Keith
Very Addicted
- Messages
- 1,630
- Points
- 930
- Age
- 76
Another advantage if you are carrying a flintlock gun, rifle or pistol. It gives you another back-up fire lighting method.
Interestingly the term tinderbox/tinder box does not always refer to just the container used for holding tinder, it can also refer to the flint & steel method per se. In the quote below it is used to refer to the lock of a gun.
"I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to look round me, when
found the cave was but very small--that is to say, it might be about
twelve feet over, but in no manner of shape, neither round nor square, no
hands having ever been employed in making it but those of mere Nature. observed also that there was a place at the farther side of it that went
in further, but was so low that it required me to creep upon my hands and knees to go into it, and whither it went I knew not; so, having no
candle, I gave it over for that time, but resolved to go again the next
day provided with candles and a tinder-box, which I had made of the lock
of one of the muskets, with some wildfire in the pan".
Robinson Crusoe By Daniel Defoe.
I read the above quote as meaning that Crusoe removed the lock from the gun so he could use it as a fire lighting tool on its own. Very similar to a "Tinderlighter".
Keith.