Bow Drill - Oak on Pine

Friction fire bow drill method using an Evergreen Oak spindle on a Yellow Pine fireboard. I was expecting it to be more difficult as Oak is thought to be a poor choice of wood for this method.

Fireboard & bearing-block are Yellow Pine, bow & spindle are Evergreen Oak (also called Live Oak). Bowstring is 550 paracord.

This is kind of a prequel to my other Oak on Oak bow drill video. I uploaded them in reverse order.

The goal was only to get a coal.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• friction
• fire
• bow
• drill
• bowdrill
• pine
• evergreen
• live
• oak
• primitive
• survival
• bushcraft

[markeii]

Nice! have you tried pine on pine ? did it work ?

Thanks!

[gundog5]

@markeii Yup, Pine on Pine as well. Actually, it's one of the best woods to use in my area. The dead branches of Long-leaf Yellow Pine (in my area) have little or no resin (sap) in them. So, it works better than one might think.

I also mix match Pine, Palm, Oak, Cedar, Elderberry, and Dogfennel all the time (other prevalent wood options in my area).

[Balgore8]

Good video. Does there need to be space between the bottom of the spindle, and the hole you are spinning it in? Space for the ember to form? Or is it a solid connection?

[gundog5]

@Balgore8 It's a solid connection between the spindle & fireboard (where the friction occurs). The dust collects in the notch to form the ember. That's the important area. The crater of dust on top of the fireboard is just extra.

[WyOutDoors]

You said you were trying with woods that did not work as well. What wood works good and what doesn't. I live by the bighorn mts in Wy. I have been trying to find a website that says what all kind of trees and plants grow here but have been unsuccessful.

[gundog5]

@WyOutDoors Do a web search for 'trees of Wyoming'. Wikipedia has a page that shows 'em. I'd say Poplar/ Cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) would be your best bet for the bow drill.

I just recently got humbled with Sand Pine that didn't work so well (had a lot of resin/ sap). Oddly enough, I had good success with Live Oak, though (known to be difficult). Maple and Box Elder also work, but probably not as easy as Poplar or Basswood. See if you can find any of the listed woods in your backyard.

[markeii]

@gundog5 Ok nice ! I don´t think we have yellow pine in my area (Sweden) but we have what´s called "Norway pine" or "Scotch pine" as they say in north america. Actually my first try was with pine on pine and it was a succsess then i tried it a second time and a third etc. with no succes so i gave up! But im gonna give it another try !

Best regards

Mark

[todddguillory]

That a boy, nice!

[gundog5]

@wattsnick30 Yeah, most folks seem to think this is a bad idea. There's no open flame so burning the house down isn't as easy as, say, using a lighter or lighting a match, a candle, etc.... Remember the days when people used to smoke cigarettes in the house? Only issue might be a little smoke which is unnoticeable after, say, an hour.

I made the video in the house to have an ideal quiet setting to make the video (no ambient noise, wind, etc...). I don't regular do this in the house.

[moumujai]

half inch diameter spindle with both ends sharpen works best and get a piece of rock for the handle will save you a lot of energy.

[q2hogdog]

dont cut your foot !!

[BCRachelReed]

check out blandcounty survivorman bow drill