Egyptian bowdrill

[robevs73]

This weekend's project was to make an Egyptian bow drill set. This is a good set to make as you don't need very strong cordage.
I gathered nettle cordage yesterday and let it dry over night but twisted it into cordage today.
The set is quite small compared to the standard bow drill set but the wood needs to be perfect (brute force doesn't help with this set).
Here's some photographs.
Any questions please ask.

 

[Clouston98]

That's brilliant mate, you are clearly very skilled!

Ever since I cracked the bow drill and started being able to produce embers I've really become interested in different techniques- this is a great one!

 

[robevs73]

I haven't made one of these sets for years but it's a skill worth knowing as you can do it with natural cordage, tie a clove hitch in the middle of the drill then wind the cord around the drill so when you bow there's a lot less cord on cord ware than on a full size kit.
Its easier to carry around aswel.
I like using feather sticks as tinder its a lot easier to find dry wood than grass barks etc in this country.

 

[Niels]

That does look useful. Never tried to light feathersticks with an ember! Will have to try

 

[Ruud]

nice and tidy cordage, nice curls on those feathersticks, seems like an afternoon well spent!

 

[mikey.elefant]

Out of curiosity, what makes this set Egyptian ?

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[robevs73]

I don't know! !!
Seriously I first saw this technique on Wilderness Way's magazine years ago and it was called the egiptan bow drll. I think it has something to do with using small shrubs and trees as that's what's available in the desert lands.
I could be wrong tho.

 

[mikey.elefant]

That is a lovely kit you've put together but I do feel like I need to put in my two cents being I do have some light to shed on this. , the climate in Egypt allows a very unique flora though like in any dessert these shrubs/bush/trees are not the kind you would want to use as a fire drill or actually any kind of fire by friction. Many of you might be thinking of Sotul or in its biblical name סוטל but that plant grows in higher elevation deserts and drier climate's. Cord making on the other hand was a very big Occupation and Egyptian cord or rope was a known as an expensive commodity

After searching the web a bit I found many other people who use the same method and call it "The Egyptian bow drill" but after a thorough search I could not find any mention of it in the archeological books I have nor any scientific mention. Further more slave traders crossing over from what today is Somalia would bring back with them a flint and steel method and "kit" (in today's jargon) to their own countries, a testimonial that Egypt as we all know was a very advanced empire. It seems to me and please correct me if I am wrong that fire by friction was a wide spread method with different "takes" on the actual looks of the kit. From the research that I have done I have found that this low technology was used mostly by people and countries that at the time were considered less developed. The only reason I could think of for the name of that method would be the hitch- it might originate in Egypt.

I will be happy to refer to the different sources. And furthermore to an amazing story about the Nabataean.



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[steve a]

This may throw some light on the issue
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/25317#.U6iH4Se9KK0
google kahun fire drill and you will find lots of references to fire drills found in Egypt

 

[robevs73]

Thanks for the information.
I think I'll re-name it as the "clovehitch bow & drill set".
That ok?

 

[mikey.elefant]

Lol.

I'm sorry I did not mean to offend you in any way not did I mean to put you on the spot.

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[mikey.elefant]

Hey Steve. I have a personal problem with the Kahun dig but overlooking that, one would believe that if wood was scarce a bow drill set would have been kept for future lighting of fores hence there would be many more of them found.
Islamic coins and small buddah status found in the Scandinavian countries do not attest to those countries being Islamic or Buddhist.

Furthermore it is a known fact that many trade routes existed with what is today central Africa hence the another possible explanation for the existence of this set.

I'm enjoying this conversation a lot since It has brought me back to reading some excellent books that have been accumulated lots of dust

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[robevs73]

No offence taken mate , historical knowlage is very important, I'm a very hands on kind'a guy so I dont really look that deeply into things, its a good technique if you haven't got paracord or leather. Personally my favourite friction fire lighting method , I'm going to adapt it a bit and see how small a working kit can get.
Blame the yanks at Wilderness Ways magazine for the inaccuracies!

 

[ged]

... Cord making on the other hand was a very big Occupation and Egyptian cord or rope was a known as an expensive commodity ...

[wild guess] Maybe the drill gets its name from the cord? [/wild guess]

 

[mikey.elefant]

Never tried making my own cordage for a bow drill and your post inspired me to.

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[palmnut]

I think the fact that the drill is fixed to the cord (either with a knot or passing the cord through a hole in the drill) is what makes it 'Egyptian', but that may just be slack Bushcraft terminology for this twist on the theme. Securing the cord in this way does mean that the cord does not need to be kept under huge tension to make the drill work, allowing the use of 'lower grade' cordage. I've heard of it being made to work with a couple of strands of dental floss.

Peter

 

[Ruud]

Do you have a photo of the clove hitch attached to the drill perhaps? I don't really get how the hitch can reduce wear on the cordage.

 

[robevs73]

The cord winds up and down the drill either side of knot not rubbing vigarously against itself.

 

[Ruud]

might give it a try with some willowbarkcordage I'm in the process of making, will be a fiddly task for sure.

 

[Firelite]

very interesting - thanks for posting. I'm really envious of those feathersticks too - top drawer!