Friction firemaking is one of those skills that seems impossible. It's like learning to ride a bicycle and with patience and determination one day that red ember will burst into flame like that magical moment when forward propulsion and balance meld into a Lance Armstrong Zen moment- in my case followed rapidly by being one with a brick wall somebody moved <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Understand that even primal peoples have days when it's just so miserable even the white haired one with nature grandfathers can't get a fire going. Thats why many actually carried protected embers and adopted more recent methods as they came along. All methods have advantages and disadvantages. Thats why we promote redundancy in this most critical of skills and tools. Personally, I painted a portrait of osama on my tarp. I figure if I get lost down at 29 Palms a USMC Harrier will dump napalm on it and I'll be set <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />