I spent a couple of hours last weekend at a Sea Cadet Instructor training course run by my friend George.
It was a fairly wet and wild weekend and I arrived in time to see George set the guys to work with the bowdrill. It's in this kind of weather that you really learn about fire making especially using friction. The sets were pre-prepared due to time constraints so were nice and dry but in these conditions moisture is never far away and ready to permeate everything.
George introduced me to the group bowdrill a year or two back. It's a great teambuilder and a good way of learning the process while developing technique, good form and some more muscle! It does make it pretty difficult to get good photos though as everyone is crowded round the action.
A pole is used as a bearing block. Two of the team are put in charge of keeping it braced and everything level. The other two team members are in charge of holding the hearth steady and working that bow! As you can imagine this reduces the strength and stamina needed by each individual but increases the need for good coordination to avoid drills flying around and broken bow strings.
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need a fire take a while to think about your approach. You may well achieve it first time on your own if you know your stuff and have access to good materials. On the other hand you may not and those calories are expensive once the shit's hit the fan. It's all about risk, playing the odds and above all, if you have the good fortune to be in a group, teamwork.
The guys got an ember after a couple of goes and blew the ember into flame. A great achievement. Well done!
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Nick teaches bushcraft and wilderness skills in South East England. He's busy working on some projects to rekindle the UK's adventurous spirit and preparing for a trip to Canada in January for some winter wilderness shenanigans!
