Detailed firebow making and use instructions!

Temper · Dec 20, 2005

Today is the day I think, for the hand drill. Medics stand by!

Update: Total failure

I think a much softer board and spindle are the key here. I used my tried and tested stuff from the fire bow but owing to the lack of tolerance the poor material choice was apparent. I have seen people use very fibrous looking woods for a hand drill. Time to have a scout around and see what I can drum up in terms of variety of woods.

Horse · Dec 21, 2005

What did you use? I like a stiff, woody-shafted weed for a fire drill. Find something that makes you think "this could almost be an arrow!" and you are on the right track. Use a soft, non-resinous wood. I like a piece that has been weathered a bit. Make sure everything is dry. Start with a steady, rapid rotation- It it squeaks, add a bit of dust- like fine sand or chalk, to cut the polish and allow for friction to build. Be prepared for some work, and remember to breathe!

Don'tkillbill · Dec 21, 2005

I tried too, got heat but no pitch... I will shape my spindle a differently and eventually have tough hands ouch!

Thanks Codger I understand your advice now!

I have the left overs of a cedar arrow I was making but it cracked so I think I have a nice long piece to start with be it narrow.

Codger_64 · Dec 21, 2005

The spindle needs to be long enough to allow you the proper motion. One useful with a bow is usually too short for the hands. As you roll it in your hands applying downward pressure, you naturally work your hands lower on the spindle, and have to reset your hands higher. Work up a cadence for this. This minimizes the time when no friction is added. Also there is a technique of using a socket, chest or chin held, to apply the downward pressure leaving the hands free to provide only rotation. You just have to be particular in designing and using it, or you will find yourself impaled. Remember, as Tom Hanks showed us, blood in the fireboard delays the coal. Adding a pinch of sand is one of my favorite "cheats" to get the wood dust to begin a coal with the firebow.

Codger

Temper · Dec 21, 2005

I took the spindle from the Fire Bow and whittled the end and fitted it into an aliminium tube about 2' long. It was just too hard as the spindle was just polishing the board. This leads me to beleive that despite the fact that I could consistently make an ember with the bow, due to the speed and pressure that you are able to apply, it allows for a lot of tollerance in material choices. The Hand Drill it would seems is a much more demanding method in terms of materials. I like the idea of the socket for the Hand Drill, this I think would give you an increased chance of success without making you feel like you somehow 'cheated'.

Unfortunately as I live in a concrete jungle there are very few species of trees (mostly Willow) that I can experiment with. Most of the old growth forests were cut down in Japan only to be replaced with Cedar for the housing boom after WWII. The error of that is being seen now, and its being addressed somewhat but it will never be dealt with enough to replace other species of trees in place of the Cedar, despite the felling and leaving on the ground that goes on each year.

Maybe a trip to the hardware store is the only way to get specific woods.

Codger_64 · Dec 21, 2005

I don't know your buying habits or the market there, but I would think that pacific islands woods would be available for small projects. You might visit a cabinet shop for scraps, or a boatbuilding shop. Then there are orchard trimmings, trees being cut after their usefulness is over. Ebay would be my choice, though I have no idea what shipping and duties would cost you. My guess, since a lot of the techniques evolved and were preserved in the Polynesian islands, you have a wealth of untapped sources around you for materials. Ask some local "old Timers" about fire making. You might teach us all a thing or two!

Codger

Temper · Dec 21, 2005

No this is the problem you see, its a weird place where I live. Its a lot like Sheffield in the UK, loads of metal places but wood is scarce, besides everything is covered in concrete, the only green stuff is a golf course and all the trees are Willow. We are looking to move to Nagano (mountains) but funds and oppertunity are scarce

I will go to the hardware store, pick up some dowels and make a note of the wood, look it up in a book and see if I can find the tree when I am hiking.

If you asked anyone here to light a fire they would use a Bic

Codger_64 · Dec 21, 2005

I understand the society, the culture, the environment is alien to my experience. But...old people do remember these things. Some are there from Samoa, Fiji, etc. Maybe fishermen unless you are inland. And.. identifying the woods you seek (Banyon trees were mythical for containing fire in the islands, coconut husk as tender), you can find them on eBay! Good luck in your quest!

Codger

Codger_64 · Dec 28, 2005

I received the firebow set Mewolf worked so hard on, and all I can say is.....Wow!

I do not have a decent digital camera right now, but I'll try to borrow one and bring this all back to the top with illustrations soon.

The whole kit came packed in a large sheath/ bag made of brown tanned hide (deer or elk?), twisted fringe bottom, foldover flap top with tie laces.

