Hi guys,
Title says it all. I went out in the "woods" around the house and made a bow drill fire from scratch. No knife, no cordage.
Hope you enjoy.
Comments, tips, questions?
Made a primitive bow drill fire
- Thread starter BBC077
- Start date
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Hi guys,
Title says it all. I went out in the "woods" around the house and made a bow drill fire from scratch. No knife, no cordage.
Hope you enjoy.
Comments, tips, questions?
@BBC077
That was excellent
It really was.
The best ten minutes sit down and watch in ages. A pleasure to watch.
I've subscribed
I keep saying we don't talk enough about stones, and you used stones I like the idea of splitting the water rounded one like that.
I think I'll be having a play in the garden when the rain goes off for a bit.
I use a short curved firebow and it works, and works well, and you used a short curved firebow and it worked really well. I could even sympathise/empathise as you breathed to get back to enough air to blow up the coal to flame, and it flamed
I clapped when it did, so very pleased to see it all work well, from first principle, no tools other than the ones you made
I admit I use my teeth to nip off ends of cordage (got caught by my Dentist doing it and got yelled at in public for doing so :blush: but teeth are handy tools too, and we've been using them for an awful long time for such tasks)
I reckon Goat Willow is so called because it tastes sweeter than any of the others. I think the goats are picking the choice one
Your willow cordage worked soundly too, but, okay, this is the tradional fibres archaeologist/scientist coming out (I peered down microscopes for this at lots of different fibres and cordages) plaiting fibres creates micro fractures as the cordage is worked, the 'bights' at the edges wear. The stresses on the fibres are unevenly distributed. When we make a cord or thread or rope that is spun and laid, twisted and plyed, the fibres are gently twisted but that twist is supported by the rest of the cordage, and in effect it makes it stronger than plaiting does, even though twisting as you go, as you did, is a good technique to use.
Your plaited willow worked well, and it grips the spindle soundly too, but I know that if you roll and ply it, it's less likely to fray it'll last an awful lot longer.
Excellent thread, much chuffed to see it, I hope you're inspired to do more like it
atb,
Toddy
That was excellent
It really was.The best ten minutes sit down and watch in ages. A pleasure to watch.
I've subscribed
I keep saying we don't talk enough about stones, and you used stones
I like the idea of splitting the water rounded one like that. I think I'll be having a play in the garden when the rain goes off for a bit.
I use a short curved firebow and it works, and works well, and you used a short curved firebow
and it worked really well. I could even sympathise/empathise as you breathed to get back to enough air to blow up the coal to flame, and it flamed I clapped when it did, so very pleased to see it all work well, from first principle, no tools other than the ones you made
I admit I use my teeth to nip off ends of cordage (got caught by my Dentist doing it and got yelled at in public for doing so :blush: but teeth are handy tools too, and we've been using them for an awful long time for such tasks)
I reckon Goat Willow is so called because it tastes sweeter than any of the others. I think the goats are picking the choice one
Your willow cordage worked soundly too, but, okay, this is the tradional fibres archaeologist/scientist coming out (I peered down microscopes for this at lots of different fibres and cordages) plaiting fibres creates micro fractures as the cordage is worked, the 'bights' at the edges wear. The stresses on the fibres are unevenly distributed. When we make a cord or thread or rope that is spun and laid, twisted and plyed, the fibres are gently twisted but that twist is supported by the rest of the cordage, and in effect it makes it stronger than plaiting does, even though twisting as you go, as you did, is a good technique to use.
Your plaited willow worked well, and it grips the spindle soundly too, but I know that if you roll and ply it, it's less likely to fray it'll last an awful lot longer.
Excellent thread, much chuffed to see it, I hope you're inspired to do more like it
atb,
Toddy
@BBC077
That was excellent
The best ten minutes sit down and watch in ages. A pleasure to watch.
I've subscribed
I keep saying we don't talk enough about stones, and you used stones
I think I'll be having a play in the garden when the rain goes off for a bit.
I use a short curved firebow and it works, and works well, and you used a short curved firebow
I clapped when it did, so very pleased to see it all work well, from first principle, no tools other than the ones you made
I admit I use my teeth to nip off ends of cordage (got caught by my Dentist doing it and got yelled at in public for doing so :blush: but teeth are handy tools too, and we've been using them for an awful long time for such tasks)
I reckon Goat Willow is so called because it tastes sweeter than any of the others. I think the goats are picking the choice one
Your willow cordage worked soundly too, but, okay, this is the tradional fibres archaeologist/scientist coming out (I peered down microscopes for this at lots of different fibres and cordages) plaiting fibres creates micro fractures as the cordage is worked, the 'bights' at the edges wear. The stresses on the fibres are unevenly distributed. When we make a cord or thread or rope that is spun and laid, twisted and plyed, the fibres are gently twisted but that twist is supported by the rest of the cordage, and in effect it makes it stronger than plaiting does, even though twisting as you go, as you did, is a good technique to use.
Your plaited willow worked well, and it grips the spindle soundly too, but I know that if you roll and ply it, it's less likely to fray it'll last an awful lot longer.
Excellent thread, much chuffed to see it, I hope you're inspired to do more like it
atb,
Toddy
Thanks man! Glad you liked it.
I have experimented with all kinds of twisted cordage. In this case I went with a plaited cord for two reasons:
1. The time it takes to make a long enough piece.
2. The way it grips the spindle (I don't like to wrap the string around my hand).
Before, I have used either a reverse twist (too long to make), a double (so 4 ply) ply finger twisted cordage or simply one strip of bark rolled tightly.
