Australian Aboriginal Fire Saw

[BOD]

I read some time ago that some Aboriginals used their woomera as a saw to light fires but never saw any pictures till I stumbled on this link.

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/orig/tindale/material_culture.htm

Its interesting how the tinder is kept in place when using the shield as a hearthboard. The only fire saw I have seen is bamboo on bamboo and there’s little problem with the tinder because of the nature of bamboo.

Anyone have other links to pictures of wooden fire saws?

 

[Toddy]

They make it look so easy, don't they? Excellent site too, thanks for the link.

I reckon that only works because all the materials are so dry; I'd have real difficulty keeping enough heat in the coal with that method around here; it'd be excellent if it did work easily though. I can see a lof of folks playing come Summer

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Galemys]

Not exactly wood but I think these are nice pictures of the bamboo fire saw
http://www.bohol.ph/books/nz/nz.htm#d0e8296
scroll down to figures XL and XLI to see a one man and two man version of the fire saw by Philipinean negrito's

I have an internet picture somewhere on my home computer of an australian aboriginal using a spearthrower as fire saw, I'll see if I can dig it up tonight.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[born2roam]

was too mesmerized when I saw them use one to take a picture... Bit of flint at the end to make the first cuts, a lump of resin for emergency repairs... a SAK actually

Sorry I can't provide piccies...

Grtz Johan

 

[BOD]

was too mesmerized when I saw them use one to take a picture... Bit of flint at the end to make the first cuts, a lump of resin for emergency repairs... a SAK actually


Grtz Johan

Err, a bit hard to work out what exactly you are saying.

What did you see mate?

 

[born2roam]

Err, a bit hard to work out what exactly you are saying.

What did you see mate?

Rereading what I wrote I will try to clarify....

I have seen the Aboriginals using their woomera's (spear throwers), both as a spear thrower, and the other purposes it has.

A fire saw (the broad bladed spear throwers)
A "pen knife". There was a sharp blade (rock iirc) glued on the handle with spinifex resin
A "tube of glue"; a big lump of extra resin used to glue speartips etc.

Seeing them use it as a fire saw mesmerized me and I forgot to take a pic..

HTH

Grtz Johan

 

[Galemys]

I´ve found the link to the pictures of an Aboriginal using his woomera as fire saw:
http://www.cuboimages.it/fotoweb/Pr...contains (aborigine))&sorting=ModifiedTimeAsc

http://www.cuboimages.it/fotoweb/Pr...contains (aborigine))&sorting=ModifiedTimeAsc

Cheers,

Tom