Totally accurate title. I've been successfully experimenting with the hand drill for over a year. I've consumed lots of knowledge on the subject. As far as a technique video, this one is the best.
I know Im asking randomly but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account..? I somehow lost my password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me!
I was using a mullein spindle and a clematis vine fireboard. Yes, there are many plants that will work, but there are even more that won't work or are very difficult to use. If you don't have the time and patience to learn some plant id, you'll need to stick to matches. You can't just "grab some sticks" and make a fire :)
I always was wondering how to press down the spindle without moving my hands down. You teached me the right way how to move the hands. Thank you very much for that great video!
Cattail is very soft. It is hardest at the leaf nodes. If the basswood you are using is particularly hard, then you'll have difficulty burning in. If your set is well matched and you press down hard enough, you'll have no difficulty burning in. Most people aren't pressing down hard enough and they end up burnishing the hole. If that happens, you can add some sand to grind off the polish. I don't use anything to burn in the hole besides downward pressure and speed of rotation.
I've never tried cattail on basswood, but I've used cattail a lot. At the leaf node, the cattail is harder and often works better. Sounds like a good combination. I've used a lot of basswood for bowdrill. You'll need to match the diameter an hardness of the cattail with the basswood so that it isn't just drilling through the board. If you don't get really fine "silky-feeling" dust, you may be drilling too fast.
Absolutely amazing. You make me think I can do it - which is the mark of a master instructor. I look forward to letting you know of my progress with this superb technique.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! I have tried and tried to do the hand drill Technic and have never even got close. I was using the 'down the stick, move hands up, and repeat' method. I am going to have to try this. That looks almost as easy as the bow drill method. I had my ah-ha moment with the bow drill after buying a VHS tape on fire making years ago, and the guy showed how to lock you bearing arm to your leg and I went from 'exhaustion with no coal' to 'coal in 30 seconds'. I think I may have just had my ah-ha moment with the hand drill while watching your video!!!
***** Dude shut up about InnerBark Outdoors! We get it! I think this video is good. There are other points that need explaining to beginners but lets be honest, if you only watch one video before you try it for yourself then you're as much to blame for failing as anybody. It's rude to keep pushing someone else's video here.
Wow! By far the best technique Ive seen used, and very informative. I was wondering if this would work with fan palms? Great video, thanks for sharing.
One of the best instructional videos I've seen. Very well done. Thank you sir for taking the time. May you make fires for many many more years. Blessings.
Thank you for your time in making this video! Whatever those others say, I've watched hours of videos and It's by far the best one I've watched, to the point and basics. You would never know 3 beautiful city girls can start a fire with just about anything! (They camp A LOT) They're eager to learn this technique so I'm going to have them watch this and see where it gets us! they are going to get a kick out of showing up their father! Ahha!lol
Mullein stalks are hard on the outside with a pithy (soft) core. There are a lot of plant species for the spindle that are like this. Elderberry, mulefat, horseweed, thistle, mock orange and many more.
Mullein, which he uses as the spindle, grows everywhere in the US, usually rocky roadsides or disturbed areas. Google it if you're unfamiliar. For the fireboard, try Cottonwood, Eastern Hemlock, Beech or Basswood/Linden. There are many other woods that work well, but those are common in the north east. best of luck!
I was amazed at how difficult the floating movement was at the beginning, it requires to have flexible wrists. It is a movement you hardly ever make, so you'll need to practice it!
You might also be making your notch too big (1/8 of the burn hole). Other good species to use in the boreal forest are black cottonwood and some willows. Try lots of materials and see what works. You'll find that there is sometimes more variation in hardness within a species than between species. Good luck!
Western red cedar was the wood of choice for Northwest Coast tribes for handdrill, though it isn't the easiest material to work with. Cedar's growth rings are very hard and the wood between the rings is very soft. So, if you are having your spindle "drift" away from your initial hole, it could be the angle of the growth rings (the spindle burns down to a growth ring and then burns along it rather than straight through it). If your spindle is getting stuck, then carve out the edges of the hole
Chris, have you ever tried the (karam method) two stick baseboard hand drill technique? Could you try this (karam method) and see if its as easy for you to get an ember fire as it is for me…
Now that I have the bow drill method mastered I will definatly try this, just not sure on the type of wood needed? I would think that it would need to be abit softer. And finding a spindle that straight?? Might be tough!
