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Funnily enough I don’t play any instruments but a flute or penny whistle did occur to me. I’m also aware that giant hogweed can cause skin burns etc, but this dried ‘timber’ looks pretty innocuous. I have been cautious though. Ps I did cut it at two joints (Septum?) and it is solid at one end...

Thanks chaps. I’m torn between the seeing case or tinder pack.

Whilst out looking for bow drilling materials I spotted what I think was last year’s hogweed alongside a railway track. I was actually looking for mullein to try as a spindle, but cut a piece of the hogweed anyway as it looked like an ideal material to make something from. I must admit I never...

Thanks, but if you mean twice around the spindle or drill? It isn’t. It’s only twisted around the drill the one time, although I have seen a couple of videos where the individual does take two turns around the drill.

Thanks. I guess both will work to some extent?

Thank you. I have read and watched an awful lot of articles and videos and there seems to be a fifty fifty split regarding whether the bow should be straight or curved. The bow I used when first getting success is curved, but I chose the one in the video because it had a slight curve at one...

Hi and thank you. It most definitely does slip. I am not sure if that’s because the cord has already begun to deteriorate though? It is always at the very end of the drilling. The whole thing appears to start binding. I can’t make any difference by adding tension to the bow with my hand either...

Thank you. I appreciate the tips.

Yes and I’m afraid I just crashed and burned in that regard. I’ve just got back from a long hike and I stopped half way round to try my luck with the bow drill again. I spent a frustrating couple of hours trying to get an ember but snapped four different cords, one of them being paracord...

Thank you. I am a friction fire lighting novice, but I’ve spent most of my 61 years being involved with nature, and enjoying outdoor stuff. I like to think I’m fairly switched on to conservation and preservation. I like to photograph or film everything from our largest mammals to wildflowers...

I should add that the motive is that I want to experience travelling a fire like people in ancient times would have, as a hands on experience. Much the same as wanting to learn to light fire by friction. It’s not something I would do regularly, if ever again, outside of a survival situation...

Hi and thank you that’s a very kind offer, and it’s very much appreciated, but I have a few billy cans myself that don’t get any use now. I will use one of those. I take your point however you need have no fear on my part. I took three from a fallen tree with about twenty others on it, in a...

That makes sense. Thank you.

Thanks fellas it really is the most rewarding experience I’ve had in a while. If you’re still looking in: I can easily collect king Alfred cakes in my local woodland, and I’ve lit them and seen the way they hold an ember. What I don’t seem able to find information on is how one can carry them...

Yeeeehaaaah! Just lit my first friction fire! Same poplar spindle but with a new hazel hearth board and a hardwood top bearing. Chuffed doesn’t do it justice!! Thank you all for the excellent advice. You made my day!

Ok thank you. That’s reassuring. I think some of the problem is with n the top bearing. I thought it was running freely, but, in the absence of a limpet shell, I tried a cockle shell earlier. It was a massive improvement in the short term, but got hellishly hot. I put a welding glove on to give...

Thank you. I am interested in the “Moot”, but where can I find out what one is? I have seen the ticket dates and prices etc, but don’t really know what a Moot is?

Sorry, I seem to have cocked up the quote thing on those last two replies. They were responses to the last two chaps who posted.

Thank you. Yes I intend collecting lots of different potential materials. I have cut a piece of dead ivy of about 70mm diameter, but most of the stuff I’ve watched or read over the past few weeks seems to point towards materials that have lost their bark? Same with the hazel. I collected some...

Thank you for the advice. I’ve tried the gripping the string thing. It improves it very slightly but doesn’t stop the drill slipping. Right now there is no wind as I’ve been trying it indoors. It’s raining outside. Same for the putting something under it to insulate the hearth boards which I did...