No need to pester me, you doin' its bad enough.
So, like willis said, he gave me a piece of cedar, about as big around as your wrist, and about 15" long. And damn, was that stuff seasoned. I was going to try to use my SAK on it, but not a chance in hell of that happening. SO, I whooped out my 1217, and commenced to create. Bowdrill kits are one of my favorit things in the world to make, and for me, I consider it a good test of a knife's capabilities.
Enough gilding the lily, lets get to the pics.
I didn't take any pics of me making it, sorry, but I wasn't planning on posting it up.
Cedar is my favorite material for a bowdrill, and as I see it, its my 99.999% guaranteed wood for getting a coal. My success rate with cedar is pretty high, say, around 95% of the time, I'm getting a good solid coal.
Basic components of a one stick bowdrill kit, hearth, spindle, bearing block, and coal catcher. All made from the same stick.
About a finger's thickness wide, squared up and carved smooth. Like I said, I was drinkin' and whittlin' when I made this.
My spindle is a little thicker than I normally make, but I wanted to give a larger diameter a shot this time. Mostly, because with friction, more surface area, the better.
Points looked pretty cool, as I used the inner rings of the wood, as a guide when I was shaving off planks from the outside.
And one of the reasons why I like cedar is the smell. My whole living room smelled of cedar, which is a good smell. Another reason why I like cedar, the savings burn like hell's fires when they catch, so it makes for a good transition from tinder bundle to larger fuel. I try to use everything I carve off when I make a kit, for my ingredients for my fire.
The whole family and the critter what made'em
Moose