Thank you so much for your reply. Since last time I've trained hard on the bow drill, so I feel I know a lot more about the process now. Still haven't mastered the hand drill, but I only started out this week. I DO get burnishing on the ends, so I guess much of the problem lies in not enough downwards pressure. I've ditched the cat tail for now, and switched to green dried sallow on a linden (basswood) board. Would you say that's a fairly easy combination?_
Wheres part 2 video.Your video is informative.I made a fire board today(9/20/13) out of a dried sign post.Split it (batoning) with my knife then looked for a piece of sturdy piece of dried limb to make my spindle.Have only gotten to that point due to running out of time.What do I do next?
Excellent demo -- thank you!. I did find it humorous, though, at the ~6:30min part of the video to hear a jet plane in the background while doing a primitive fire starting demo...LOL.
Couple of questions, if you have the time. What are your prime choices for wood in a boreal forest? (living in Norway here. Pretty much same as Canada) Do you angel the drill? My drills seem to eat their way towards the notch. Eventually, everything jams up. Is the rule still to use the same wood for drill and board, or do you chose harder drills_ You say "not too soft and not too hard" woods. Which woods are too soft? Western red cedar - is that too soft? Sorry about the trouble
I can't find wood dry enough or straight enough,so I went to Lowe's and bought a dowel rod and a pine board,gives me a greater chance to get an ember and practice so I don't keep failing and just give up
Nate H your spindle should be a cattail stem, mullein, horseweed, etc. your fireboard should be a fast growing softwood like cottonwood, pine, slippery elm, etc
Feel the dust. It should feel like silk. If it's coarse or in threads, you might be pressing down too hard or the material is simply not a good combination. Keep at it and good luck!
Great vid, but how come every hand drill instructor on UA-cam shows up with a ready spindle and board, all burnt in and notched. My problem is to burn in the hole in the first place. I spent like an hour on this yesterday. The tip of the spindle got a little hot, but that was it. How do you do that? Do you use sand or coal dust to create more friction? I think maybe I’ve seen massais use something like that on a Ray Mears video. Oh, and I use cat tail and basswood (linden) by the way.
Where in the wilderness do you find the special woods that you use? Are they common in the American forests? Cause if I have to buy something, I'd rather buy a gas lighter and a can of diesel.
There are materials for Stone Age fire making available all over North America. The purpose really isn't to prepare you for the unlikely possibility that you and your soccer team crash land in the Andes, rather to connect with your instincts.
Javier Bonilla try horseweed and Willow, popular, cottonwood,pine,spruce,or.sycamore,any soft woods are great,and I always or usually have my spindles about ⅜ in diameter
ok i just got 1 question i might be dumb but why in all videos no one ever shows how to make the damn notches in the sticks cause i wanna know how to do this without anything to help me do i just beat it with a rock?
So I have been trying horseweed/basswood for a while l feel like the basswood might be too hard. I am drying out some Mullen and yucka, I don't see any clematis, I do have a buckeye bow drill set I can try... what do u recommend?
+Keith Gebhardt From my experience --- using hardwood for fireboard get me better result . Prefer elm,oak,birch (fireboard) or same wood for spindle and fireboard. Yucka is great spindle ,also good Glycyrrhiza glabra branches .
This is a wonderful demo, with great , clear instruction ; BUT, it does give the impression that if you don't use the floating technique, (which is a very efficient technique and well described and demonstrated,) you are somehow backward...this is misleading; I've researched the ancient use of fire making techniques and the hand drill, one of the most prevailant...the floating technique is exceedingly rare, everyone else manages perfectly well without it. This demo, though - great! MANY THANKS!
You make it look so so easy. What a boss. This has to be the most refined fire drill demonstration I've ever witnessed.
Totally accurate title. I've been successfully experimenting with the hand drill for over a year. I've consumed lots of knowledge on the subject. As far as a technique video, this one is the best.
