How to Make a Bow Drill Campfire

Starting a fire is accomplished with a source of heat. In an ideal situation, the heat is provided from a lighter or match. In a survival situation, the heat source is often limited. Extreme situations often find individuals with limited resources. Fire is useful for heat and cooking and provides a significant psychological advantage when surviving. A fire bow drill is one method that is used to produce the heat necessary to start a fire.

Things You'll Need

  • Tinder
  • Board
  • Hand hold
  • Bowl
  • Spindle
  • Kindling
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a small pile of tinder on the ground beside the fire bow drill board. Use flammable material such as dry grass or dryer lint. Have the tinder close by for lighting with the ember produced by the fire bow drill.

    • 2

      Wrap the string from the fire bow around the spindle. Place the tapered end of the spindle in the hole of the fire board.

    • 3

      Place the fire bow drill block on top of the spindle to use as a hand hold. Apply downward pressure on the block to hold the spindle in place but so it will still turn freely.

    • 4

      Pull the bow back and forth to rotate the spindle. Continue to turn the spindle with a steady motion to create ash. Increase the rotation speed of the spindle once the ash is formed to create an ember. Look for heavier smoke to indicate a burning ember.

    • 5

      Watch for a curl of smoke to indicate a burning ember. Lay the drill, spindle and block down and locate the ember in the hold of the fire board. Empty the ember into the tinder pile. Blow gently on the ember to cause the tinder to catch fire.