Learning to Make Fire

For our wedding in September 2003 Kari put together a bow drill set for us as a present. The kit included everything we would need to create fire from natural products. We have not practiced with it too much so we were excited when she decided to spend a night down at the forest with us and give us another lesson.

The kit consisted of four parts. The motherboard is where the coal is created. The spindle is what you turn to create the coal. The bow is what you use to move the spindle. The top rock is what you use to apply pressure to the spindle. The coal is produced through friction as the wooden spindle whirls against the motherboard, dropping hot powder into the notch. The coal is then dropped onto the tinder and blown into a flame. While the process seems easy enough in theory it is very difficult to master without lots of practice. Kari was able to practice everyday when she lived in Utah. She was a counselor at Second Nature, a wilderness program for at risk teens. Kids sent there spend 8-10 weeks out in the woods without ever stepping foot indoors. Each night they would have to “bust” a fire if they wanted to eat a hot meal. Kari got to the point that she could bust a fire in 3-5 strokes with the bow. dave and I, having not practiced, were not able to get a coal even after lots of time spent working the pieces.

The Motherboard and Spindle

Close Up of the Action (Kari is helping dave apply pressure to the top rock and spindle. The wrist joint seems to be the first breakdown point in the process. This process of helping is called tandem.)
It was key to rest your left elbow against your left knee to ensure you could keep enough pressure on the spindle. Don’t let the winter hat on my head fool you. It was hard work and we worked up a sweat.
We were unsuccessful this time but we intend to keep practicing.