Finally someone who is making a how to video the first time they try to do something!
This was "Best Hand Drill Demo Ever"
Amazing! I’ve watched dozens of videos on this topic and this is, without question, the best one!
This is simply amazing.
So calm, so secure, so efficient.
Wow!
I know Im asking randomly but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account..?
I somehow lost my password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me!
@Reign Eduardo Instablaster :)
I completely agree with the title of this video! I've seen a lot of guys that are successful with this technique, but only after 3x's the effort!
This guy is awesome. What a great teacher.
this man did an entirely new method(to me) i've never seen anyone do anything he did. Kudos!
I was using a mullein spindle and a clematis vine fireboard. Yes, there are many plants that will work, but there are even more that won't work or are very difficult to use. If you don't have the time and patience to learn some plant id, you'll need to stick to matches. You can't just "grab some sticks" and make a fire :)
I've watched this half a dozen times, and maybe a hundred other hand drill/bow drill videos, this is still the best.
I know what you meant, but when you said you'd dry out your fire making materials over the fire, that got a laugh outta me. Good vid. Great technique.
you're a very good teacher...you are simple, precise, and easy to understand. thanks for the vid!
I always was wondering how to press down the spindle without moving my hands down. You teached me the right way how to move the hands. Thank you very much for that great video!
Cattail is very soft. It is hardest at the leaf nodes. If the basswood you are using is particularly hard, then you'll have difficulty burning in. If your set is well matched and you press down hard enough, you'll have no difficulty burning in. Most people aren't pressing down hard enough and they end up burnishing the hole. If that happens, you can add some sand to grind off the polish. I don't use anything to burn in the hole besides downward pressure and speed of rotation.
I've never tried cattail on basswood, but I've used cattail a lot. At the leaf node, the cattail is harder and often works better. Sounds like a good combination. I've used a lot of basswood for bowdrill. You'll need to match the diameter an hardness of the cattail with the basswood so that it isn't just drilling through the board. If you don't get really fine "silky-feeling" dust, you may be drilling too fast.
If firemaking was a religion, this guy would be a freakin' Jeti. By far, the best hand drill demo....EVER.
my left ear thoroughly enjoyed this.
This really is the best video on Hand drill ever. No Hype full of great information.
***** thanks I will check it out.
Pathwayschool: I never knew that this could be done without being exhausted at the end. Thank you.
Absolutely amazing. You make me think I can do it - which is the mark of a master instructor. I look forward to letting you know of my progress with this superb technique.
I've done many a bow drill fire and more than a few hand drill fires in my day but you my friend are a master!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
I have tried and tried to do the hand drill Technic and have never even got close.
I was using the 'down the stick, move hands up, and repeat' method.
I am going to have to try this. That looks almost as easy as the bow drill method.
I had my ah-ha moment with the bow drill after buying a VHS tape on fire making years ago, and the guy showed how to lock you bearing arm to your leg and I went from 'exhaustion with no coal' to 'coal in 30 seconds'. I think I may have just had my ah-ha moment with the hand drill while watching your video!!!
***** Dude shut up about InnerBark Outdoors! We get it! I think this video is good. There are other points that need explaining to beginners but lets be honest, if you only watch one video before you try it for yourself then you're as much to blame for failing as anybody. It's rude to keep pushing someone else's video here.
Wow! By far the best technique Ive seen used, and very informative. I was wondering if this would work with fan palms? Great video, thanks for sharing.
One of the best instructional videos I've seen. Very well done. Thank you sir for taking the time. May you make fires for many many more years. Blessings.
Thank you for your time in making this video! Whatever those others say, I've watched hours of videos and It's by far the best one I've watched, to the point and basics.
You would never know 3 beautiful city girls can start a fire with just about anything! (They camp A LOT) They're eager to learn this technique so I'm going to have them watch this and see where it gets us! they are going to get a kick out of showing up their father! Ahha!lol
This is the best hand drill demo. . .EVER
You are the GRAND master in fire starting & presentation of fire starting~!
Thanks
Mullein stalks are hard on the outside with a pithy (soft) core. There are a lot of plant species for the spindle that are like this. Elderberry, mulefat, horseweed, thistle, mock orange and many more.
