Bow Drill Fire-Failure+ Success=Lessons Learned

[Guindonator]

What a disaster!

[vulnaviadraco]

A lesson on why our ancestors tried to keep the home fires burning. I know from experience what a pain it is just to get up and make a fire in an old wood cookstove just so I could have morning coffee and a meal.

[mogges1]

Dave there no cedar around you. that's what I have been practising with.never thought of cotton wood.Would willow work for a fire board and spinal

[kobbio22]

can u make a spindle and fire board out of a chopped up log from a living tree or is that too wet??

[Sideshowbobx]

@kobbio22

I don't know if you watched the video - the dead wood he picks up on his property is still too moised to be useful. So calculated the magnitued of this problem with fresh wood ;)

Spindle and board need to be bone dry for function, just as a good spindle is from a hard wood and the board from soft wood as cottonwood.

[robcas631]

How long does a Ferrel stick last?

[jakef805]

@robcas631 ferro rods last FOREVER (not literally) but they will last you a very very long time. it says on most of them they have over 15,000 strikes

[robcas631]

@jakef805 Though I live 80 miles east of NY City. Two days after 9/11 The wind changed. It smelled like burnt clutch, plaster, plastics and many other things. I'll never forget that smell nor the chaos. Ever since I have made it a priority to move from here to a nice secluded spot in the country. The economy sucks so for now I am stuck here. But I will definitely buy a ferro rod and keep it around my neck.

[aseglkj]

@jakef805 so? a full size BIC lighter is good for 3,000 lights. says so right on the packaging. if you're not completely retarded, you can make one fire with one lighting of the lighter. but even pros will, on average, need several strikes with a rod to make fire. also, this is not accounting for the rod breaking when it gets really thin. so, overall, a bic lighter will last just as long as a ferrocerium rod.

[jeriwade123]

What it that hang on your belt? Wow thank you for showing the hard work of starting a fire.......Blessings

[jeriwade123]

What it that hang on your belt?

[studiobtm]

Superb video - agree 100%. I always carry at least two methods in my pack and one in my pocket. Thank you for the vid.

[freedomzimbabwe]

By the way i love the perseverance! with a lot of old tech like this its people like you that persever that rediscover how things were, and should be done!

[freedomzimbabwe]

HI DAVE!!!! i posted these two Vids to show you a couple of Tricks that an old African SF soldier taught me (selous scout) PLease review them and let me know what you think! its the first time i have ever posted a vid on youtube so lt me know! IN the second vid i get the fire going!

[Ikefis]

I have had days where it takes hours and then days where it is minutes...remember the "N" never give up. Thanks Dave

[seanmulhall]

Dave, not sure on the woods in your area but I've had alot of success with willow spindle and hearth, and hazel spindle with ivy hearth.

[bbroegger]

NEVER GIVE UP!!

[moosepupp92]

most awesome human EVER!

[ukenutcase]

Hi Dave some guys just get their bow drills out and get fire right away I'm glad to know you as an expert have the same troubles as we novices when it comes down to the real mccoy and NO, bowdrilling isn't as easy as everyone says it is.Thanks for your tutorials once again

[PHENOM880]

Most you tubers would never show the failure......to busy trying to prove they are the best....this was about learning and not about ego....well done

[Reed12223]

you message at the end is every true. Survival is all about adaptation to the environment that you are in, and sometime (more than not) you find yourself in situations without the proper mean or materials to do what you need to survive.

[surinate]

I've failed at this before to in the middle of the yukon winter. I think some good advice for this is that you need time to gather the materials like he said. I think what people did back in the day was to get a good fireboard spindle and bearing board then actually keep them around like a lighter and make sure they are always dry. When one starts to wear out use the fire you make with it to really dry out new fire making materials.

[cory8791]

this was very painful too watch i am not saying that i could of done it better! great vid 5 stars

[zatoichi37]

Dave, was that a piece of leather you had under the fireboard to catch the coal? I tried to catch my coals with many things, and it was always hard to start a fire with a bow drill. I saw a video and the guy said to put your nest under the fireboard so the coal builds up right on top of the nest. Maybe this would help you get it started without going for cottonwood. Also, you stopped/paused when you saw smoke, and I think you should have kept going because of the type of wood.

[andygray7]

Excellent video Dave, thanks. In the UK it is damp most of the time, and this type of fire starting very rarely works. Most UK Bushcrafters end up using ferro rods or flint and char cloth.

[skipwiley77]

Great points made on this Dave. thanks

[OneWithGuns93]

I have found out that if you fail and you have that little pile of wood dust you can strike a spark on it and it will start up a ember just like you succeeded .

[spb884]

great idea. I'm gonna try that next time my fire board doesn't work.  then again I'm still waiting on the first time one works...

[bowerman939]

Dave I like all of your videos

I have been looking for a good bow drill set for years I live in the desert outside of Vegas

I found that a Yucca drill, a cotton wood base board, work the best

[axishans]

cool D, thanks!

