NOTE: Although most of this information is basic for bow drill fire making, there is a good deal of advanced information as well. It is suggested that you spend a lot of time experimenting on your own before consulting this page.
I. Body Positions and General Considerations for bow drill fire making
FHOM and DPS. Fuel, Heat, Oxygen, and Moisture: Duration, Pressure, and Speed. All are factors which will affect the
success or failure of making fire with a bow and drill.
1. Lock wrist against leg.
2. Keep hand hold perpendicular to drill.
3. Apply proper pressure.
4. Keep bow horizontal to the ground and 90 degrees to drill
5. Flexible vs. rigid bow.
6. Angle of bow in relation to body. Straight ahead; slight angle across body; cross body like cello player.
7. Bow length choices vary from long to short. Types of wood and sizes of drill will play a role in determining type of bow.
8. Bow should be moved from the shoulder not from elbow. Body position should be high enough to require swing from shoulder.
9. Body should lean over drill far enough to exert downward pressure on drill with body as well as the arm.
10. Keep drill vertical. Otherwise, binding and unwanted friction will occur along sides of fireboard hole as drill penetrates deeper.
11. Instep of foot should be on top of fireboard and side of foot almost touching drill.
12. Notch In fireboard should face to the inside.
13. Do not place tinder under the fireboard.
14. Place coal catcher under fireboard.
15. Kneeling leg should be almost in line with front leg and lower part of leg should angle across back of body for balance. If kneeling leg is to the outside of the front leg, it may restrict bow movement.
16. Apply tension to string with fingers.
17. Check shoelace and make certain it will not be caught in the rotating drill.
18. Use visual imagery for preparation. Do not begin to physically make fire before conducting proper mental rituals.
II. The Bow
1. Length should allow for full swing of arm. However, there may be times when a short bow will do the job better. Rotation/ friction factor must be taken into account.
2. Curve needs to be only slight. Too much curve can throw the fire maker off balance and tire him or her more rapidly.
3. Choose flexible bow or rigid bow. Flexible bow is a must for natural cordage string. Rigid bow can be more powerful.
4. Keep extra string tied around the bow to quickly replace broken string.
5. Diameter and weight should be comfortable so as to not wear out the user. A heavier bow can supply more power.
6. Handle can be outside or inside where string is tied. Placing hand inside string area reduces bow length.
7. Rather than notching where string is to be attached, a hole through the bow may be better, especially when it comes to using natural cordage. A drilled hole requires less string length. Hole diameter should be about the size of a “pinky”.
8. Apply pine resin to string to keep from slipping on drill.
III. The Drill
1. Drill diameter. Too fat = slow rpm’s; too thin = tendency to drill hole faster.
2. Upper end should be pointed to create the smallest friction surface.
3. Watch for formation of indented ring near top of drill. This is an indication that drill end is too big for hand hold opening.
4. Drill should be clean so as to not wear out string. Too smooth, however, will cause string to slip.
5. Tip should be fairly flat.
6. Tip for initial drilling into fireboard should be blunt pointed.
7. Hollowed center to eliminate dead zone.
8. Length. Too long = too much wobble; too short = loss of pressure, loss of control, and short life.
9. Keep tip lubricated. Green leaves most easily available lubricant.
10. Keep lower end trimmed along sides so as to not create side friction. May not be able to do this with thin walled, pithy centered drills.
11. Drill should be straight as possible, not bowed.
IV. The Fireboard
1. Hole should be burned in far enough from edge of board to keep drill from breaking out of fireboard wall.
2. Notch. a. too shallow; b. too deep; c. just about right; d. blunt point, better for dust flow; e. straight wall, used by some primitive cultures–sometimes even narrower; f. notch to one side, indicates drill being held on an angle. Will cause dust to collect in a circle around the drill on top of the fireboard.
3. Fireboard thickness. Too thick = dust cools and takes longer for ignition; too thin = may burn through before ignition.
4. Prepare board so it will not wobble when in use.
5. Width wide enough to accommodate two rows of holes.
6. Hole base. a. rounded, allows for too much oblique-angled friction–less heat; b. flat base, good friction and heat; c. hump formed from hollow center drill — remove it.
7. Keep hole diameter large enough so as to not create side friction.
8. Have more than one hole prepared as back-up.
9. Use second hole to receive coal rather than cutting notch on side of board.
10. Warm up extra holes on either side of center hole for extra heating and drying before trying to make coal in the middle hole.
11. Branch will make a quick fireboard. Just flatten top and bottom; it is not necessary to carve and square everything up like a piece of lumber.
V. The Hand Hold
1. Type of material. Wood should be hard and polish easily (hickory, Osage orange, serviceberry, and oak are good). Soapstone makes an excellent, long lasting hand hold. Bone and antler also work well.
2. Should fit properly and comfortably in the hand. Finger and thumb grooves can be carved for a custom fit.
3. Hole should be deep enough to keep drill from popping out, and wide enough so drill edges will not touch hand hold except at the very tip.
4. A soapstone insert can prolong the use of a wooden hand hold.
5. Hole in side of hand hold to store lubricant for drill tip.
6. A branch with the bark left on can serve the purpose without a lot of extra work. Bark helps the hand grip better. Can work just as well as, or better than, a fancy hand hold. |
Southwest Backcountry 