Survival Fire Making - Friction Fire with Bow Drill

http://primitiveskills.com Unity College Primitive Skills Club President and Primitive Skills School instructor Nick Spadaro teaches the bow drill friction fire method.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Unity College
• Maine
• wilderness survival

[Floydian6973]

What do you use as the welcome mat for your coal? It looked like another piece of wood. Is that correct?

[primitiveskills]

Often we use nothing, even on damp ground. The "welcome mat" is more a convienience than a necessity. Having said that, any flat leaf, piece of bark, or wood chip will do. Conduction is a factor and a valid arguement for having one, but increasing the powdery base of your coal is often all you need as a thermal barrier to sustain a coal. 2 goals to work toward, beyond fire off the landscape w/ stone tools: a coal without a welcome mat & one that is lrg enough to ignite/flame on its own.

[primitiveskills]

Yes. The basics demonstrated in this vid are just a starting point for our intro class. The intent is bow drill off the landscape with stone tools in all four seasons. Right now we use the basic level skill sets just to get the word out about our school. Also, by sharing viable entry level skill sets we want to get folks excited about the obtainable ability to walk in to the woods and come out in better condition a few decades later without having to rely on any gear.

[primitiveskills]

Yes. The basics demonstrated in this vid are just a starting point for our intro class. The intent is bow drill off the landscape with stone tools in all four seasons. Right now we use the basic level skill sets just to get the word out about our school. Also, by sharing viable entry level skill sets we want to get folks excited about the obtainable ability to walk in to the woods and come out in better condition a few decades later without having to rely on any gear.

[TheIowaPrepper]

Nice video.

[Snbkr]

I get a lot of smoke, and a lot of black dust but nvr an ember. what can i do better?

[vjanda1]

It would be nice to see how you shape the top and bottom parts of the spindle as well as how you shape the hole in the board for the first use so the spindle doesn't slip out.

Nice vid btw!

[Cjrm3gtr]

@TurabT it has yo be sharp on top for less friction and curvy on the bottom for more friction.

[TurabT]

Does the stick that you use as a drill need to be pointed or flat in order to work.

[migalexdiaz]

I was reading this in a book, then looked up videos like this one and went to try it.

I only got a bit of smoke before it got too dark to keep trying :P

[MrHabsmtl1993]

great !



[Dinahmcc]

This was so informative! Much more informative than the survivor shows on Discovery channel! Thank you!!!

[XxServalcat24xX]

AMAZING!

[smileytall]

@primitiveskills 2 goals to work toward, a coal without a welcome mat & one that is lrg enough to ignite/flame on its own.

The first one 'sounds' pretty straight forwards... Although I thought the main purpose of the coal catcher as we call it in the UK is to transport the coal from the hearth to the tinder bundle.

The second, I've never heard of before? A coal big enoigh to flame by its-self?

Best Regards, al.