Hello everybody. I'm new to these forums. I love the outdoors and am looking forward to exit the Marines so I can do some more camping and hiking in God' beautiful world. Btw, I do go camping in the Marines but its not really survival lol.

Anyway, the problem I'm having is with fire starting. I've looked all over the net for simple ways to start a fire. Site after site is saying things like magnesium and flint, butane lighter, matches, magnifying glass, etc. I'm looking for ways to start a fire with nothing to start out with. Example: go into the woods with just the clothes on your back and be able to create fire. I've tried the bow and drill method. I ripped the tail off my tshirt once for the string and made a bow. I can see how that works. I almost got it to work but I was using the same type of wood for the drill and the board (bark in this case). I found out later that using a different type of wood for each element in the bow + drill helps. My friend also suggested the method where one uses a stick and goes back and forth in the groove of another peice of wood to start a fire (like in the movie Cast Away). I honestly don't have a great amount of experience in this area.

Thanks for the help.

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="" />

with the firebow you got enough power to make fire's with the same kind of board and drill. You just need lots and lots and lots of practise. Did i mention lots of practise? Took me like 6 weeks on and off pratice from the first attemt to finally getting a ember...

lots of nice info here: http://trackertrail.com/

The only problem with napalm is that you always end up with more than you can use, kind of like pemmican.......

Bill

It seems to me that the friction fire methods are meant to be motivation to always have a ferro rod and treated cotton balls with you 24/7/365. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hey, there's no such thing as too much pemmican!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The big difference between Napalm and pemmican is that one is an acute case, whereas the other is chronic, unless you set it on fire as well. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Speaking for friction fire methods, I saw a new one (for me anyways) on one of those extended premium documentary channels last weekend where some aboriginal type was standing on a log with one end off the ground (lever point) and he had a rope or vine or some such wrapped around the elevated end and was drawing the ends back and forth like he was trying to saw through the log from the bottom. He was pretty aggressive about it, and in a short time it was belching serious smoke!! Looks to me like an easy way to get a fire going. I can imagine the friction level with the speed and tension he was putting on that line was pretty high. He didn't seem to be working all that hard either. I'm gonna have to give that a try. I know rope burns on the palm of my hand happen pretty durn quick.

This method is described in the survival instructions of the BCB Combat Survival Kit.

Mekanik,

Actually you want your fireboard and spindle to be the same wood (I usually cut my spindle from the side of the fireboard). If the spindle is harder than your fireboard, it will drill right through it. If your fireboard is harder than your spindle, it will just wear down the spindle. If they are both the same hardness, you will get friction which is what you want. But you want the friction at the bottom, not at the top. Keep the spindle almost pointed at the top to reduce friction there. Your bearing should be real hard (I use antler or beef bone). The bow can be made from anything. Hope this helps.

Semper Fi!
Fox10

Everytime I see Tom hanks slice the palm of his hand open on that fire plow I run out and buy another mechanical match!!

It was once a requirement for US Army soldiers in Alaskan Command to carry a "fire throng" with them at all times in the field. A leather boot lace works well for this, although I never found it all that easy to make a fire. The positive aspect is all you need is the throng and a piece of wood along with tinder of course. May want to give this method a try. Back in those days Cochoran jump boots came with 72 in leather laces. Cheers!

Practice, practice, practice.

And carry a for-sure way to make a fire. If your life depends on a fire, you'd better not be having to mess with a fireboard & spindle in the snow, at night, with no shelter and a broken wrist.

Learn how to do it and wow your friends (& their kids), but don't forget that real life doesn't always have nice summer days. Mother Nature has a really sneaky sense of humor.
<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sue