Normark, I think we all agree it would be nice to know everything survival realated.
However, you should have a back up to your bow-drill, right? You should have a flint, fero-rod, matches tinder, whatever?? right?
Knowing how, doesn't exclude any of us from relying on other methods.
Nor should it exclude anyone who doesn't happen to know, or be proficient at it.
When one's life is dependant on it, there are no second chances.
For me the bow drill would be my dead-last choice, before keeling over from hypothermia. Why? Because it is the least likely method by which I can produce fire. It also happens to be one of the least likely methods in the world of producing fire.
In a survival situation the important thing is get a fire lit as quickly and efficiently as possible. By whatever means. They say that approximatly 500 people in North America can consistantly light a fire using a Bow&Drill.
I am all for carrying primitive ways through future generations, but it doesn't mean we should only be reliant on them, just as we shouldn't be totally reliant on a lighter.
Knowing and not knowing a primitive firemaking skill has no bearing on the decision to carry man-made tinder. I guess what I'm trying to say is the prudent person is going to care for items like tinder because their life can hang in the balance.
No one disagreed that it would nice to know more skills and have more knowledge, what we were discussing is that any of that gained knowledge or skill shouldn't preclude us from being prepared, whether that be carrying a lighter, man-made tinder, matches or whatever.
It's not a mutually exclusive choice. We can know how to make fire by rubbing two sticks together, but it doesn't preclude us from carrying man-made tinder. We are allowed to be prepared with man-made tinder, in this case, despite our knowledge & skill level.
Coyote said it best, overconfidence kills.
This discussion began because I tried, unsuccesfully, to light a fire using natural material in a wet forest. I can light fires all day long when it's dry out, but I would be a fool to only carry my fero-rod with me and expect to always be able to make fire. It only takes one time for it to fail, in order to kill us.
However, you should have a back up to your bow-drill, right? You should have a flint, fero-rod, matches tinder, whatever?? right?
Knowing how, doesn't exclude any of us from relying on other methods.
Nor should it exclude anyone who doesn't happen to know, or be proficient at it.
When one's life is dependant on it, there are no second chances.
For me the bow drill would be my dead-last choice, before keeling over from hypothermia. Why? Because it is the least likely method by which I can produce fire. It also happens to be one of the least likely methods in the world of producing fire.
In a survival situation the important thing is get a fire lit as quickly and efficiently as possible. By whatever means. They say that approximatly 500 people in North America can consistantly light a fire using a Bow&Drill.
I am all for carrying primitive ways through future generations, but it doesn't mean we should only be reliant on them, just as we shouldn't be totally reliant on a lighter.
Knowing and not knowing a primitive firemaking skill has no bearing on the decision to carry man-made tinder. I guess what I'm trying to say is the prudent person is going to care for items like tinder because their life can hang in the balance.
No one disagreed that it would nice to know more skills and have more knowledge, what we were discussing is that any of that gained knowledge or skill shouldn't preclude us from being prepared, whether that be carrying a lighter, man-made tinder, matches or whatever.
It's not a mutually exclusive choice. We can know how to make fire by rubbing two sticks together, but it doesn't preclude us from carrying man-made tinder. We are allowed to be prepared with man-made tinder, in this case, despite our knowledge & skill level.
Coyote said it best, overconfidence kills.
This discussion began because I tried, unsuccesfully, to light a fire using natural material in a wet forest. I can light fires all day long when it's dry out, but I would be a fool to only carry my fero-rod with me and expect to always be able to make fire. It only takes one time for it to fail, in order to kill us.