I've been preaching this for years, "Stop loading your bow drill spindle into the bowstring so tightly". Whether you realize it or not, you have to press down much harder just to hold it all together which produces everincreasing wear and drag on the bearing block and spindle tip. Another way to say it, very tight bowstrings make it harder to start the spindle spinning. So, to compensate for all the extra forward pressure that the bow has to apply, you'll have to press down harder to keep the spindle from popping out of the bearing block and fire board. Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You! Bow Drill Playlist th-cam.com/play/PLkoXX8XsMW3kw-EXlvpLS68aJjR89P4ae.html Sourwood Bow Drill Friction Fire In The Woods th-cam.com/video/VhOod_mZmZU/w-d-xo.html
I am amazed that bow and hand drill were the 'Best' methods available to primitive people and they thrived. Your videos are fantastic education opportunities.
One day I'll make a bow drill set and try this myself. If it wasn't for your efforts to educate me/us I would not have considered it. As always thank you for the videos.
I'll be honest, I struggled with that for years... and still I find myself with the string too tight more from habit than anything.. great tip..!! Simper-fi sir
Thanks David I just learned something.. I always loaded my spindle tight with no success at creating an ember I will try it this way and see what happens. Thanks again!!
Agh! I’ve been trying for years. Once or twice I’ve gotten it, ever. My problem is the drill always jumps out of the hole and the string flips the stick. I’m nothing if not persistent though. Using yucca on yucca. That’s should be the easiest material. I’ve also been trying using a pump drill but it seems to get stick or caught and stops spinning even with almost no pressure from the hand socket.
Your bowstring is way too tight. You have it that tight because the bearing block has to much drag on it. And you're using too big of a diameter spindle. Nothing bigger than 3/4"
@@DavidWestBgood2ppl Oh wow, I'm actually the opposite haha, that's why I was wondering. I heard that bankline gripped the spindle a little better, so bankline is what I started with, and the only thing I've ever used. But I wouldn't know by comparison which performs better (if there's even any difference), so I'd like to try with paracord sometime.
I was at a Survival School a few years ago where one of the participants was an amputee. He was missing his right hand. He had to tie the bow to his prostheses, then put the spinner on the string, and get the handhold in place. So, if it was too tight, it would have been harder for him to accomplish. But, by golly, he did it and made fire. He had to blow the coal with the bow still attached to his right arm. I don't think he knew the word "can't".
I’m not sure why you would even need to make fire where you live. IT’S ALREADY HOT ENOUGH! Watching the sweat drip off your forehead onto the blanket makes me realize I couldn’t live where you do. :-) To quote a line from one of my favorite movies, “Fire and heat so hot it makes a man forget his fear of hell!”
I've been preaching this for years, "Stop loading your bow drill spindle into the bowstring so tightly". Whether you realize it or not, you have to press down much harder just to hold it all together which produces everincreasing wear and drag on the bearing block and spindle tip. Another way to say it, very tight bowstrings make it harder to start the spindle spinning. So, to compensate for all the extra forward pressure that the bow has to apply, you'll have to press down harder to keep the spindle from popping out of the bearing block and fire board.
Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You!
Bow Drill Playlist
th-cam.com/play/PLkoXX8XsMW3kw-EXlvpLS68aJjR89P4ae.html
Sourwood Bow Drill Friction Fire In The Woods
th-cam.com/video/VhOod_mZmZU/w-d-xo.html
I am amazed that bow and hand drill were the 'Best' methods available to primitive people and they thrived. Your videos are fantastic education opportunities.
I love to watch tribesmen that still do it as it was passed down to them through the ages.
One day I'll make a bow drill set and try this myself. If it wasn't for your efforts to educate me/us I would not have considered it. As always thank you for the videos.
Thanks William!
David , good tip and demonstration , thanks for sharing , God bless !
God bless you!
Thanks
Great tip Mr. David! Thanks and God Bless You!
God bless you!
Thanks for the knowledge brother!! String tension !!
Yep. When you get done bowing the spindle it's not supposed to, now, look like an hourglass.
I'll be honest, I struggled with that for years... and still I find myself with the string too tight more from habit than anything.. great tip..!! Simper-fi sir
Thanks Kieth!
Thanks David I just learned something.. I always loaded my spindle tight with no success at creating an ember I will try it this way and see what happens. Thanks again!!
Thanks Scott!
Thanks David. I’ve had trouble with this. Great tip. 👍👏🔥
Thanks Ronald!
Great video exactly what I needed thank you
Glad it helped
Great tip!
Thanks! 👍
As always, great job
Thanks again!
Hi David!
👍👍
You make it look soooo easy, but it's not. Practice, practice, practice. Thank you
Right. Not without p., p., p.! TY!
Great tip thanks.
Gonna try messing around with this, I’ve been making my bow ultra tight because I was having slippage problems
You'll be amazed at the ease of ignitions, less wear on the sets, and the increase in ignitions.
Thanks for the tip! I have definitely had my bowstring too tight before and it’s such a struggle.
It's a good tip ALSO, for those that are already using a loose-ish tension, but need an even looser one for a very soft spindle.
Thanks for another great video...
Thanks Z&M!
O melhor do mundo 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you!
ooohyeah going to try that next🔥🔥🔥 you make it look easy but not Thanks
You'll do well!
Agh! I’ve been trying for years. Once or twice I’ve gotten it, ever. My problem is the drill always jumps out of the hole and the string flips the stick. I’m nothing if not persistent though. Using yucca on yucca. That’s should be the easiest material. I’ve also been trying using a pump drill but it seems to get stick or caught and stops spinning even with almost no pressure from the hand socket.
Your bowstring is way too tight. You have it that tight because the bearing block has to much drag on it. And you're using too big of a diameter spindle. Nothing bigger than 3/4"
Is it harder to do it with a wood bearing block than an actual bearing
Not much harder with fatwood. Much harder with just wood.
Thanks David. I'm sure this has been asked before, but do you find that paracord works better than #36 bankline for the bow string?
I haven't tried bankline. Paracord seems like it would be better.
@@DavidWestBgood2ppl Oh wow, I'm actually the opposite haha, that's why I was wondering.
I heard that bankline gripped the spindle a little better, so bankline is what I started with, and the only thing I've ever used.
But I wouldn't know by comparison which performs better (if there's even any difference), so I'd like to try with paracord sometime.
I was at a Survival School a few years ago where one of the participants was an amputee. He was missing his right hand. He had to tie the bow to his prostheses, then put the spinner on the string, and get the handhold in place. So, if it was too tight, it would have been harder for him to accomplish. But, by golly, he did it and made fire. He had to blow the coal with the bow still attached to his right arm. I don't think he knew the word "can't".
Inspirational. Thank you!
How big should I make the divot and how deep
Big and deep enough that the spindle doesn't pop out while trying to do the burn in. See my bow drill playlist
I’m not sure why you would even need to make fire where you live. IT’S ALREADY HOT ENOUGH! Watching the sweat drip off your forehead onto the blanket makes me realize I couldn’t live where you do. :-) To quote a line from one of my favorite movies, “Fire and heat so hot it makes a man forget his fear of hell!”
I love to practice different fire techniques. It's my hobby.