairly coarse, the finer they are shaved the more easily they light.

When used in conjunction with charcloth, a small piece of charcloth is wound around the curls and a spark is struck on to it, using either the traditional flint and steel or a modern magnesium striker. This is then blown onto until the curls catch fire: the whole feather stick is then placed into the waiting kindling to start the campfire.

External links

* [http://charcloth.webhop.org Using Charcloth] Website showing feather sticks in use.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • feather duster — feather dusters N COUNT A feather duster is a stick with a bunch of real or artificial feathers attached to one end. It is used for dusting and cleaning things …   English dictionary

  • feather duster — n a stick with feathers on the end that you use to remove dust …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • feather duster — noun count a stick with feathers at one end used for removing dust from things …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • birds of a feather stick together — similar people tend to attract to one another …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Feather duster — High quality ostrich feather duster A feather duster is an implement used for cleaning. It consists typically of a wooden dowel handle and feathers from either the male or female ostrich bird that are wound onto the handle by a wrapped wire.… …   Wikipedia

  • feather duster — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms feather duster : singular feather duster plural feather dusters a stick with feathers at one end used for removing dust from things …   English dictionary

  • feather duster — noun : a dusting brush made of feathers * * * ˌfeather ˈduster f14 [feather duster] noun a stick with feathers on the end of it that is used for cleaning …   Useful english dictionary

  • feather duster — noun (C) a stick with feathers on the end used for removing dust …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • prayer stick — noun or prayer feather or prayer plume : a feather decorated stick used by Indians of the southwestern United States to convey symbolically a ceremonial offering and a supplicatory prayer * * * prayer stick «prair», a decorated stick used by some …   Useful english dictionary

  • A feather in your cap — The term a feather in your cap is an English idiomatic phrase believed to have derived from the general custom in some cultures, of a warrior adding a new feather to their head gear for every enemy slain,cite web | url =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”