Bushcraft 101 by Dave Canterbury

Author:Dave Canterbury [Canterbury, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Flint and steel set

FRICTION FIRE (STICKS)

In this section, I will explain the basics of primitive ignition. There are many factors that can make a huge difference in ignition or failure, and most books make it sound much easier than it is. To start, understand that any fire requires heat, fuel, and oxygen to burn. You are aiming to create a coal; you will then transfer this coal to a nest and blow it into a flame. Creating a coal with this method requires a smoldering ember; this means limiting the flow of oxygen within the ember itself. The dust from the friction created between the two sticks is compacted into a small spot with little surface area to promote oxygen flow. Humidity and moisture of the materials are the biggest factors preventing ignition, so depending on the environment, these elements can greatly increase or decrease your success.

The other major factor for creating fire is your materials. You need materials that are fairly soft; they will be used as a board and spindle, so that downward pressure removes small particles of wood easily.

The preferred method for primitive fire-starting in the eastern woodlands is a bow drill. You need four pieces to make a bow drill. The handhold or bearing block is the piece that is the most difficult to manufacture in nature, since this portion of the set is where you want the least amount of friction to occur. This means that the handhold should be of a harder, denser wood than the spindle and hearth board. Any friction within the handhold will reduce the friction achieved on the hearth board, and make operating the set much more difficult and less energy efficient. The spindle portion becomes the “drill bit” that is meant to remove materials from the board to create the dust; the dust is ignited by heat caused by friction and speed. The spindle and the board should generally be made of the same materials. A good rule of thumb is that the material chosen should be made of wood in which your nail can make an impression.

Again, moisture content is the most critical in the two pieces of the set. The fire board or hearth is the bottom piece of the set that will be “drilled into,” where the spindle will create the mound of minute shavings or dust to be ignited. Make the bow from any strong stick; if this stick has a gentle bend, that will help in the long run. It can be green or dead, as long as it is strong enough to hold a tight line or bow string, and is about 3' long.

Once your components are gathered, follow these general rules:

The spindle should be approximately the diameter of your thumb, and the length from your thumb tip to your pinky finger tip with the hand outstretched, or about 9".

The hearth board will need to be two-and-a-half times wider than the spindle, and about 1⁄2" in thickness.

Form will be the other key element

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