Bow Drill Friction Fire Tutorial, Tulip Poplar Delight!

This Bow Drill demonstration will salt your gumbo and butter your grits! If you're still not inspired to learn this great technique, it's ok… BIC lighters are only a dollar a piece.
I have a lot more Bow Drill videos in the playlist below. Learn how to choose the right woods, make a bow, use a fatwood bearing block, use various cordages, tweaks, cheats to start out with, etc.
Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You!

Bow Drill Playlist

[DavidWestBgoodppl]

If this Bow Drill demonstration doesn’t salt your gumbo and butter your grits!… if it doesn’t make you want to learn this great technique, then… BIC lighters are still just a dollar a piece.
I have a lot more Bow Drill videos in the playlist below. Learn how to choose the right woods, make a bow, use a fatwood bearing block, use various cordages, tweaks, cheats to start out with, etc.
Please follow the LINKs below and SUBSCRIBE. Thank You!

Bow Drill Playlist

[wanderluster]

You demonstrate the patience required for bow drill fire making. Slow and steady, deliberate determination. I enjoy your videos!

[starlingblack]

Thanks David for the tutorial. Always good to see you revisiting the basics as it gives us a good foundation of the Bow Drill Friction Fire.

[CougarClan]

I've been teaching bowdrill for over 30 years. Your form is solid! Love your channel David. I've learned a lot from you. Many thanks from western NC!

[Reuben_hikes]

Making it look easy. Great video as usual. thanks for the demo and the instructions.

[kenseeley]

Fantastic demonstration as usual, Mr. West.
Living down here in N Fl, I’ve been having luck w cedar.
I believe the hardest part for me is getting the ember to ignite the tinder.
You make it look easy Brother, and it’s not!
🤘😎🔥

[MichaelR]

Good tutorial David , thanks for sharing , God bless brother !

[joehuber]

Great tutorial Mr west thank you so much for sharing that video 👏👍👌🔥

[pjkentucky]

Thanks for another quality video. The bow drill is something I am going to add to my fire making. But plan "B" is those $1 BIC lighters...LOL

[kenbarrett]

One thing about it if you can’t learn how to start a fire from this channel you need to stay on the side walk 😂

[HarleyBob]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated.

[erolkavlakverizon]

Another awesome video David.. will be trying my hand at bow drill fire making in the near future..I did make two keyring ferocium rods, not bayite, but they work.
If you drill a rod do it very slowly.

[j.davidsapp]

Wow, you really made it look easy! I've been watching a few videos like this lately, and I tried it for the first time since boy scouts yesterday. Got really close before running out of gas myself...One thing I learned that I hadn't heard anyone mention yet is that it seems you're really making progress if you hear squeaking during your strokes...the smoke seems to follow the squeaks. Also, I may need to redo my spindle, based on the precision I see you've put into yours. Gonna give it another shot today with what I learned here, and hopefully that's the tipping point. Thanks!

[bigjimwvmtman]

David have you tried using steel wool tender with bow drill, fire roll & ferro rod?

[sabercat]

Hey David! Thanks for another helpful tutorial. I wanted to know: do you apply low pressure and slow strokes throughout the entire process for tulip poplar specifically, or do you gradually increase speed and pressure? Thanks again!

[williamdroom]

2:38 Is that a piece of leather you catch your ember on?

[sheldontokoro]

Hello Mr. West
I was wondering if I could ask a favor from you ?
I’m interested in some quality fat wood knots straight from the forest floor, I’m willing to pay you for your time and for any cost to ship it to Hawaii. There are no fat woods here, I’m interested in about 15 lbs if you are able to arrange this in your busy schedule.

[mothwaltz]

I love how you carefully hold the fire like a baby chick