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The Block And Bow Method
The block and bow method of fire starting is fairly simple - if you have a hatchet or large knife. First you need to find a tree with very hard wood - about as hard as a broom handle. Chop off a pole of it with the circumference of a quarter, about a foot long. Next carve one end to a point - not a sharp one, though. Next, you need to make the bow by taking a fairly flexible branch of a tree with only a little smaller circumference than the first pole. This pole must be about two feet long. Now, cut a strip of your jeans or shirt ( jeans are best ) that is a bit longer than the stick you cut for the bow. Now cut a notch on each end of your bow-stick and put the strip of cloth onto it - leave a tiny bit of looseness. Now, cut off or find a block of SOFT but DRY wood that is about an inch - or - so thick. Then cut a small notch into the side of your soft block. Now, put your hard "broom handle" on the notch and loop the string of your bow around it so that when you move the bow back and forth the "broom stick" rotates. Now cut a small dip in a piece of wood to put on top of your "broom stick" to hold it in place. Now gather a pile of dry grass by where you are. Now move the bow back and forth very quickly and rapidly until a small pile of ashes has built up under the notch. Quickly use a knife to gently pick up a hot coal in the little pile then gather a bunch of the grass and put it in your hand, then put the coal in - Make sure you do all of this VERY quickly - now close your hands until there is only a little space between your thumbs, blow gently into the space, and when your hands start to hurt from the heat, toss the grass onto the area that you want your fire. The grass will burst into flame as soon as it leaves your hand so you need to be ready to pile tinder on the burning grass before it goes out. Now you have FIRE!!!!! |