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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?