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    Technique Firebow PDF

    Uploaded by

    Will James
    This document describes the technique of making fire using a firebow. It involves creating friction between a drill and plank to generate enough heat to ignite tinder. Key steps include carving a drill and finding a suitable plank, wrapping a cord around the drill, and using a bow to rapidly spin the drill against the plank. As it spins, dust collects in a V-shaped cut in the plank. Continued friction eventually causes the dust to smolder and glow, at which point tinder like dry grass is used to catch and build a flame. Safety precautions like having a fire extinguisher and doing it over non-flammable ground are also noted.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Technique Firebow PDF

    Uploaded by

    Will James
    14 views3 pages
    This document describes the technique of making fire using a firebow. It involves creating friction between a drill and plank to generate enough heat to ignite tinder. Key steps include carving a drill and finding a suitable plank, wrapping a cord around the drill, and using a bow to rapidly spin the drill against the plank. As it spins, dust collects in a V-shaped cut in the plank. Continued friction eventually causes the dust to smolder and glow, at which point tinder like dry grass is used to catch and build a flame. Safety precautions like having a fire extinguisher and doing it over non-flammable ground are also noted.

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    Technique-firebow.pdf

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    This document describes the technique of making fire using a firebow. It involves creating friction between a drill and plank to generate enough heat to ignite tinder. Key steps include carving a drill and finding a suitable plank, wrapping a cord around the drill, and using a bow to rapidly spin the drill against the plank. As it spins, dust collects in a V-shaped cut in the plank. Continued friction eventually causes the dust to smolder and glow, at which point tinder like dry grass is used to catch and build a flame. Safety precautions like having a fire extinguisher and doing it over non-flammable ground are also noted.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    14 views3 pages

    Technique Firebow PDF

    Uploaded by

    Will James
    This document describes the technique of making fire using a firebow. It involves creating friction between a drill and plank to generate enough heat to ignite tinder. Key steps include carving a drill and finding a suitable plank, wrapping a cord around the drill, and using a bow to rapidly spin the drill against the plank. As it spins, dust collects in a V-shaped cut in the plank. Continued friction eventually causes the dust to smolder and glow, at which point tinder like dry grass is used to catch and build a flame. Safety precautions like having a fire extinguisher and doing it over non-flammable ground are also noted.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION

    Firebow – fire by friction


    Introduction
    Back to Basic! We are going to make fire with a bow and drill. This technique is the most famous skill of
    making fire. This is one of the few methods to make fire with only natural materials which you can find
    anywhere, you only need to bring your knife... and shoes.

    Background information

    Fire by friction
    The firebow is a way of making fire by purely the heat of friction. To demonstrate friction and the fact that
    it produces heat, you can rub your hands firmly over each other. First you feel nothing but very soon your
    hands will turn hot and even so hot that you have to stop or you’ll burn yourself.

    The firebow works with the same principle. You create friction between the drill and plank by turning the
    drill very fast while you push the drill hard on the plank. First, the drill will drill a hole in the plank while
    producing dark dust. In the end the heat of the friction will heat up this dust and create a little ember inside
    the dust. This ember will be the start of your fire.

    Right types of wood and materials


    What you need are a drill, Bow stick and cord, plank, bearing block, (birch) bark for collecting the ashes
    (ember), green leaves and a bit of hay / dry grass to light the fire with the ember. Instead of grass or hay
    you also can use brown ferns, dead nettles, etc.

    Drill and plank


    There are many stories about types of wood to use but we recommend using both for drill and planking the
    same type of soft wood. Most important factor is that the wood of the drill and plank must be completely
    dry! When it’s wet you can use the inside of a dry log. Best for drill and plank are lime (tilia), willow (salix),
    hazel (corylus) or ivy (hederea helix). Also combinations will work. Second best are alder (alnus), poplar
    (populus), birch (betula), cherry (prunus), elder (sambucus), elm (ulmus), horse chestnut (aesculus), maple
    (acer), oak (quercus) – hard!, pine (pinus) or spruce (picea) – hard because of the resin or fig (ficus).

