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Field Guide To Friction Fire      
 

January 2008 Entries on this page
#1 The Cave of Lost Coals
#2 Willow For Friction Fire
#3 Fire Making Over The Seasons
#4 Oak Fire Boards

Entry #1    January 2008

The Cave of Lost COALS  by Tim MacWelch

Copyright © 2000 as Earth Connection Handout Series 1
ALL TEXT, PHOTOS, AND GRAPHICS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.  NO PART OF THIS WEBSITE MAY BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF EARTH CONNECTION, LLC. 

Sometimes a blind squirrel finds a nut, sometimes he doesn't. 

    Two days after Christmas 2007, I was training with Wes and Hardee from our newly founded Earth Connection North Carolina.  We were on a survival campout near Grandfather Mountain NC, on the edge of the Piscataway National Forest.  These woods are so wet, that they are classified as a Temperate Rain Forest.  I believe it, too.  Everything was livid green with moss, and lush plant growth.  The guys said we were going to the Cave of Lost Coals.  This sounded ominous, but also like a challenge.  We hiked down a valley to a south facing rock overhang to camp.  The overhang with it's age old, grey face and bone dry dirt floor was a very welcome sight in such a rainy place.  Now, one of our standing goals for most situations is to make friction fire with all local materials.  This campout was no different.  But in this very damp place, it was apparent that friction fire with perpetually damp wood was going to be brutal.  We set up our make shift camp by the rocks by walling up one side with sticks and leaves, and then we began fire making in earnest.  Tulip poplar drills and boards, mystery Maple, and Hemlock Pine was tried in different combinations.  We even tried a Cracked Cap Polypore fungus shelf as a fire board (they do work very well as a board sometimes).  Finally the Fire Gods smiled on Wes, and gave him a coal.  And here's were the Cave of Lost Coals got another offering.

    Wes had collected a grapefruit sized bundle of beautiful, finely shredded Tulip Poplar inner bark tinder.  It was a little on the damp side, but we were in a "rain forest" after all.  The coal went into the tinder bundle, smoked a bit and then went out. 
Cave 1 more - us 0.  Try as we might until dark, no more coals came.  Drills snapped in half.  Boards were drilled clean through.  And we finally broke out the trusty old spark rod, and lit the tinder. 

    So did the blind squirrel find a nut?  Kind of...  We learned that the next time we are doing any wet weather fire making, and we have anything that will pass for a "Coal Extender" (Cracked Cap Poly), that we will make the coal as big a a golf ball before we put it into the tinder.  If the tinder is damp, or we're just having an unlucky day, that extra burn time and heat from a monster coal will probably get us over the edge.  Next time, I will be greedy and ask for a Super Sized coal, just to be on the safe side.

Good luck making fire when you need it the most,

Tim

Entry #2    January 2008

Willow For Friction Fire  by Tim MacWelch

Copyright © 2000 as Earth Connection Handout Series 1
ALL TEXT, PHOTOS, AND GRAPHICS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.  NO PART OF THIS WEBSITE MAY BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF EARTH CONNECTION, LLC. 

    There are many species of Willow throughout the Mid-Atlantic region of the good old USA.  There are even more species throughout the world.  That's a very comforting fact for those of us who share the obsession for rubbing two sticks together to make that dancing little sprite we call fire.  I recently had the privilege of working with some local Black Willow during a private class.  As part of the curriculum, we went out into the woods around our campsite to find friction fire materials for a bow drill kit.  The willow tree had been giving us some good sticks lately, so we tried a few more dead sticks from it.  A few straight sections gave us possible drills.  A few wider branches gave us prospective board sections.  Two pieces had to potential for good bows.  Those pieces, along with a hard wood knot in a White Oak branch, a piece of light rope and a knife gave us the contenders for a few bow drill kit combinations.  You will ALWAYS want to give yourself more than one piece for each fire kit component, some will break, others just won't work.  So don't put all your hopes in just one drill, one board, etc.  We certainly hedged our bet for fire that day.  A very short walk back to camp scooping up some odd bits of tinder along the way, turned out to be the most difficult part of the operation.  A little whittling on the best straight stick gave us our drill.  Some shaving of one side turned a fat branch into a fire board plank.  The string and the bow went together, and a hole was bored into the hard wood knot for the hand hold block at the top of the kit.  A ground up bit of bright green Rhododendron leaf from a few steps away gave us the lubricant for the hand hold block.  The rest is fire history.  We had a nice fat coal in the tinder and flaming about 30 minutes after we left camp.  Material selection is King, Queen and the rest of the court, too.  I just can't stress that enough.

