Bow Drill competition - timings

[Stew]

Howdo all! It's been a while since I posted!

In a few weeks time, I've got a weekend away with some mates and I was thinking of running a little competition with them. Prize is a wee knife of my construction, but to win they have to make flame with a bow drill in the fastest time.
I think that there's only one there who's ever done it before so he'll probably be excluded and can help teach.

Now, my question for you lot is, what sort of bonus times should I award? I will be taking enough bow drill sets/dried wood for use but I was thinking if they make there own bow & bearing block they could get a 5 sec bonus, gather their own spindle & hearth a 10 sec bonus, own tinder bundle a 5 sec bonus.

What do you think? Are those reasonable times? To harsh, too generous?

 

[8thsinner]

I would say if none of them have done it before then 5 seconds isn't going to make a lot of difference. Using their own wood again I would say is irelevant, unless they do have experience they may well just end up with wood that doesn't work and wouldn't work.

I can understand the need to make a challenge more easily attainable though. Lets face it though, the very idea to most people of making fire by friction is an almost inhuman feat of primitive aboriginal skills...etc.

I would allow bonuses for the guy who realises his spindle is spinning wonky, and is able to correct the fault without help, or other such intuitive meaures.

I can't suggest any more than that. sorry

 

[littlewolf]

Why not keep it simple? - First to make a fire wins!

 

[Seoras]

Hi Stew

I always love a Bowdrill competition. I think though you will have to set a level playing field. Either they all use your sets or they all have to make their own sets. I have seen too many teddies been thrown out of their prams in bowdrill competitions.

If time is short just use your own sets. Also if they have not done bowdrill before making up sets is a whole new ball game.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Cheers

George

 

[Ivan]

I ran a bow drill competitions for a group of anthropology students. They went one at a time and got equal coaching. No timing. Everyone that successfully did it got to keep their drill and hearth set as a prize.