    The drill needs to be a straight (round) piece of wood with a diameter of ca. 2cm and a length of ca. 20cm,
    e.g. a firm branch. Carve a sharp point at the top and a round shape at the bottom. For the plank you need
    to get a flat piece of wood, make sure the piece is wide enough to fit the drill, and long enough so you can
    stand on the plank with your foot.

    Bearing block
    For bearing block you can use any hard wood (e.g. oak, beech, etc.), stone with a hole or even a piece of
    bone. Carve the bearing block in a way it fits nicely into your hand.

    Bow and cord


    As bow you need a curve shaped branch from ca 70cm, firm and non flexible. Make carve at both ends
    where you can attach the cord. As cord you can take any kind of strong rope, e.g. your shoe laces.

    Most Primitive Scouting Experience www.mpse.nl page 1 of 3


    The technique of making fire with the fire bow

    Step 1: Preparations
    1. If there is no good hole in de plank to start with, make a little hole with a knife in the plank [pic 2].
    2. Wrap (twist) the cord around the drill so the drill is at the outside of the cord [pic 4].
    3. Put the plank at the ground and kneel down on one knee (left knee if you’re right handed) and place
    the other foot at the opposite end of the plank [pic 5]
    4. Put a leave in the bearing block for decreasing the friction at the top [pic 4].
    5. Put the drill with the small point in the bearing block and the other side in the hole of the plank [pic 5].
    6. Place your arm around your knee [pic 5] and put your weight on this knee. The arm around the knee is
    for absorbing the shocks from changing direction with the bow
    7. Grab with your right hand (if your right handed) not only the bow but also the cord with your
    fingertips. During the process you can vary the tension of the cord with you grip.
    8. Start slowly moving the bow back and forwards, use the total bow [pic 5].
    9. Go faster and push firmer on the bearing block till it starts smoking [pic 6], both hole and drill are now
    perfectly fitting
    10. Stop and cut a v-shape from the side of the plank to the heart of the hole [pic 7]. In this v-shaped cut
    the dark dust will be collected, which will turn out to be the glowing tinder.

    Step 3: making fire


    11. Put a piece of bark under the v-shaped cut to collect the dust [pic 8]
    12. Start from step 2 till it starts smoking again (step 9)
    13. Keep on going till the whole v-shaped cut is filled with dust
    14. When the cut is totally filled push harder on the bearing block and go faster with the bow till real thick
    smokes arises.
    15. When you see also smoke coming from the dust, gently stop, and try to get your foot from the plank
    without moving it. Check if the dust is still smoking. If not, leave the dust in place and try again!
    16. Use your knife to very slowly remove the plank, so that the dust will stay in place, like a piece of pie
    [pic 11].
    17. Don’t blow; this will blow away all the dust so the ember will fall apart. Wave gently with your hand till
    you see the ember glowing. It will take a while...
    18. Put some dry grass, hay, dead ferns, etc. on top of the ember or put the amber with the bark in a bird
    nest of hay [pic 12]
    19. Start blowing with long blows directly in the ember, push the hay firmly to the ember [pic 13]
    20. No success without real flames of hard work! [pic 14]

    Safety:
    ● Be sure both a bucket of water and fire blanket are present
    ● Be careful with flammable clothing (polyester, fleece, etc.) and flammable materials on the
    underground.
    ● Be sure you know how to use a fire extinguisher.
    ● Contact team leader for first aid (plasters) and serious injuries.
    ● When the hay is burning, participants can panic because of the big flames and lots of smoke. Be sure
    that de burning materials keep on the ground.

    Most Primitive Scouting Experience www.mpse.nl page 2 of 3


    Most Primitive Scouting Experience www.mpse.nl page 3 of 3

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