Wildwood  Trackers

June 16, 2002
Study Group: Fire
(Photos and report by Walter Muma)

 
Ten people met at Walter & Julie's in Cambridge for a study group on fire making methods. The group included a few who had never yet made fire in a primitive fashion -- there were a few "firsts" today.

Rob Bicevskis and Peter Moc were on hand to share their experience with us. 

  

We met in the garage because it was raining on and off outdoors.

The floor was quickly littered with cedar chips and shavings from people's projects. Most people made a bow drill set first. 

  

For more info on all of these fire making topics,
visit the Wildwood Survival website, Fire section.

  

Here is a series of five movies of Rob Bicevskis demonstrating a bow drill:

Click on the small photos to watch the movies

1. Just getting started

2. Lots of smoke pouring out from the fireboard 3. A coal sitting in the notch, smoking
Windows media format
320x240, 454 KB
Windows media format
320x240, 639 KB
Windows media format
320x240, 812 KB
4. Transferring the coal to the tinder bundle and starting to blow it into flame
Windows media format
320x240, 748 KB
4. Transferring the coal to the tinder bundle and starting to blow it into flame
Windows media format
320x240, 927 KB
  

Rob showed us an alternative way of winding the string around the drill. This method helps to reduce the wear on the string.

Rob calls this an "Egyptian" bow drill because of this winding.

 

  

Click on the small photo to watch the hand drill in operation

Windows media format
320x240, 633 KB

Here's Peter Moc working on the hand drill.
  

  
Next we moved on to the fire plow.  Here is a movie of this fire plow being used. Notice that a lot of smoke is generated. We need more practice before a coal is obtained.

Click on the small photo to watch the movie

Windows media format
320x240, 722 KB
  

After the fire plow, the fire saw: click on the small photos to see the movies...

1. Just getting started

Windows media format
320x240, 466 KB

2. Lots of smoke

Windows media format
320x240, 601 KB

  
3. Carefully lifting the fireboard to expose the coal
Windows media format
320x240, 434 KB

4. Extracting the coal and placing it in a larger tinder bundle, ready to blow into flame

Windows media format
320x240, 473 KB
 

Flint and Steel...

Click on the small photo to watch the movie
(demonstration by Rob Bicevskis)

Windows media format
320x240, 446 KB

  
Pump drill
(equipment demonstrated by Rob Bicevskis)

  

Pump drill movie:

Windows media format
320x240, 697 KB

  
And several other miscellaneous methods of making fire...magnifying lens, carbide, flashlight, and ice (we didn't use ice, just discussed the theoretical possibility of using it to make fire).
  
Her first fire!
  
A very rewarding and educational day was had by all participants. Many thanks to Rob Bicevskis and Peter Moc for sharing their expertise and experience with us!
  
For more info on all of these fire making topics, visit the Wildwood Survival website, Fire section.

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