[tomfaranda]

Awesome stuff. And lesson learned. A bic lighter and a ferro rod "Don't leave hom without them"

[tfisher808]

great video, I have found it difficult to start friction fire as well in central Illinois, conditions, materials, and technique has to be optimum.

[Mopardude]

Why didn't he try using cherry wood if there was a lot of it close?

[EbolaV1rus]

That is good advice, and I'm going to follow it, thank you!

I really enjoy your videos, and I'm learning as I watch them. What do you think about the idea of a coal keeper? Maybe something to store a live coal in?

God Bless you.

[Bloodynavallint]

Good lesson dave

[Stargazer88]

One of the most common problems I have with people showing primitive firemaking on tape. Is that they klip it, so it looks easy. Kudos to Dave for showing us the truth, it isn't easy, it takes a lot of practice and even then it's never a sure thing.

great couple of videos.

[jeepnicc]

Fantasitc Dave!! Love the real life, no BS attitude you have in your videos. Btw, true, we have seen you drop a coal into a birds nest and blow flame, but it's still cool to see, no matter how many times you do it!! Thanks again, you're the man!!!

[lusl1094]

A lesson that I have learned from learning to start primitive fires is always keep looking for materials when you are travelling in the bush, so when you get to camp you have suitable materials with you.

I rarely pass up a standing dead balsam poplar without grabbing a piece to make a bow drill set, whether I intend to make one or not.

The same goes for birch. If I see a dead yellow I will take as much of the bark as possible in just about any situation.

[RavenBlaze]

lol even as a chick who has never been in a primative situation, I know that fire = life. Fire equals heat, light, safe food, safe water, signaling and (to some degree) protection (since some animals are afraid of fire). Hence why we have so many ways to make it and take care of it.

[Cragdwella]

Great job Dave ! Great lesson not only for kids,but for everyone. Thank's

[geoffgr88]

Well done Dave.

[luvu2luvme]

lessons learned ,thankyou dave.

[tcbink]

what is the norm for primitive fire making in a rain forest? It seems if there is any moisture it is almost impossible to get a fire started.

[wall2rockclimber]

thing is mate in a jungle there is bamboo which means fire plough or fire saw. these work perfect in that environment.

check out the locals ways its the best insight

[tcbink]

I did not know there was bamboo in the amazon.

[SHANE1970HUNTING]

No giving up no surender..good job thanks for the learning experiance

[LowBudgetBushcraft]

Good to see that even Dave the Woodland Master has a hard time with this fire method too. Thanks for humbling us with this video.

[vassilischr]

Magnifying Glass. Very light. Does not take much space.

[shetterly1]

sometimes no amount of praying to the fire gods grants us flame. hehe these videos are great

[bassfuryvi]

as ever with DC ..THE truth,no face saving editing guy,no back up crew,no brought in materials or dried out spindles and fire board placed in a kiln first..I'll keep practicing but why doesn't every "survival" knife have a ferro rod on the sheath ,it would only add $5 to the price surely?If you wear the knife,you got sparks

[Zarthalad]

Your a great teacher Dave. Thank for implementing this task for us in real life situations! We learn so much from that type of teaching.

[deathprone18]

you should put that bow drill set on your wall and when someone asks why say its to remind you why you always carry a flint stick

[surgicalshot]

you more than likely cant say but in the discovery show are you going to be able to have a fire starting tool or are you going to have to do it primitive? if not what would you do if you didnt know the area would you walk that far from camp to find better wood? Good job anyway i love your videos

[cdltpx]

The best lessons thatI have learned have been from the blood sweat and tears of another. You deserve a nice bowl of icecream for that presentation.Walk 2 miles just for the material to produce fire most today would not walk 2 miles for a can of gas. I too carry more than one way to make fire and this in just around town.

[zoolanderfred]

Awesome Dave! These last couple of vids are killer. Don't get me wrong Dave, ALL your vids rock, but I personnelly dig the wilderness survival vids. Can't wait to see you on the Discovery Channel, your gonna kick butt!!!!!!

[orcaluv]

so if you can't find a birdnest, can you make one? and what of and how?

[dreamthinker79]

I have loads of oak, and cottonwood, and maple.

I think the most under apreciated fire starters, is the BIC lighter, if it gets wet, just stick it in your pocket for 5 mins

[JeffTheDude777]

Ive accidentally washed a BIC lighter in the laundry, and they'll still work.

[winterskyshadow35]

Do you plan on making a video on harvesting and using resin to start fires? I, for one, would like to see that in action...

[SmutFi]

Way to hang in there! In a shtf scenario, I would want you around. Take care mate!

[sirarrowmen]

very nice

[ryanjd2006]

thanks for showing us your human!!!!

[shampoovta]

This was way cool.

That looks like a lot of calories burned including walking 2 miles.

Then there is the time element.

