Bow Drill Fire Training a Moist April Morning

PlaceJonas Vildmark's Cabin, Långhundra Härad, Sweden
Time: 1 day in April

It's a peaceful and moist April's morning. This Easter Eve is perfect for training my bow drill skills under damp conditions. It's a challenge to get a fire started by drill using somewhat wet materials in the fire twigs and Bird's Nest (the ball of grass and other fine material to help catch the amber into flames).
Sonia and I found a handful of decently dry dead grass and some birch bark. Spindle and board I carve from Aspen that has been down for some while. For pushing down the spindle into the board and protect my hand I use a peace of Roe Deer hip bone. The bow I make from fresh Rowan stringed with a piece of laundry line. On the bottom I use a piece of wood from the shed to catch the powder I want to turn to amber.




With the moral support from Sonia I eventually manage to get the damp grass to catch on fire. But as you can see in the movie; the morning moist gives a smokey fire playing hard to get.




Always rewarding to train with the bow drill, and when it all falls into place; this is how happy you get...




By now the warming sun is starting to light up this beautiful morning; looks like this will be a great Easter Eve... My best wishes to you all!





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Wood Carving by the Good Friday Lunch

PlaceJonas Vildmark's Cabin, Långhundra Härad, Sweden
Time: 1 day in April

Easter holidays and this peaceful Good Friday is gratefully spent with the family by the fire cooking. The pan sizzles and I need something to turn over the meat. One of the pieces of wood get to taste my axe and five minutes later I have a decent turner.






And after the coffee the tool looks like this.




Carving is real fun, especially when it's this improvised... And the more I practice the merrier it gets.
Thank you for a tasty lunch!

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