PSK Basics #1 FIRE

I could describe it, but unfortunately I don't have a camera. I will try and borrow one, then someone can help me post the pics. Here is a link for a small booklet that really walks you through all the steps. http://thehanddrill.com/ Alan taught me, and I was able to get a coal pretty quickly. (he can do it in 5 seconds! It's amazing to watch.)
I enjoy discussing friction fire because it was what I always wanted to learn when I first started practicing survival skills, but couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do it!
 
Pict,

As I don't master the hand drill very well, I rely on the ow drill. From just a blade (assuming no cord), it's counted in HOURS. Making the cord from vegetal fibers is long and the cord is not very resistant to torsion and friction... which means it breaks sometimes and you have to start it all over (add close to two hours...).

If you've got cord, you still need about an hour, depending how long you need to be looking for the right wood.

With a pre-assembled set (fire bow, drill and handle), you just gather the tinder (juniper bark, as many other barks, is great), pump the drill less than a minute, and blow the ember to flame.

As tknife puts it, the greatest thing with the hand drill is that it's quicly put together. You save a lot of time there.

So... bottom line : when I want to impress the chicks, I get the bow drill out. When I need a fire, reliable quick, I pull a cotton ball out of the film vial and scratch the ferro-cerium rod.

Cheers,

David
 
I don't knock primitive skills for anything. I want to learn as much as I can about them. I jsut don't ever want to be forced to depend upon them, especially when a few matches in a PSK can resolve my problem in minutes.

To me this is the parting line between pure bushcraft and wilderness survival. Its great to know how to make nature work for you, but its been my observation that nature doesn't produce food, shelter, or fire with any haste. In fact the elements have mocked me on many occasion :grumpy: Mac
 
Bear said:
Tknife:

I'd really, really, enjoy a separate thread from you that outlines your hand drill process from start to flame -- with pictures, of course. Any chance of you giving us such a tutorial?

Bear
Click to expand...

I don't have the web site handy, but if you go to the Tracker Trail web site, they have a fantastic tutorial with pictures of do's and don'ts. Check it out!
 
15 minutes and I usually have a bow drill going using paracord. I like using red maple.

Two ways to overcome weak natural cordage for the bow drill. Quicky cordage is one way. Take the non-scaly bark from 1"+ diameter branch or sapling by scoring it along the stem on one or both sides and peel it off. More or less skin the bark off in a long enough piece. Fold it on itself and you 'may' have cordage strong enough for the bow drill. Knot the ends of the quicky cordage and split the end of the bow slightly to hold if you can't tie it. Not the easiest thing to do because the bark is not as limp as other cordage or consistent in strength.

The other way to compensate is the Egyptian bow drill :D . Wrap the spindle several times versus once under tension. With the reduced tension you can use weaker cordage, natural or not. This method will spoil you if you learned the tension method first.

I am not comfortable with the handrill yet. I always carry a piece of paracord long enough for the bowdrill on my keyring with my Bitterroot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top