BOW DRILL FIRE LIGHTING SET (DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS)
YOUR KIT INCLUDES
1 Ash Bow with Para-cord
1 Lime Base board (with tag),
1Holly Bearing block (with tag),
2 Hazel Drills ,
1 Bamboo Catcher (blue tag)
A bag of “Rose-Bay-Willow-Herb” seeds
This is good wild tinder, keep it the bag until you need it.
The bright tags are so you don't loose the important bits on a camp site, the other bits are easily replaced.
The only other thing you need is dry grass I use long cut meadow hay from a pet store.
The Bow drill is an ancient mechanical technique of friction fire lighting. American Indians used it to make fire, and there are hieroglyphics depicting an Egyptian carpenter using the same method to cut to a hole in some wood. The Bow drill is well known today as a skilled but effective fire lighting method, more so than the hand drill or fire saw both of which are far harder to master in the British climate.
The safe sensible bit....please read!
Always make sure you have the permission of the landowner and are in a place where it's safe to attempt to light a fire.
The latter stages will create smoke so make sure you are outside, and away from smoke alarms.
Always have water nearby to put out any mistakes.
Make sure you tuck away anything loose like hair, clothing, laces, headphones children, pets,
and wear old clothing. Most people end up smelling smoky afterwards and possibly sweaty depending on your success!
Find something old to kneel on. I use an old car mat or canvas bag.
OK so where to start? Get a cuppa and your favorite biccy!
Firstly The Bow Drill method of fire lighting is genuinely hard! Quick Set up is not an option, trust me!
With a lot of practice you could light a fire in 5 minutes or less every time...but to get that good can take time, it took me a year!
I will assume you are Right handed but if you are Lefty it makes no difference just reverse the instructions.
I've tried various methods and this version is by far the easiest.
1) Place the Lime base board on the ground make sure the ground is flattish. Put the other items in easy reach.
Place your left foot on the board just 2cm to the left of the hole you want to use.
2) Bend both knees and kneel with your left foot still in front and upright and on the board, keep your upper-body in an upright position for the moment.
It's important to note that during the Fire making process you will not move from the position so make sure you are comfortable.
3) Next pick up the Bow and drill. Wrap the bow string around the drill once!
The drill should be sharpest point upwards.
The drill needs to be able to roll along the bow string under tension, you have 2 drills, one will fit better.
If the drill flicks out or cannot be wrapped loosen the string. If the string is too loose you will have no friction or you will damage the string.
4) Now holding the drill and bow in place with your right hand, pick up the Holly bearing block with your left and put the drill in the hole.
Hold the drill vertically and put the bottom point in the baseboard hole you want to use.
5) Important!
Make sure your left hand wrist (holding the bearing block) should be resting on your left shin you may need to adjust your position to make sure the drill says at right angles.
So now..You should now have in your left hand a bearing block holding the drill upright, The bow should be on the ground but the string should be wrapped around the drill. Yeah, I know you need 3 hands.
Now the next bit...have that biccy!
you will most likely fail a lot..but be persistent! Practice will pay off!
Remember keeping everything at right angles is hard, but essential.
Without moving your left hand hold the far right end of the bow (like you would a saw but sideways).
In a very slow smooth motion move the bow forwards and backwards, keep that wrist still and Practice!
The most common error is people try to do it too fast and burn themselves out, so learn slowly and carefully.
Once you can “saw” confidently Slowly, really slowly, start pushing down (with the left hand) gently on the bearing block, you will find the drill slows and the string might slip.
YAY!!! You have just caused friction!
Ok by now, I'm guessing the whole thing has fallen apart several times,...this is completely normal it's happened to nearly everyone that tries the bow drill.
6) Gradually speed up the “sawing” and adding downwards force there will be a point that you notice a change in the sound which might be a horrible squeaking aka “bush-craft bird”, when you get it right eventually the overall sound will be a soft “purr” you should also smell and see smoke.
When you have made a hole the width of the drill you need to stop. collect any dust you have made. On a Catcher of wood(for later use). Take apart the set making sure you don't touch the bottom of the drill it will be hot!
7) Using a sharp knife or hacksaw cut a Triangle or “V” from the edge of the board to almost the center of the hole you made. If you imagine the hole was a Cake, cut wedge about a 5th of the cake. Make sure you cut off any loose splintery bits and make the V as neat as possible.
Now set up the whole thing up again just as it was before but this time the hole has a gap, under the gap (under the board) place the Bamboo Catcher to collect any hot ash and dust it allows you do move the ember that would otherwise fall on the floor.
8) This time as before use the “bow” as instructed, note the colour of the dust you are making.
If it is light brown....not enough friction more speed and pressure needed.
If it is dark brown....almost there, but still not enough friction more speed and pressure needed.
If it is Black?......well done you are 90% there!
If it's black continue drilling you will see smoke, 99% there!
If black ash collecting in the V. eventually the ash will start smoking on its own this means you may have an ember!
When you think you probably have an ember give the drill ten final faster strokes
(if the set falls apart half way through (very common) don't panic, just leave it and move on)
9) OK hopefully you are now staring at a tiny pile of gently smoking ash, STOP! DO NOT blow it! Gently waft it with your hands (or your ash pile might just blow away).
With a thin object (knife edge or stick) gently separate the ash from the V shape and slowly pull the catcher out , keep it all on the floor and wafting air at this stage.
Is there an ember? If there is smoke, there could be keep wafting!
Eventually you will see tiny specks of orange ember in the ash, YES,YES, YES!
If there is a lot of cold ash from drilling you can add it to the ember as you would a pinch of salt. This will build the ember. If the ember is as big as a grain of rice? RELAX it is safe and will remain hot for up to 10 minutes.
I often place my leather hat over the ember to protect it from wind and rain.
10) Once you have relaxed,
Make a bowl shaped bird Nest with a large handful of dry hay and a
golf ball sized lump of Rose-Bay-Willow-Herb seeds.
Check the Ember is still hot and continue wafting, gently tip the ember into the nest. Don't drop it as this may break the ember.
Then pick up the nest in both hands, gently squeeze the nest as if you were holding a kitten(to keep the heat in), and gently blow on the ember, it should glow if not blow around the nest till you find it.
11) Increase the blowing strength and you will hear the hay start to crackle smoke will billow now and be aware tiny sparks can fall out onto your hands or clothing.
Keep blowing on the nest, the smoke will be a pale white-grey, just before iut catches fire the smoke will turn to a mucky green-yellow colour.
Get ready to drop it....the flames will be instant and can be bigger than the nest, have your camp-fire ready to go!
Once the fire is lit make sure you pack away your Bow drill set carefully making sure it is dry and clean