handdrill technique question

[forrestdweller]

bow drill fire starting is absolutely no deal for me, but sadly i'm struggling with the hand drill (i DID have success with hibiscus tiliaceus in northern Australia and limited success with cacao over here) . my main problem is that my hands get too hot no matter what i try and i end up with blisters ca. 1inch below my middle fingers despite having calluses on both hands.... .
is there a trick to avoid this problem?! i doubt those folks who do it on TV or youtube have tougher hands...

no idea if that's true, but recently someone told me the San used to hold the hot drill on the "soft spots" on the hand to toughen them up...

 

[stonepark]

Longer drill helps as the heat is spread over the length as you drill and hands move down the drill.

 

[Limaed]

Try spitting on your hands so you get more friction and open your hands at the top so the fleshy lower part of your palm is the only bit in contact with the drill.

 

[forrestdweller]

sorry for my late reply as our internet is in "mañana" mode lately....

my drills are about as long as my arm (=from armpit to tip of my hands) when i start; i already spit on my hands to reduce blisters.... .part of the problem might be our obscene tropical humidity....

 

[John Fenna]

I use thumb loops of cord so my hands do not travel down the spindle and allows the (minor) change of contact area as the hands get sore.

 

[Foogs]

I use thumb loops of cord so my hands do not travel down the spindle and allows the (minor) change of contact area as the hands get sore.

Is this this technique demo'd anywhere, John?

 

[John Fenna]

I do not know ... I just tie a bit of cord to the top of the drill - with a clove hitch - and have a loop on each end that dangle down at equal length. "Prayer hands" on the drill as per usual but with thumbs in the loops giving the downward pressure .....

 

[Buckshot]

I will sometimes use the string method as well. Similar to John, clove hitch at the top with string hanging down 4-6 inches either side.
This is a quick google search result with a similar set up

 

[Foogs]

Thanks both for the above.

In reply to OP, we were taught hand drill on the Frontier course I did last summer. The biggest piece of advice they gave was to start very gently and not try to get smoke on your first attempt. Instead, practice over the course of the week to build up technique and some hardiness in your hands.

Advice which I completely disregarded and consequently destroyed my hands on day 1.
Slow and steady was the winner.

I think they also advocated favouring the 'blade edge' of your palms which might be worth trying.

 

[forrestdweller]

I use thumb loops of cord so my hands do not travel down the spindle and allows the (minor) change of contact area as the hands get sore.

i shall give this one a try -- i guess any type of cord will do...

 

[John Fenna]

I have used everything from nettle cord to paracord with equal success/failure

 

[Buckshot]

i shall give this one a try -- i guess any type of cord will do...

Yes, there's little strain going through it so anything will do.
I have some thin parcel string that I use

 

[Pattree]

Just trying to envisage this.
So the string twists around the drill as you work?

 

[Buckshot]

Yes, but the drill only rotates once or twice because it's limited by the length of your hand.
The string twisting doesn't impede much/at all.

 

[Kepis]

Have you tried the floating hands technique?

Gives minimum pressure on your hands to get things going and then only max pressure on your hands for a short period of time, i used to use it to warm up the set then when i saw wisps of smoke, three or four passes using the traditional start at the top and work down the drill to add downward pressure and get the ember worked for me, if you can nail the method you don't even need to do the working down the drill bit as it can all be done with the floating hands.

 

[Buckshot]

Floating hands definitely can work well.

I find it takes a bit to get my head around fingers facing up or down and which hand moves forward and which back!
Once sorted though i agree it is a good technique to know.
It is a bit more complicated and so for someone just learning hand drill is something else to think about.
For that reason the string technique can work well as it separates downward pressure to rotation.

 

[forrestdweller]

no ember, yet (my guess is humidity and wrong wood -- i'm drying a new set of cacao) but no more blisters