How to Make a Fire Caveman Style

Modern technology provides humans with fire-making technologies, such as matches, lighters, lighter fluid or gasoline. Cavemen lacked these tools, but they needed the heat of a fire to keep warm enough during the winters to survive. The fire also allowed cavemen to cook food to avoid illnesses associated with food born bacteria.

Things You'll Need

  • Rock
  • Tinder
  • Stick
  • Wood plank
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a stick approximately 24 inches long. The stick should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in diameter. Look for a stick that is dry. The stick should not have any leaking sap or green in its interior.

    • 2

      Break off any limbs from the stick. Lay the stick on a flat surface and hit any protrusions on the stick body where the limbs were until the diameter of the limb is as smooth as possible. A rock shard or arrow-shaped rock works best for this process. The smoothed stick will be used as a drill.

    • 3

      Find a piece of wood that is flat on the top and bottom, and a few inches wide. The wood plank will be used as your drilling surface or hearth board. The hearth board should be dry.

    • 4

      Strike the center of the hearth board until there is a 1/8 inch indentation in the center.

    • 5

      Position the hearth board on a flat surface in front of you. Kneel down on your knees and slide the edge of the hearth board against your knees. Your knees will be used to steady the hearth board and prevent it from moving.

    • 6

      Place a small pile of tinder in front of the hearth board.

    • 7

      Position the drill upright with the tip in the 1/8-inch indentation. Hold the drill between the palms of your hands. Rub your palms back and forth in a sawing motion, which moves from the top of the stick to the base of the stick. Reposition your hands at the top of the stick and continue to spin the drill.

    • 8

      Grasp a small amount of tinder and place it over the 1/8 inch indent when it starts to smoke and a faint orange ember forms. Gently blow on the ember until the tinder ignites. Continue adding tinder and eventually larger pieces of wood until the fire is burning well.