Fire Starter

[massa]

Hi all, when I am camping, my camping fire always come from me Magnesium Flint Steel Striker Fire Starter, last time I tried to make camping fire by the traditional way using the wood bow and wood fireboard ( fraction) but I fail, my hand get tired , I got smoke but no flames? I want to know why I can’t get fire started with this method?
Any advice?

Thanks

 

[Le Loup]

Keith.

 

[Woody girl]

Hi massa, dont worry, it's hard to use a fire bow.
It's a technique that takes a lot of practice. There are many variables.
Which wood were you using?
Were you pressing down hard enough on the top bearing.?
Did you give up too early?
Is your drill glazing? ie getting all shiny which stops good friction.
Do you have the right stance. You need to be right over the drill to get a good downward pressure .
I'm sure others can give you advice on technique, but it just needs lots of practice. Sometimes you'll get an ember fairly easy, other times it can take ages.
Start slow, as smoke appears speed up until you have a good pile of smoke and dust and then check if you have aglowing ember. Should be good to go from that .

 

[Broch]

Massa, you may be making the mistake that a lot of people starting out with friction fire starting make - you're not expecting flames; you're expecting a small glowing ember that you then coax into a flame by carefully feeding it into a good tinder and gently breathing oxygen onto it.

 

[massa]

Massa, you may be making the mistake that a lot of people starting out with friction fire starting make - you're not expecting flames; you're expecting a small glowing ember that you then coax into a flame by carefully feeding it into a good tinder and gently breathing oxygen onto it.

I will follow your advice for sure , most likely that was my mistake!! I was expecting a small flames come out , because last time I tried good amount of smoke but unfortunately no fire !! But it’s dam hard job fella, my arm and shoulder just drop off

 

[massa]

I don’t know how to upload photos but this my best fried in fire making always with me, never let me down even in wet weather

Flint & Magnesium Firelighter

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www.militarymart.co.uk

 

[Broch]

OK, it really shouldn't be that hard so you need to check your choice of material, sizes, and method against one of the many demos on Youtube - find a reputable tutor, see what you can find under Paul Kirtley for example. Failing that, try and make it to the Summer Bushmoot (hoping we have one) and there'll be a load of people more than happy to go through it with you.

 

[TeeDee]

Are you cutting a notch out of the Hole you are burning so that the embers have somewhere to collect? You don't want a complete circle but a notch taken out so that the material you are heating and burning out has somewhere to collect coalesce into a little mound of ember.

 

[Broch]

Here you go:

Succeed with Bow Drill! (paulkirtley.co.uk)

 

[massa]

Are you cutting a notch out of the Hole you are burning so that the embers have somewhere to collect? You don't want a complete circle but a notch taken out so that the material you are heating and burning out has somewhere to collect coalesce into a little mound of ember.

Yes I do the V notch at the woodboard, I am guessing to change the wood type and study the YouTube videos well before I will start my attempt ...

 

[massa]

Here you go:

Succeed with Bow Drill! (paulkirtley.co.uk)

Thanks fella .... a lot of good practice in this link.... cheers .... that make me feel still a lot to learn !

 

[Broch]

Thanks fella .... a lot of good practice in this link.... cheers .... that make me feel still a lot to learn !

All of us still have a lot to learn ... It's never ending

 

[henchy3rd]

Embarrassingly I’ve failed at this every time too.
32 years & still trying.. I’m a very patient man
this year I SHALL succeed & become complete

 

[massa]

I study a lot of YouTube videos, how to start fire using the traditional wood board and bow with full of confidence today I went out in my garden, and I tried for more than 5 hours without any success!!!! after all that time I spend in studying !!! I FAIL again,!!! I Fail measurably ,

 

[TeeDee]

I study a lot of YouTube videos, how to start fire using the traditional wood board and bow with full of confidence today I went out in my garden, and I tried for more than 5 hours without any success!!!! after all that time I spend in studying !!! I FAIL again,!!! I Fail measurably ,

5 hours??

I think what would be best is if you can video yourself ( or at least your technique ) and upload it for people to suggest some constructive feedback.

 

[Broch]

Did you get smoke? Once you've got a reasonable powder base and smoke starts, give it welly for a short burst, then stop. If an ember has formed it should now smoke without you bowing. Don't rush the next stage; if you've got an ember is should stay without fussing over it. When you're starting, cheat, have a bundle of cotton wool as your tinder. Carefully transfer the smoking ember and the powder pile to the cotton wool (trying not to separate it). Very, very gently, encourage the ember with very light blows of air - in cotton wool that should be enough and you should get a flame.

What woods are you using? I'm embarrassed to admit that I have never ever succeeded in getting a decent ember with hazel as a drill for example. I know other people have, but I haven't. The thing is hazel is quite attractive to try and use as a drill because it produces nice round stems - but it is notoriously difficult.

My favourite 'go to' wood for the drill is elder, yet other people dislike it! My point being, be prepared to try different combinations; you'll find one that works then there'll be no stopping you.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

Broch, how do you get around the issue of elder being hollow inside, when using it as a drill? Or perhaps it just isn't an issue? And what do you use as hearth board out of preference?

 

[Broch]

Broch, how do you get around the issue of elder being hollow inside, when using it as a drill? Or perhaps it just isn't an issue? And what do you use as hearth board out of preference?

As long as it's dry it's not an issue; it may even be possible the dry pith helps create an ember, I don't know. It's the outer part of the drill that creates the heat (spinning fastest) so I don't think the missing centre matters.

I've had success with elder on elder, elder on sycamore and elder on ash.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

It's the outer part of the drill that creates the hea

That makes sense. I'll give elder a go. I tried an ash spindle when I first started on the bow drill but found it too hard, it just polished. I moved onto sycamore drill on birch hearth, taken from the stock of seasoned birch for the stove. But I find that birch formed very coarse dust and rarely gets to temperature. I gave up for a while but clearly need to try new woods.
Massa I do share your frustrations, you're certainly not alone in your bow drill struggles.