Fire bow drill kit

[johnboe522]

Hi all,

I am making my fire bow drill set, I have lit fire by this method before but it was at a bushcraft school, I have a sycamore hearth board and was just wondering what to use for the drill, I am thinking hazel but if anyone knows of a better wood then I would be open to use it, just after your thoughts really, I am new here so sorry if this post is in the forum else were but I could not find it!

Cheers and answers on a post card!!

 

[Kepis]

Use Sycamore for the drill, Sycamore on Sycamore, ive found is one of the easiest sets going

 

[mace242]

Kepis is right. Sycamore on Sycamore is good. What I'd suggest is gathering up a few different woods and gauging their hardness by pressing your thumb nail in and making sure that your drill is harder than the base (not too hard mind) or the same then trying. I'd try the following on the sycamore base; sycamore, hazel, and ivy. I have had good success with all of these. I find the easiest, but quickest wearing, is ivy on ivy.

Good luck.

 

[JulesC]

For my two pennorth I'd add willow to the list but all the above work too - one thing about technique - I've spent many an hour turning myself into a puddle of spittle, sweat and lactic acid in pursuit of fire - actually slower & steadier (ok still quite exhausting) is far better - more coal is better than too little. As I say only my two pennorth but it works for me - oh yes rigid bow too!

 

[mace242]

All really great advice for sure. I am all slow and steady until I can tell an ember is starting to form then a bit of really fast vroom with slightly less pressure on the bearing block. One thing that really helped me is learning to use your bow hand on the string and bow at the same time to adjust the tension on the string as you bow.

 

[johnboe522]

Cheers gents will be testing it out soon so we update as i go

 

[johnboe522]

Well as promised went out today and lit fire twice using a bow set, in the end I used some old pine in the shed just to get the feel of things it worked after a bit of faf, so all in all a good day, think the pine was a old broom handle!!