Hello folks - Beginner bow drilling
- Thread starter CPH
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Thanks fellas it really is the most rewarding experience I’ve had in a while.
If you’re still looking in: I can easily collect king Alfred cakes in my local woodland, and I’ve lit them and seen the way they hold an ember. What I don’t seem able to find information on is how one can carry them, whilst lit, between sites?
If you’re still looking in: I can easily collect king Alfred cakes in my local woodland, and I’ve lit them and seen the way they hold an ember. What I don’t seem able to find information on is how one can carry them, whilst lit, between sites?
Without wanting to come over all 'bushcraft police', many people aren't aware King Alfred's cakes are often inhabited by pupating invertebrates trying to live out their lifecycle. In the south and east of England the scarce Platyrhinus resinosus relies on them for food. I know somebody who studies these and she loathes 'bushcraft', having seen a local wood all but stripped by somebody collecting several lifetimes' supply at once, or possibly to sell online.
There are plenty of web articles extolling the virtues of King Arthur's cakes for firelighting, but they never seem to mention good foraging practices, take the minimum you need, never strip an area etc etc. I'll readily admit I've occasionally gathered them but only very occasionally.
And that's the fundamental problem I have with the way 'Bushcraft' is taught and demonstrated in the UK. All introductions to 'Bushcraft' should start with an appreciation of wildlife, ecology, and the environment IMO
Congratulations @CPH! Job done.
……. And don’t concern yourself about a few fungi just get on with it.
@Glow_worm @Broch I absolutely accept your contention about the ecologies and invertebrate occupants of the fungus. I would also discourage OVER foraging - but none of these points are at issue here.
Are you suggesting that no one here should use this fungus? All the big names in bushcraft have done so.
I question what real pressure someone collecting a few King Arthur’s Cakes would place on the population, even the local population, of fungus or occupant.
How many of us inspect our fire wood for its smaller (some of them microscopic) occupants before throwing it onto the fire? (I do look out for woodlice, as best I can quickly do it. Woodlouse is one of my totems but that’s just me).
I’d be interested to discover what percentage of the fungi collected by @CPH are in fact occupied and by what but this it’s a very different thread. Perhaps one of us should open it.
……. And don’t concern yourself about a few fungi just get on with it.
@Glow_worm @Broch I absolutely accept your contention about the ecologies and invertebrate occupants of the fungus. I would also discourage OVER foraging - but none of these points are at issue here.
Are you suggesting that no one here should use this fungus? All the big names in bushcraft have done so.
I question what real pressure someone collecting a few King Arthur’s Cakes would place on the population, even the local population, of fungus or occupant.
How many of us inspect our fire wood for its smaller (some of them microscopic) occupants before throwing it onto the fire? (I do look out for woodlice, as best I can quickly do it. Woodlouse is one of my totems but that’s just me).
I’d be interested to discover what percentage of the fungi collected by @CPH are in fact occupied and by what but this it’s a very different thread. Perhaps one of us should open it.
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No, if you read my post you'll learn that I have used them myself on occasion, and didn't suggest their use was avoided altogether.
My aim was to educate those who are ignorant that they are an important part or a rare inverts' life cycle in some part of the country, hence my gently worded, factual post encouraging responsible foraging. I'd also suggest that some of the 'big names' in bushcraft are partly responsible for the problem mentioned by Broch above- the 'masculine manly man conquer nature' attitide of trashing the very places they are trying to connect to through lack of intererst, learning and study of what really matters.
There are plenty of real scenarios where I know very real damage has been done- often a town has one single wood within walking distance, with a small number of dead ash trees with a small number of the fungi in some of them. It only takes one over-enthusiastic bushcrafter in said town to make a massive impact. Dead wood is a hugely important part of woodland ecosystems. There usually isn't anywhere near enough of it.
Hi and thank you that’s a very kind offer, and it’s very much appreciated, but I have a few billy cans myself that don’t get any use now. I will use one of those.
