Primitive Fire

[R.A.T.]

I spent a little bit of time a couple of days ago in the woods gathering some Horse Weed and a piece of poplar for a hand drill. Poplar is not the best fireboard but it will work. After cutting the Horse Weed, I scraped the outside. I also split the Poplar and put it all on top of the wood heater to start drying out. Even though this stuff is still green I played around with it a bit today. Got some pretty good smoke and brown dust but it needs more drying time. Hand drill is one of my favorite fire building methods. Just now getting back in practice with it.

And, yes, I love the Gaylean folder.

This is a photo that our very own Hobo Jack took of me trying to impress the Woodland Ops class with my magical fire building skills. Didn't work. About the only thing I got out of this one was a blistered hand. But those blisters are now callouses and I've been spitting coals out since....

 

[PastorMarko]

As they say in France, that is TRE-Cool!

I have to build a bow drill and hand drill for what I am working on. I know it is going to be hard, LOL, but looking forward to it.

 

[Necrodamus]

I have always been told that for a bow drill it is better to use rawhide (bootlace) instead of nylon cord. Less stretch and its not as slick.
Ive only used a bow drill once so Im no expert!

 

[adaman04]

But that funny wood thing doesn’t shoot molten fireballs! Thanks for the pics. Visiting RAT forum has gotten me interested in this kind of stuff again. I just came here for info on the knives, but it’s gotten addicting. Now I’m trying to plan time to build debris shelters and am practicing fire building on the back patio in the evening. Makes a good answer to the “What are you going to do, rub two sticks together?” question on a camping trip.

 

[R.A.T.]

I just came here for info on the knives, but it’s gotten addicting. Now I’m trying to plan time to build debris shelters and am practicing fire building on the back patio in the evening.

Appreciate the post. That makes me feel like this forum actually has some real value.

 

[Fletcher Knives]

Good stuff Jeff. I like the Tim Gaylean stuff. When I gave away my partially serrated Junkyard Dog II to a RAT Packer, I couldn't resist the temptation of that design and replaced it with another Junkyard Dog II. This time I went plain edge. That grip takes some getting used to at first, but it's a good handle. I'd like to get a Pro Series JYD some day, but right now they're just a bit too pricey for my wallet. Well worth the money though. Glad to see that someone else likes them too.

 

[R.A.T.]

Tim has got the blade design on the mark for me.

 

[hoopster]

Appreciate the post. That makes me feel like this forum actually has some real value.

It's value really does go beyond the RAT knives. It's led me to practice some fire making skills in the back yard as well. My 2 1/2 year old boy loves it and talks about knives and fire all the time now. Much to the dismay of his grandmother.

 

[Grump]

This is a photo that our very own Hobo Jack took of me trying to impress the Woodland Ops class with my magical fire building skills. Didn't work. About the only thing I got out of this one was a blistered hand. But those blisters are now callouses and I've been spitting coals out since....

I think there's a great deal of value in seeing an instructor fail at the basics. It teaches that one should have a backup plan, or at least be able to come up with one. Failure should be built into the training.

 

[XD45]

I'd like to get a Pro Series JYD some day, but right now they're just a bit too pricey for my wallet. Well worth the money though. Glad to see that someone else likes them too.

I hear that bro. I have the JYD in PE that I picked up from Sportsman's Warehouse when they were going out of business . Got a good deal on the knife, like 30% off if I remember correctly. I've been thinking about some way to change the texture of the handle though, just a little too smooth for me. But otherwise I really like the knife.

 

[R.A.T.]

I think there's a great deal of value in seeing an instructor fail at the basics. It teaches that one should have a backup plan, or at least be able to come up with one. Failure should be built into the training.

I agree with you.

Actually friction fire was not part of the class. We were all standing around for a lunch break and another guy broke out a fireboard and some Horse Weed he had brought, and I just HAD to show off! Result: blisters.

 

[MrCoffee]

I honestly thought you were going to show of the RAT firekit when I saw this thread Jeff.... but noooooo... I have tried and tried to do it this way, and it has always been a no go....

 

[R.A.T.]

The RAT Fire Kit is more modern than matches or Bic lighters!

 

[Murphyslaw]

I agree with you.

Actually friction fire was not part of the class. We were all standing around for a lunch break and another guy broke out a fireboard and some Horse Weed he had brought, and I just HAD to show off! Result: blisters.

Serious question: How viable is the hand-drill method for making fire in bush?
About 25 years ago at a WS course 2 of us (the instructor and I) were able to get a useable ember by taking turns on the drill. IIRC we burned a fair amount of calories doing it. Using a bow on the other hand...

(I should of asked the question 25 years ago, but I was too impressed with myself at the time)

 

[TrailWolf]

About 5 years ago I did a 7 month stint in Kenya doing wildlife management work with the local Maasai - they were masters at this technique and could get a fire going in just a couple of minutes. They made it look too easy and it was a humbling experience after having tried dozens of times with barely any smoke.

It was amazing to watch and amazing to see this practice still alive and well.

Showing off our miserable failure

 

[Murphyslaw]

VERY impressive! It took 2 of us with a drill over 2 feet long. Each took turns twirling the drill like a madman with downward pressure. We would start near the top, and when we reached the bottom, the other would take over. Lotta sweat...definitely not efficient

Again, its not the arrow, its the indian...

 

[R.A.T.]

Great pics, Trailwolf!

 

[adaman04]

Are there easier or more effective ways of making fire by friction? Other than the bow drill obviously.

 

[MrCoffee]

The RAT Fire Kit is more modern than matches or Bic lighters!

Ok, maybe, but it "seems" more primitive then flickin a bic...

On the serious side, my kid and I are going to give it a shot this weekend, along with other methods of fire starting... suspost to be damp, misty, foggy rainy all weekend... should be ummmmm "fun"

 

[cavemike]

Serious question: How viable is the hand-drill method for making fire in bush?

Okay, while stating up front that I am THOROUGHLY out of my league on this thread when it comes to experience ....

As I understand it, the point of practicing these techniques is to get to the point where they are first, even possible (I'm thinking of my half-dozen-so-far-failed firebows here), and finally, efficient.

I'm thinking that's the reason for the traditional progression of fire with lighter, then fire with matches, then firesteel, flint and steel, firebow (or -plough, or whatever), and finally handdrill. Each of these techniques are progressively more difficult, and utilize general fire knowledge learned using the previous methods.

I think in a true survival situation, most of us (Masai excepted ) would not choose a handdrill unless there were no more modern methods available, and no cordage or ways to make cordage strong enough for a firebow.

That said, in such a situation, I think it would be a thoroughly efficient method pretty much no matter how long it took, as the calories you would save with a fire (not to mention the psychological impact), even over a period of a couple of days, would outweigh what you spent making it.

...........

That, plus being able to make fire with sticks is really, REALLY cool.