Bushcraft Survival Australia - Bowdrill Fire with Lantana

This presentation demonstrates the process of choosing, collecting and constructing a bowdrill fire set, using Lantana as the wood and producing fire.
The video is presented by Gordon Dedman, founder of Bushcraft Survival Australia (BSA). Gordon has travelled extensively and completed numerous Survival and Bushcraft Courses worldwide at schools run by Ray Mears, Dave Canterbury, Lofty Wiseman and Bob Cooper.
Gordon is a former member of the Australian Army 1st Commando Regiment and is presently a survival instructor in NORFORCE, an Australian Army Reserve Regional Force surveillance unit.
NORFORCE conducts patrols in the remote areas of Northern Australia, working closely with Aboriginal communities.
Please follow all safety procedures when lighting fires outdoors and always adhere to the laws and guidelines set down by your State or country of origin, governing fire lighting.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
BSA (Bushcraft Survival Australia) Disclaimer
The information presented in these videos are given under the provisor that the person/s watching these instructions will practise with caution and care.
BSA is not responsible for how and when you use this material.
Please note that some activities related to bushcraft survival can be dangerous if performed without proper care and attention to detail.
Please note that in many situations it is not permissible to light fires in National Parks. Please adhere to fire regulations and restrictions in your local area before lighting a fire. On the Person
Morakniv Garberg (Carbon) full tang knife alnk.to/hDjqBEe
Bacho Laplander folding saw bit.ly/3b8hXI0
Fire striker (Strikefire or Light my Fire or Morakniv) on a lanyard alnk.to/gdZmL94
Leatherman Supertool alnk.to/3TUk6RC
10m hank of 550 paracord bit.ly/3nQeK5b
Small Day Pack (Fjallraven Kanken or Helikon-Tex Bushcraft Satchel - alnk.to/e70gZnA
Kleen Kanteen 20oz or 40oz stainless steel, wide mouthed, single walled bottle with nesting cup alnk.to/7WXKFps
Pathfinder or Survival Supplies Australia /Bushcraft Survival Australia special edition All Weather Emergency Blanket (in production and coming soon) bit.ly/3h6Cnov
Heavy duty extra large non pleated garbage bag (new BSA survival bag in production and coming soon)
SOL Emergency Space Blanket/Bivvi bit.ly/3vLLi2X
Ledlenser MH4 head lamp alnk.to/4Bzm1V3
Falkniven DC4 sharpening stone bit.ly/3eYkSo1
Bushcraft Survival Australia Bandanas bit.ly/3nQ8iem
Suunto MC-2G Global Compass OR Silva Ranger Compass (also worn on the person) bit.ly/3tsGRZj
Small First Aid Kit bit.ly/3f3alI7
Military wound dressing/bandage bit.ly/3bbanMK
Overboard 10-15 litre dry bag alnk.to/7qdtJ0b
Helikon-Tex Military Poncho bit.ly/3xR28iI
Fjallraven Wool Beanie alnk.to/3y4O95k
Fjallraven Keb long sleeved wool t-shirt alnk.to/fS9QOdf
Fjallraven Vida Pro Trousers alnk.to/60TpSzj
Fjallraven Singi Trekking Shirt alnk.to/6bOaRoM
Fjallraven Vidda Pro Jacket alnk.to/3y4O9aV
“Rite in the Rain” Tactical note pad alnk.to/dequ64y
Large Pack (Snugpak 45L Rocket Pack with PLC side pockets) bit.ly/3eYEb0h
Alton Goods 3x3 Ultralight Tarp bit.ly/3en0VYR or Helikon-Tex Supertarp (small or large) bit.ly/33nd8Xa
Snugpak Softie 3 Merlin or Softie 6 Kestral synthetic sleeping bag bit.ly/3tntjy9
Sea to Summit Thermolite “Reactor” sleeping bag liner bit.ly/2QRAfGR
Snugpak Special Forces Bivvi Bag or ex army bivvy bag bit.ly/3ur1hD7
Snugpak 3/4 Mini Matt or Klymit Static V (short) sleeping matt bit.ly/33kTMSo
Military nylon ground sheet
Wash kit and Helikon-Tex Shemagh (towel) bit.ly/3h9jphk
“Survival” Snake Bite First Aid Kit
Ledlenser ML4 mini lantern alnk.to/4qEB371
Powertraveller Extreme Tactical Solar Powered Charger alnk.to/6mIVQgx
Helikon-Tex Enlarged Packcell Bag (for spare clothes) bit.ly/2SmC4vx
Fjallraven Granit Lumberjack Wool Shirt alnk.to/74nXLv4 OR Swandri Ranger Wool Bush Shirt
Swazi Tahr Anorak
fishing kit (optional) bit.ly/2QTrUT0
Alton Goods Lightweight Hammock bit.ly/3xNJrwl and Bug Net bit.ly/3b5ftKB (optional)
Side Pocket 1
Pathfinder Woodsman’s Pantry
Wildo Camp-A-Box (optional) bit.ly/3nUJcuT
Food/Rations (4-6 days)
Side Pocket 2
Kleen Kanteen 40oz stainless steel, single walled, wide mouthed, water bottle bit.ly/3nSvys4 OR Pathfinder 32oz bottle, nesting cup and pot hanger bit.ly/3nQ90bw
Snowpeak Mini Solo Cookset
Zebra 14inch Camping Pot/Saucepan bit.ly/3h1It9T
Alton Goods Ultralight Titanium Grill bit.ly/3enqh8N
Military Milbank Filter OR Brown Bag
MSR 4 Litre Dromedary Bag
Sea to Summit Mini Pocket Shower bit.ly/3xSvbT7
Collapsable bowl