I take your point however you need have no fear on my part. I took three from a fallen tree with about twenty others on it, in a woods where there are countless other trees laden with them and I’ll probably never collect them again.
Worth mentioning though so thanks.
I should add that the motive is that I want to experience travelling a fire like people in ancient times would have, as a hands on experience. Much the same as wanting to learn to light fire by friction.
It’s not something I would do regularly, if ever again, outside of a survival situation. (The carrying fire that is.)
It’s not something I would do regularly, if ever again, outside of a survival situation. (The carrying fire that is.)
As long as you know what you're doing that's fine. But, most people, including some big names, do not understand the ecology of these things. Ignorance is no excuse. We should start our studies at the ecology end, then learn how to make sensible use of all the materials nature offers us. That's how indigenous peoples do it - but we're in too much of a rush in our world
I got into wilderness skills because I wanted to understand and be closer to nature and enjoy being part of that environment, not because I wanted to cut trees with axes and light big fires.
BTW, none of this is meant as a criticism of @CPH, by all accounts he has taken a sensible and measured approach to this learning process.
Heres,few tips the wood polishing and squeaking on the bearing block is a good thing u can achieve that from lots light drilling and squidging in greenery goosegrass is good for this.The hearthboard polishing is bad though a pinch off dry sand in the hole remedies this 2limpit shells stacked together make a decent bearing block aswell.
Thank you. I am a friction fire lighting novice, but I’ve spent most of my 61 years being involved with nature, and enjoying outdoor stuff. I like to think I’m fairly switched on to conservation and preservation. I like to photograph or film everything from our largest mammals to wildflowers. I’m also a big fan of our birds, and a member of the BTO.As long as you know what you're doing that's fine. But, most people, including some big names, do not understand the ecology of these things. Ignorance is no excuse. We should start our studies at the ecology end, then learn how to make sensible use of all the materials nature offers us. That's how indigenous peoples do it - but we're in too much of a rush in our world
I got into wilderness skills because I wanted to understand and be closer to nature and enjoy being part of that environment, not because I wanted to cut trees with axes and light big fires.
BTW, none of this is meant as a criticism of @CPH, by all accounts he has taken a sensible and measured approach to this learning process.
Having said that I will admit that entomology isn’t my best subject, and in all honesty I would not have known that the dead cramp balls are home to insect larvae, so I’m more than happy to be informed.
Yes and I’m afraid I just crashed and burned in that regard. I’ve just got back from a long hike and I stopped half way round to try my luck with the bow drill again. I spent a frustrating couple of hours trying to get an ember but snapped four different cords, one of them being paracord!
Yesterday I tried videoing the process and again managed to snap the cord. I did manage a good ember and could have lit a fire from it, but I only had the one bundle of dry tinder, so let the ember go out with a view to having another go only to realise I’d left the spare ball of string at home!
I’m not sure what I’m doing to cause the constant breakages??
In the video it appears the string might not be tight enough around the spindle, so that near the end it looked like the bow was moving, but the spindle wasn't. Meaning that you were dragging the cord around the spindle....lots of friction and heat into the string. The bow might also be a bit short which means your strokes tend to be shorter, more direction changes, which tends to be where one gets cord slipping.
Youtube allows you to play your video back at 1/4 speed. It might be something to do with the sampling rate and the speed of the spindle, but it does look like it stands still at times.
Youtube allows you to play your video back at 1/4 speed. It might be something to do with the sampling rate and the speed of the spindle, but it does look like it stands still at times.
In addition to what Chris has said, your bow is not bow shaped. You will find it easier if there is good separation between your bow and the drill at the centre. To achieve that you need a bow stick that is slightly curved (like a strung bow!). That will do two things a) stop the string rubbing on the bow, and b) allow springy tension on the string.
Sorry, I disagree with this. I find a straight stick much superior to a bent one for this.
