The Hand Drill

http://www.arizonabushman.com Step by step instructional on how to master the hand drill.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Survival
• fire by friction
• hand drill

[MystSilverDragon]

yes! for the fireboard I have found cottonwood SO much easier here where I live (NW NM)........and so much more available here

[desertsurvivalist]

That is why love the southwest. It is no wounder so many aboriginal tribes flourished for long here.

[RainforestRobin]

This is fantastic!! I need to learn the difference between the two yuccas. Wish that was here too. Could watch you all day. Also would have loved to seen the whole thing from start to finish, even the cottonwood part. You have done SUCH a good job here. Is the enber part of the cotton wood board?? Or did you put something under the hole to catch? I've not yet done this but have been reading a lot about it. When I lived in the jungle I never made fire. But I want to try this. Do you have a book?

[desertsurvivalist]

Thank you! The ember is actually part of the fire board and the spindle, Mostly the fire board. The notch catches the heated dust that is created by the friction then ignites into an ember. I placed a piece of wood under the fire board to catch the ember and make it easier to transfer to the tinder bundle were it is them blown into a flame. It is one of the hardest fire by friction methods to master but the simplest to make.

[Bulletproofshirts]

You can attach a piece of cord to the top of the drill like a bowstring that loops over both hands so that you can keep constant downward pressure without having to constantly stop to bring your hands back up

[desertsurvivalist]

I have read about that and seen pics of people using that method. I believe that is called the thong drill or something like that.

[BushcraftOnFire]

John..

Great tutorial! Should help many who are trying this method to get a coal. Good job!

[duskrequiem0522]

Great demonstration. Other spindles that work really well are teasel, mullein, and cattail. Although with those, I prefer to use cottonwood root, elderberry, yucca, or softer sage as a fireboard.

[nwtipton]

That was awesome! I've watched a bunch of videos on how to do that, and they just intimidated me. I really want to go out and learn to do that now. Going camping soon, I'll at least try it! Thank you.

[kayra97]

when i try it

it takes like 7 years to smoke :D

But patience is the key ;)

[barbsluv]

@5tonyvvvv KBAR is not a term for a knife, it is a brand name. If he was using a Mora, becker or falkniven he would have referenced that particular brand. Maybe you shouldnt comment if you have nothing positive to say. You can always watch a different posting. May I suggest Sesame Street for you?

[shylildude]

tom hanks would be so proud

[Ikefis]

@desertsurvivalist I find the loops more of a hinderance when I use yucca on cottonwood. My fav is yucca on yucca. Keep'em coming John!

[MrVoiceofreason123]

@desertsurvivalist In my parts of AZ there isn't much cottonwood, but there is lots of sotol and soaptree yucca. These make great boards to pair with a seep willow drill. You can also think out a sotol or yucca stalk to make a drill, but it takes time and lots of knife work.

[mycaddigo]

do you put some tinder at the bottom of the hole? Or is it just from saw dust breaking off as you use the hand drill???