Today was my first success with making and using a Fire drill !!


I yesterday between football games I grabbed a scrap of cedar 2x2 and using my BK-7 and a baton split out a hearth board and a 1x1 blank for a spindle. Went out and batoned off a 2' bow of Fl. Holly, grabbed a piece of paracord, found an old oyster shell for a hand hold. Whittled my spindle, made my bow, and proceeded to spend a frustrating hour getting nothing but brown dust,a sore left wrist, blisters from the oyster shell, and a little smoke.

<img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Dang, back to football with visions of a frowning Wilson volleyball in my head.
Spent a few hour on the net to get a few tips after football and with a renewed spirit vowed to try again in the AM.

First, I whittled my spindle down to about a 1/2" dia. Then made a more comfortable handhold out of an aged chunk of very hard buttonwood. Switched the side of the hearth board on which to drill so that I had a better view of the dust and low and behold, black dust and lots of smoke. Took a short break, put a dried leaf under the hearth board, made a nest of tinder from old palm burlap and back at it. Lots of black dust and smoke, dump it in the tinder nest and blow. Suddenly I spot a glowing coal. LOTS of smoke and poof FLAME.
I HAVE MADE FIRE !! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Wison is pleased.


Being as my wife and teen daughters did nothing but ridicule me, I thought maybe I'd get some love here.

Scott

That's some great work!

Football and fire in the same weekend. Excellent! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

That is a tough way to make fire, so you should be proud.

We'll give you props!!!!!

ALL THE WILSONS ARE PROUD!

Sue

Congratulations... great feeling, ain't it?

Troy

Congrats. Assuming that it was you, not Wilson. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And we might tease you here, but that's becuase we are jealous.

Did you hear THUS SPRACHT ZARATHUSTRA when the first flame was born? Did you feel the presense of countless past generations of Oetzis smilling in ghostly approval? Congratulations, you is now a nature mystic.Just don't stand outside naked holding a torch in hand. You might upset some AARP members <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I admire your courage for even daring to attempt it! Well done.
Where any (cellphone) pics taken? Love to see some pics of the occasion or the next time you're at it.

Being that I live in the Fl. Keys <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />, standing outside naked holding a flaming torch would not be as an unusual sight as you might think, but being as I am AARP age it would surely be an ugly one. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Scott