How To Make Cattail Torch

Sure you can soak some cloth in oil you processed from that deer you killed but who wants to burn up all their clothes when the SHTF for a few hours of light? Well if you can locate some cattails you will not only save your clothes but also have found probably a much better torch material to boot.

Cattail torches can burn for an extremely long time depending of course in large part how good your oil is. A single cattail torch can last for 6 hours, maybe more. And the great part is the cattail is probably the easiest torch to make, requiring no preparation other than the stick to hold the cattail and of course the oil... but the cattail (torch) itself is already near perfect.

Simply soak as much animal rendered oil into the cattail as possible. Over time the oil will soak into the cattail and Voila! The perfect torch!

A long piece of bamboo, switch cane, or stick or metal pole can be used as the holder, the longer the stick the better. This gets the light higher up so it illuminates a bigger area and is less likely to drip on you and also less likely to repeatedly ruin your night vision by looking at the bright torch from so close.

Cattails are found extensively in the US. All lower 48 states have them. Cattails can be found along the water's edge of ponds and lakes. They grow in patches. So find one you probably found quite a few.

Enjoy the light!

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