Hate bow drills

Why I hate blow-drills? There unrelaible. In a pinch, great. You need string, a knife or cutting tool to make the starter hole etc. You could use your shoe string as cordage. I alway have a fire steel with me. I keep it on my key chain. I alway have my key with me, so with my gerber pocket knife and tinder - I can make fire. Yes, it is that easy. In bushcraft or survival why make it hard. What it takes to do a bowdrill in survival mode is ridiculous. Simple is best. We are not cave people. Bow-drill are in the pass. Please add to this thread. Prepare and have peace of mind.

 

You should always know more then one way to start fire. What happens if you lose your key chain? Then what? Bow drill takes practice and is a skill but it is a way to start a fire and could be a useful still one day. By relying solely on what you have on your key chain, you are putting all your eggs in one basket & you know what they say about that............ don't do it.

 

Agreed. Always have more than one option.

 

if I lose my key chain I have alot bigger problem than fire. I wear my keys like shoe or my wallet. And their in my pocket, so I would have to lose my pants to lose my pocket. I mean I know how to make fire with a drill I was trained in it. But what if the sticks are wet. Fire steel works wet or dry. I find alot of people use these skills like cub scouts or black belt, but have never been in a really street fight. Bruce Lee said, "only thing belts are good for is to hold your pants up. I have lived 2 yrs without run water, electricity, and plumbing. I know about survival. Trust me dont depend on a bow drill. Thank for your reply. -- Timer Wolf

 

I think everyone should build a bow drill from scratch and build a fire with it and use a flint knife he or she made, to cut up a rabbit, caught in a snare or bought, and cooked with cat tail or sun chokes, in a bark container using hot rocks and then sleep the night in the open on bare ground, if possible under a tamarack tree. No man,"object or technique", is worthless, he,"or it", can be used as a bad example if nothing else. If you can make it work, you could probably make it work again if you had to, but it is much more likely you will try to never be without your knife, fire steel, snare wire, cooking pot, at least a space blanket and a very light water proof tarp. I have about 6 minimum for lack of a better name last chance bags made up and placed in several different places as caches. A knife with a stone attached to the sheath, a mag fire starter, snare wire, para cord, heavy duty space blanket-poncho, you get the idea and I am sure would build up a better one than I can. It doesn't even have a quality Buck knife in it, but the contents would keep me alive in NH for two weeks most of the year. I you find an old metal pop corn tin sealed with duck tape in that old barn, it may be mine and you might try to figure out what you would do different.

 

Never hurts to know.

 

Modern flight does not allow one to cary any thing metal on them .
What are you going to do if the plane goes down and all your gear is lost ?

 

Who's flying?

 

I hear you, @timberwolf50. While I know how and have made fire by friction (different ways), I prefer a ferro rod or lighter or matches. I will usually have some combination, or all of them, with me when I am out in the woods. I think the skill and knowledge of being able to make fire by friction is good to have and practice. It is a good fall back option in an emergency. But not my first choices either. I also carry tinder and fatwood. Not ashamed to say it. When it is raining and wood is wet and most tinders are wet, having reliable stuff with you makes a huge huge difference.

If I had to do it an old school way, I would rather do flint and steel. And when I do, I WILL take charred cloth and/or a tinder tube with a charred end of a cotton cord. While I practice friction fire when camping, it is just to make sure I can still do it. I have taught some of the moms too. They are so excited first when they make a good ember and second when they blow it into flame. When conditions and materials are poor, you could exhaust yourself and maybe injure yourself doing friction fire. And if conditions are bad enough that you cannot get a fire with a ferro rod, you will almost assuredly not get one with friction fire.

But as Ray Mears says, carry knowledge. Knowledge weighs nothing.

 

I always carry a ferro rod and striker as well as a mini bic lighter on the plane. That is no problem with TSA.

 

im use to.long stem lighters,bic lighters matches and zippo's.but yet.im taking the time to learn the bow drill,simply because.i don't know if the day will where i'll need one or not..no it most and likely wont be my goto fire starter when the time comes,for me to building a fire.but yet.that knowledge will be there if needed..

 

Hanzo thanks,
Thanks that is all I saying. Think outside the box. It is good to hear you do. I can make fire without friction. I just do not want to burn engery if i don't have too. Thanks for your reply. I enjoy these forums. I want to learn and teach what I know. Again thanks

No! You can only go 3 days without water. In the heat, 1 haft days. Made a fire boil the water. Thanks for replying to the post. And yes, I am not a Buck knife fan.

Duane I like your post. Very funny.

 

depends how wet the wood is. I've dropped my spindle/drill in the river while bow drilling and it dried out real fast just with a bit of friction if its sopping wet you'll have a tough time though.

in regards to the rest of the post...I think people do these more primitive ways of fire starting to connect with a more primitive past time as well as to have confidence in having to use it in a pinch.

It really depends also on what kind of person you are. Some people like to live comfortably whilst others choose to push their limits. For instance:
I initially got into winter camping with the begging question within me "Can I do this?" I wanted to test my limits...now that I've been winter camping for 4 years going on 5 I find it to be easy...So I have decided to push the limits...I went winter camping with no tent on the intention to survive in a quinzhee...why? because I wanted to push myself and have an experience which would give me the confidence to know how to act in a survival situation that I might need to use that. On occasion I now go hot tenting...because its a more comfortable means of winter camping but part of me still wants to push that limit...part of me wants to try going with just a wool blanket and sleeping in the quinzhee...who knows maybe ill try that next year.

So in conclusion...I think a lot of people who bushcraft as a hobby are out to prove something to themselves. At least for me I am trying to always beat my own accomplishments...I don't care much for what others have achieved...I want to beat what I have achieved.

-Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

I am glad you have the knowledge and know how to make a fire using different methods, rather then relying on you refereed choice. I am sure many have once or twice in their life woken up and wonder, "where are my pants"? Good to know you have the knowledge to cover yourself should this ever happen.

 

Now that is a well thought out post. You do kind see my point. I is about testing yourself. I did it for two yeard. Lights no plumbing (which the hardest) lets face it when you have to do #2 you just do. I just liked your post. And thanks for you post. Sincerely - timber wolf

 

I was just speaking my mind

Phorisc
Live The Adventure

 

Phorisac,

I pulled a post i made because i was told It was useless. I am proud of your skill with making fire with a blow drill. Bravo. My self, I use a fire steel. I am 50 yrs old did that 35 yrs ago. It is a useful skill. God bless. Thanks for your post