RC-4S & An Experimental Fireboard

[Mistwalker]

This is part of a post I did in the W&SS section but I thought this part should go over here as well.

After recent experiments with the fire bow I had another idea I wanted to try. I also played around with the Shrike a little more trying it out on things it was never intended for.

Then I got the RC-4 out for some cutting and whittling and whittled out the spindle form one of the split pieces.

I split the flat plank I made in half and then cut some bevels into the split sides.

put back together it looked like this.

 

[Mistwalker]

Then I used the serrated edge of the RC-4 to cut four notches in the outside edges of the split board, two on each side, for the string I am going to tie it together with.

Like I said it is still an ongoing experiment with an idea. I had to play with the bevels a bit, and didn't get a coal with the first socket, but finally managed to with the second one.

Not the greatest coal, but a coal none the less. So it is encouraging results from today's experiments, I'll play with it more later.

 

[LWLew]

Saw your original post in the other section. Very informative pics and read. Thanks for sharing. :thumbup: I'm sure it was tedious!

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks Lew, yeah the original thread is on fire bow experiments in general...I just thought since this part was done primarily with a RAT knife it would fit in here pretty good .

.

 

[jcl-MD]

Thanks for the post.
RP#141

 

[jimdandy197647]

Thanks for the info, and I a digging that shrike.

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for the info, and I a digging that shrike.

Thanks man,

Yeah, I'm digging the Shrike, but really looking forward to the Kestrel.

 

[Slugger]

I need to get out with my sons and try out the bow drill. That is a neat looking tomahawk, how does she throw?
Slugger

 

[TNdweller]

like that shrike a good bit. keep up the good work

 

[shermdo]

Thanks for posting the photos.

Could you please tell us some details about the hawk?

Thanks

 

[Mistwalker]

The Shrike is sweet. I did a thread on it here...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=703543

.

 

[marsupial22]

Very cool,but what i always used for a bow drill that works great and fast is Yucca stems,the dried dead ones,they char and coal in seconds,try it sometime.The YUCCA grows all over the US although it is a transplanted plant here in the eastern states.

 

[bmktdk]

Thanks for the post.

 

[Mistwalker]

Very cool,but what i always used for a bow drill that works great and fast is Yucca stems,the dried dead ones,they char and coal in seconds,try it sometime.The YUCCA grows all over the US although it is a transplanted plant here in the eastern states.

I hear a lot about the yucca plant but haven't found any to try here yet. But I do plan on collecting some Mullien stalks this year to try in friction fire. Seems like I remember being told about the yucca plant a long time ago when I was a kid living in Texas, I just don't see it around here.

 

[Mistwalker]

I started out today's experiment working more on the split board...

Since Vaughn brought up splitting my energy into two coals I decided to go for one instead. I burned in the socket.

then I split the bevels only on one side, and tied the string between on one end to allow for air.

I didn't really have favorable results the first try, and then realizing how much energy I was putting into something that didn't work as easily for me (still new to the two stick method) as the regular flat board anyway, I had another idea. Looking around at some of the thin flat pieces left from splitting off flat boards I thought... "why couldn't I just stack one board on another to keep it off snow or wet ground?" So...that's what I did next...

The thin piece had a slight bow to it so I turned the bow facing the bottom of the fire board so that when tied tight at both ends it's pulled up tight against the board to catch the coal and help it not move during use. Though there aren't any pics of the process the hearth board was fashioned using the RC-4 to split and and shape, to start the socket, and the serrations to "saw" out the notch. It was also used to whittle the bottom board into shape and a couple of the spindles I used. This is why I am thinking about drilling a bow drill divot in it.

It worked out well like this, but I think mating thicker board
to it for use on snow or wet ground would be more difficult.

You can see the spindles I've worked with over the last little while. The main things I've learned so far are that for using cedar limbs I like 3/4" diameter spindles the best so far, I want to find/make a better cord, I want to make a slightly heavier structured bow.