Charcloth

[Eric Smith]

Charred punk wood is the way to go. Im sure thats what Boone and Bridger used. Its easy. Did it myself today.

[blunderbuss]

 

Best I ever used is called Monks cloth I bought it at a cloth store works great catches faster than blue jean.  I second the Altoids can they're great it will also contain your flint and striker . I use shredded jute for tinder.

[flatrock]

I`ve had good luck with old cotton towles in a shoe polish can.

[Chuck Burrows]

Mary Johnson (fl. 1753.) - 1770 - 197 pages

http://books.google.com/books?id=7W8EAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA181&dq=linen+%2B+tinder+%2B+burn&hl=en&ei=9tQXTLvoCMK88gbih7z0DA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=linen%20%2B%20tinder%20%2B%20burn&f=false

To make a Sustitute for Tinder made with Linen.
Dissolve three ounces of Salt petre in a Pint an half of fair Water in a Kettle or Pan over a clear Fire: Then thoroughly wet twenty-four Sheets of Smooth brown Paper seperately in the hot Liquor, and lay them on some clean Place to dry. When you have Occasion, yoiu may put a Piece in your Tinder-box, and using the Steel and Flint, it will catch like Wildfire


The Swiss family Robinson: or, Adventures of a father and mother ... - Page 296 Johann David Wyss, Johann Rudolf Wyss - 1818

We might make tinder by burning: some linen rag, and putting it in & close box

[The other DWS]

based on my own personal past experience as a recreational re-enactor and semi-professional LH interpreter who smoked a pipe,  (with LOTS of relighting--of course back then pipe smoking was not considered unacceptable "in character")  charcloth that is too tight or finely woven tends to let the glowing steel sparks bounce off and not ignite.  coarser  and looser textured material tends to catch and hold the glowing curls and chips of metal and ignite much better.
  The best material I ever found was some old pieces of worn and very weathered canvas that had been left behind after a storm interrupted re-enactment festival.  I believe it was a tentage fragment of 100 percent canvas.  with it a could get fire on the first strike almost without fail.  I really hated to see the last of it go.

the flint and steel pipe lighting was done as an "unconscious" thing in the course of my presentations and always distracted the audience, which naturally lead to an explanation, discussion, demonstration  of flint and steel, fire starting, and a demonstration of flintlockery

[blunderbuss]

 I was talking to a fellow who had in times passed been a guest of the Texas State correctional institute (not a place you want to be) He said that they could not have matches to light their cigarettes so they would take a snuff can (about the size of a film canister of old) and roll a piece of cloth inside tight as possible and char the top and about 3/4 full in the remaining area they stored a tiny piece of flint and a piece of carbon steel. They then would light their cigarettes with their improvised cigarette lighter

[Habu]

I'm with Flatrock--old terrycloth works great.  In a pinch almost anything works, as long as there is no synthetic content.