Sometime when you grab your Fiddleback...

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
7,440
You need it to carve 6 bow drill kits for students practice - give it a little stropping - and have it shave hair - and look like this:

FiddlebackAreteConvex001.jpg


FiddlebackAreteConvex002.jpg


I have her how I want her now Andy - and love every bit of this knife.

TF
 
I agree with you Tal! I have not made bow drill kits but I absolutely love my Bushcrafter!! I can't wait to go backpacking with it this summer!!!
 
Looks great Tal! Can I ask what wood you are using? I've not found the right combo yet.....
 
For practice - I just go to Home Depot or Lowe's and find the whitest Cedar 1x4 I can. I rip the spindles square and then cut them at about 9 inches. I then cut the hearths at about 20 inches.

Cut a longer convex taper in the top bearing end and a more flat tip on the hearth end.

They are VERY dry and cedar is almost like cheating when you practice.

You wood combo isn't the problem, I would wager, It is your form. I can use a lot of woods that aren't the best - but I have practiced for hours and hours. Locally, for instance, I use Bald Cypress or Mexican Sycamore. They are harder than a perfect wood should be, but can normally bust a coal pretty easily. When I go back to white cedar - it feels almost too easy.

With all of that said - I am talking about very good conditions. The humidity level in Texas is such that unless you have good conditions and at least dry wood - it is not easy at all.

TF
 
Thanks for the information! I'll add white Cedar to my shopping list. What do you use for the bearing block?
 
We have Scrub Oak up the canyon. Might have to try some for my bearing block. :) Nice Video!

A neighbor taught me how to make a Spindle and Hearth board from Sage Brush. My Bow is made from a Juniper Branch. Need to make a Bearing block because the pine one doesn't work so well. I think it smokes more then the Sage hearth board. LOL!! Thinking I should use my new carver when I work more on my friction fire setup. Thanks for the insparation.
 
Thanks for the tips! I'll watch the vid when I can and maybe go buy some cedar as you suggested.

I have a set I made a few years ago but no coal so far. I think the wood came off my sweet gum tree and it may be too hard. I saved some branches I cut from a sumac tree but it may be too soft, pithy on the inside. I don't know for sure, haven't tried it yet. But the cedar is a good idea, thanks!
 
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