Friction Fire

[Scallorn]

I think it's time to revisit the friction fire topic! I've been making fire by friction for years now and it's always an enjoyable experience. If anyone is struggling or has questions about how to make it work, feel free to ask. My favorite method has been the hand drill technique, but i also enjoy making bow and drill kits, fire plows, and fire saws with the giant cane i have around here. However, since I've been forging alot lately, I've made my fair share of fires with flint and steel too. What's your favorite primitive fire starter?

[sleek]

I have used the bamboo fire saw with success. Got a video of it too....

[GlisGlis]

its a while now i'm playing with handdrill
it's quite easy in ideal condition but I find still pretty difficult to make it in the woods, from scratch and with no tools. very low success rate
same for bow drill. not easy at all to make a reliable string for the bow in the wild and primitive style

[Scallorn]

Hand drills are more difficult to make on the spot because the materials have to be just right. And people usually prepare the set in advance. With a bow drill there is some room for variation in the materials, hardness, dryness, ect' because you have more mechanical advantage and you can create more heat than what is necessary. I would recommend carrying paracord or something so you can focus more on getting the correct wood and then worry about natural cordage. That being said, I'm blessed to live in an area with lots of yucca for cordage and spindles

[GlisGlis]

Absolutly dont want to diminish your skills but if you got yucca you probably got also the weather factor on your behalf
a small amount of humidity could be a real pain for handdrill 
do you tried fire saw or fire plow with wood other than cane or bamboo? if yes what are the best in your opinion?

[amateurhour]

I've done the flint and steel, ferro rod, and magnifying glass.

I got a piece of copper tube, caps, lead free solder, a wooden dowel, and some O rings this past weekend and I'm going to make a few fire pistons out of the materials to keep in my pack and give away.

It's the "easy" friction fire but it's a good backup to have.

[sleek]

Love me some fire pistons!

[willie]

Sleek, fiddler was showing his piston the other day, I gotta give that a try.

[Scallorn]

Glis, no doubt i have weather on my side down here in TX! It is definitely not as easy to use a hand drill in wet weather, but i have been able to do it. And yes dried yucca spindles make a world of difference

[Zuma]

I'm all ears, err eyes.
Zuma

[nclonghunter]

I have lots of experience with flint and steel technique but the others I have very little even though I fully understand the process. Having said that, a buddy of mine is quit good with bow drill fire. I saw him start a fire in 14 seconds with real dry eastern cedar board and spindle. I asked him one day to do a test. Start a fire with only what we could collect from nature which included cordage. Long story short, after three hours and two twisted plant cordage and a worn out boot string we made a lot of smoke with two slight embers but no fire. Point is that many gather and prepare their "fire kit" and start fires regularly but thrown into a challenge of making everything when standing on a ridge top it can go south in a hurry. Natural cordage is difficult to make that will stand the friction of a bow drill and it would be of value to know many different cordage materials. I have heard it said that everything needed for a bow fire is found in a poplar tree. My experience is the inner bark is too brittle for it. Yucca works well but is very limited in availability in eastern US. Mostly found where old home sites are located so that can be very limiting for use. What is common and usable in your area? Just a good question to ask and know.

Couple questions for the experienced fire starters; can a piece of river cane be straightened and the nodes smoothed for a hand drill fire starter? Can a small piece of proper wood be inserted into the end and spun to start a fire on a fire board? My thought is to use a rivercane arrow shaft as a spindle fire starter with the wood insert.

I watch the survival shows and see "experts" with the bow drill get on there and fail miserably. I know where to go to get dogbane, yucca, basswood and other plants for cordage. Also I know good fishing holes and places to ambush deer but take me 200 miles from here and drop me into a new forest all that local knowledge is of zero value. I need to know how to identify and locate resources in that area. I believe that is why many survival experts fail. Again, I say I have knowledge of the different techniques and have tried many methods but to feel absolutely confident in the process I have not reached that level. Just some thoughts and questions on friction fire.

[GlisGlis]

I saw him start a fire in 14 seconds with real dry eastern cedar board and spindle. I asked him one day to do a test. Start a fire with only what we could collect from nature which included cordage. Long story short, after three hours and two twisted plant cordage and

that's exaclty my view
I dont see the point on making a kit of very good material collected far away and maybe exotic.
if I can carry such a kit I may well carry a modern lighter.
I want to be able to start a fire with the things I'm able to collect on site but it's not easy
saw drill is difficult because it's difficult to obtain a reliable natural cordage, hand drill and fire saw or fire plow needs a better selections of materials

can a piece of river cane be straightened and the nodes smoothed for a hand drill fire starter?

yes you can but you need fire  to use the heat to straighten

Can a small piece of proper wood be inserted into the end and spun to start a fire on a fire board?

yes definitly!

[Outbackbob48]

Lyman, have had this discussion many times on collecting materials today and starting a fire, can be done but very difficult, a friend of mine made a huge thick string for bow drill from hickory bark striped from live sapling and soaked in water, braided and worked well. Bob

[nclonghunter]

I have a basic plan which could easily need adjustments but the use of rawhide for a bow drill seems to me as the best natural material. If you are able to use or make a deadfall or other means to obtain a possum,raccon,squirrel,groundhog or any small game animal then you will have the rawhide needed for a bow drill. You will also have your first meal that you can cook over a fire. That one kill can provide rawhide for making lashing for tools, bones and bait to further help your situation. A lethal deadfall can be made with only sticks or simple plant cordage. Nothing is fool proof but it is a plan.

[GlisGlis]

I guess that some kind of pump drill could be the ticket to light a fire in the field without previous preparation
It's almost effective as a bow drill but the string will not wear as fast
building the flywheel is more work but not a difficult one (you can just tie one or two big braches to add mass)