Every year I see news stories about hikers going missing in the woods. The weather is cooling off here on the west coast, and one basic survival skill that all outdoorsy types should have in their mental tool belt is fire making. Making a fire will keep you warm, allow you to cook food or boil water, and hopefully attract attention and get you located if you do lose your way. Beyond matches, there are many ways to make fire with materials found in nature.
One of the easiest ways to make fire (read, one of the first ways I successfully made fire), is by using what’s called a Hand Drill. You literally only need a spindle, hearth board and friction to create an ember that you will blow into flame.
For the hearth board (the base), use a flat piece of cedar. Thin fencing material from Home Depot works just as well as cedar you scavenge from the forest floor. Make sure your wood is dry and flat.
For the spindle, you will want to find a straight piece of mule fat, or seepwillow the width of your pinky finger. Peel off any bark and thorny bits from the mule fat branch. You will be turning this between your palms, and the smoother the wood, the less it will hurt! If you have access to chalk, apply some to your hands for better grip when turning the spindle.
Begin turning the spindle between the meatiest parts of your hands pressing downward into the hearth board. Once you have created a small depression in the cedar base, use a knife or sharp rock to cut a v-shape notch from the depression towards the edge of the hearth board so that your ash and ember have a place to collect.
Place the spindle back into the depression in the hearth board. Secure the hearth board by bending down on one knee and placing your foot on the base. Align your body so that your weight is directly over the hearth board. This will keep you from getting fatigued. Roll your hands over the spindle back and forth, pressing downward and keeping the spindle as straight as possible. The technique may take a while, and on your first try, your hands may get tired. You can have a buddy nearby to take turns rolling the spindle into the hearth board. Continue turning the spindle, and apply more speed and pressure until you being to see smoke coming from the point where the hearth board and spindle meet. When the ash deposits turn a dark charcoal color, you probably have an ember. Remove the spindle, and blow gently on your ember.
You’re halfway there!
You will need to create a nest of newspapers, broken down grass fibers, the fluff from cattails or cotton. This nest should be made ahead of time. Gently scoop the ember into the tinder nest, and blow until it ignites.
When making fires in wooded areas, be sure to clear brush ahead of time, and create a fire ring to contain the flames. Getting found when lost in the woods is one thing, burning down the woods, is another. Try very hard NOT to do that latter of the two while you enjoy your new-found mountain man skills!
Hey Rad Megan,
“this nest should be made ahead of time” great to find out at the end there! LOL ;o)
I usually read your blog when I get the updates via linked in, good stuff!
Anyways hope you are doing well in all your adventures my fellow Norseman.
KBright
Hahah Sorry to spring that on you KB. Were you following along while reading? Thanks for checking out the blog! I’ve been wondering about you. Hope you are well my friend. May the power of Thor be with you!
Fun Post! When first “mating” the hand drill and the hearth board, you will need to make a round depression in the hearth board and cut the end of the hand drill to match. This way the hand drill will stay where you want it to on the hearth board. Spin till you get some smoke and they match up, then cut the notch to direct the hot dust out to the side where it forms what is called the “tear of fire.” Also, I like to put a dried leaf or something under the notch so that I can easily lift the ember to transfer it into the tinder. Practice makes perfect!
Fun, Fun, Fun! When I last made fire in any fashion, I believe I used the bow method. It was indoors, too, which made it special in a weird kind of way.
Indeed! Indoor fires are special in a weird way. I tried the bow drill method this summer, and could NOT get an ember. Only disappointing enough to get me to try again
Thanks for reading my friend:)
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