Fire by Friction

One New Years resolution (amongst others) was to make more fire by friction this year, seeing as it feels like it's been too long since I've done it.

This evening I made a hand-drill using a straight piece of hazel and then a 4" piece of Teasel on the end. Hazel board and went for it. Blew out some Christmas cob-webs and got an ember.

:campfire:

Might have another stab in a bit.

I will also be using the traditional flint and steel more often to light my fires this year because I love the primitive connection/feeling I get from it and feel it encourages me to find and use more natural tinders that are available in the environment. I've still been carrying & using a small pieces of charcloth or amadou to get me started.

Did you use a piece of carpet to get the kindling going??? :tongue:

I am with you there. I actually thought about making it my "bushcraft new years resolution" to learn fire by friction :)

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Originally Posted by Roadkillphil

Did you use a piece of carpet to get the kindling going??? :tongue:

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Ha ha ha!!!

I haven't made fire by friction since back when i did it through necessity...you've got me curious now to see if i could still do it.

Another resolution added to the ever growing list! :0)

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Originally Posted by Roadkillphil

Did you use a piece of carpet to get the kindling going??? :tongue:

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The Mrs over-reacted, she's usually used to strange smells coming from my office like smouldering amadou or methane but I was well prepared with fire-proof cast-iron plate to hand and all, just a shame she spooked me and it ended up on the carpet :p no harm done, she was only having a laugh ;)

That's something I should do this year - some fire by friction videos, something I touched on years ago in videos but it's something I'm more knowledgeable on nowadays.

Love it Im trying to make one at the min but I want to make a bow drill :)

Hazel hearth, really?? Thats very interesting Ashley, I was always told to use elder and clematis for hand drill,anything else just didn't cut it..so what other wood combo's do you use, I might actually attempt hand drill if I can get access to the right woods.

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Originally Posted by luresalive

Hazel hearth, really??..

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Yep, I've done it a couple of times with a hazel board, not saying it's the best for it as I'm far more experienced in the bow-drill than I am in the hand-drill.

Going by what I've been taught and experienced; your drill is the most important thing when it comes to the hand-drill, using something that is hollow inside (well has a pith) which you remove from the end your going to drill, minimising the surface area touching/drilling but therefore magnifying the amount of pressure as a result and it's on the outer edge of the drill (so fastest spinning part of the drill)... having that taught to me at the Bushmoot really made me realise the physics to hand-drill!

You have just reminded me of a drill I have had drying for the last two years, must find it again and have a go at friction lighting. After all, that was why I started drying the drill out in the first place!

Hey guys. Here's one for you, try using dried second year Burdock shaft for the hand drill.

You'll be surprised by how good it is.

Ade.

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Originally Posted by AdrianRose

Hey guys. Here's one for you, try using dried second year Burdock shaft for the hand drill.

You'll be surprised by how good it is.

Ade.

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I know what the drills should be,the hearth boards are more of a mystery