First out is the largest piece, the bow. As he said, it is the rib bone of an American Bison (buffler), 21 inches long around the natural curve, 18 inches tip to tip, with 3 1/2 inches of bow to clear the spindle. The cordage, very stout atrificial sinew (?) is twisted to about 1/8 inch thick, and fed through holes drilled in each end of the rib bone. It is not going to come loose, and can easily be tightened as needed.

Next out are three 9 to 10 inch fireboards. One, red cedar, has three fresh sockets prenotched and burnt in, and one of the remainig two fireboards hastwo sockets ready. These leave plenty of room for clamping the fireboard down with the foot. The last two fireboards are a lighter wood, I can only guess birch.

Next items are spindles. Four of these in assorted sizes and materials. Two of these appear to be red cedar, one 8 inches long and 3/4 inch diameter, one 6 inches long and 5/8 inch diameter. The longest spindle is 9 1/2" long, half inch diameter, and a darker, though light weight wood. It could also be a cedar, but I am not sure. The final spindle is a work of art and creativity. It appears to be a 5 1/2 inch section of deer legbone, with wooden end plugs in each end.

Then the socket, a bone end that cups in the hand quite nicely, and would not be too prone to transfer heat to the pressure hand holding it. Helping with lubrication is a hole drilled in the side and filled with wax, handy to prelube the top of the spindles with each firemaking session.

Finally, the tubular sheath/bag is lined with a large section of birchbark, unavailable here without robbing some rich city dweller's landscaping. This is the "plate" upon which to place the fireboard, catching the smouldering punk ready for transfer to the tender bundle.

A very complete kit with several options to try. I'll be adding a bearskin tender bag, some decorations to the firebow bag, and some sort of scrimshaw to the bones. So far, I've not had time to try it all out, but my two fourteen year olds have kept the house smelling like cedar smoke. Perhaps by the weekend I can do a demo session with pictures, ending with the youngsters cooking fresh venison and bannock over the buffler bone fire!

A million thanks, Mewolf! I'll be working on one in local materials for you!

Codger

sodak · Dec 28, 2005

I'd love to see the pictures if you can get them. All this venison talk is making me hungry!

mewolf1 · Dec 29, 2005

The cordage, very stout atrificial sinew (?) is twisted to about 1/8 inch thick, and fed through holes drilled in each end of the rib bone. It is not going to come loose, and can easily be tightened as needed.

The cord is artificial sinew and is madeof 8 strands twisted as if to be making a Flemish bow string.

The last two fireboards are a lighter wood, I can only guess birch.

Those are Basswood, my favorite. Birch, tho said to work is VERY hard wood and for me takes way to much pressure to get fire.

Next items are spindles. Four of these in assorted sizes and materials. Two of these appear to be red cedar, one 8 inches long and 3/4 inch diameter, one 6 inches long and 5/8 inch diameter. The longest spindle is 9 1/2" long, half inch diameter, and a darker, though light weight wood. It could also be a cedar, but I am not sure. The final spindle is a work of art and creativity. It appears to be a 5 1/2 inch section of deer legbone, with wooden end plugs in each end.

Aeromatic Cedar, Western red Cedar, and Northern White Cedar. The western red is a peice of split rail fence that I found as driftwood. The others are Basswood. The deer leg bone is tipped with maple and glued in with pine resin glue. This shouldn't ever need to be replaced. the "drill bit" is Basswood and can be replaced when you burn it out with whatever you have on hand that works for you.

Then the socket, a bone end that cups in the hand quite nicely, and would not be too prone to transfer heat to the pressure hand holding it. Helping with lubrication is a hole drilled in the side and filled with wax, handy to prelube the top of the spindles with each firemaking session.

The socket came from the knuckle of a Bison front leg bone and with the use of my die grinder there will not be any interference with the spindle. There too is sufficient mass that the socket will NOT heat up(unless you drop it in the fire

)

Finally, the tubular sheath/bag is lined with a large section of birchbark, unavailable here without robbing some rich city dweller's landscaping. This is the "plate" upon which to place the fireboard, catching the smouldering punk ready for transfer to the tender bundle.

Codger go ahead and cut it up or burn some. I'll send you more when you run out.

A very complete kit with several options to try. I'll be adding a bearskin tender bag, some decorations to the firebow bag, and some sort of scrimshaw to the bones. So far, I've not had time to try it all out, but my two fourteen year olds have kept the house smelling like cedar smoke. Perhaps by the weekend I can do a demo session with pictures, ending with the youngsters cooking fresh venison and bannock over the buffler bone fire!

Ya can always smoke fish ifn all else fails

A million thanks, Mewolf! I'll be working on one in local materials for you!

Codger

You're most welcome Codger. Codger picked up a Shrade Sharp Finger on eBay for me when I found myself at a disadvantage so one good deed deserved another.