You should try to get a tinder bundle that is very dry and fine. [1] X Research source The tinder bundle is the first thing that you will burn.
Avoid using wood that was on the ground since it may be damp. Instead, look for snags (dead branches that have fallen off trees but get caught in lower branches or on bushes). It is possible to snap dead branches from trees, but only take those that immediately snap free. Otherwise, they may not, in fact, be dead. If a branch bends without breaking, it’s still alive or not dry enough. Avoid green wood since most won’t burn well.
This wood must be as dry as possible. Dead trees are often a good source of dry firewood. When you collect the wood, try to avoid putting it directly onto the ground if it is wet.
Try to fashion the tinder bundle into a shape similar to a birds nest. You can use a strip of bark wrapped around the bundle to hold it together. [2] X Research source
The best wood for this won’t have any sap and will be light and soft enough to easily dent with your thumbnail without gouging. Shape whatever wood you choose into a piece about an inch thick, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) across and at least 12 inches (31 cm) long. [4] X Research source
Carve one end of the stick into a tapered point, like the end of a pencil. Carve the other end into a blunt point. [5] X Research source
Make a bow that is approximately the length of your arm, and has a diameter of one or two inches. Use as thin a piece of wood as you can so the bow will be as light as possible. A lighter bow is easier to control and takes less strength to push back and forth. However, it has to be stiff enough to not bend when you’re using it. [7] X Research source
Tie the other end of the string on with a looser an adjustable knot so that you can alter the length and tension of the string. [8] X Research source
Get the string almost tight enough, hold it at the very end of the bow and then squeeze the string up against the bow as you start to saw back and forth if needed. Even if you get the string just right at first, it will often loosen up as you’re sawing back and forth, so this is a good technique to master. You may need to work your hand up the bow to get the string tight enough as you go. To keep the cord firm, you might have to loop it around your finger(s) or adjust it by tying a tighter knot. Another way to keep it tight is to put another stick (preferably thick, as this method can snap smaller sticks) in another loop, near the end. Twirl it around and around until you reach the desired tightness and then ’lock’ it against the bow. If it keeps slipping, hold that end in your hand.
Look for a rock with a smooth dimple in it. Ideally, the rock should be about fist sized. It should fit easily in your hand but not be too small or it can heat up very quickly. The ideal rock has a deep dimple with smooth sides. [9] X Research source If you can’t find a rock, the easiest socket to make is wood. It should be small enough for you to comfortably hold in your hand, but big enough that your fingers don’t wrap all the way around it and touch the drill. It is best to make the socket out of hardwood if possible or use a knot in softwood as a naturally lubricated socket. Use the tip of a knife or sharp rock to drill a hole no more than halfway into the wood. You can also improvise a socket from many other materials. Look for things that will keep the narrow end of the drill stable, but still allow it turn easily. Of course, other things can be used as sockets. Lubricating the socket with lip balm or resin is a good practice.
Carve a small hole with your knife, about an inch from the edge of the board. The hole should be the width of your drill and about a quarter of an inch deep. When you push down on the drill it should be difficult to turn it. You should feel strong friction. [10] X Research source
Put the fire board on the ground. Put your left foot on the fire board about one inch to the left of the crater. The arch of your foot (not the ball or the heel) should be over the fireboard. Make sure the ground is pretty flat or bed the fire board into the ground. You don’t want it to wiggle or rock much, if at all. Kneel on your right knee. Make sure that your right knee is far enough behind your left foot that you make all 90-degree angles. (More about that later. ) Hold the bow in your right hand and the drill in your left. Put the drill on top of the string with the pencil-sharp end pointing right, and twist it into the bow. You can loosen the string a bit if it’s too hard to do, but the string must not slip once wrapped around the drill. Put the blunt end of the drill on the crater. Put the socket on the drill. Grab as close to the end of the bow as you can. Put some downward pressure on the socket and start to pull back and forth on the bow. It’s a delicate balance between putting too much and not enough pressure on the drill, and having the bow string too tight and not tight enough. Saw back and forth with the bow faster and faster, and put more and more pressure on the socket. Eventually, you’ll get some black powder and smoke around the bottom of the drill. This is a good sign! Stop and pick up the fire board. [11] X Research source
Ensure that you are keeping downwards and inwards pressure on the drill all the time. You will find that this leads to your hands moving down the drill as you go. It’s important to keep it turning, so when your hands are near the board move them back up to the top of the drill quickly. Keep going until you see smoke. This can be a long and arduous process, so have patience and stick with it. [12] X Research source
The notch should be the size of about 1/8 of a pie slice. The narrow end of the slice should meet the center of the hole you have burned into the wood. The wide end should face outwards away from the hole. [13] X Research source The notch and the drill end that goes into it should both be rough, not shiny and smooth. The roughness promotes friction. If they get shiny, put a little sand in the notch.
Place it directly under the notch you have cut in the fire board before you try to make coal. [14] X Research source
Start pushing and pulling on the bow, and pushing down on the socket. As you get into a rhythm, saw faster and put more pressure on the socket. Keep the bow in the middle of the drill. If the string moves up the drill, it will create more horizontal force up near the socket and will be more likely to pop out. The bow string should always be horizontal to the ground (if the ground is perfectly flat) and perpendicular to the drill. This ensures that every stroke of the bow is providing the maximum amount of “output” and as a result, lessens fatigue on your body–using a bow drill is hard work! Eventually you’ll get black powder collecting in the chimney notch. Keep going and you’ll get some smoke. When you’ve got a lot of smoke coming out, don’t stop. Increase the pressure and the speed of your drilling. Look at the dust you are creating. The darker the dust the better. If you are getting smoke from your dust pile, it is likely that you have a coal. [15] X Research source
Try to keep your hands towards the top of the drill by moving them in a half circle or arc motion. The lowest point of the arc should be the point where they run against the drill. [16] X Research source
If the ground’s wet, it’ll put the coal out. You might also put it out if you have to pick it up off the ground. Once you’re sure the coal isn’t going to go out, transfer it to your tinder and give it a gentle blow.
Blowing will provide more oxygen to stoke the fire and transfer the energy from the coal to the tinder bundle. [18] X Research source
If you have prepared a teepee-type fire put the burning tinder bundle into the center. Keep blowing slowly and steadily to help spread the fire.