    So now you know that Black Willow will work for the friction components of the bow drill fire kit.  Let's talk about it's sad and mournful looking cousin, Weeping Willow.  You'll probably find as much of this around as any other Willow, and it works just as good.  The branch woods and trunk woods show equal favor from the fire gods.  Did you know that it is not Native?  That's right, it didn't grow up around here.  You're looking at a very successful Asian immigrant when you look at Weeping Willow.  The stories around this tree flow like the branches waving in the wind.  One tale says that all of these trees that you see today are descended directly from the first two Weeping Willows that were brought to this country.  That is somewhat believable, as the tree produces no viable seeds, and reproduces by "cloning".  Each green twig or branch that falls in the mud or damp soil will root and make a new tree.  These are very easy to root for yourself.  Just clip off some twigs and stick them in a glass of water.  When the roots have begun to grow under water, plant these baby trees in the soil and soon you'll have new Weeping Willow trees.  Many other trees can do this, but few seem to have the survivor instincts of this tree.  It's tough, yet it knows how to bend.  I could take a few lessons from that tree. 

Happy Willow Fire Making,

Tim

EDITORIAL CLARIFICATION
In the previous article, I call fire a "sprite", mention the "fire gods", address immigration, proclaim that a tree has instincts and say that I would like to be a tree.  Since it is an election year, I'd like to take this opportunity to say that "I am not a cult, I have no hidden agenda in my classes or articles, I have never been a cult, I neither confirm nor deny the existence of sprites and/or the fire gods (sorry Zanzibar), I am an illegal immigrant and I don't hug trees, not that there's anything wrong with that."  



Entry #3    January 2008

Fire Making Over The Seasons by Tim MacWelch

Copyright © 2000 as Earth Connection Handout Series 1
ALL TEXT, PHOTOS, AND GRAPHICS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.  NO PART OF THIS WEBSITE MAY BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF EARTH CONNECTION, LLC. 

    Besides knowledge of fire making techniques and materials, another determining factor for the success of a fire maker is their knowledge of the seasons and the weather.  The times to gather, and the times to practice can have a great effect on ones abilities.
The following is an average of my 22 years as a fire maker in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

SPRING AND SUMMER a time for practice

    Spring is my time of year to stretch the muscles that winter has given some rest.  However, great care must be taken in the dry, strong winds of March and the dangerous fire conditions they create.  The abundance of winter dried leaves and grass can easily be fuel for devastating forest and brush fires fanned by the wind.  This is one of the most interesting times of year to learn about trees and shrubs.  You can test your strength at identification of trees and shrubs.  Look at the bark, buds and twigs; break the dead branches and carve them to examine the wood; and then find out soon if you were right by examining the fresh, new leaves for easier identification. 

    The dryness of March will give way to the showers and increasing humidity of April.  It may be now or never to collect the last of certain weathered plant stalks for hand drills before, even the ones that need weathering, rot too much.  These conditions are often a good challenge, a chance to practice dealing with rain and a time to ease into fire making in greater humidity.
   
    May begins the more humid, warmer and stormy summer months.  It is a great time to practice all pursuits in fire making under these unfavorable conditions.  I watch the reactions of different materials as different weather patterns change them.  When storms pass over, the dead broken limbs and branches can be harvested for bow drill, fire plow and other fire making materials.  The dead limbs are ready to use once they dry, unless wet fire making is your goal.  The green wood broken from the trees can be collected, dried and seasoned for later use, unless you want to try green wood fire making.  But that will be another article. 

    As the heat of summer begins and the humidity reaches its peak, the months of June, July and August become a tough time to do the hand drill.  The slender drills and fire boards never really seem be dry, but good material selection and year round practice can mean frequent success.  Still, it is amazing that before flint and steel, almost all of the early historic and prehistoric native peoples of the east used the hand drill alone to make their daily fires for cooking and gathering round - even in the most humid weather.  August is also when the crickets start chirping here, a sign that fall is close.  I start thinking about the gathering that will be done this fall by looking for places to collect.  I look for patches of Horse weed and Goldenrod that are still growing.  Hand drills can start to be gathered soon; and soon also the Goldenrod tops will make a great tinder.  It is also time to stake out the Yucca in the area to see where the biggest and straightest are growing.

FALL AND WINTER a time of gathering

    In September, the first few days of drier and cooler air move through the region.  At this time, I intensify my search for materials. The Goldenrod are blooming and this allows me to spot them from a good distance.  I make note of all the good gathering places, as they can change from year to year depending on the weather and many other conditions.  Some of those fire kits that have not worked all summer, that were just beyond the reach of ones abilities, start to magically work.  The time to gather some hand drills has begun. In September, Mullein and Yucca can be harvested and set aside to dry.  Some are even ready to use now.  When gathering Mullein, I am careful not to step on the first year rosettes of fuzzy, green leaves that will grow into next years crop of Mullein stalks.  Also, I like to shake the tiny, brown seeds around to propagate the plants further.  An easy way to do this is to break off the seed head from the top of the plant and carry it to the place that I want to sow the seed.  To keep the Mullein patches large and strong, I will spread the seeds further out than the patch is currently growing.  This will keep the plants from being in such competition with each other and enlarge the patches next year.  Some of the patches I regularly harvest from have become huge over the years.  Yucca gathering is an occupation that often requires pruning peoples plants.  Some people, and rightfully so, are very territorial about their plants, so ask before you walk into their yard and start collecting.  A sharp knife can cut the stalks on a diagonal near the base or sharp pruning snips can also be fast ways to gather them, although a serrated or toothed stone blade can saw them off as well.  But however you choose to cut them, be careful not to pull the stalk up; or twist and bend the stalk around too much.  This can damage the root.

