Friction firelighting concerns

P

PlaceKnives

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Hello everyone,
I've been into the whole surivval thing since my dad gave me a Survival book when I was a kid. I have a library of books on everything related to the art of survival. I make knives, I collect knives and have several for all occasions. But the thing I cannot do is start a fire by friction.

Every Monday, (my day off) I go to the woods to try and get it to work. After hours of trying the hand drill method over the course of several weeks I never even got the thing to smoulder and all I got were blisters and a bunch of broken sticks.

Next was the bow drill method, I actually got it to smoke today for about a millionth of a second before my bow snapped. I made another bow, it snapped, I made a third bow, and when it got cooking, the string came off, over and over again for hours I got nothing but sore knees and sweat in my eyes.

Now I know, if I was lost in the woods I would die very cold and miserable. I also know not to rely on the most unreliable method of lighting a fire, I'll bring a flint and lighter with me.
 
PK,

My web site has some info on friction fire with materials found in New England. Material choice is important as not all woods work. The materials need to be dry, too.

What is your kit made of? What tree(s) or bush did you use for the spindle? For the fireboard? Is your socket bone, stone or wood? What's the string made from?

It took me 2 years to get my first good coal, so don't give up yet.

Mike
 
Thanks for the support. I know I need a different handle socket, it was getting as hot as the board. The whole arrangement was made of maple. My string was para card, it worked fine, the problems were the bow snapping, or being too springly, too much tension, not enought tension...
 
You might want to put a fine point on the socket end of the spindle and lube it either with grease (from your face/nose) or wax.

I've had success with maple. I prefer a stone socket, but it is not necessary.

As for paracord - the real stuff with inner strands or the cheap stuff? Try doubling it over and twisting it together - a Flemish twist if you know how to do it.

Lay down a piece of bark or a leaf under your assembly to catch the coal.

Good luck!

Mike
 
i am by no means an expert in this area, but as mr bennett has suggested maybe you are using the wrong wood, or wet wood, are common reasons for failure, you want a piece of wood that your fingernail will make a small indent into when it is dry. not make a crease in or leave no mark. get your wood, and bring it home and leave it on the window sill for a couple weeks in the sun. makwe sure it is split about an inch or two thick. i used sassafras wood, on my first fire board, cause i figured out that i could find the trees easy as the leaves are funny looking enough and the smell is unmistakeable. so i knew i would be able to identify it.
i made my bow from a piece of sumac about round as my thumb. the cord in the bow is somewhat loose, so when i twist it around the drill (also sassafras) it bends the bow, even then the string gets loose after some time, so make the cord so you can reach down a grab the cord with your finger to tighten it up when you are working. be ready to sweat. have your tinder ready, to go. if you cant make smoke with the wood then try differnt types of wood untill you get some smoke, you can chuck a small piece in an electric drill to check it out and see if it will work, saves on the hands. then all yo need is a lot of time to practice.

alex
 
J.P.

It took me awhile to learn to start a fire by friction, so I would like to suggest another method to you. Go to the local lumber yard and buy a cedar 1x4. Carve a nice 12" drill and match a nice fireboard out of this dry untreated wood. Use an old shotglass for the socket after covering it on the outside in duct tape. Use doubled up para-cord for the bowstring and use any old springy green branch about an inch in diameter for the bow. You will get a coal fast with this set-up. After you have your technique down and you are familiar with the right way to make a fireboard and drill you can go out into the woods and try other materials you find there. You will know very quickly if the materials you are trying are any good because you will have gained experience with methods and tools that work well.

Make sure the drill is not to big around, no larger than you thumb. Make sure the end that goes into fireboard is rounded not pointy. If you don't get a coal play around with the notch size until it works. If you are getting smoke you are making a coal, it just takes awhile to learn when to stop and how to recognize it. I have had my best luck by NOT moving the dust that forms in the notch until after I can see cherry red. I stop after I have a lot of smoke and start to blow on the dust while it is still in the notch, within a minute or so you will see the coal. After that it sticks together pretty well and you can move it to a tinder bundle and start a fire.

Learn using material that you know should work and it will make the process much shorter and more fun.
 
Thanks for all of your great advice guys. It's always better to hear first hand experience rather than reading it from a book.

I'm sure I'll get it sooner or later. Of course it's pouring rain today...

"Survival, that's the game..."
-Lewis Medlock
 
Sassafrass and cedar are good suggestions. But if you're buying wood at a lumber place, make sure it is untreated. Cedar especially gets a flame retardant treatment, which could mean :confused: lots of smoke with no coal. :confused:

Though I haven't seen it, Alan Halcon's booklet on the hand drill has got to be worth the money. He's truly mastered that skill.

Mike
 
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