Amadou

Amadou is a spongy material derived from Fomes fomentarius and similar fungi that grow on the bark of coniferous and angiosperm trees, and have the appearance of a horse's hoof (thus the name "hoof fungus"). It is also known as the "tinder fungus" and is useful for starting slow-burning fires. The fungus must be removed from the tree, the hard outer layer scraped off, and then thin strips of the inner spongy layer cut for use as tinder.



Quote from Suleiman:

There is much said about ideal tinder, and a much touted one is amadou. Amadou is the fluffy felt-like material obtained from a woody shelf fungus or “conk”, more specifically from” tinder fungus” (Fomes fomentarius). This stuff is capable of catching the spark from steel or marcasite without the need for charring. Amadou has obtained the status of myth, and I will admit to both my own amazement the first time I saw it used and to my disappointment that the conk from which it is made depends mostly on Birch as a host. Birch does not grow in the village  where I live. Since then I have been searching for a substitute for Fomes fomentarius closer to home.

Properties

Physical & Chemical Properties

Depending on its quality, it should have a smooth touch, similar to velvet or chamois leather.

History & Usage

History

Amadou was mentioned in the ancient world as a hemostatic agent, used in wound cauterization and wound dressing, stopping the bleeding very efficiently. As such it was used by barbers in the recent past and in some indigenous societies. Through the ages, it had been used to treat hemorrhoids and bladder dysfunctions. The ancient Dvipa region used it as a laxative and in ancient Yaojing region it was used to treat different types of cancer.
In Europe it was mostly used to ignite fires, in combination with flint, but in Romania for example it was also used to produce hats or other artisanal objects.

The processed amadou had also been used as a plaster for wound dressing and hemostasis (stopping of bleeding), obviously before the modern sticking plaster was invented. I am still amazed as a surgeon when I use during my surgeries plasters with hemostatic effect that actually are a modern version of the product used extensively for thousands of years.

Suleiman

Type

Biomaterial