Fire by bow and drill

IUKE12

IUKE12

Joined
Nov 25, 2005
Messages
3,841
Any of you guys ever try the two hole fire board method mentioned in the excellent Bushcraft book by Mors Kochanski? For those who have not read his book, he describes a deviation from the one hole with notch method by digging a hole about 3/4 inch deep in the fire board, and then drilling right next to it and cutting a channel connecting both holes. This gives the ember a protected place to drop and develop. This is on my to do list for sure.
 
I have never tried that one, but it sounds like a solid approach. The only down side, I suppose is that it might take a bit more energy and time to fabricate than the traditional single hole and notch method.
 
Hi all,
Iuke12, I have tried it and it works, but i tell you I personally feel you get a better protected coal by doing the V notch and in the pics I am showing you will see why. I also believe and this is through practice that the notchless fire board is a more of a pain in the butt than just doing the bow drill with a V notch. I can use a regular 1/4" or so thick board for the hearth board and then cut in a divit and drill a burn hole and then cut the V out and spin up a coal in 1/ 16 of the time it takes to do the notchless one. I kid you not. And I can do it with soft or med to hard woods.
The notches can be done with hard woods. It is much easyer with the hearth being made of soft wood.


In this pic you can see that I have the 2 holes burned in, I am using a 3/4" thick piece of bass wood. i have my finger in the deeper hole, then I cut a canal inbetween them,
IMG_0609.jpg



In this pic I spun up my coal and then did not even have to blow on it to see the coal the wind did that.
IMG_0612.jpg


We are havind some gusty wind here in Ne. today. On a windy day the V notch is more portected than just the dust falling into a hole on your hearth board.

I used sycamore wood for the spindle and bass wood for the hearth. When you do this use soft wood for the hearth and then med to hard wood for the spindle then you can drill the holes out a lot easyer than with soft wood on soft wood. Well that is my opinion.

Anyways give it a shot and try it with several woods and see what you think.

Bryan
 
Nice work Bryan, thanks for sharing that. I've never tried it with two holes nor do I see a need to, as you pointe3d it out it's less protected and much more work.
 
This is what I came up with.

[video=youtube;QI4UVxw14Ck]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI4UVxw14Ck[/video]

THANKS
 
You guys are the best:) Ask and ye shall receive. Thanks for the pics Bryan, and clear explanation. jcl-MD, great little vid, appreciate that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top