Fire by Friction

We headed out to learn how to make Fire by Friction this weekend. We were not totally sure what we were in for however based on our previous love of fire lighting we were pretty certain it would have some level of fun for all of us.

We once again had a California moment as the class did not take place in a forest but out back of a Human Enhancement centre, in a narrow faux forested space. The instructors were all super knowledgeable and we got started right away making Bow Drill Kits.

This involved first sawing a large piece of cedar (or so they thought we however discerned it was likely some either kind of wood) Pucky and Mitch got straight to getting us the sizes we needed for our platform.

We also picked up a rounded piece of wood that would be our Spindle. The rest of the work was completed using straight blade knives, that both boys were very pleased to be able to use. We had to carve the spindle so it had a rounded ended and an end that was slightly more pointed. We then carved a whole, to match the rounded side of the spindle on our platform. Then we had to dig out a triangle shape at the platforms edge where the black dust was going to fall .. 

After that we made the bows our of tree branches, string and a new knot tie .. next up was the addition of friction 

We were super stoked to get smoke right away .. however the saying "where there's smoke there's fire," wasn't true for us. We kept at it for quite some time creating first some brown dust, then some blackish dust however never a coal that would burn on its own. 

There was the cooking of food on the fire, the preparing of pizza for a wood burning pizza oven and time for a little more wood carving.

We were able to check out a few other fire by friction tools created by others ...

And before leaving Mitchel had the chance to create fire using a coal from the groups communal fire and a bed of tinder he had built. (he says this was his favorite part)

On the way home we of course had to search out knives, just in case we were ever lost in the forest and forgot to bring along our bow drills, we would be able to make new kits with our knowledge.  

And then of course the following day, in 35 degree weather we had to go out in to the forest to do some carving and exploring. We however could not do any fire lighting due to the afore mentioned temperature and the lack of rain in the past six months !!