A Fire-bow Demo with AskDaMice

[Normark]

Hey Guys…

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure of having Rick Marchand
(Magnussen) join us at our campfire while we were camping literally
minutes from his front door.

He brought with him some of his wares including a small flint and steel kit,
a cool little handmade leather fire-kit pouch and a handmade knife with a
whitetail deer crown handle. Holding the knife you feel the life within it, which
I believe is energy from the maker..

We had some nice conversation, around the campfire. My dad very much
enjoyed talking with him and some of his travels.

Rick also brought with him his fire-bow which he so Graciously agreed to
demonstrate. Also in attendance was my oldest son Eric, my nephew and
brother in law…He also showed us a little cordage making with ordinary
grasses and saplings.

Here are some pictures of Rick’s fire-bow in action.

Here Rick is cutting down the shoulder on his spindle so it doesn’t hang up in
the fireboard socket

Beginning to make the fire-board socket

Fire-board socket is being burned and dust is collecting around
the spindle (dust will be saved and used as a coal extender)

Checking to see that the spindle and board are mating up properly

Socket is now burned the spindle and board are mated properly.

Cutting and the checking the notch

Beginning to work on a coal

End of Part I

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys..

Part II

Spindle is building up major heat and a coal is forming.
Rick is pumping the bow at full speed

Checking for a coal

Coal has formed, however isn’t visible with the camera flash, you
can see a clear indication from the light wisps of smoke coming
from the dust.

Rick is preparing to tap the coal onto his coal extender
and tinder bed

Coal is nestled in the small tinder bed and is getting larger

Coal and tinder bed are transferred to a larger bundle.
The coal at this point is larger than a cigarette heater.

Watching his coal grow

Rick blows the coal with one breath into life giving fire

Success!

Rick’s fire-bow kit including fire-board, bow, spindle and
handmade stacked leather socket.

This had been only the second time that I personally watched
a fire made with a fire-bow. Although I have seen it done many
times on tape from various sources.

This was Very exciting for me. Fire no matter how it is made always
amazes me.

Rick is Very meticulous about how he prepares his fire-bow, and painstakingly
prepares each piece of his kit. Rick believes that each time he makes fire it is
a spiritual process and is almost ritualistic in preparing everything so that
it is just right. I agree and feel the exact same way about it.

I’d like to Thank Rick for coming out even though he had a busy day
and was tired.
I’m very grateful to be able to call him a friend and enjoy his company
and experience very much.

Thanks Rick!

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, and I encourage
everyone to learn this Very valuable skill.

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[takao]

Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed the pics.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

What great pictures!

There is a sequence in the movie "Quest for Fire" where a more advanced people show the hero, a caveman, how to make fire by rolling the drill between two hands, a harder trick to learn successfully. They actually got a Masai to do this, rather than rely on teaching an actor.

There was that same magic moment when the coal was placed in a larger mass of tinder and then dried grass burst into flame in contact with it.

 

[IUKE12]

Thanks for sharing, what is the birds nest made from, looks like shredded jute? I also noticed that you really don't need much of a curve in the bow...interesting because it makes finding just the right bow a lot easier.

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys...

Thanks..

My oldest boy took the photos..

Esav..

Yaa a hand drill.. That is a touch way to make fire. Takes alot of skill to be able to pull that one off..

Iuke12

Yes that is Jute that has been pulled apart into individual fibers..
Works awesome and is a mainstay of Any firekit.

As for the curve in the bow.

According to Rick he prefers a straighter bow that is fairly stiff..
I will let him comment on that though.

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[tknife]

Very cool pics. Friction fire is probably my favorite skill to practice.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

great pics eric...:thumbup: thanks for sharing....

 

[Rick Marchand]

Hey Eric,

My profile name on this site is Magnussen not Askdamice.

That night was alot of fun. Your father is a pleasure to talk to... What a Worldly man, indeed. Forum members... Eric and his relatives are a "one in a million" family... I felt at ease from the moment I neared the camp and heard the gentle hum of his dad's harmonica(he was playing german folk songs, I think.) This was the first time I met his family and by the end of the night his kids were giving me goodnight hugs! I was truely honoured.

I hope this thread doesn't portray me to be some kind of bush guru... cause I'm anything but that. I was just there to see his family and enjoy myself... we sat and talked for sometime before the opportunity presented itself to attempt fire by friction. As Eric said... I enjoy practicing these skills and I have my so called "rituals" I go through... It's definately not the only way to get the job done, but I find it the most enjoyable. With all the genuine interest everybody showed toward this craft... I new the bush would allow us a coal, in the least. I knew as soon as I saw the sheer size of the coal (roughly the size of jellybean) that the Earth Mother was showing off for us that night.... once nested inside the tinder I waited a few moments and literally one whisper of breath ignited the bundle... What a joy.

We did a little cordage and talked for a bit but it was getting late so I mounted my White Steed (Norco pedal bike) and rode of into the darkness (catching a few branches in the face as I made my way out.)

Thanks for posting this, guys.

Next time we'll try the "no knife" firedrill method.

Rick

 

[tknife]

From your handmade knives, gear posts and obvious knowledge, I'd say you know a thing or two about primitive skills Hope you can post more.

 

[ToddW]

Def. need to have patience for that.

BTW: I'm digging the shoes. :thumbup:

 

[pinetree]

I too was digging the shows and the knife! Very cool, I wish I could get out more. My wife's idea of roughing it is a Hampton Inn.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey Magnussen,

Good on you for trying to enlighten that Normark re: friction fire making.

BTW, out of curiosity, I'm guessing you're a TB Jr. student?

Doc

 

[Rick Marchand]

I'm humbled by your compliments, guys... but Eric and his son are the ones to thank for this thread.... I'm terrible at documenting things.

Doc... Yes I'm a former "Brownie"... how'd ya guess? the bowdrill, the name "Askdamice" or the Earth Mother reference... lol.... I took one of his standard classes several years ago.

Rick

 

[2dogs]

Way to go Rick. Great pics Eric. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

I'm humbled by your compliments, guys... but Eric and his son are the ones to thank for this thread.... I'm terrible at documenting things.

Doc... Yes I'm a former "Brownie"... how'd ya guess? the bowdrill, the name "Askdamice" or the Earth Mother reference... lol.... I took one of his standard classes several years ago.

Rick

Wasn't the bowdrill, lots of people use bow drills. It was the askdamice first, in Normark's post, and after, in your post, your philosophical approach.

I felt like Columbo for a few minutes.

Doc

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys..

Thanks again Rick....

DOC..

I think Rick meant by the way he made the bow, (straight)

Was alot of fun watching Rick make and use the fire-bow...

Great Stuff...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey Guys..



DOC..

I think Rick meant by the way he made the bow, (straight)

Right on, Eric. I missed that, although I wouldn't have associated that with TBJ, anyway.

Doc

 

[Fonly]

Ohh man, wish I was there for the fun. Good Job rick, hey is this on Troops site?

 

[Rick Marchand]

Doc,
What I meant by the bow comment was that every TBj student I've come across makes the set the same way... thumb width spindle(hand span long) and thumb width fireboard thickness(approx two thumbs wide.) And the other teachers I've had do it a bit differently. Maybe it was a silly comment.

And I've always been kinda spiritual when it comes to the woods, well before I took the Brownie course. My parents would allow me to camp out by myself at the age of 10... lol... My mother still makes comments of how from the age of 5 to 14 she only ever saw me at dinner and breakfast. Then when I started having girlfriends I began showing up for showers and hair gel...lol.

Rick