[@banjobushcraft8454]

Good to see a one good use for Lantana, always a great fire making process to watch in real time

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

It is also great to use for shelter building.

[@AaronIsaak47]

Nice work Gordon, good to see a quality Aussie bushcrafter on KZbin. One of the guys in the NT general store yesterday mentioned you and your channel when I was purchasing a Mora knife. Never thought of using Lantana for a bow drill set, that stuff was everywhere where I grew up

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks for the nice comments. Lantana does work well, not as easy as Coastal Hibiscus though! You can also use it as a hand drill but it requires a little more downward pressure so your hands need to be in shape. Please feel free to like and share the channel with others to help it grow. Regards to Bill and the rest of the guys at NT General Store in Darwin.

[@AaronIsaak47]

Bushcraft Survival Australia Thanks mate, will do

[@aaronjameswelsh]

Thank you for such a clear concise video on the subject. Yesterday I learnt the hard way that eucalyptus timber is no good for a spindle. Next time I will know! Subscribed!!!

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you for the positive feedback. You need a soft wood, hardwoods smoke a lot but just end up pollishing.

[@alberthabib4220]

I have watched many American bush survival videos teaching bow/drill fire making and none were as clear as yours. Good to see Aussie based vids with realistic scenarios- no zombie acropolis etc. Thanks.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you for your kind words. I used to be a school teacher so clear and accurate instruction is something I value highly. I prefer the no hype, no sensationalism and no BS approach. Don’t really know much about the zombie apocalypse thing but what I have heard sounds quite ridiculous and I can’t believe that people actually believe that! Whilst it’s good to be prepared for any eventuality, some people also take the prepping thing too far as well. Thanks for watching.

[@terryc47]

Thankyou Gordon. Love the thoroughness of your teaching methods, would not have guessed to have the drill on the outside of the bow. Another wood to add to the list of my friction fire arsenal.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad you are finding the episodes useful. Thanks for watching.

[@kimbullock475]

Well done Gordon.Good demonstration. Cheers Kim....

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks Kim, i appreciate your comments.

[@sovereignaussie8627]

Excellent instruction and demonstration, really enjoy your vids with Aussie based bushcraft\survival skills. Thankyou for sharing your knowledge.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks again SA

[@PAULNAT]

Another good clip Gordon, keep up the good work.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Ta….another one on its way.

[@falcidi]

As usual good work Gordo!.... Very informative video and well produced mate!

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks….another one on its way soon

[@JeffCamilleri]

Hey Gordo. Great episode. Love the music and your trumpet playing on this theme. Very talented man.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks Jeff….i appreciate the comment, not many hear that side of things.

[@wm_survival]

Very well Gordon!!!

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you.

[@pasta759]

That was a great video. Very informative, and detailed, cheers

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you for the feedback, it’s much appreciated.

[@floydmallon3168]

Great video mate! Bushcraft is something I'd like to learn a lot more about, your channel is very informative and helpful. Keep up the great work legend! Best wishes from Maitland, NSW.

[@tanyaratti]

Loving these

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks again for the nice feedback Tanya, please feel free to share them.

[@jasonsha6844]

that was very well done

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you, I’m glad you liked it. Lantana is easy to find everywhere and works very well. Please feel free to share with others to help make the channel more visible.

[@SteveOutside]

Thanks Gordon, your channel's a great 'go to' for all things bush craft. I'm attempting my first bow drill friction fire, however here on the Gippsland coast i don't think there is any wood soft enough to do the job... I am going to experiment with a few though. Thanks for the great videos mate.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

My pleasure. Experimentation is the best teacher. As long as the wood is light and can be dented with your thumbnail. The drill and base board ideally need to be from the same piece of wood. Ensure the set is made correctly, at the correct dimensions, and that your technique and posture is correct. This takes practise, and if you don't rush and short cut things you will learn properly. Good luck and have fun.

[@rbm6184]

Great video. It was spot on and I enjoyed it. Good break down of everything and all the little things I normally do but don't always tell or add in my videos. I have not used Lantana yet but its still on my list of wood types here in my area. Thumbs up like and thanks for sharing.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks for the positive feedback….much appreciated. There are many woods you can use, its just a matter of experimentation.

[@Rendar600]

Great work mate never tried lantana will be now thanks

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks. Lantana works wonderfully and because its a noxious weed, we are doing the environment a favour.

