Friction Fire Success X 16

On 24 February 2006, Earth Connection (EC) conducted a friction fire class that was one of the largest set of successful fire making we have seen. The EC friction fire class focused only on two methods: hand and bow drill friction fires. We had sixteen potential fire-makers that morning and by the day's close all had achieved the ultimate result of rubbing sticks together; FIRE!

We are proud of our newly educated pyromaniacs and expect them to practice, practice and practice friction fire making with what is in their backyard.

Fire Palooza is coming this summer when we are set to assist our student in learning a whole slew of fire making techniques.

The basic technique for making friction fire involves spinning a drill in a hole on a board. Friction from "rubbing the sticks" together produces heat and carbonizes the wood into a fine powdery char. The char collects in a notch cut into the center of the hole like a pie slice. Once the char heats to ignition temperature it will form a coal and begin to smolder.


This coal is place into a bed of tinder of fine, dry plant fibers and given oxygen by gentle blowing. Eventually, as the volatile gases also ignite, this will cause the tinder to burst into flames . This is much easier to describe than to accomplish. Considerable downward pressure is required.




All sixteen of our students completed the task at hand and made a self sustaining fire. What an accomplishment!