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The original version (7/2003) has been revised (mostly compressed) as of 12/2003.  Please send any comments to me at r.p.rannie@gmail.com or Phone-Office (815) 753-0423, Home (815) 756-3908. My continuing apologies for the rough form of this first web version. RPR

Introduction

The techniques of Fire by Friction (FxF) firebuilding have many variations. The underlying principle in all of these techniques is that of rubbing woody plant against woody plant with enough pressure and speed so that fine particles of wood powder are ground off and heated to the ignition temperature of the powder by the generated friction. It is this slowly burning coal of heated, and in fact, charred wood powder that, when embedded in a tinder bundle, can be blown upon and cause the tinder bundle to burst into flame.

Note: This description of FxF Firebuilding (using the bow-drill method) is not intended to teach one to be an “ultimate survivalist” but rather it is intended to offer instruction on FxF Firebuilding at a level comparable to that provided when one was using the Yucca wood based FxF kit sold by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for over 50 years (until recently).

Components: Five, plus

FxF Firebuilding requires (1) a fireboard (or “hearth”), (2) a spindle, (3) a bow with a bow string (or “thong”), (4) a “thunderbird” (the Native American name for the spindle’s top bearing), and (5) tinder. Plus, a few other things. To do it well you will also need Knowledge and Practice and, for sure, a SHARP pocket knife!

(1) Fireboard

Typical dimensions for a fireboard would be 1 to 2 in. in width, 6 to 18 in. in length and ½ to 1 in. in thickness. The fireboard and the spindle contained in the BSA FxF kit were made from the wood of the Yucca, generally considered to be at or near the top of the list of the best woods for FxF. Cedars, Cottonwood, Elm, and many others are also good FxF woods.

In order to have a convenient and ubiquitous wood supply, I recommend the “Texas Red Cedar” fence picket (48 by 4 by ¾ in.) available for about a dollar at Lowe’s and other Home Improvement stores. One of these pickets can be made into 6 (16 in.) or 8 (12 in.) fireboards, each 2 in. wide.

(2) Spindle

The spindle should be from 3/8 to 1 in. in diameter and between 6 and 12 in. in length. One estimator of the maximum length of a spindle is that it should not be more than one half of the distance from your knee to the ground.

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If desired, spindles may also be made (sawed and then carved) from those fence pickets. However, spindles may be more easily fabricated from a (relatively) straight tree branch made from any of the woods listed above. In particular, there is a fairly wide availability of the domestic form of Yucca, the decorative “Spanish Bayonet”, which, each year, sends up a flowering stalk (from 3/8 to 1 in. in diameter) that subsequently dies and (when dried, and before insects damage it extensively) is ideal for spindle material.

When using a spindle made from a stick of wood found in nature, there may be a taper in the diameter of the stick. Use the smaller diameter end as the bottom of the spindle.

The top of the spindle should be tapered, for an axial length of about two times d, where d is the spindle diameter. The taper should finish with a rounded end whose diameter is approximately ¼ in. The taper should be linear, or better, concave outward, to produce a narrow neck that will not rub on the edge of its seat (depression) in the thunderbird.

The top end of the spindle, as well as the depression in the thunderbird to which it will be mated should be lubricated with oil from one’s hair or face, grease, or soap (see Preparation: Spindle and Thunderbird). Do not use water!

(3) Bow and Bow Thong

Curvature in the bow (concave toward the thong) is not necessary but some small amount of flexibility in the bow, in that direction, will aid in keeping the thong tight around the spindle. A bow as long as your arm and from 3/8 to 1 in. in diameter should suffice. The end of the bow with the larger diameter should be used as the handle of the bow. The thong should be approximately 1/8 in. in diameter and may be leather, fabric (usually cotton), cord (natural or synthetic), or animal sinew.

While the thong may be knotted around the two ends of the bow, a substantial improvement in the overall firemaking operation will be obtained by drilling one hole (about thong diameter) at the small (away) end of the bow. Three holes of the same diameter should be drilled, about ¾ in. apart at the large (handle) end of the bow.

When using a leather thong (usually about 3/16 in. in width) I recommend the suggestion of Jim Riggs that you twist the thong so that its spiral form more closely approximates a thong of round cross section. This is believed to reduce wear on the thong and increase its grip on the spindle.

