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