Posted: 10/24/2008 9:24:45 PM EDT
Found this a while ago and it looks like a really good idea. What would they have used in it, dry wood shavings/dust?   
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Char Cloth is a modern buckskinner invention. Tinder Fungus is what was used in the period en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadou |
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Since there's a flintlock attached, I'd guess they'd use some kind of tinder, mixed with some black powder.
Side note: Look at some real colonial houses, especially those that were away from the big cities. Go to the fireplace and look sideways; frequently, you'll see bullet holes in the walls! Lots of times, they'd use the flintlock to start a fire. But instead of unloading it fully (ruining a ball & taking a lot of time), they'd peg the flash hole and start the fire with the priming powder. Sometimes they didn't peg the flash hole tightly enough, and the gun would fire, putting a hole in the wall! |
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Quoted:
Side note: Look at some real colonial houses, especially those that were away from the big cities. Go to the fireplace and look sideways; frequently, you'll see bullet holes in the walls! Lots of times, they'd use the flintlock to start a fire. But instead of unloading it fully (ruining a ball & taking a lot of time), they'd peg the flash hole and start the fire with the priming powder. Sometimes they didn't peg the flash hole tightly enough, and the gun would fire, putting a hole in the wall! Hmmm now that is interesting. Seems just a tad dangerous but do what you gotta do. |
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Quoted:
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Probably char cloth.  Char Cloth is a modern buckskinner invention. Tinder Fungus is what was used in the period en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadou You are correct but your link is not tinder fungus. See my thread on tinder fungus. http://archive.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=10&f=17&t=566465 |
| That is a copy of a Henry Nock tinder lighter..and would have been used in only the finest homes of the period, tinder fungus?...maybe...probably charred punk wood or Amadou, a German tinder made with potassium nitrate soked wood, most homes of middling sorts used a continuous hearth so instant fire from coals...the older version of the H Nock lighter was known as a fire wheel and has more supporting documentation...see Fire and Light in the Home before 1820...its a reference book with a lot of fire ways from the time of Christ forward...a lot of colonial homes also used Spalls...i carry those in my fire kit and can attest to the effectiveness....YMMV |
" You put your weed in there." 
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These things are normaly called "Table Lighters" I guess from where they were kept. Your Char tinder was kept in the small compartment in the body and used to light the candle. Made by gunsmiths, resembles a screw barrel pistol from lock back, and probably only found in homes of the well to do since they would have been expensive.
The one in the photo looks to be an original and in excellent condition and probably English...I don't know if you own it or you just found a photo of it but a pretty vauable item, ...imagine about knocking on the door of a $1,000 ......Todd |