Things You'll Need:
- Stick
- Live branch or sapling
- Cord, string or twine
- Flat piece of softwood
- Thick piece of softwood for a hand hold
- Knife
- Tinder
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Step 1
Gather your supplies. Your bow will be composed of a live branch or sapling that is about three feet long and an inch thick. You'll need a strong hardwood spindle stick, a foot long and 3/4 to 1 inch thick. You'll also need a thin piece of softwood about a foot long and a half inch to an inch thick, and a small, thick wood hand hold that will fit in your palm. Soft woods like birch, poplar, aspen, cedar or willow will work well for your fire board.
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Step 2
Carve your spindle. One end of the spindle should be carved into a dull point while the other should be rounded off. About a fourth or third of the way down the stick from the rounded end, carve a notch all the way around where the cord will attach.
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Step 3
Carve a V-shaped notch in the middle of one of the long sides of the fire board. At the point of the V, carve a shallow, round indentation for the spindle to sit in. The spindle will rotate on the indentation and produce hot embers, which will fall through the V onto your tinder.
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Step 4
Tie your bow. Notch your sapling at each end and tie on a piece of string or cord so that the sapling bends slightly. Do not make the bow too bent because you'll need some extra give to loop the cord around the spindle.
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Step 5
Carve a small indentation into the middle of your hand hold about a half-inch deep and large enough to fit the end of your spindle, allowing it to spin.
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Step 6
Lubricate the notch in your hand hold. If possible, use oil or grease to lubricate the notch in the hand hold and allow the spindle to rotate easier.
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Step 7
To use your bow drill, place tinder below the notch in the wood. Put your foot on the side opposite the notch to raise the fire board slightly off the ground. Put the pointed tip of the spindle in the fire board notch and loop the bow string around the spindle, securing it on the notch that you carved. Place the indent in your hand hold onto the top of the spindle and hold down firmly. Now move the bow back and forth while keeping it perpendicular to the spindle. The friction created by the spinning tip and fire board should eventually create enough heat to light your tinder.