A figure 8 knot in the bow thong where it passes through the single hole in the bow at the away end of the bow will hold that end of the thong securely. The other end of the thong should be threaded through the hole (one of three) nearest the handle end of the bow. The end of the thong is then wrapped half way around the bow and threaded through the next hole in the handle. This process is repeated with the final hole.

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The end of the thong is then passed under the two handle wrappings of the thong. The friction from the wrappings will hold the thong as securely as if it were knotted. And it will be very easy to change the tension in the thong by simply loosening and adjusting the wrappings to accommodate spindles of various diameters.

(4) Thunderbird

The Native Americans referred to the “upper bearing” (for the spindle) as the thunderbird. Thunderbird-thunder, thunder-lighting; lighting-fire: That seems to make sense! The thunderbird may conveniently be made from a half cylinder of hard wood (e.g., Oak, Hickory, Maple). Obtain a 6 in. long section of a 2 to 2.5 in. diameter sapling of one of the aforementioned woods. Saw it lengthwise to produce two thunderbirds, each with a flat ”downward” side. (Or use appropriate carving/sanding on commercial pieces of such hard woods.)

Two soap reservoirs (perhaps ½ in. in diameter by 5/8 in. deep) may be drilled into the flat surface of the thunderbird near (1 in. from) the two ends. These may conveniently be filled with soap scraped from a bar of soap, pressed into place while wet and creamy, and allowed to dry.

The depression in the thunderbird for the top of the spindle should be about 3/8 in. in diameter and about ¼ in. in depth. Positioning this depression in the center of the flat surface of the thunderbird is acceptable. However, a pit position located 1/3 to 2/5 of the thunderbird’s length from one end will probably position the spindle’s center of pressure on the thunderbird closer to the center of the thunderbird holder’s palm. The firebuilder should hold the thunderbird with the end containing the depression pointing toward their wrist.

However fabricated, a larger (6 by 2 in.) thunderbird is generally easier to grip and keep horizontal during bowing, than a smaller (2 by 1 in.) one.

(5) Tinder

Best tinder is dry shredded cedar bark. Pounding it with a stick gives even better small woody fibers. Among other tinders that work well are dry grass, fluff from cattails or milkweed, sagebrush bark, and the inner bark of old cottonwood trees. Leaves and pine needles are almost never any good, except to add bulk to the outside of the tinder bundle.

Around camp, four (4) feet of old or new (sisal or other natural fiber) 1/4 inch rope (cut into 1 foot lengths) disassembled into strands, strands disassembled into yarns, yarns divided into at least two groups of fibers) will create a pretty good tinder bundle. Form it into a "birds nest" about 6 in. in diameter with a 1 in. wide by 1 in. deep depression in its center. This depression, which will receive the burning coal, should be lined with at least

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some amount of your very best tinder material (however meager your supply of “best” might be).

Plus:

Also desirable are some short (2 to 4 in.) sticks (“Coal Holders”) and thin, flat (approximately 1 by 4 by 1/8 in.) boards ("Coal Catchers”).

Preparation: Fire Pit and Notch

Additional Note: This description of FxF Firebuilding envisions that the fireboard fire pit will be reused to start multiple fires. Accordingly, the configuration of the fire pit described here will differ in some details from descriptions that (whether explicitly stated or not) assume a “one time/go for broke” attempt at firemaking.

This pit serves as the “bearing” in which the lower end of the spindle turns back and forth. The diameter of the spindle you are using will, to some degree, determine the placement of the fire pits on the fireboard. For a fire pit of diameter d, the outer edge of the fire pit should be located a distance d from the edge of the fireboard. Similarly, the distance between the outer edges of two adjacent fire pits should also be d.

To prepare a fire pit in a fireboard, select the location of the fire pit and use the point of your knife to cut a starting hole approximately 1/8 in. in diameter and the same depth. Safety! Consider holding your knife by the blade during this operation to avoid having the blade “fold up” on you.

To “burn in” (start) a fire pit (which should have an edge depth of no more than 1/16 in.) you will need a “pit starting” (hard wood) spindle, approximately 10 in. long, having a small (1/8 to ¼ in.) diameter tip protruding about 1/8 in. in the center of this otherwise flat bottomed pit starting spindle. The diameter of this spindle should be approximately that of the regular (soft wood) spindle that you will use for actual firemaking.

A small amount of diligent bowing (see Bowing Operation, below) will produce a large amount of smoke, a small amount of (usually charred) wood powder around the fire pit, and a nearly flat bottomed fire pit. The minimal depth of the fire pit should be just enough (about 1/16 in.) to confine and guide the regular spindle (which will have a totally flat bottom) when it is mated with the fire pit and employed to make a fire.

