Hand drill floating no notch

[Rabbit leg]

SPOILER ALERT!
There are no knives for sale in this post. Sorry.


With time on my hands (bad pun) I decided to try some of the harder, more awkward ways of getting an ember.
Split stick, no notch, single hole, double hole and a few others. I couldn't find much use for them, other than having a bit of fun.
Since lockdown, I managed 74 embers and a lot more failures. I only used a notch when I wanted to confirm if a drill/hearth
combo would work.
20200510_122305 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The two hole, ring of fire, was my favourite. The ember doesn't form like this, but a light bit of fanning helps it spread round
like a fuse.

20200424_142315 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The single hole method results in the drill tip glowing. This is quite useful as drill can glow for a few minutes.
Sometimes the glowing drill tip would fall off and remain in the hole.
Otherwise, the other methods need to have the ember transferred with an extender such as amadou.
20200513_183402 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
I couldn't get any pictures of a glowing drill in focus. My telephone just wouldn't do it. Got plenty of blurred ones.
Hearths were clematis, green alder, jap red cedar, black poplar, ivy, osier.
Drills were cattail, mullein, elder, teasel, thistle, burdock.
2 hole. Eld on clem-1 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

 

[crosslandkelly]

Great skills.

 

[Broch]

Excellent stuff - hand drill is something I struggle at TBH. You must have hands like leather

 

[punkrockcaveman]

This is awesome. I have achieved one ember with the hand drill, that was willow hearth and cat tail spindle, and it was bloomin hard work. Thanks for posting this, I'll be giving it a go, really like the idea of the two hole method!

 

[Rabbit leg]

20200531_164906 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

Thanks for the replies. I have been trying to get a decent picture of a drill ember. No luck. If I light up the drill, to get it to focus, the glowing red doesn't show, only black.
Attached a photo of an older, blurred picture. Mullein.

 

[punkrockcaveman]

Thanks for the replies. I have been trying to get a decent picture of a drill ember. No luck. If I light up the drill, to get it to focus, the glowing red doesn't show, only black.
Attached a photo of an older, blurred picture. Mullein.

Nice.

Have you tried putting the ember very close to some kind of background? The camera might focus on it then

 

[Bee Outdoors]

SPOILER ALERT!
There are no knives for sale in this post. Sorry.


With time on my hands (bad pun) I decided to try some of the harder, more awkward ways of getting an ember.
Split stick, no notch, single hole, double hole and a few others. I couldn't find much use for them, other than having a bit of fun.
Since lockdown, I managed 74 embers and a lot more failures. I only used a notch when I wanted to confirm if a drill/hearth
combo would work.
20200510_122305 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The two hole, ring of fire, was my favourite. The ember doesn't form like this, but a light bit of fanning helps it spread round
like a fuse.

20200424_142315 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The single hole method results in the drill tip glowing. This is quite useful as drill can glow for a few minutes.
Sometimes the glowing drill tip would fall off and remain in the hole.
Otherwise, the other methods need to have the ember transferred with an extender such as amadou.
20200513_183402 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
I couldn't get any pictures of a glowing drill in focus. My telephone just wouldn't do it. Got plenty of blurred ones.
Hearths were clematis, green alder, jap red cedar, black poplar, ivy, osier.
Drills were cattail, mullein, elder, teasel, thistle, burdock.
2 hole. Eld on clem-1 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

Awesome, I been practicing every time I get a chance, quite pleased with my efforts, in the beginning of lockdown I managed to get three sets ready and been drying for ages. After we get Xmas out the way I’ll be Geri g stuck in to hand drill again.

 

[basurvival]

Hand drill is something ive had success with in the past but need to start doing it again to build up the endurance in my palms

 

[Spirit fish]

SPOILER ALERT!
There are no knives for sale in this post. Sorry.


With time on my hands (bad pun) I decided to try some of the harder, more awkward ways of getting an ember.
Split stick, no notch, single hole, double hole and a few others. I couldn't find much use for them, other than having a bit of fun.
Since lockdown, I managed 74 embers and a lot more failures. I only used a notch when I wanted to confirm if a drill/hearth
combo would work.
20200510_122305 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The two hole, ring of fire, was my favourite. The ember doesn't form like this, but a light bit of fanning helps it spread round
like a fuse.

20200424_142315 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
The single hole method results in the drill tip glowing. This is quite useful as drill can glow for a few minutes.
Sometimes the glowing drill tip would fall off and remain in the hole.
Otherwise, the other methods need to have the ember transferred with an extender such as amadou.
20200513_183402 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr
I couldn't get any pictures of a glowing drill in focus. My telephone just wouldn't do it. Got plenty of blurred ones.
Hearths were clematis, green alder, jap red cedar, black poplar, ivy, osier.
Drills were cattail, mullein, elder, teasel, thistle, burdock.
2 hole. Eld on clem-1 by Hola Siesta, on Flickr

teach me si r I'm a bowdriller but I suck at handrill

 

[Robson Valley]

Please explain the pressure applied in the initial drilling phase and then the pressure applied at the end for the ember. This is a circumpolar skill so the choice of materials is not at all relevant.

I can make carved and fancy bow drills, one a day. I have only ever got an ember one single time. The reason for that success was that I used a powerful 3/8" electric drill as a spinner.

 

[Tony]

excellent stuff, thanks for sharing it

 

[Spirit fish]

Please explain the pressure applied in the initial drilling phase and then the pressure applied at the end for the ember. This is a circumpolar skill so the choice of materials is not at all relevant.

I can make carved and fancy bow drills, one a day. I have only ever got an ember one single time. The reason for that success was that I used a powerful 3/8" electric drill as a spinner.

Your right about choice of materials it's more about the state there in bushcraft is a universal language

 

[JonathanD]

Brillliant. Really interesting pictures.