Fire starting w/two sticks: Whats the trick?

baraqyal

baraqyal

Joined
Nov 30, 2000
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Well, for fun today, I decided to see if I could start a fire using the old two stick method (Tom Hanks "Castaway" style). I was watching the travel channel earlier, and saw three different people fail at starting a fire using this method.

I'd like to say that I succeeded. Truth be told, I didn't even get smoke. So, what's the trick? Does it have to be hardwood? Softwood? Deadwood? Do the sticks need to be different types of wood? How about the shape of the base on the ground? Does it need to be flat, concave, etc? And what shape should the hand-held stick be? Especially the tip?

Also, what's size should the sticks be? What sort of materials should be in the base to get the fire going? Anyone know the trick to this? Anyone actually able to do this, or have instructions on how to do it? Thanks!
-- Rob
 
Its easy! Just make sure one of the sticks is a match!:rolleyes:
Hey, You asked for it!

Ok, all of my reading of info and posts here and at the equipped to survive forums and site http://equipped.com/ it seems the bow drill is the way to do it. The raw basics are chunk of wood on ground, stout stick to spin on chunk to create friction, bow-stick bent with any good string, twine, whatever-and another chunk of wood(rock whatever) in hand to capture the stout stick. now, lay friction chunk of wood on the ground, place stout stick in bow by twisting the sting around the stout stick, place stout stick on friction chunk and hold in place with wood in hand. you should now be in say left hand holding chunk which holds stout stick which stands on friction chunk on the ground, and right hand is holding bow parallel to ground and wrapped once around stout stick. if you move the bow back and forth, you will rotate the stout stick and spin it into the friction chunk.
basically its a faster way of spinning the stick by hand.
Now the rest is previous prep work, you should already have the tender and kindling and the rest set up, the bow drill is one of the final things to do. When the drill has done enough spinning, and ember will be at the bottom, grab your birds nest of fire starting stuff and push the ember into that and blow. Hopefully you'll start a fire. And hopefully you understood all this. Good Luck!
 
Howdy,

Search some of the survival webpages and look at bow drill and also hand drill. For hand drill you will usually use something like, mulefat, yucca stalks, willow for the spindle and a hardwood board like ash.

Just search some websites

FLY GUY
 
Thanks for the info on the bow + hand drill, but I was more interested in the technique that goes something like this:
1 stick held in hands
1 log-type stick on ground

Split log up middle for air flow, place something flamable on it, then rub stick back and forth on log until friction causes the material to burst into flame. (E.G. castaway).

I've seen this technique used other places, just not that I can refer to. I'd like to know the trick, as it seems very simple, and easier to construct than a bow drill (especially if lacking a good top piece to hold the drill down), and not as difficult as the hand-drill. (Cutting a notch not required)

Bow drills are a good technique, and I've started some fires with them before. I'm just trying to expand my horizons. :)
-- Rob

PS - Thanks for the tip on these new fangled "matches," I'll have to look into them. :) You're right, I did ask for it.
 
Hi Mike: Good references that cover the subject of primitive fire starting. I like the fact that they are all grouped together in one easy location,and I'll bookmark them for the future. Thank you.
 
Thanks for the links, Mike. That was exactly what I was looking for. I'll mess around and let ya'll know how it turns out.
-- Rob
 
Well, messed around for a couple hours today. Here's what I learned:

Fire plow: Takes a lot of muscle power. Definitely should only be used if you don't have a knife on you. Or, if you have a large group of people to switch off. I got to the point of smoke and stopped.

Hand drill: Very simple technique. Not hard to do, doesn't take very much muscle or prolonged effort. Managed to get smoke after a minute or two, and fire after a couple seconds more. Best technique requires a notch to be cut into the board, but, if you have a knife, not a problem.

Bow drill: Works well, if you have a good bearing block (the part held that applies pressure to the drill), which is not all that easy to make on the spur of the moment. Takes less muscle/technique than the hand drill. Requires a notch to be cut and string of some sort. Great for repeated fire starting.

