Ozbow

I have been mucking about with the bow drill recently. It has taken a bit of experimentation but I now have a pretty repeatable method on which to build my experiences.

I have used both willow and poplar for the drill and hearth finding that the willow gives a slightly darker finer tinder powder than the poplar. Today I used a sawn willow board that I had cut up for carving lids for shrink boxes.

The first success I had was at the Beorg-wic medieval encampment over the long weekend. It was a rainy weekend and there was not a lot to do than sit about and whittle. I had the poplar with me for carving but made the bow there from a piece of tea tree. It took me about 1 hour from starting to have fire which I didn't think was to bad for my first success. (I had tried unsuccessfully at home weeks prior - however the experience of failure was also important).

At home it takes me only a few minutes now.

For tinder I am using finely fluffed jute string which catches easily from the bow drill ember. Rice straw is much more stubborn (from one test only).

For me the trick is letting the ember grow before moving the hearth away from the drill powder. This can take a couple of minutes and may need a bit of gentle puffing. You need to be careful not to blow the powder away as you puff and pant after working the bow.

It is hardly proof as I could have used a box of matches, but here is a photo anyway.

Dad showed me this when I was young ,, never could get it to work ,, well done

Thanks Coach. We can always rely on you for a bit of a pat on the back. At least someone loves me.

Steve

Only just noticed this post. well done mate, I'm really impressed. After being home sick for a couple of weeks I got to watch series one and two of survivor man and its got me wanting to try a few fire lighting methods and the bow looks the best one to try, once I've started a fire with one of your fire steels

Well done mate its never as easy as it sounds.I saw a guy on TV the other night use a sought of saw and it looked a bit easier that way will have to try it one day.
Cheers KIM

Kimall, that was Bear Gryllis you were watching. I have never tried the fire saw but it looks a lot harder than the bow drill. I guess in a survival situation it may have advantages over the bow drill as the toughest bit to construct for a bow drill would be the cordage. It needs to be strong and that means taking time to collect the neccessary fibres.

On a tangent - I didn't think much of the wire compass he floated on a leaf. You cannot magnetise steel with STATIC electricity. Moving electricity can magnetise but not static electricity. This is a MYTH that has been perpetuated for decades.

As far as the bow drill goes, since learning the skills I have not used any other method to light a fire. We cook outside a couple of evenings a week, and I have only been using the bow drill. It makes me think that the members of the primitive society did not really need to carry fire in a jar for their next camp. It would be easy enough to carry some dry tinder in your jar and have your friction fire ready in a few minutes when you next make camp.

Steve

Well done Steven J - I'm going to try this sometime - been meaning to for a while. I can make fire from flint and steel (not the modern firesteel method - the OLD method) and while I'm no pro - I'm consistently getting sparks on the charcloth and then flame. The bow n drill is the ultimate challenge ! Nice scandi knife too - big fan of scandi knives. Regards, Charlie.

Cool.

Wow, was that three years ago.

It has probably been that many years since I posted here too.

A lot of water under the bridge since then.

Steve

Where ya been, Steve-o?