![]() ![]() It’s true that there is only an eye on one end-cap, but that also differentiates the “fire” end from the “non-fire” end by vision or touch, which is important for this use. I just got mine, two of them, and I think they’re about perfect. You might, for instance, want to save the silicone o-rings for the “fire” end, where the cap would be used to snuff the smoldering ember, and use the rubber for the other end where heat should not be a problem. One end cap has a small eye on it that can be used to fasten a thin cord, wire, or maybe a chain link (note that the originals used a chain to attach a fire steel), and both end caps come with silicone o-rings (which should be heat-resistant to at least 400 degrees F), and it comes with two spare sets of silicone o-rings (red) and two sets of rubber o-rings (black). ![]() There are no internal barriers and it’s the perfect diameter and length so that you can uncap both ends ad push the tinder right out with a finger until it’s exposed, use it to catch a spark and blow into flame, then use the caps to smother the tinder and re-seal, leaving a partly-combusted surface to catch sparks on the next use. Unlike pretty much anything else out there, it’s the perfect diameter and length to function as a tonteldoos. It’s a machined titanium tube with screw-threaded titanium caps at both ends. ![]() Whether by coincidence or not (it might not be, but I’m not claiming anything), exactly what I had envisioned has been created by Count圜omm.com, a company that I’ve been buying from for decades. I had speculated some time ago about the possibility of updating the concept with more modern materials, and correcting some of its shortcomings- mostly in the area of water resistance, which I gather may not be a great concern in much of South Africa. Unfortunately, the few replicas of the South African tonteldoos that I’ve been able to find for sale aren’t quite right, not really faithful to the originals, so up until NOW your choices have been to buy one of those, make something similar from copper plumbing pipe and caps, or wait patiently for an opportunity to shell out real money for an original.Īs of right now, that has changed. The concept of saving prepared natural tinder is crucial to very long-term survival, especially in primitive conditions, and some sort of tinderbox has been key to the technique for at least hundreds of years. As far as I know the tonteldoos is the latest-surviving and most evolved form of the tinderbox, and there are innovations in the tonteldoos design not seen in any other form of tinderbox. There are some of you who have read what I posted about the South African Tonteldoos here and here. In my absence, they’ve changed the editor to something I have little idea how to work. That is, I’m honestly trying to post this in a hurry. I want to post this NOW, though, while the subject is still available. There have been reasons, including a long-distance move, a hurricane, a viral pandemic, the blog “broke” and some more personal issues. I know, I know, I have been neglecting the blog, and I’m sorry. Count圜omm makes a Modern version of an old South African means of making fire. ![]()
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