Bow drill - Bearing block

[Stu Mac990]

Me and my Mate have been wondering what would make a good hardwearing, longlasting bearing block for the Bow drill, that we would always have in our kit to take with us.
He thought Ebony would be good to use but expencive. I've heard bone is good, but what bone would be best?

Any thoughts on what else would be good?

 

[Buckshot]

A stone works well.
Flint with a natural hollow is good. Then, if all else fails, you've got the ability to create sparks - as long as you have some steel to go with it

Cheers

Mark

 

[MartiniDave]

I think I've seen a fire drill bearing feature on the micarta handle of some custom bushcrafty knives - I think Allen Blade may have been the maker. I expect Hoodoo or Schwert will know.

Dave

 

[Adi007]

Here are a few:

Soapstone, hardwood (no need for it to be too exotic), micarta, flint ...

 

[stevec]

a piece of box wood would be good i'd have thought. seem to recall its one of the few woods that don't float.

 

[jakunen]

A bone insert in wood works very well. Its hard wearing but fairly friction free.

 

[Andy]

I'm trying t get a bit of this greenheart wood for this, the hardest of all hardwoods I've been told

 

[Ed]

A bone insert in wood works very well. Its hard wearing but fairly friction free.

Did you mean an insert in the bearing block or in the top of the drill? ummm.... I've used a drwing pin in the top of the spindle/drill to reduce friction against the bearing block but I'd never thought of making a bone one for it.... I may just have to try ;-)


Ed

 

[jakunen]

A bone insert in wood works very well. Its hard wearing but fairly friction free.

Did you mean an insert in the bearing block or in the top of the drill? ummm.... I've used a drwing pin in the top of the spindle/drill to reduce friction against the bearing block but I'd never thought of making a bone one for it.... I may just have to try ;-)


Ed

Ok, let me elucidate...
The bone socket is inserted into the bearing block. You use a normal spindle. the only troubel is that the bone does ridge the spindle, being harder, so you have to shave the spindle occasionaly.
I got this trick from Gary (sorry if that was your little secret mate) . He put a piece of sheeps knee joint(?) into the bearing block. He has a FANTASTIC fire-bow set. :ekt:

 

[Gary]

No worries Jak - at least you never told them about the magic symbols that bring fire!

And yes a bone socket with a natural depression works well and is pretty much self lubricating. Mine is a Deer's knee joint which I got from a road kill.

Native americans are reported to have used soap stone sockets in there sets - I have some soap stone but as yet havent had time to try this out so I cant say how well it works.

As for ridges on the spindle you will find this happens no matter what material you use.

Best natural material for a bearing block would be any hard wood - beech being a favourite - but you will never find a natural bearing block that will last forever.

 

[jakunen]

Yeah, but i would imagine that the bone, whilst reducing the friction on the spindle would collar it faster?

 

[maddave]

I have a cool bit of seasoned Elm as a bearing block, but if you like beachcombing keep your eyes peeled for a nice polished pebble with a depression in it and Robert's your aunties husband :-D

 

[Gary]

To be honest its so long since I used anything else I cant remember, but common sense dicatates that wood on wood would generally create a even (ish) wear - will wood on bone would wear the wood more than the bone.

However as you saw Jak, a hard wood spindle (that one was BEECH) bearing into a soft wood hearth (Alder) works better than two woods of the same hardness and if the spindle is hard wood that will offer some resiliance too.

At the end of the day its courses for horses I guess.

 

[jakunen]

So that's what my scribbled notes said! Beech and Alder!!
Must have been the smoke

 

[Gary]

Didnt think that was a normal cigerette!

 

[jakunen]

Excuse me! Apart from a couple of menthols on holiday last year I've not smoked for ohmegod 19 years!!!!
Cheeky :***:

 

[ChrisKavanaugh]

http://www.wildernesssurvival/rangerknife.htm This is one survival knife with a divot for the bowdrill. In european archaeology there is the "baton de commandant" a decorated bone with open socket. For years it was thought to be a shaman's magic wand. Today it is recognised as a shaft straightener. Another goofy theory has them part of a prehistoric bridle.

 

[Gary]

That link didnt work Chris but never mind I think I have seen the knife before.

The bone THING also reminds me of a tool which can be used in bow drill fire lighting which makes the whole operation so much easier. Its a secret weapon we us on courses when a student really is struggling to suceseed and I suspect the bone wand may have been used in ceremonial fire lighting rituals where sucess was needed to be garunteed every time.

interesting thought.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Lignum Vitae is the hardest wood, or so I thought, it is also very waxy/oily. The wood has been used for self lubing bearings in clocks and stuff. I wouldn't use ebony since it is a "dry" wood, no natural waxiness. I haven't tried box, but having carved it I reckon it would be at least as good as ebony, possibly better, and a lot easier to get.

A bit of fat goes a long way in a hard wood block. I have used a bit of ash from my fire pile with a bit of lard worked into the socket. It doesn't need extra lard every time, it sort of gets slick.

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I use the cast off section of a moose antler, I sawed off the antler approx. 2" from the base and drilled a 9/16" shallow hole into the sawed face, added grease to the bottom of the newly drilled socket. Voila an extremly hard wearing socket that fit in the palm of my hand.
just a thought