Busting Fires

M

Mitchan

New Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2019
Messages
21
Location
Raleigh
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all, have any of you had experience with using bow-drilling/hand-drilling around NC? I'm curious what trees work best out here. If we were in Arizona, I could whip up a board and spindle in no time, but I'm not yet familiar with the flora out here. Any advice would be appreciated, would like to teach some local friends about it.
 
I learned from a guy in AZ. Used their stuff. I’ve never gotten stuff around here to work. Got smoke but no ember.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I did it in Cub Scouts in about 1965 in Jackson, Mississippi. Did it by myself using cedar shavings and made fire, but I can't tell you what I made the bow/drill out of. Probably all out of yellow pine is my guess.

castaway.gif
 
Last edited:
I asked my coworker who is a boy scout leader for the last 20+ years. He said that they never have specified a particular wood here in NC.
He did say that if you find cedar the Red heart of it would light like a torch no matter if it's wet or not.
 
Cowboy said:
I asked my coworker who is a boy scout leader for the last 20+ years. He said that they never have specified a particular wood here in NC.
He did say that if you find cedar the Red heart of it would light like a torch no matter if it's wet or not.
Click to expand...
He has never tried to light it wet then. I think he may be thinking of fat wood.
 
Sorry for the late response fellas, been very busy this past week. Thank you for the suggestion Turkeydance, I will have to look into it. And cowboy, some saps "burn like animal fat" although that is word of mouth from an old hiking buddy. Dude showed me how to make glue out of rabbit droppings and juniper sap so he may have known what he's talking about haha.
 
Mitchan said:
Sorry for the late response fellas, been very busy this past week. Thank you for the suggestion Turkeydance, I will have to look into it. And cowboy, some saps "burn like animal fat" although that is word of mouth from an old hiking buddy. Dude showed me how to make glue out of rabbit droppings and juniper sap so he may have known what he's talking about haha.
Click to expand...

Iirc most pine sap contains turpentine which is flammable.

When a pine dies it settles in the heart wood, center. That become fat lighter and burns very well. You can collect it from the bottoms of standing dead pines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yep, that sounds about right to me. I think pine sap was used in the past to make quick torches for frontiersmen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom