Friction Fire Hack: How to Get Coals While Utilizing a Hand Drill

hand drill fire

The materials list you need is fairly simple: About two feet of cordage, a straight and sturdy stick to use as a spindle, hearth board about one to two inches wide, half inch deep and long enough to stabilize the board with a foot and a knife.

These materials, used per the instructions below and with practice, will allow you to create the ember needed to build your fire.

Step 1: Notch Your Spindle

Cut a 1/8 inch nock in the top of the spindle deep enough for your cordage to mate securely. On my cane spindle, I have a smaller piece of cane which serves to cap the hollow storage chamber at the top of my spindle.

Step 2: Cut Cordage to Length

You need a length of cord which will drape through the nock and hang down the spindle. Allow enough excess for tying a loop on each end of the hanging cordage.

I tied one loop first, ran the cord over the nock, and estimated the amount needed for the second loop before cutting.

Adjust the length until your thumbs (inserted in the loops) and hands are in the middle of the spindle when assembled.

Step 3: Tie Two Loops

I had planned on using one of the four knots I use most often for camping and woodcraft – the bowline. However, Allen, the son of the landowner who allows me to use their property, showed up at my shelter and taught me a new knot he uses while fly fishing – the perfection loop. Either knot will work, but I enjoy learning new knots.

The height of your hands should be near the middle of the spindle for balance

Trim the loose ends of the loops near the knots.

Step 4: Give ’em a Spin

Place your thumbs through the loops and grip the spindle between your palms.

Place the bottom of the spindle in a divot hole in the hearth board. Begin slowly twirling the spindle between your hands to get the feel of how the thumb loops aid in spinning. As you spin you should notice the divot should begin to smoke and create a bit of charred dust around the rim of the divot. Stop and prepare the divot with a V-shaped notch which slices into the pie-shaped divot hole.

Step 5: Go for the Coal

The loops will generate a lot of downward pressure on the hearth board. Don’t overdo it in this beginning stage or you may drill through your hearth board without producing a coal. Spin with medium pressure until the hearth board notch is filled with charred dust.

Now is the time to apply more downward pressure and rapid spinning. This increases the friction between the spindle and board which raises the temperature of the char dust to ignition temperature.

If you think you’re to that point with smoke flying, stop spinning but keep the spindle mated to the board socket. Watch to see if the char is producing smoke on its own. If so, gently remove the spindle and tap the hearth board to loosen the char from the notch.

Carefully lift the board and fan the char with your hand. If there’s an ember in there, it will continue to grow and glow.

Using this method of starting a fire is about as primitive as it gets, but has been used for about as long as we have been able to harness fire.

It does always take a bit of time and if this is the primitive method you opt to learn, it takes a lot of practice, but eventually, it will become as seamless a process as using matches or a lighter.

To learn more about primitive fire making, please check out the Survival Sherpa.

Featured Image via Survival Sherpa


7 Comments

  1. Jeffrey Lytle said:

    A bowdrill is even challenging, a hand drill is extremely difficult it takes much practice and stamina with your forearm and hand muscles.

  2. Don Jones said:

    In a survival situation you will be challenged, life will be difficult , so practice it and get into shape…

  3. Anonymous said:

    Dear DieHardSurvivor, I just wanted to ask you whether there is a reason all articles on your web page are compiled not on one page and most important part of the article is visible always on “next page”? I assume that in all survivor situation easiest way is the best way 🙂 just asking no complaint

  4. Suzanne Behrens said:

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