I am in the French Alps. I have 2 choices to practice my bow drills. Pine and birch. Pine is easy.
I have used birch many times in the past but it has mostly been with seasoned/dry wood.
The problem I am having now, is trying to make a bow drill outside, on the spot.
In a forest of birch you have the tree tunk which is silver and then you have the smaller branches
which are dark brown.
This is all green wood which does not work without drying.
As far as I know, dead birch does not season, it rots inside its bark. Punk wood.
So my question - when in a birch forest, how do find wood for a bow drill? To be used on the spot.
Dead standing does not seem to exist. Only green or rotting.
I have used birch many times in the past but it has mostly been with seasoned/dry wood.
The problem I am having now, is trying to make a bow drill outside, on the spot.
In a forest of birch you have the tree tunk which is silver and then you have the smaller branches
which are dark brown.
This is all green wood which does not work without drying.
As far as I know, dead birch does not season, it rots inside its bark. Punk wood.
So my question - when in a birch forest, how do find wood for a bow drill? To be used on the spot.
Dead standing does not seem to exist. Only green or rotting.