To create an accumulation site for the hot, charred wood powder produced from the bowing process, it is necessary to cut a notch extending from the edge of the fireboard into the fire pit. While there are some references that suggest a “V” shaped notch extending from the edge of the fireboard into the center of the fire pit, I recommend a notch whose edges are parallel, approximately ¼ in. apart, and whose depth extends from

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the outer edge of the fireboard only up to the outer edge of the fire pit and then about an additional 1/16 in. into the floor of the fire pit itself.

The notch (the “all important notch” in the words of Dudley Winn Smith) can be cut with a sharp knife or even with a flint tool. A single hacksaw blade, one end wrapped with duct tape and used as a “draw saw”, will greatly facilitate notch creation. The notch is absolutely necessary! It provides a volume (approximately a cube, ¼ in on a side) where the charred wood powder being disgorged from the side of the fire pit can be collected and held while, at the same time, the bowing process generates enough heat to raise the core of this cubical volume to the ignition temperature of the wood powder.

In the absence of the notch, the wood powder produced by the bowing will be disgorged onto the top surface of the fireboard where it will form a ring on the fireboard around the fire pit. The powder in this ring is widely spread out and, lacking the confinement and insulation provided by the notch, it will not reach the necessary ignition temperature and will fail to produce a burning coal.

Experience suggests that use of the “V” notch may lead to significant problems in creating a fire the first time this fire pit is used and will surely create problems when attempting to reuse the fire pit to create subsequent fires.

Preparation: Spindle and Thunderbird

At the start of a firebuilding process, the bottom of the regular spindle should be perfectly flat. After use, the bottom of the spindle will begin to assume a hemispherical shape, matching the bottom of the fire pit. Before employing a previously used spindle, it is imperative to flatten (remember, SHARP pocket knife!) the bottom end of the spindle. This will minimize the tendency of the spindle to “drill through” the fireboard. Such drilling will substantially reduce the number of times the fire pit may be used.

Before each use, the spindle/thunderbird junction should be lubricated. If dry soap from a thunderbird reservoir is to be used, a fingernail’s worth in the thunderbird depression followed by pressing and rotating the spindle top in this depression should provide adequate lubrication.

The Actual FxF Process: Configuration and Bowing Operation

(Left handers should transpose all references to “left” and “right”.)

Configuration

The firemaker kneels on the ground on his right knee (it is never too early to look for a “firebuilder’s hat” or some other padding for that knee). The firebuilder’s left foot points

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straight forward and the ball of that foot holds down the fireboard. The long axis of the fireboard will be left to right, at a right angle to the front-to-back axis of the left foot. The fire pit (in which the bottom of the spindle will be positioned) in the fireboard will be located ½ in. to the right of the right side of the firebuilder’s left foot.

The firebuilder’s left arm is wrapped tightly around the outside (very important!) of his left knee and the base of his left thumb is pressed against his left shin. The left shin should lean forward and thereby help to provide a downward pressure on the top of the left hand. He holds the thunderbird in his left hand and the depression in the thunderbird (facing down) will be the receptacle (bearing) for the top of the spindle just as the fire pit is the receptacle for the bottom of the spindle.

The thong of the bow is wrapped once around the spindle with the spindle on the OUTSIDE of the thong, as opposed to BETWEEN the thong and the bow itself. The firebuilder holds the handle of the bow in his right hand. The length of the thong that is being used to propel the spindle should be such that with the thong wrapped once around the spindle, the bow will have been slightly flexed. The tension so created in the thong must grip the spindle tightly.

The bowing motion will be pushing right to left (spindle rotates counterclockwise) and then pulls left to right (spindle rotates clockwise) always keeping the bow thong parallel to the long axis of the fireboard and parallel to the ground. The line of bowing (motion of the bow) must be parallel with the long axis of the fireboard.

The spindle is a wood grinding tool. It will exploit any weakness in the fire pit and grind in the direction of that weakness. The notch is such a weakness. Even when bowing correctly (parallel to the fireboard), repeated use of a fire pit will show signs of the spindle grinding its way toward the opening offered by the notch.

Bowing that is done at a right angle to the fireboard (as shown in some literature references that are incorrect) may allow the spindle to grind its way to the edge of the fireboard (“run out”) even before a coal can be created. This is the reason that I disrecommend the “V” notch since it may permit such run out even with properly aligned bowing.

