"In the Field" Bowdrill

[Longstrider]

Cracked it ! Had a lovely day out yesterday with SWMBO wandering around the Brecks north of Thetford. As usual I took my 1 pint Kelly Kettle for a brew to go with lunch, and while we were stopped I noticed some dead ivy on a tree close by. Right next to it was a hazel with a couple of dry, dead rods......

A small ash branch served to provide both the bow and the bearing (lubricated with holly leaves) and a short length of paracord from my pack made the set. I soon found that the ivy was not as dry as I had hoped but I managed an ember in about a minute once I had burned the drill in and cut the notch. Then again... and again. The cuppa that I brewed from fire made from that coal tasted sooooo much better than it would had I used a ferro rod!

I had only ever managed to make a good useable coal from a bow drill set gathered then-and-there once before, and that cost me about 2 pints of sweat. My normal kit is carefully dried at home ready for use and I can manage with that pretty easily these days, but this "in the field" set worked every bit as well as my home dried stuff. Well pleased !

 

[jon r]

congratulations! May you have many more happy bow drilling days! To think that you can go out into the woods with only a knife and a length of string and be able to make fire is a good feeling inst it!

Jon

 

[rich59]

It's a great feeling. Well done.

I usually carry a spare shoe lace with that exact hope of being able to get together a working set. I havn't achieved it yet though.

 

[BobFromHolland]

GREAT STUFF!

congrats, I'm well impressed.

I haven't tried it yet 'in the bush', but I can sure imagine the taste.

Just like the tea I brewed last saturday in the zebra billy can I got for my birthday a week ago. Couldn't get better.

enjoy it!

Bob

 

[Silverback]

Nice one Longstrider - I did the same thing the other day with some dead sycamore for hearth and drill and hazel for the bow. It doesn't seem to matter how many times you 'do it' it still feels as good every time - there are comparisons but this is a family forum

 

[Stew]

It's something I've managed a few times now - usually because I forget a pre-made set.

My next challenge is to make the cord 'in the field'. I've seen a fallen tree with inner bark that looks to be in a suitable state. I'm just waiting for the time to commit to it.