Primitive Fire Starting

Boy Scouts of America

FIRE SAFETY

VERY IMPORTANT!

DO NOT COMPROMISE!

JUST AS IMPORTANT as STARTING YOUR FIRE

YOUR FIRE = YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

TWIG BUNDLE

• VERY IMPORTANT!!!

• 2 HAND FINGER CIRCLE of Twigs

• Tie with cordage (string)

These Skills:

• Require lots of practice

• Have a Failure rate

• Are difficult at times

• Sometimes take more time than you want

Bow Drill

• He who knows bow drill carries matches…MK

• You can do this! But not without practice

Bow Drill: Parts

• Socket• Fire Board• Spindle• Bow • String (aka cordage)

• Ember catcher

Bow Drill: Parts

• Socket hand hold• Spindle dowel-like pointed on top• Fire Board Medium hardness: thumb nail test

• Bow forked, notched or split• String natural, manmade or

improvised

• Ember catcher leaf, wood sliver etc.

Socket

• Keeps downward pressure on spindle

• Gives more heat to spindle & fireboard

• Rock, Antler, Wood, Hatchet, Magnesium• Bark: Hemlock, Pine, Locust, Cottonwood etc.

Fire board

• Thumb nail test:

– No dent = wood is too hard– Pulverizes = wood is too soft

– Leaves mark = Just Right!

Fire board

• Thick as spindle: good guide

Spindle

• Top: pointed to reduce friction

• Bottom: sides rounded to reduce the sides of fireboardless wear & tear on string

Spindle

• Carve branch (large can be thinned)

• Natural usually wobbly• Wobble test roll on ground (flat surface)• Little longer than: thumb to pinky

• Thumb thick

Bow

• Thumb thick

• Armpit to fingertip long

• Forked topnotched or holes

• Peel: if you have time less wt. & moisture

String

Cordage: String

Ember catcher

• Catches ember underneath Fireboard

• Keeps ember from absorbing moisture---(bad)

• Leaf• Wood shaving• bark

Bow Drill: Technique• Twig bundle & other materials (fuel) gathered

• Ember catcher on floor• Fireboard next• Spindle twisted-in• Bow• Socket on top

• Burn in hole• Notch is made• Ember is made

Technique

Ember is placed in Kindling bundle

Blow in to flame

Twig Bundle is lit

Fire is made!

Technique

• Knife starts hole to burn-in• Notch is 1/6 to 1/8 pie slice

• Drill: warm-up set don’t go crazy• Powder fills up hole• ~10 good strokes gets ember to glow

• May wave/fan ember

Kindling Bundle

• Kindling should not be confused with Tinder

• Tinder: superior form of Kindling that glows from an incendiary spark

• FINE KINDLINGS: will ignite readily from a glowing piece of Tinder as from a flame

Coal extender

• Milkweed fluff rub in hands• Cattail fluff• Rectangulated wood rot

• Flammable outer layer needed• Grass• Inner bark• Leaves• Birch bark (later will intensify flame)

Ember to Flame

2 parts:

Ember

Flame_______________________________________Fire is last step fire is usable

Hand Drill

• Harder than Bow Drill smaller ember

• More skill needed in making Kindling bundle

• Fewer pieces to make but may not be DRY!

• BLISTERS! Cordage: Break Hands: Blister

Hand Drill

• 3/8” diameter works for me

• 18-24” long

FLINT & STEEL

FLINT & STEEL

• 100 % Cotton t-shirt• Hole in can place on fire• Smoke comes out smoke stops = done

• CAUTION: Let can COOL before you touch

Other Methods

• Flint & Steel• Magnesium Ferrocerium • Battery & Steel wool• Soda can (Bottom)• 2L plastic bottle• Magnifying mirror• Magnifying glassFresnel lens • Fire piston

Other Methods

• Don’t count out:

• Lighters: very effective, 1 handed, keep dry

• Matches: get good w/ matches & Twig bundle

Bow Drill Woods

• Ash Pawpaw• Aspen Spruce• Basswood Sycamore• Cottonwood Tamarack• Elm White Pine• Hickory Willow• maple

Bow Drill Woods

• Hemlock get trunk wood

• Cedar not local• Yucca not local

• Fungal fireboards: i.e. Tinder fungus

Hand Drills

• Goldenrod best near water• Mare’s tail• Teasel• Mullein• Cattail• Rose hard on hands, not 1st choice

• Seep willow• Yucca

Wrap-Up

• Fire Safety is #1

• Practice, Practice, Practice

• Put it Out Properly!

Questions?