Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Friction Fire Discussion
Hummingbird Point:
Try the mullein on sycamore or white pine. Possibly also willow or alder, but those seem to vary tree to tree quite a bit.
Keith
jkyarcher:
thanks for the replies. Id really like to "perfect" the hand drill method just because it needs so few materials like something like the bow drill even though the bow
may be easier on the hands.
I may try the sycamore there is plenty of it around
Outbackbob48:
jkyarcher, I had trouble for a long time until learned when to muscle it and when to use finesse, I got a horseweed and rub some pine pitch on it for better down pressure, Next on a cedar hearth board start drilling with finesse just going slow and easy, just warm your materials up and watch your dust build up in height and warmth, breath and just go easy and let it warm up and now we got smoke and when you seem to have a lot of dust and smoke it is time to hit with all ya got and don't stop until your shot or there seems to be continuous smoke even when you jump your hands up, When you are shot don't pick your spindle out of the hearth just let it soak if you have a coal it will continue to smoke, If not just breathe and catch breath and leave spindle soak, as soon as you can go again until ya get your coal. By not removing your spindle you conserve heat and lots of times I get it on the second try. I am 67 yrs young :o ;D ;D and thought I didn't have enough gas to get a coal but once I learned to pace it and only hit it hard when you mat. are warm and you have plenty of dust. Pitch really helped me also get good down pressure, notch also needs to be at least 1/8 or larger to get enough air, if your hearth is thick you need to build up lots of dust. I like my spindle about 3/8" and your hearth board equal thickness. You can do it just keep trying. Don't rush it in the beginning and yes hand drill can kick your butt. ;D ;D Bob
jkyarcher:
--- Quote from: Outbackbob48 on March 31, 2016, 07:29:45 pm ---jkyarcher, I had trouble for a long time until learned when to muscle it and when to use finesse, I got a horseweed and rub some pine pitch on it for better down pressure, Next on a cedar hearth board start drilling with finesse just going slow and easy, just warm your materials up and watch your dust build up in height and warmth, breath and just go easy and let it warm up and now we got smoke and when you seem to have a lot of dust and smoke it is time to hit with all ya got and don't stop until your shot or there seems to be continuous smoke even when you jump your hands up, When you are shot don't pick your spindle out of the hearth just let it soak if you have a coal it will continue to smoke, If not just breathe and catch breath and leave spindle soak, as soon as you can go again until ya get your coal. By not removing your spindle you conserve heat and lots of times I get it on the second try. I am 67 yrs young :o ;D ;D and thought I didn't have enough gas to get a coal but once I learned to pace it and only hit it hard when you mat. are warm and you have plenty of dust. Pitch really helped me also get good down pressure, notch also needs to be at least 1/8 or larger to get enough air, if your hearth is thick you need to build up lots of dust. I like my spindle about 3/8" and your hearth board equal thickness. You can do it just keep trying. Don't rush it in the beginning and yes hand drill can kick your butt. ;D ;D Bob
--- End quote ---
thanks outback good info.
Ed Brooks:
anyone ever tried the fire thong? I seen this on a tv show the other day.
http://www.primitiveways.com/Fire%20Thong.html
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version