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How to Make Fire with a Bow Drill. The bow drill is an ancient tool for making fire.
The bow rotates the drill, and the friction produces enough heat to start a fire. You
will need A bowstring A bow A drill or spindle A handhold A fireboard A green leaf Tinder
Grease (optional) Plant resin (optional) and cottonwood-tree down (optional). Step 1. Tie
each end of the string to the ends of the bow. Step 2. Wrap the string once around the
drill. Adjust the tension of the bowstring so that the drill does not slide back and
forth along it. Do not let the string rub against itself while wrapped around the drill.
Step 3. Place the handhold on the top of the drill and grasp it firmly. Keep the drill
perpendicular to the fireboard, which remains flat on the ground. Step 4. Grasp the bow
with your free hand, and move the bow back and forth vigorously as you press down on
the handhold with your other hand. The drill, handhold, and fireboard will begin smoking.
To prevent further smoking of the handhold, add some grease or resin to the top of the
drill. Be careful not to get any on the fireboard end of the drill. Step 5. Cut a small, pie-shaped
notch through the charred area of the fireboard. This will allow embers to fall through the
fireboard. Step 6. Place a green leaf under the notch in the fireboard and continue forcing
the drill back and forth. When the fireboard starts to smoke again, the char dust will
ignite an ember, which will fall onto the leaf. Step 7. Transfer the ember from the
leaf to a bundle of tinder. Cottonwood down works well. Blow on the tinder bundle until
the tinder material erupts in flames. Did you know In Greek mythology, the Titan Prometheus
stole fire from the gods and shared it with humans.