Friction fire

on_the_edge

on_the_edge

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Jan 31, 2006
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Anybody ever see this before? If so, do you know what the mechanism is for ignition? In other words, why does this work? Apparently, a lot of "similar materials" do not work. I first saw the article about this in the latest issue of Backwoods Home IIRC.

 
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Dang that's pretty cool as I've never seen this method used before. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:
 
Yes it really works and is very easy to set up and do. You can use any two flat surfaces, the smaller one fitting your hand. Get the cotton rolled nice and tight and then it does not take long.
 
Do you know "why" though? What is it about the friction between the cotton and the burnt wood ashes that makes it work while other things in the cotton, which you would think WOULD work, actually do NOT work. It seems a heck of a lot easier and more reliable way to make a coal as compared to a bow drill or a hand drill.
 
All I can say for certain is the coal starts inside the tightly wrapped roll of cotton where the ash is. I kind of smelled it but had to break it in half to see the coal. I've done a bow drill too and it is fast once you get it down. I have not tried the cotton roll in wet environs. You'd have to experiment with that before knowing reliability.

Personally I find a mini Bic backed by a BSA hotspark backed by the smallest pack of UCI matches to be the lightest, most compact, most reliable, expedient and convenient. The fire roll is cool though and I found it quick and easy to knock off.
 
It's just another one of those things that does the rounds every so often. In the back when a guy called Rudiger Nehberg had his name linked to it for some mysterious reason. If you want to dig about look for “Rudiger Roll”. If you just want the lazy version 'tube up “boggycreekbeast” 'cos he's been playing with this for a while and sticking the vids up. You can use all sorts for the accelerant. Dry shite ground up works, as does the black stuff you can find in batteries. Even bicarb of soda works. Rust, ground up shells or bone, all sorts. Have a go in leaves or plants stalks, or even a bunch of hairy string.

A homeless bloke showed me how to do it decades ago with stuff he grabbed out of a public bin.
 
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