Overall, I think the best technique for basic survival out of the three is the hand drill - it's very easy to do, with a little practice, and doesn't require construction of a bearing block or cordage. It's certainly easier than the fire plow, which I would rate as difficult at best. A good bow drill works almost as well as matches, once you get it working.

-- Rob
 
Interesting that you find the hand drill " not hard to do " What materials were you using?
Click to expand...

Well, I didn't mean it was as easy as a match, but it sure worked better than the fire plow. For materials, I used some dead arborvitae from my back yard.

Basically, I used a knife to flatten and cut a notch out of the larger of the sticks. Then, I took off the knots in the wood on the drill part, and made it somewhat pointy. I then started drilling by the notch. It worked fairly easily - in a few minutes, I had smoke, and a few seconds after that, I had some good embers and a small fire. The whole process took less than 10 minutes, which I would rate as "not hard to do."

Perhaps it's more difficult with other materials? I'll try some other stuff, and post my results. I used the stuff from my backyard mostly because the sticks were fairly straight, and I have a lot of them. What materials did you use, Pentlatch? Perhaps I was lucky with my choice of wood?
-- Rob
 
I've built dozens of bow drill fires and hundreds of true flint/steel fires but only managed to get a coal one time using a hand drill...and this was after an expert had repeatedly gotten a coal with the drill and board I was using. In other words, everything was perfect for me. Not doubting what you posted but the materials you are using and your climate must be drastically different than what we have in the Southeast. Usually first timers with hand drills will rub their hands raw in their attemtps.

Jeff
 
Using a drill of mullein and a board of western red cedar I have been able to make fire perhaps a dozen times. The mullein makes a good drill , the board of cedar is pretty good but certain cottonwood or aspen might be better.

I would rate the hand drill as very difficult... material selection is critical... a fair amount of strength and endurance is needed and excellent technique is required.

If anyone can use a hand-drill for "a couple of minutes" I'd like to see it :rolleyes:
 
Well, I just went and tried it again in the dark. I believe it's the wood I used, which seems to be extremely dry. I combined it with a bunch of broken leaves, and had another flame after some effort. Time wise, it took me 20 minutes to get good embers, and 24 minutes to get my pile of leaves going. My hands are a bit raw.

My earlier time estimates were on the lean side. I'm not in the habit of wearing a watch. (Had my cell phone out tonite). I'm pretty sure it was pure beginners luck - the sticks are from a bush that was torn out about two months ago, and so are extremely dry. Also, Utah is the 2nd driest state, and man has it been a hot/dry summer, so perhaps that has something to do with it. You're right, Pentlatch, I too doubt my earlier claim that it can be done "in a minute or two." If the materials are already together and conditions are right, I do think it can be done in ten minutes or less.

Regardless, I still don't think it qualifies as "hard to do." Especially when compared with the fire plow, which I would rate as near impossible. If I can succeed at it - even if it only happens once or twice, then it can't be impossible. I would reserve "hard to do" for things like building an effective solar still, making a comfortable snow cave, etc.

I saw an interesting suggestion on one of the web sites; place a loop of string aroung the end connected to the two thumbs. This helps create the down pressure, and makes it easier to learn. I'll have to try this next, once my hands are better. :)

Just out of curiousity, Pentlatch - how would you make a fire? Bow-drill? Assuming, of course, that you have no matches/flint/etc. I think if it was at all possible, I'd try and construct a bow drill, and failing that, go for the hand drill. It was a definite learning experience for me, and has given me a much stronger appreciation of matches.
-- Rob
 
To make a fire by friction I would use a bow-drill as wood selection is not as critical as the hand drill. I live in BC where 9 months of the year the woods are either wet or damp. Still you can find dryish cedar from standing dead wood if you have an axe.

Using a 22" hand drill I can only drill for 5 passes down the drill before the lactic acid builds up and the arms quit. Occasionally I have got a good coal very quickly. I'm convinced that in a survival situation the hand drill is only for very dry environments and it still takes a high degree of skill/experience for it to succeed.

I'm not from Missouri but I could have been... ;)
 
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