I decided to try the braiding method after seeing the success NW primate has had with it (If you haven't yet, go check out his Youtube channel, realy good!).
I will reinvestigate after your analysis! Thank you very much.
Did you see the thread reply that John Fenna made a couple of days ago ? the one on cordage for a snare if out and about and none to hand. I'll find a link.
You're right that the plaiting does grip the spindle, but I think cord grip is a lot to do with tension too.
Hey, no complaints, it obviously worked just that I know the cord lasts when twisted and plyed. It lasts longer and it flexes differently.
Plaiting does make a really good flat strap though for carrying stuff.
You're right that the plaiting does grip the spindle, but I think cord grip is a lot to do with tension too.
Hey, no complaints, it obviously worked
just that I know the cord lasts when twisted and plyed. It lasts longer and it flexes differently. Plaiting does make a really good flat strap though for carrying stuff.
Did you see the thread reply that John Fenna made a couple of days ago ? the one on cordage for a snare if out and about and none to hand. I'll find a link.
You're right that the plaiting does grip the spindle, but I think cord grip is a lot to do with tension too.
Hey, no complaints, it obviously worked
Plaiting does make a really good flat strap though for carrying stuff.
I just checked it out, thanks. Twining has been an obsession in the past. I have thighrolled a lot. Together with spinning on a spindle it’s the only method for producing substantial amounts of cordage.
Ah, well yes, but...I demonstrated this stuff for weeks on end at the Crannog Centre over a couple of years. Fun place to work Anyhow, it's easier to explain how a cord or rope is made by twisting it by hand right there in front of people. It doesn't confuse, it's simple, it's easily understood. So, folks like me, we get good at it, and lengths just kind of grow.
I've made enough to make a kishie from rushes, 60 fathoms...360 feet, or 110m, and I make enough to make nets and baskets too.
It's a kind of knack. It's easier to bring in new lengths almost invisibly when using stuff like nettles, brambles, willow bast or even reeds.
I spin on spindle, distaff and wheel, but that's single strand, showing folks it plying up by hand and looking like rope kind of changes the game for them. It can even be done three ply that way, it's just a kind of extra twist.
Somewhere there's a thread on a basket I made using old iris leaves. I don't want to hi-jack your excellent thread. I know I got Son2 to take some photos of the process.
Anyhow, it's easier to explain how a cord or rope is made by twisting it by hand right there in front of people. It doesn't confuse, it's simple, it's easily understood. So, folks like me, we get good at it, and lengths just kind of grow.I've made enough to make a kishie from rushes, 60 fathoms...360 feet, or 110m, and I make enough to make nets and baskets too.
It's a kind of knack. It's easier to bring in new lengths almost invisibly when using stuff like nettles, brambles, willow bast or even reeds.
I spin on spindle, distaff and wheel, but that's single strand, showing folks it plying up by hand and looking like rope kind of changes the game for them. It can even be done three ply that way, it's just a kind of extra twist.
Somewhere there's a thread on a basket I made using old iris leaves. I don't want to hi-jack your excellent thread. I know I got Son2 to take some photos of the process.
Ah, well yes, but...I demonstrated this stuff for weeks on end at the Crannog Centre over a couple of years. Fun place to work
I've made enough to make a kishie from rushes, 60 fathoms...360 feet, or 110m, and I make enough to make nets and baskets too.
It's a kind of knack. It's easier to bring in new lengths almost invisibly when using stuff like nettles, brambles, willow bast or even reeds.
I spin on spindle, distaff and wheel, but that's single strand, showing folks it plying up by hand and looking like rope kind of changes the game for them. It can even be done three ply that way, it's just a kind of extra twist.
Somewhere there's a thread on a basket I made using old iris leaves. I don't want to hi-jack your excellent thread. I know I got Son2 to take some photos of the process.
Cool, would love to sit down one day and pick your brain. Hi-jack away. Love the info.
I'd would really enjoy chatting to someone who can start from nothing, really start from nothing, and make fire
I've been really lucky and I've met a lot of incredibly capable people, a lot of them I can call friends. I think that's why the bushcrafting world has such an appeal. It's the capability and ability of the people involved, and threads like yours inspire people. It makes it seem possible. Those who've done it know just how much work it is though, but it's good work, if I make myself clear ? and incredibly satisfying somehow.
I think that's why I was so pleased to see John Fenna's post too. It's inspiring, it's informative, it encourages other folks to have a go.
Your thread's another in that vein
I'll find a link to the basket made from cordage. It'll be on the old forum somewhere. We've upgraded a couple of times since then.
M
That was a search !
bushcraftuk.com
Of potential and baskets
I saw the berries on the ivy on the side fence. They'll be ready in a few weeks, and I want them for dye. I'd pruned the Irises not so long ago, and the dried leaves were still lying beside the greenhouse. They looked useful I thought :D I reckoned they had potential. So I made a half a...
bushcraftuk.com
That was a search !
Of potential and baskets
I saw the berries on the ivy on the side fence. They'll be ready in a few weeks, and I want them for dye. I'd pruned the Irises not so long ago, and the dried leaves were still lying beside the greenhouse. They looked useful I thought :D I reckoned they had potential. So I made a half a...
Thanks, enjoyed reading that.
