Hand Drill Friction Fire: Complete Step by Step

This is a complete step by step on how to make a friction fire using the Hand Drill method, including the Floating Hand technique. I had a hard time learning this way of making fire. After several teachers, many blisters, and lots of swearing, I have put together steps and tips to help others learn how to do this well. I hope you learn this skill and pass on the knowledge and know-how!

This video in memory of my friend Ian. You rock dude. I love you and I will see you again some day.

The Good:
- Completely self reliant
- No man made materials
- Very fast setup (about 5 mins for a new set with me)
- You look like a primitive badass

The Bad:
- You need patience to build you body up to it, to condition your skin and soft tissues in your hands.

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[brutalbrital]

Best hand drill tutorial I have ever seen, 45 years of bushcraft and I just learned my technique was wrong, see an old dog can learn new tricks thank you very much for sharing cheers

[futuresonex]

That was easily the best hand drill how-to video I've ever seen, no contest.  A concise, detailed explanation combined with a superb demonstration and excellent camera work, very well done!  Hand drills are a technique that I've never quite mastered myself; this will help I think.

One thing I might add just as general advice to anyone who's just learning this stuff is that there is a common mistake that I have seen other people make and have even made myself with friction fires of all kinds-hand drill, bow drill & pump drill.  We sometimes don't seem to realize that the coal will usually last quite some time before going out, get too excited at successfully making the coal, and then get in way too big of a rush to get it into the tinder bundle. More than once I've seen people accidentally kick the fire board while trying to get up too fast (I've done it too...once) or lift the fire board too fast & throw the coal away in the process (never done that one though).  Either way it means having to do it again.

[feuerbussard]

Simply the best hand drill tutorial I have ever seen, thank you!

[futuresonex]

Still by far the best hand drill instruction video I've ever seen!

[skytan]

What a great tutorial, other bushcraft Youtubers aren't as precise.

[jksurvivalbushcraft]

The best instructional video on hand drill … ever… well done, great job!

[smith]

super well done. it is refreshing to see someone who actually knows what he is talking about. I learned a lot

[ADKwarriors]

This is the single best hand drill video I have ever seen. Amazing job with this tutorial. Thank you.

[joelking]

This is, hands down, the best hand drill friction fire video tutorial I have ever seen.

[adams]

By far, one of the most mature, prepared, deliberate, thoughtful, and comprehensive bushcraft (or any) tutorials I've ever seen.  Not all teachers can teach (and not all youtube video creators can keep the camera still and everything in frame), but you are superb in every category. Dude, open a school - start small and slowly, but if you love this do it - you will be really good at it.

Thanks for the work.  I live in Manhattan, but I'm going to work on this this weekend in the Catskills.

[OutdoorAlchemy]

Dude I am stoked!  After watching your video I tried it with a yucca set.  I almost had it! I knocked the cherry off when I took my foot away. Thank you for your video!

[Borat]

First video I have seen that actually explains how to prepare the board. Thank you! 

[bluehill]

This is far and away, the very best tutorial that I have ever seen on this subject. Cinematography and sound were top notch, as is the explanation. I can see now where I was going wrong. Thanks a TON!

[brucerestrepo]

I found your quality of explanation and demonstration to be fantastic. Really great job. Thank you.

[markc]

i wish this was the first hand drill video i ever watched it would've saved me from watching a dozen pointless ones. this guy is good and this video showed me all the tiny details every other video left that are equally important to know. now i know why i was never successful

[zoltanvonsomogyi]

Thanks to your excellent instruction, I have mastered the hand drill. Cutting the hollow in the end of the spindle is very important for success!

[AlexReyes-zbjf]

Hands down the Absolute BEST vid I've seen Teaching this skill!!
Everything about your reviews/videos are abundantly informative, detailed, and professional! !
It's far more appreciated than you may realize Andy!!
A HUGE Thanks and keep up the Great work!
Alex

[rnott]

One of the best hand drill explanations I have seen. Thank you!

[dylanm.]

That was absolutely incredible. What an awesome and informative tutorial.

[krypto]

This was the most explainable hand drill video I have ever watched, it gives me hope that I can make my first ember. I tried this hand drill a lot of times had smoke but no coal. After a while I got tired of doing this technique and went to my culture fire making the hawaiian friction fire (fire plough as everyone knows it by) but that way is way harder then any other friction fire that is all muscle. But I'm going to try the hand drill once more and see if it works mahalo for the video.