Great video. You have truly mastered this technique.
Very well done Mr Daniel Boone!!!
Wow thank's. Really good and useful technique. I gona have to try this. How u did it look so smooth.
Wow, Great video. He makes it look easy. I wish this channel made more videos.
wow!..this one is absolutly pro!....
all these years of expirience....amazing!
realy impressing!
Fantastic demo!!!!! 20 stars.
Thank you for your detailed description! I don't think I'll fail anymore. ;-)
Mullein, which he uses as the spindle, grows everywhere in the US, usually rocky roadsides or disturbed areas. Google it if you're unfamiliar.
For the fireboard, try Cottonwood, Eastern Hemlock, Beech or Basswood/Linden. There are many other woods that work well, but those are common in the north east.
best of luck!
I was amazed at how difficult the floating movement was at the beginning, it requires to have flexible wrists. It is a movement you hardly ever make, so you'll need to practice it!
This IS the best hand drill demo ever XD thnx bro
OK, this was a very good demo. Thank you.
You might also be making your notch too big (1/8 of the burn hole). Other good species to use in the boreal forest are black cottonwood and some willows. Try lots of materials and see what works. You'll find that there is sometimes more variation in hardness within a species than between species. Good luck!
i will try it just now in my room and will leave a comment again.It looks good!
Western red cedar was the wood of choice for Northwest Coast tribes for handdrill, though it isn't the easiest material to work with. Cedar's growth rings are very hard and the wood between the rings is very soft. So, if you are having your spindle "drift" away from your initial hole, it could be the angle of the growth rings (the spindle burns down to a growth ring and then burns along it rather than straight through it). If your spindle is getting stuck, then carve out the edges of the hole
Now this is a technique! Very good
Chris, have you ever tried the (karam method) two stick baseboard hand drill technique? Could you try this (karam method) and see if its as easy for you to get an ember fire as it is for me…
Now that I have the bow drill method mastered I will definatly try this, just not sure on the type of wood needed? I would think that it would need to be abit softer. And finding a spindle that straight?? Might be tough!
thanks. Good tutorial on floating technique.
My left ear is enjoying this.
Which sucks for me as my left speaker is blown on my laptop.
excellent demo, thanks.
..bill
You have added some motovation to my practice! Thanks much!
I liked ! Good job my friend.
This guy knows his stuff
I just subscribed and liked! Great video and channel! Any chance of maybe doing a product review on our Firestarters?
That's really the best hand drill demo ever! And I have seen a ton of other videos on this subject!
Thank you so much for your reply. Since last time I've trained hard on the bow drill, so I feel I know a lot more about the process now. Still haven't mastered the hand drill, but I only started out this week. I DO get burnishing on the ends, so I guess much of the problem lies in not enough downwards pressure.
I've ditched the cat tail for now, and switched to green dried sallow on a linden (basswood) board. Would you say that's a fairly easy combination?_
Best I have ever seen ! Digger
Thank you Gerneral Zod - fantastic video but was expecting you to use your heat vision like in Superman movie :)
you do make it look easy . thanks for this imfo., its great!
Wheres part 2 video.Your video is informative.I made a fire board today(9/20/13) out of a dried sign post.Split it (batoning) with my knife then looked for a piece of sturdy piece of dried limb to make my spindle.Have only gotten to that point due to running out of time.What do I do next?
Excellent demo -- thank you!.
I did find it humorous, though, at the ~6:30min part of the video to hear a jet plane in the background while doing a primitive fire starting demo...LOL.
No! That was the roar of the fire as it built up!
LOL -- my bad! :D
Don't take this the wrong way, you sound a lot like Red Green. And that makes me smile.
Great tutorial.
What kind of boots are you wearing ? they are awesome!!
thanks. great demo..
Couple of questions, if you have the time.
What are your prime choices for wood in a boreal forest? (living in Norway here. Pretty much same as Canada)
Do you angel the drill? My drills seem to eat their way towards the notch. Eventually, everything jams up.
Is the rule still to use the same wood for drill and board, or do you chose harder drills_
You say "not too soft and not too hard" woods. Which woods are too soft? Western red cedar - is that too soft?