    In October and November, material gathering can intensify and become an obsession.  Fire materials are ready to harvest everywhere.  Tinder can also be found in abundance.  Goldenrod tinder can be gathered by the bag full.  Some of the needles on some
Pine trees die and shed to produce a carpet of new tinder around and underneath these trees.  Dead, dry deciduous leaves can be found blowing around every where.  Grasses are dead and ready to collect.

    December can be a time to gather hand drills that are better upon weathering.  Our first snows usually come in December and making Fire in the snow can be an amazing experience.  Just make sure that you have a dry bark slab or something similar under your fire
kit, and watch out for snow falling off of your clothes, gloves and boots onto your fire kit.

    January and February can be the ultimate test of a fire maker's skills.  The cold reduces the activity of the oxygen in the air, thus any coals produced are struggling to breath.  The cold air also steals precious heat from the friction fire making process.  The critical ignition temperatures may not be reached in extreme cold weather.  And although the air is usually low in humidity, sometimes things never really seem to dry out well.  This would be an excellent time for a real challenge - to find tinder in the snow, or break ice from branches to get fire making materials.  But work slowly, if possible, to avoid breaking a sweat and giving hypothermia a
foothold on you.  On warmer days, materials can still be gathered for use during the rest of the year.  Weathered Cattail stalks can be cut for hand drills.  The Cattail down harvested by the bagful for coal extender and tinder additives.  Then it all starts back over again.  Year after year, the more you practice - the more you learn.  Try new things, and share the wealth (of knowledge).  Let's hope we never NEED it, but be glad we really KNOW it.  Thanks for reading!

Tim
 

Entry #4    January 2008

Oak Fire Boards  by Tim MacWelch

Copyright © 2000 as Earth Connection Handout Series 1
ALL TEXT, PHOTOS, AND GRAPHICS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.  NO PART OF THIS WEBSITE MAY BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF EARTH CONNECTION, LLC. 

     Isn't Oak supposed to be on that list of woods you can't use for friction fire pieces??  Yes, it is on that list.  The list shows up in many books and is taught in many classes, my own included.  However in recent years I have changed my position from "Impossible", to "Try everything else first before you try Oak, Hickory, Walnut and Dogwood".  Questions started to rise in my mind by researching some of the fire kits written about by European ethnographers.  These curious people were researching the Native peoples of America during the time of contact (or more correctly CONQUEST).  Interesting how some country or government can "discover" or "colonize" a place already full of people who's only crimes are lesser fire power and more humanity.  But that's a whole other series of articles.  Anyway, Europeans found that the folks up in the Arctic were tough as nails, always have been.  Imagine trying to find the best wood pieces that you can find to make a fire, in a place so cold that no trees grow.  That's the reality of the far North.  Many times, the different Inuit tribes can only get a few bits of driftwood, like oak planks from wrecked ships.  There isn't the luxury of wood to burn, only small oil lamps, but you need flame to light those wicks.  So Bow drill and Mouth drill kits were made and used out of Oak, not because it's some choice material, but because sometimes it's the only material. 

    And Oak was used for fire boards and sometimes drills - SUCCESSFULLY!  This all seemed wrong.  I can't get Oak to work here where it is warm, how can it work where it's so much colder.  How can you reach that critical ignition temperature for friction fire when everything around you, including the air, is sub freezing??  But nevertheless it worked.  Countless tales say so, and many of the fire kits in the Smithsonian were tested successfully about 140 years ago, by a very lucky gentleman who wrote a little bit about his experiences.  I really hope that I am somehow descended from that guy.

    Then I started hearing about charred fire boards in the primitive skills community.  The boards are burned a little in a fire, to carbonize (char) the wood - to lower it's ignition temperature and change the quality of the wood.  Well, this I had to see.  So during our Firepalooza class in 2007.  I got a big Red Oak fireboard out of my "Challenge Wood" bucket and burned it black on one side.  On this burned side of the fire board, co-instructor Hue burned in a hole and cut a notch for a bow drill.  A Basswood drill, a stone handhold  and a flexible bow completed the kit, and after about a minute of vigorous drilling, there was a fat and long burning coal.  The burned board trick worked.  However, for survival purposes there is a down side.  It provides us with the same conundrum as Flint & Steel.  You have to have a fire - to make the stuff - to make more fire.  So we need a fire to char the wood to make a fire kit, just like we char the cloth to catch the spark of the Flint & Steel to make more fire.  These concepts speak to us more of preparedness, than going out to survive with starting nothing.  Which brings us back to being prepared for as many contingencies as possible.  This charred Oak Fire board trick is one more goodie to try, test and then file away as a back up survival plan.  But do yourself a favor, and have many ways to start that fire, some EASY ways - every trip - every time.

I'll get a fire out of this board one way or the other!

Tim  

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