Comments on: Starting a Fire with a Bow Drill http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/ se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:18:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Jim http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37801 Jim Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:21:37 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37801 Sucess! My problem was technique, not materials. I used a poplar drill & a cedar fireboard. My board was 1" thick, and I wasn't building a big enough pile of punk. I found that the notch has to be FULL of dust, so that it contacts the hot point of friction in the hole. Also, I found that the coal doesn't look red, because it's covered with more dust. I tipped it into my nest (oakum), and Voila! blowing on it ignited. Sucess! My problem was technique, not materials. I used a poplar drill & a cedar fireboard. My board was 1″ thick, and I wasn’t building a big enough pile of punk. I found that the notch has to be FULL of dust, so that it contacts the hot point of friction in the hole. Also, I found that the coal doesn’t look red, because it’s covered with more dust. I tipped it into my nest (oakum), and Voila! blowing on it ignited.

]]> By: TonyZ http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37532 TonyZ Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:59:54 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37532 I've seen yucca rewild itself all over the place even in the midwest... I like the staghorn sumac for my fire making material. Kind of interesting, their blazing red berries clinging to their branches all winter long... I’ve seen yucca rewild itself all over the place even in the midwest…

I like the staghorn sumac for my fire making material. Kind of interesting, their blazing red berries clinging to their branches all winter long…

]]> By: jhereg http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37514 jhereg Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:22:16 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37514 Heck, I live in central Ohio, but so many suburban homes and surrounding businesses use yucca as a care free ornamental, it's actually pretty common. Heck, I live in central Ohio, but so many suburban homes and surrounding businesses use yucca as a care free ornamental, it’s actually pretty common.

]]> By: Jason Godesky http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37455 Jason Godesky Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:15:33 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37455 These folks are writing mostly from the West Coast. Not so exotic for them. The key, as I understand it, is to get a good, soft wood for the hearth, and a harder wood for the drill. Maple is a good drill, and willow makes a good hearth. Try that, and see what kind of success you have. These folks are writing mostly from the West Coast. Not so exotic for them. The key, as I understand it, is to get a good, soft wood for the hearth, and a harder wood for the drill. Maple is a good drill, and willow makes a good hearth. Try that, and see what kind of success you have.

]]> By: Jim http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37287 Jim Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:05:19 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-37287 Nice job. I need help with this. Every time I try this, I get a lot of black dust, smoke, but NO ember. I'm using an oaken spindle & a cedar hearthboard. I see that everyone who does this uses exotic woods llike Yucca, but I'd rather use woods commonly available in the NE-oak, maple, pine, etc. I got a little closer by using a longer bow, and trying to pull the full length of it with every stroke. Nice job. I need help with this. Every time I try this, I get a lot of black dust, smoke, but NO ember. I’m using an oaken spindle & a cedar hearthboard. I see that everyone who does this uses exotic woods llike Yucca, but I’d rather use woods commonly available in the NE-oak, maple, pine, etc. I got a little closer by using a longer bow, and trying to pull the full length of it with every stroke.

]]> By: Jason Godesky http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-32485 Jason Godesky Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:56:16 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-32485 Welcome to the Anthropik Network, Owen, and thanks for the clarification, and the video itself. Welcome to the Anthropik Network, Owen, and thanks for the clarification, and the video itself.

]]> By: Owen http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-32478 Owen Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:49:50 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-32478 Hello, its interesting to see my videos on this website. I'm honoured :-) Id like to respond to Devin's comment, I do/did know what wood I was useing. I'm not sure what type of wood I was useing in that particular set for the hearthboard, but I do know the rest. I used basswood (American Linden) for the spindle tip and Black Willow for the top end. Black Willow by itself works but its alittle denser. I also use Yucca, cottonwood (branch and root), willow root, sage, and juniper. All of this depends on where I am however. The reason I couldnt identify what the hearthboard is is because it was dead when I found it, and had no real distinguishing features. I assume it may be a type of maple, since theres a few maple sapplings in the area, but I cant be sure because, it had been dead for a spell. -Owen Mitakuye Oyasin Hello, its interesting to see my videos on this website. I’m honoured :-)

Id like to respond to Devin’s comment, I do/did know what wood I was useing. I’m not sure what type of wood I was useing in that particular set for the hearthboard, but I do know the rest.

I used basswood (American Linden) for the spindle tip and Black Willow for the top end. Black Willow by itself works but its alittle denser.

I also use Yucca, cottonwood (branch and root), willow root, sage, and juniper. All of this depends on where I am however.

The reason I couldnt identify what the hearthboard is is because it was dead when I found it, and had no real distinguishing features. I assume it may be a type of maple, since theres a few maple sapplings in the area, but I cant be sure because, it had been dead for a spell.

-Owen
Mitakuye Oyasin

]]> By: RobWindt http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-30030 RobWindt Fri, 17 Nov 2006 07:10:38 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-30030 Why make life harder than it needs to be? http://www.onagocag.com/piston.html Why make life harder than it needs to be?
http://www.onagocag.com/piston.html

]]> By: Jason Godesky http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-29967 Jason Godesky Thu, 16 Nov 2006 16:43:46 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-29967 Well, if you're only planning on beginning that primitivist journey when civilization collapses, I don't think you'll do very well. You need to start now. You can actually get pretty far, even within the context of civilization, and then you can fill in those last details that are currently troublesome once the government is out of your hair. Well, if you’re only planning on beginning that primitivist journey when civilization collapses, I don’t think you’ll do very well. You need to start now. You can actually get pretty far, even within the context of civilization, and then you can fill in those last details that are currently troublesome once the government is out of your hair.

]]> By: venuspluto67 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-29890 venuspluto67 Thu, 16 Nov 2006 05:31:24 +0000 http://anthropik.com/2006/11/starting-a-fire-with-a-bow-drill/#comment-29890 <blockquote>Coming here, I'm realizing that people are a lot more stuck than they realize... </blockquote> Yep, that's exactly why so many of us are resigned to being claimed by the die-off. But as for those who are preparing for the crash in some way, I often wonder whether its people in eco-villages or people planning on going primitive who have the right idea <i>for the short term.</i> Is it really viable for those are planning on surviving civilization to return to the old ways as soon as civilization is on its death bed? What I'm saying is that eco-villages and such set-ups could be a transition point between the end of civilization and a return to the old tribal ways.

Coming here, I’m realizing that people are a lot more stuck than they realize…

Yep, that’s exactly why so many of us are resigned to being claimed by the die-off. But as for those who are preparing for the crash in some way, I often wonder whether its people in eco-villages or people planning on going primitive who have the right idea for the short term. Is it really viable for those are planning on surviving civilization to return to the old ways as soon as civilization is on its death bed? What I’m saying is that eco-villages and such set-ups could be a transition point between the end of civilization and a return to the old tribal ways.

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