During bowing the thong must be kept low, preferably moving directly on top of the firebuilder’s left foot. You may want to consider removing your left shoe if it has a thick sole that will considerably elevate the thong above the fireboard.

Remember that your Thunderbird holding left hand is constantly fighting the back and forth pressure applied to the spindle by the bowing process. The maximum leverage advantage for your left arm/leg is obtained when the bow thong’s pressure point (where the thong wraps around the spindle) is closest to the fireboard and farthest from the thunderbird. Keep the thong low!

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Bowing Operation

Another Note: Some practice in bowing should be obtained using a fireboard made from a scrap of lumber/wood and a spindle made from an old broom handle before consuming good fireboards and spindles.

A temporary increase in tension during a firemaking operation can be created by pressing down on the thong with the thumb of the (bow handle holding) right hand where the thong passes over the fingers of the right hand.

Begin bowing slowly with only the minimum downward pressure on the thunderbird to assure holding the spindle in place between the thunderbird and the fire pit. Your first objective is to get the spindle “seated” in the thunderbird and more particularly in the fire pit. You must keep the thunderbird horizontal and, most important, keep the spindle vertical. As your operation becomes smoother, increase your bowing speed and the pressure on your thunderbird. Leaning the left shin still further forward will help to increase the downward pressure on the thunderbird.

The generation of smoke is usually a good indicator that you are creating wood powder and beginning to char it. Experience will tell you when you have accumulated a full notch of powder and at that point you should finish the operation with a final, even faster, burst of speed and pressure to assure ignition of your accumulated and now charred wood powder.

Now stop. Don’t disturb your coal. Hold the fireboard in place, take a breath, think and look and plan, but don’t do anything for a few seconds. Now, when you have a plan, and when you do move, do so deliberately and gently!

Turning a Coal into Fire

Look closely. The existence of a burning coal is usually indicated by a thin column of smoke rising from the accumulated wood powder. It should be possible to observe the smoke even while the coal still resides within the notch in the fireboard. The thin wood (or other material) “coal catcher” may be positioned under the notch in the fireboard. When the coal is removed from the notch, the catcher may be used to transfer the coal to the tinder bundle (bird’s nest). Optionally, the tinder bundle may be placed under the notch in the fireboard and pressed directly against the fireboard.

Do NOT tap the fireboard to dislodge the coal! You may destroy it! To remove the coal from the notch a coal holder is recommended. The coal holder is a stick, slightly smaller in diameter than the width of the notch. This stick is a coal “holder” and not a coal “pusher”! The holder “holds” the coal in place, (immobile!), while you roll the fireboard (along its edge that is opposite the notch) up and away from the coal. This procedure

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should minimize the disruption of the coal, which while durable (remarkably so!), must still be handled more gently that would be necessary with charred cloth.

Place the coal along with any additional wood powder in the center of the bird’s nest. Avoid undue haste. The coal will continue burning reliably in almost every case! Now fold the tinder around the coal (Gently!). (The coal MUST be in contact with the tinder if it is to ignite the tinder!) Leave a very small opening into the tinder bundle so that you can blow on the coal.

Turn your back into the wind so smoke will be carried away from you. Hold the bird's nest AT OR ABOVE eye level! Failure to do this will result in smoke from the bird's nest coming up into your face. If you have properly "surrounded" the coal with the tinder, you will not have to worry about the coal falling out of the bird's nest. Blow long and steady (hard is neither necessary nor good) on the coal in the tinder bundle. When you need to take a breath, LIFT THE BIRD'S NEST ABOVE YOUR HEAD AT ARM'S LENGTH SO YOU CAN GET A BREATH OF NON SMOKY AIR! Continue until you have a fire!

Words of Wisdom for Firebuilders

There are two kinds of Firebuilders, those who have burned themselves, and those who have not burned themselves... yet!

Recommended Books

“Outdoor Survival Skills”, Larry Dean Olson, BYU Press

“Bushcraft”, Richard Graves, Schocken Books

Revised (mostly compressed) by rpr/12/03.  Original by rpr/7/03.

This description of “Fire by Friction Firebuilding” was prepared by Dr. Robert P. “Doc” Rannie, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 223, Blue Elk District, Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America, in July 2003, for friends of Scouting, and in particular for Firebuilders, Scouts, and Scouters at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, Osceola, MO.