Friction Fire

Discussion in 'Survival and Wilderness Skills' started by R Stowe, Oct 25, 2016.

  1. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Well, I hadn't done a friction fire in over three months (I used to do some sort of friction fire almost daily). Well today it's been raining, was very humid, and I had a headache too boot. But conditions are seldom perfect, so give it a go I did. Guess muscle memory remembered, because got an ember with bow drill the first go. Woot! IMG_5398.JPG
     
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  2. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    First hand drill ember I have achieved since getting done with my hike. This used to be a daily practice for me, so it feels great to have it back (as well as rebuilding those calluses) Materials were Wild sunflower stalk on cottonwood IMG_5509.JPG
     
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  3. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Harvested some dry seep willow today for hand drill IMG_5527.JPG IMG_5529.JPG
     
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  4. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Hand drill coal today. Seep willow on cottonwood IMG_5786.JPG
     
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  5. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    I can almost smell the smoke Caleb!
     
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  6. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    It's good for sure!
     
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  7. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Today's ember....looking kinda ghostly for some reason.... IMG_5814.JPG
     
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  8. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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  9. Mudman

    Mudman Member

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    You gonna start a forest fire with all that coal!
     
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  10. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    No doubt. Been using ever so larger spindles and man do they crank it out!
     
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  11. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Was talking to Mike Lowe (friction fire guru, also on History channel's Alone) yesterday and we touched on hand drill fire making. I realized it had been a while since I practiced, so I busted one out. So here we go, seep willow on cottonwood. IMG_6024.JPG
     
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  12. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Today's daily practice. I honestly couldn't get a hand drill ember at all today. I was going thru different materials, spindle thicknesses, and even body positions. Just about destroyed my hands (thank god for calluses). Anyway, I decided to take a mental break and go do something completely different. Came back a little later and busted this guy out first go. Woot! Wild Sunflower stalk on cottonwood IMG_6110.JPG
     
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  13. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Was windy, but still was able to bust out a bow drill coal. @mntgoat was awesome enough to send me his RB3 to try out along with a cool copper ember catch he made. So both those helped out in tonight's spinning of a coal. IMG_6394.JPG
     
  14. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Another bow drill ember today. I need to go gather some different materials for hand drill though. What I have is technically correct, but the materials aren't mating well to achieve that ember. (I have gotten a couple, but they weren't as easy as they should have been lol). But the bow drill is working just fine! IMG_6403.JPG
     
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  15. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    Busted out a coal on this windy day! Used my new G10 PR4 scales from The Leading Edge Knife Works as the bearing block. Worked most excellent! IMG_6574.JPG
     
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  16. Caleb O

    Caleb O Member

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    New materials, a little playing around, final result. D3E69042-65ED-4EF8-A26C-D6E872EDA296.jpg
     
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  17. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Thanks for posting Caleb.
     
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  18. Mudman

    Mudman Member

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    Nice work Caleb, I really need to get back to hand drills. Been so tied up with things, I can't even make a coal.
     
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  19. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    RB3!!
     
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  20. mtngoat

    mtngoat Member

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    Ok really dumb question, what material do you recommend to start with hand drill. I have always been interested but this is one form of fire lighting I have very little expierence with. Keep in mind for materials I am in the humid south.
     
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