Since the fire bow has become an area of rather intense study lately I thought I'd make a good portable bow that I could take along with me that took up little room and was little trouble to carry. I wanted one I could carry like...
well,like this...
For the most part of making the bow and spindle and gathering the tinder the Soldier Knife got a good workout...man I love this thing. The bow is made from a Honeysuckle tree branch, and even the bark works well mixed with some Cedar bark in a tinder nest.
Having been busy for a while, once I started whittling on the bow last night I just drifted off and sort of forgot about the camera and just relaxed for a while. I had been talking to my primitive skills mentor, Rick (Magnussen), about my experiences and results with the fire bow and he had made some suggestions. So making my first attempts at following his advice... When I got through whittling and fiddling it, the new experimental spindle, and the two stick fire board looked like this. The bearing block is made from a piece of Poplar 1x2 I robbed off an old desk. I used the RC-4 to whittle it into a more comfortable shape and to bore out the hole for the spindle. I really love this little knife too.
I only got these pics because a friend stopped by while I was finishing the spindle and asked what I was up to. One thing led to another and he ended up getting a fire starting lesson, hence the house shoes. The deal was that he had to take pics for me to study.
The experimental spindle was a bit interesting at first but worked as advertised.
I've still yet to get two coals with the two stick method. I may be putting a lean on the spindle in the final spins or something I don't know, but all three times it has been the side furthest away from me that coaled.
Even still, it has so far always been enough to get the fire started.
Sorry the pics aren't so great...Rick (not Magnussen) sometimes got caught up watching and forgot to push the button. But...now that he knows what to expect and us having talked about it in depth and all I think he'll do better on the next one.
well,like this...
For the most part of making the bow and spindle and gathering the tinder the Soldier Knife got a good workout...man I love this thing. The bow is made from a Honeysuckle tree branch, and even the bark works well mixed with some Cedar bark in a tinder nest.
Having been busy for a while, once I started whittling on the bow last night I just drifted off and sort of forgot about the camera and just relaxed for a while. I had been talking to my primitive skills mentor, Rick (Magnussen), about my experiences and results with the fire bow and he had made some suggestions. So making my first attempts at following his advice... When I got through whittling and fiddling it, the new experimental spindle, and the two stick fire board looked like this. The bearing block is made from a piece of Poplar 1x2 I robbed off an old desk. I used the RC-4 to whittle it into a more comfortable shape and to bore out the hole for the spindle. I really love this little knife too.
I only got these pics because a friend stopped by while I was finishing the spindle and asked what I was up to. One thing led to another and he ended up getting a fire starting lesson, hence the house shoes. The deal was that he had to take pics for me to study.
The experimental spindle was a bit interesting at first but worked as advertised.
I've still yet to get two coals with the two stick method. I may be putting a lean on the spindle in the final spins or something I don't know, but all three times it has been the side furthest away from me that coaled.
Even still, it has so far always been enough to get the fire started.
Sorry the pics aren't so great...Rick (not Magnussen) sometimes got caught up watching and forgot to push the button. But...now that he knows what to expect and us having talked about it in depth and all I think he'll do better on the next one.
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