My very first bow drill fire

[CedrikG]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share my very, very first bow drill fire success.

When I began to have an interess in friction fire, I was not watching ANY video on youtube, and not reading any book ... I watched the Tom hanks movie on the island and tought hey its cool I will try that tomorrow. I started at ... ZERO. I remember the first weeks, I was using wood that was simply impossible to work lol.

My technique was miserable ... learned from my mistake, I really never had any information from no one ... After 3 month of trying every ... single ... day ... I succeed. I am a very calm person, not showing much my emotion most of the time... This time I was screaming as hard as I could, hands up ... with the biggest butterfly I had in my life. I been screaming for ... 2 or 3 min. ... these butterfly were just not controllable.
I did'nt know, but this moment was going to change my life. My girl friend who was not to far away with the horse, really ... TIRED of me with my stupid friction fire, took a quick blurry picture without zoom. That said, that picture is the best picture I possess, of one of the best moment of my life
Just wanted to share
that was earlier that day ... as you can see, I was very frustrated... After failing hundred of time in a row, and after 2 hours of bowing that day.

And the magic moment, Then after I began to understand the physic of friction fire but it took me a year or so of practice every week to really understand.

Since then I never, ever stopped ... I began completely addicted ... I beleive in 4 years there was not a single week I did'nt made 2 or 3 friction fire a week.

 

[Ash Blue]

That's awesome, you have a natural passion and dedication!

 

[Niels]

I bet your dogs were looking at you like you where a total nut! I remember my first time my brother was inside on his laptop, from where he was promptly dragged to the shed to behold my beautiful ember Thank you for sharing this story

 

[Graywolf]

Well done,thanks for sharing,

 

[Davidn]

Just got back from a walk with the dog and ANOTHER attempt, lots of smoke no ember!

I will get there eventually!

 

[addo]

Great stuff Cedrik, I was the same.
Still thinking of my failures when climbing the top of a tall Poplar dead wooding as part of a job I was on, I thought I'd save a bit to take home as I had heard it was good. Good it was and that afternoon soon as I got home fire was made. Nice to remember those times when failing at other skills.

 

[TheNative]

It took me a good while to get my first bow drill ember and remember getting very frustrated at times but when I finally did it for the first time it was an amazing feeling.. out of this world! Hadn't done bow drill for a while but got back into it the other day so been collecting some new spindles.

Bill

 

[Elen Sentier]

That's wonderful ... and the next thing I'd like to get to do. Thanks for the inspiration

 

[redneck]

Congratulations, very well done