When this video game comes out I want a cheat code for the bow drill. lol :)

Makes me think them GEICO Cavemen should feel a little better about them selves. They were the CEO's of fire back in the day. Fire was there bitch. Props to primitive peoples and there amazing skill. Then and now.

Thanx for the lesson Sensei.

***** !

[royce2u]

Why is it that no one tries using the pump drill instead of the bow drill???????? People who can make fire with the bow drill often can with the pump drill.

[wildernessoutfitters]

More comlicated and time consuming to construct would be my guess

[MrVoiceofreason123]

@royce2u Because a pump drill takes a ton of time to make and requires more perfect materials. Once you get good with the bow drill, you can make sets with real shitty pieces of wood. I have some UGLY sets where the spindle has crooks and the fireboard has tons of knots, and since I've practiced so much, they work. I'm not sure I could improvise a pump drill that well.

[kitsurubami]

@royce2u i can't really put it into words, but i prefer bow drill way more.

[schnips074]

knowing that dave had trouble doing this makes me feel better that i wasnt able to do it in half an hour

[bobrunner06]

good video Dave. I admire you for not giving up, I would have been really frustrated too. Keep up the great work with your video's

[HylianNinja]

You are comprised of too much kick ass, you know that Dave? Too much. Probably why you couldn't get a coal going the first time, the sheer force of your awesome output kept destroying it. The lessons learned from YOU not being able to pull it off will almost guaranteedly save somebody in the future from having to do the same thing, saving them precious minutes, and quite possibly their life. Keep doing what you do man, you're a service to mankind.

[14DFASniper]

Yeah...you are not kidding. I had dry cottonwood and still had a heck of a time getting the bow to wrap around the spindle. Too tight...too loose. ARRGG! I got smoke but no coal!!!..ARGGG! I think I could have spit fire for crying out loud. Yep...absolute fire materials are needed. Going to go back and try again.

[techraven2]

Truer woods have rarely been spoken, Dave. Fire is too important to risk on a less reliable method when it is so easy to slip a ferro rod into any kit, even one you make in coffee can and throw in your car and forget for seven or eight years.

[TheRedHawk123]

Awesome, thanks for posting Dave.

5/5

[surviveTHEtimes]

5 stars for keeping it real Dave! Can't wait to get back out tomorrow. Debris hut is up for my day 1 task. My turn at fire tomorrow. I went with my Gerber LMF II instead of survival machete for this challenge. My common sense took over, and I wasn't going to make a no knife mistake again since 1st challenge.

[deroark]

Great video set. Lesson learned!

[rayman3668]

Dave, I am a fan forever but I gotta call you on the shelter, you refer to it at 33 sec. that you have a shelter out there, thats not the one you used the machete on, right?

[wildernessoutfitters]

again let me say I am not competing in the challenge that shelter has nothing to do with the current challenge it was built and is being worked on for filming of a DVD series, I was mearly completing the Fire portion of the challenge for self satisfaction.

[guiltybystander77]

Have you ever heard of an egyptian bowdrill? Basically you tie the cord in a clove hitch (or other hitch) around the spindle and wrap each tag end around it (in opposite directions). Then tie the ends off to a non-flexible bow and go with it. It takes a little more cordage but it saves alot of energy.

[eltoonero]

i got a coal smoking for about 5 seconds before it died on me.

like 6 times.

it was mega-raining all night and morning, so everything is quite damp.

[oneonebravo11B]

Way to go Dave!

[nicko978]

I like how you're keepin' it real. Today I tried to make fire w/ the magnifying glass on my swiss champ.. No luck today. I think I blow on the ember too much or not enough.

[terrydodson58]

Does the ember come from the spindle dust or from the fireboard dust?

[cityboygonewild22]

both

[rmojo23]

Bravo Dave. The never give up attitude is what I am trying to teach my three kids. While I was watching your first video on this I saw your ferro rod on your edc. That's is also why I have at least 4 ways to make fire in my kits.

[blatant2subtlety]

may i ask, why vaseline? i must have missed one of your earlier videos.

[velo0826]

cause it burns well and catches a spark

[blatant2subtlety]

really? hmm.. so you would soke the cotten in vaseline then?

[velo0826]

well you dont soak the Vaseline you just put a little on a cotton ball...the cotton will take the spark and the Vaseline will keep it going longer.

[blatant2subtlety]

thanks!

[CPLBSS88]

Its jell'd petro...put some on cottom balls and it will keep a flame for about 3 min. Best of all its fairly waterproof.

[eltoonero]

drilled for 3 hours this afternoon.

all too damp.

i share your hardship.

even so i found out maple on maple makes a decent coal, if dry enough.

[chrissept21]

i too tryed it and i didnt think it would work with maple

but it made dust but did you get a coal?

[Duhnata]

every attempt I have ever made at bowdrill fires turned out alot like the last one you posted. Constantly thrown spindle, the coal never gets going such as that. It's a frustrating way to make a fire, but I'm determined to get it.