Sorry about the trouble
very good demo: thank you
Great Video!
You've got beargrass there, which is related to yucca. Beargrass for both spindle and board is a good combination.
Holy god man, you sound just like Terrance McKenna. Are you by chance into shrooms like he was too? THanks!
Terence McKenna!!! That's bril! I laughed till I stopped.
he really knows how to work that thing
Nice! Thanks Chris,
I can't find wood dry enough or straight enough,so I went to Lowe's and bought a dowel rod and a pine board,gives me a greater chance to get an ember and practice so I don't keep failing and just give up
Nate H your spindle should be a cattail stem, mullein, horseweed, etc. your fireboard should be a fast growing softwood like cottonwood, pine, slippery elm, etc
great but how about finding materials and making fire? cause if you're taking materials then I'd take flint or a lighter
awesome. floating is the way to go.
In live in NC...should I use hardwoods like oak for my spindle and board? Or should I use soft wood at all like pine?
This guy is incredible and knows his sh!t!
Im getting smoke a plenty, but im not getting the coal, only non-smoking dust. What am I doing wrong?
Feel the dust. It should feel like silk. If it's coarse or in threads, you might be pressing down too hard or the material is simply not a good combination. Keep at it and good luck!
Is there a special type of wood required for the fire board or is just any piece of wood ?
Great video 🤔
Great vid, but how come every hand drill instructor on UA-cam shows up with a ready spindle and board, all burnt in and notched. My problem is to burn in the hole in the first place. I spent like an hour on this yesterday. The tip of the spindle got a little hot, but that was it.
How do you do that? Do you use sand or coal dust to create more friction? I think maybe I’ve seen massais use something like that on a Ray Mears video.
Oh, and I use cat tail and basswood (linden) by the way.
Muy bueno! Excelent, thank you very much for your explanations!
12 people aint gonna get a hot dinner tonight!
Where in the wilderness do you find the special woods that you use? Are they common in the American forests? Cause if I have to buy something, I'd rather buy a gas lighter and a can of diesel.
There are materials for Stone Age fire making available all over North America. The purpose really isn't to prepare you for the unlikely possibility that you and your soccer team crash land in the Andes, rather to connect with your instincts.
Javier Bonilla try horseweed and Willow, popular, cottonwood,pine,spruce,or.sycamore,any soft woods are great,and I always or usually have my spindles about ⅜ in diameter
this was awesome
What materials could I use in central Florida..
Very impressive
Cool. When the zombie apocalypse starts I'll know how to make a fire when I don't have a lighter woohoo!
You better start practicing it, there won't be any internet by then...!
ok i just got 1 question i might be dumb but why in all videos no one ever shows how to make the damn notches in the sticks cause i wanna know how to do this without anything to help me do i just beat it with a rock?
This guy knows his shit.
i have tried that but it just went hole down. so what type of wood can we use for this ? i hope u reply
what wood would you use if you live in south georgia
this hippi kicks ass!!
Excellent.
So I have been trying horseweed/basswood for a while l feel like the basswood might be too hard. I am drying out some Mullen and yucka, I don't see any clematis, I do have a buckeye bow drill set I can try... what do u recommend?
+Keith Gebhardt
From my experience --- using hardwood for fireboard get me better result .
Prefer elm,oak,birch (fireboard) or same wood for spindle and fireboard.
Yucka is great spindle ,also good Glycyrrhiza glabra branches .
is the spindle soft or hard wood?
Where did you get your boots?
Bravo! Thank you.
excellent
This is a wonderful demo, with great , clear instruction ; BUT, it does give the impression that if you don't use the floating technique, (which is a very efficient technique and well described and demonstrated,) you are somehow backward...this is misleading; I've researched the ancient use of fire making techniques and the hand drill, one of the most prevailant...the floating technique is exceedingly rare, everyone else manages perfectly well without it. This demo, though - great! MANY THANKS!
Also, check out the Maine Primitive Skills School. They have great videos and are in your neck of the woods.
@ace69errrr if you havent noticed, there isnt too many people native to the culture who originally used this technique. kthxbai