While we were on holiday in Aberfeldy, we visited The Crannog Centre with the kids. There is a modern reconstruction of a Celtic roundhouse and displays of ancient crafts. One of those displays is fire by friction. The guide, dressed as an ancient Celt, tried and tried and tried to get a coal with the firebow. Her favoured bow had just been broken and she struggled to use the shorter one that was left. She had one of the visitors help by working one end of the bow, but to no avail. She must have tried 3-4 times.
After the display there was an opportunity to try the different crafts. Several visitors tried the firebow, but with no luck. I've made a coal less than 5 times with various home kits, but today I was feeling lucky.
I applied everything I'd read, and everything I'd learned from previous attempts. Initial high pressure to generate dust, followed by high speed to generate heat. And what do you know, I got a coal first time! The guide came running over and called all the visitors to come see as well. I dropped the coal onto some punk-wood and covered it with straw, and a few blows and some help from the wind, I had fire!
If I was a bigger man I'd say it would have been equally satisfying even if the guide (who does this sort of thing for a living) had also got a coal. But I'm not a bigger man It was very satisfying......
After the display there was an opportunity to try the different crafts. Several visitors tried the firebow, but with no luck. I've made a coal less than 5 times with various home kits, but today I was feeling lucky.
I applied everything I'd read, and everything I'd learned from previous attempts. Initial high pressure to generate dust, followed by high speed to generate heat. And what do you know, I got a coal first time! The guide came running over and called all the visitors to come see as well. I dropped the coal onto some punk-wood and covered it with straw, and a few blows and some help from the wind, I had fire!
If I was a bigger man I'd say it would have been equally satisfying even if the guide (who does this sort of thing for a living) had also got a coal. But I'm not a bigger man It was very satisfying......
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