[@MTwoodsrunnerPrimitiveSkill]

Very good instruction as always!...atb...woods

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks….i guess its the school teacher coming out in me!

[@andrewstear1805]

I was listening to the sound of the bow drill and suddenly thought, that's nice timing....... then remembered from a previous episode that you are a musician.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

That was not intentional, however I must say, being a trumpet player helps dramatically with being able to form an embouchure correctly in order to direct the air more efficiently into the tinder bundle. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video.

[@conservativesniperhunter7439]

Hello , I only found your channel a few days ago and have watched this video and How to Make Charred Natural Tinder in the Field. I don’t know if you have many more videos on the bow drill fire starting method using different types of wood in the Australian bush but I would love to see you trying many more different types of wood from trees in the Australian bush to see which other types work well for not only using the Bow Drill method but also using the plough method as well . Cheers 🍻

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Noted. It's on my radar to do a video demonstrating each technique with different woods and their preparation. It's a matter of time. Thanks for watching.

[@BushCampingTools]

Great video. I subbed, you deserve more subs. BTW Lantana, whilst endemic to South America, it was probably brought here as an ornamental by the English who were cultivating it as a "glasshouse"/hothouse plant.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thanks for the positive feedback. That is probably the case, hard to find information on that. In any case its still an invasive weed with lots of uses. Please feel free to share, like etc to help get the word out there. Thankyou

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Sorry for the late replies guys. I'm overseas at the moment with sporadic internet access.

[@tigerou812]

Love the smell of Chinese scrub. Take care. Craig

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Yes….there is nothing like the smell of wood smoke.

[@Outcaste153]

Oh me and bow drill what a love hate. Im not a huge fan of paracord for the string. Great video and instruction.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Thank you for the feedback. Paracord is generally stronger than most synthetic cord you will find except it does tend to slip…especially when its a new string. You can turn the paracord into thicker cord using a reverse ply twist (used in making natural cordage). This creates even "bumps" and helps it grip better. You could also create corners on sections of your drill so that it grips more. Generally i find that if you have constructed your set correctly and have good technique, you should not have a problem.

[@jackavalon8366]

Hey Gordon, Great video mate. Your'e a worthy successor to Dick Graves! Are they scarlet honeyeaters in the background? That would probably place the demonstration in NE coastal QLD?

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

I’m not sure about that, that’s a hard act to follow. I’m not exactly sure what birds they are but they could be. The trees are very high in that area and as much as you can hear a lot of bird song and calls, it’s hard to see them. That episode was filmed on the mid coast of NSW. Thanks. For watching.

[@NoBSSurvival]

I used to use lantana allot. I suck at knife safety. I keep forgetting.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Must not neglect the knife safety….only takes one slip!

[@strawbs083]

Mate what knife are you using? Cheers 😊

[@sabinekatsavrias4422]

which woods would you use for base plate in south australia inland? Ive never seen lantana or cabbage trees here.

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Not being from that area I couldn’t tell you exactly. Any light bulsa type wood or weed stalk will work. Definitely not a hard wood. One of the tests is being able to dent the wood with your thumbnail. You need to experiment to find which woods work. If you have never tried friction firelighting before, see if you can obtain one of the known woods that work like Hibiscus or Grass Tree, learn on those to imbed the technique then start experimenting. Thanks for watching.

[@andypandy-ys3xy]

If you made the bow with cordage made from say flux would the cordage be strong enough/last long enough to get an ember?

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

I have used natural cordage Kurrajong, Spruce roots etc (have not tried flax) with the bow drill a number of times. You have to thread the drill in a different way and angle your posture downward (hard to explain without seeing it) so that when you bow the cordage does not rub together, create heat and break. I would prefer to use a hand drill in these instances. Thanks for watching.

[@matbezza1361]

all that leaf litter next to fire

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

It's in a rain forest. The leaf litter all around was damp. Even if dry,, sparks are too small and low in heat to set course leaves alight. You would need to have dry tinder (fluffy, fibrous grass etc) to take a spark which would blow out within a couple of metres. To light course leaf litter you need to have burning embers, which from a cooking fire burning the correct wood is extremely unlikely.. Once you have practise making and managing fire in multiple ways and in multiple environments, you will learn what is actually dangerous and what isn't. I'm on the ground making these assessments and if it was dangerous to do so I would not not be having a fire. I appreciate the question..

[@kadecrebert]

Bro do we have pine trees in Australia

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Yes there are, but very few. There are a few varieties of cyprus pine, Norfolk pine etc….but nothing like the spruce pine woods of northern America.

[@eason_2004]

What line do you use?

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Line?

[@southernbushcraftandsurviv1843]

Don't mind me ask? Where about's in Australia are you based !

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Hi, my home is the mid north coast of NSW near Coffs Harbour, but i do a lot of stuff with the army (Norforce) in Darwin NT.

[@southernbushcraftandsurviv1843]

cheers.hope to see heaps more uploads in the future

[@aqueousbear]

im the first dislike lol

[@BushcraftSurvivalAustralia]

Please explain