Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: jkyarcher on March 28, 2016, 08:45:48 pm
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Ive really gotten into making friction fires lately and was just wondering about some stuff on it. First off I was wondering what was some peoples favorite methods and materials. I just started doing them and have successfully made some with hand drills and bamboo fire saw.
it just fascinates me how you can make fire from almost nothing.
also from a historical point of view I was just wondering how recently in history would most of the world's population have been using friction fires. I know some remote tribes still do and also that flint and steel was probably the most recent old method but I'm mostly wondering how recent was friction the common way.
Just curious
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I would suspect that friction was used until the trade of flint and steel strikers began....early 1700's
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I like the ease of a bow drill myself, but have been successful with a hand drill to. I have the best luck with yucca and basswood for the spindles.
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this is something I really need to work on. I have started fire with bamboo fire saw. it was pretty easy after I started to hear the different sounds it was making with different friction pressures. unfortunately for me, I do not have boo growing around here :'(. Ed
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:o Bamboo fire saw ? give me a hint please. I like cotton wood and yucca spindles with cottonwood hearth board.
Going to char some cattails to use in friction fire coal too.
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I have messed with friction fires quite a bit and I guess my favorite is a good horseweed hand drill on a cedar hearth board, I have also used a lot of different drills, mugwort, mullein, Jerusalem artichoke,cattail with a variety of hearth boards. Once and a while get my flint an steel out and use chaga or some milkweed ovum for my coals. My favorite but not always successful is the hand drill. Bob
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:o Bamboo fire saw ? give me a hint please. I like cotton wood and yucca spindles with cottonwood hearth board.
Going to char some cattails to use in friction fire coal too.
Spotted Dog, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD6-ILiy834
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Ed it's hard to get me excited , but this did. ;D
I have a big chunk in the garage. HHHMMMM may have to give this a try soon.
THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I have only got one successful hand drill fire but tried several with different materials Also one successful fire with the bamboo but have only tried it a couple times.
I was wanting some advice on the hand drill though I tried mullein spindle with poplar and cedar boards also a spindle from some woody weed I'm not sure what it is.
Anyways I get lots of smoke and black powder but cant get a coal. I was wondering if yall had advice on the notch size or materials or what should I do to increase success.
thanks
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Hard to say without pics of your set up. Could be a notch issue, could be a dampness issue, could be as simple as pressure. If you are getting a lot of smoke and a lot of dust, you may not be applying enough down pressure when the "feel" is right for it. Once the smoke starts rolling pretty thick you need to really get after it with speed and proper pressure. I prefer a bow drill for that reason. I can work it for a good while before my arms give out. A hand drill can kick your butt!
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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
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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
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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
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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
thanks outback good info.
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anyone ever tried the fire thong? I seen this on a tv show the other day.
http://www.primitiveways.com/Fire%20Thong.html
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Yup, they work slick Ed. It makes the hand drill much easier and a bit less abuse to the arms and hands.
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I need to try that Ed. ;D
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That's not what I was thinking you meant, Ed. I did see that on one of my survival shows. Very cool.
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Been using the hand drill method for a while now. I live in the Sierra Nevada's and I like to use elderberry drill and buckeye hearth. Using elderberry hearth/drill and buckeye with buckeye works good too.
First off practice and practice. Two things I look for: (1) the right sound; (2) dark black charcoal dust build up:
(1) there should be a sound of sandpaper on wood when your drilling. Sometimes the drill can get polished up from use. Scratch it up real good to get a good grip between hearth and drill.
(2) if your not seeing jet black shavings, STOP- your just wasting your time, you will not get an ember. Smoke will still be present, but no coal.
Also, its like playing a guitar at first. Expect blisters!
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wstanley, when I get that burnished polished look on my hearth or spindle I just put a little dry grit or wood ash in hole and next I hear and feel that sandpaper scratch sound that I,m looking for. I used to use pine pitch on hands but have now discovered nice dry wood ash works for down pressure grip and causes a lot less blister even under callous. You are right no black dust no coal. I try and get a coal 2 or 3 times a week just to keep my hands tuff, At 71 yrs old you know the rest of me is bad ass tuff ;D :o (=) Bob
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That's awesome Bob48. I try to at least do it once a week like when I'm getting the grill started! Fun topic to discuss and hear other methods!
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anyone ever tried the fire thong? I seen this on a tv show the other day.
very difficult to find proper material if you dont have rattan