Inuit fire drill

[atlatlman]

Over the last couple of years my joints have been playing me up quite a bit, so the last couple of days I have been looking for an alternative friction method. I did the bow drill about eight years ago with no problems but when I did it the other week my elbows and knees really paid for it. I also managed to do the hand drill three times a couple of weeks back, which was really painful to my hands. It took a good week before they were back to normal. Yesterday I came across the Inuit fire drill, so I thought that I would give that a go. I started to make the set first thing this morning and when I had finished I put it to one side as I had to go out. I just tried it indoors for the first time about half an hour ago. I managed to get a coal first time in about fifteen seconds. It's a brilliant little set which is going to be my method of choice from now on. No aches or pains and no breathlessness. I'll put some pics up of my set on Saturday. Here's a vid of someone doing it.

[video=youtube;abfedzg4eVQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abfedzg4eVQ[/video]

 

[Clouston98]

That was amazing! Glad you cracked it!

 

[redneck]

I think my back would give up if I did it that way!!

 

[atlatlman]

That was amazing! Glad you cracked it!

It was easiest way out of all the methods I have tried. It didn't hurt my back as I wasn't in that position for too long. I have seen a vid somewhere of a man using that same set up but he had his set tied to a fallen tree which was nearly chest height.

 

[Baelfore]

That's really interesting. Must give that a bash.

Thanks for sharing

Ste

 

[atlatlman]

That's really interesting. Must give that a bash.

Thanks for sharing

Ste

Round off the bottom of your spindle like you would the bow drill. Also wear some glasses just in case the spindle pops out. My missus suggested putting some toggles on the cord. What would I do without her.

 

[Toddy]

Neat, really, neatly done

But ye gods did I cringe when I saw him cut out the V notch on his thigh :yikes:

Thank you for the link

M

 

[TurboGirl]

I've struggled to get good coals with a bowdrill, my old arms just pack up on me... I'll try that method, perhaps I'll hit the firey grail yet

(With a different carving technique, as Mary rightly points out )

 

[atlatlman]

I've struggled to get good coals with a bowdrill, my old arms just pack up on me... I'll try that method, perhaps I'll hit the firey grail yet

(With a different carving technique, as Mary rightly points out )

My arms are fine after doing it. Just try not to dribble too much while biting down on the little bearing block. I think my stomach thought it was going to get something to eat.

 

[atlatlman]

Neat, really, neatly done

But ye gods did I cringe when I saw him cut out the V notch on his thigh :yikes:

Thank you for the link

M

Hot embers and a cut artery don't mix.

 

[Joonsy]

interesting thanks, especially as i now also suffer with elbows knees and back, (i sometimes think it would easier to say what 'didn't' ache than what did), will give it a bash, a while back somebody on here put a link to an old inuit video and they were using that method of fire-lighting in video. Look forward to seeing your pics

 

[atlatlman]

interesting thanks, especially as i now also suffer with elbows knees and back, (i sometimes think it would easier to say what 'didn't' ache than what did), will give it a bash, a while back somebody on here put a link to an old inuit video and they were using that method of fire-lighting in video. Look forward to seeing your pics

To be honest with you I didn't feel as though I had done anything afterwards. I think if I had another notch cut out I could have moved on to getting another ember.

 

[atlatlman]

interesting thanks, especially as i now also suffer with elbows knees and back, (i sometimes think it would easier to say what 'didn't' ache than what did), will give it a bash, a while back somebody on here put a link to an old inuit video and they were using that method of fire-lighting in video. Look forward to seeing your pics

I like watching documentaries about native peoples. There is so much you can learn from them. I have watched loads over the years. Have you got a link to that Inuit one? Thanks.

 

[spandit]

This would be an easier way of producing an ember with two people. Saves the hassle of making a bow and having the spindle pinging out all the time - thanks for posting!

 

[Joonsy]

I like watching documentaries about native peoples. There is so much you can learn from them. I have watched loads over the years. Have you got a link to that Inuit one? Thanks.

unfortunatley not sorry, some months back someone posted an old inuit video and it showed one of them holding a block in his mouth while drilling to make fire and it catched my attention as i had not seen that before, the video was not specifically about fire-making just the old inuit way of life but the unusual fire-drill method catched my eye, unfortunatley i can't remember the name of video or the member that posted it or even what the thread was about, if it comes back to me i'll let you know and post it up for you.

 

[Joonsy]

PS to last reply -- it MAY have been one of the films on the ''National Film Board of Canada'' site, i stress MAY because it seems to jog my memory but i am really not certain, i seem to remember it was a black and white video like a historical video, either way there are a few inuit films (and others) on that site to watch if you like native peoples films, not much help i know sorry. https://www.nfb.ca/subjects/

 

[atlatlman]

PS to last reply -- it MAY have been one of the films on the ''National Film Board of Canada'' site, i stress MAY because it seems to jog my memory but i am really not certain, i seem to remember it was a black and white video like a historical video, either way there are a few inuit films (and others) on that site to watch if you like native peoples films, not much help i know sorry. https://www.nfb.ca/subjects/

Thanks a lot mate. I'll have a good look today. Just making a case for my new set.

 

[janso]

Neat, really, neatly done

But ye gods did I cringe when I saw him cut out the V notch on his thigh :yikes:

Thank you for the link

M

You're not the only one who cringed!!


Sent from my hidey hole using Tapatalk... sssh!

 

[atlatlman]

I'll put the pics up tomorrow now. Been busy making a case for the set.

 

[atlatlman]

Here's the pics. I made the case from a piece of bamboo left over from another project.

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