How widespread is hand-drill skill in UK?

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Calypso

Member
Jun 24, 2005
19
0
51
Northumberland
Having read that there may only be about 500 people who can consistantly get an ember with a hand drill in the US, I was wondering widespread this skill is in the UK?

So to get a feel for a number, can you? I've no reason to know other than out of curiosity!
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
I'm still working at it. It is more than being able to twiddle a stick in your hands, that's for sure! For starters, your hands take a battering when you are starting out, I've had callouses and blisters on my hands for ages now. I've tried varying combinations that people have said works well for them with limited success. I still haven't got an ember with one of my own sets, so the work continues. I will get there in the end!
 

lamper

Full Member
Jun 4, 2009
614
0
Brighton UK
www.peligra.com
I'm still working at it. It is more than being able to twiddle a stick in your hands, that's for sure! For starters, your hands take a battering when you are starting out, I've had callouses and blisters on my hands for ages now. I've tried varying combinations that people have said works well for them with limited success. I still haven't got an ember with one of my own sets, so the work continues. I will get there in the end!
You must be camping with me! I seem to have the same troubles.

Hey ho, keep practising!
 
Nov 29, 2004
7,808
22
Scotland
The materials available in the UK may make the hand drill a less popular option than the bow drill.

I have only ever managed to get a decent ember with hand drill once and that was in Namibia using the wood that the San use for their bow drill sets.
 

rich59

Maker
Aug 28, 2005
2,217
25
65
London
There is a long running thread or poll that asks people's preferred fire lighting technique. 13 people put hand drill as the answer.

Anyway, there's me :cool:

Elder or mullein drills on clematis are some of the materials available in the UK naturally. Commercial pine also is an excellent hearthboard.
 

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
you can count me in as a Hand driller

it's very doable in the UK with the right knowledge and quite a bit of practice

same as rich on the materials Mullin or Elder drills, i've alomst made it with fox glove and buddleia drills but need to have another try with them.
Elder Pine and Clematis boards i have used ive also used alder boards to good efect too.


J*
 

addo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 8, 2006
2,485
9
Derbyshire
Im still practicing, and have all sorts of drills ect drying out. Look forward to getting it working soon.
 

pete79

Forager
Jan 21, 2009
116
9
In a swamp
Not UK based anymore, but when I was living there I found that sycamore or willow would score consistently for me (that's using the same wood as both baseboard and drill). I found that the trick was to have the drill long enough so that I could brace the hand at the top of the drill against my knee whilst getting the spinning going.
 

JohnC

Full Member
Jun 28, 2005
2,624
82
62
Edinburgh
I did it once in tandem with Match, who posts occasionally here. Very hot day, I did the first bit, till the set was smoking, them Matt did the faster end bit to get the ember properly glowing. I reckon I wouldn't have got it alone.
 

Gwhtbushcraft

Settler
Nov 16, 2006
653
0
30
Warwickshire
i have had some days when ive had three embers but then others when it just doesn't happen due to weather etc. id say i can consistantly get an ember with bowdrill or know whats wrong but wouldn't with the handrill. Saying that though when the conditions are right i find handrill much quicker and easier.
 

rich59

Maker
Aug 28, 2005
2,217
25
65
London
Yes, I think we are talking "old man's beard".

Advice on loving to try the hand drill? - Keep up that optimistic feeling and have a go!

Cut some straight pieces of elder - about 18in to 2 ft that have had fruit on them this year, and 6-12 inches of commercial pine untreated baton, or pallet wood. Scrape off the bark from the elder and dry over 1 or 2 nights in an airing cupboard or on a radiator. Measure the diameters of the tips then post some pictures on this thread of any that you have got that are about 8-12mm diameter at the smallest end, along with your pine piece. Then we can look at how to use them.
 

robin wood

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 29, 2007
3,054
1
derbyshire
www.robin-wood.co.uk
Never tried it but a couple of weekends ago at the Linacre woodland festival I watched Dave Watson demo this and I was very impressed, two passes down the drill, maybe 10-15 seconds each and he had an ember.
 

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