Friction Fire Using Punk Wood Hearth

Lonnie demonstrates a method of friction fire that is a little different than your standard bow and drill and hearth friction fire. The tips given here just might allow folks who live in hardwood forest areas to be able to use woods that normally are poor friction fire wood types. This method is also not quite so labor intensive as the standard "notched" hearth. Because of this unique difference, this may be a good method to know for survival situations. Another method to add to the repertoire of the knowledgeable survivalist.

[@robe1kanobe]

That's really awesome. You see the typical or accepted way of doing friction fire so much that you think there's no other possible scenario but it's nice to be able to realize there are always other options!

[@RadicatTat]

Excellent demonstration. Thanks for going to the trouble to post this.

[@dazinthesticks]

Nicely done Lonnie thanks for sharing.

[@madpunty8571]

Lonnie, your videos are some of the best and getting better every time.

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Even more food for thought & experimenting. Thank you for sharing.

[@tallcedars2310]

Thought this might be the one hole fire method Mors Kochanski shows in his book where the dust is pushed into the hole to create an ember. Your method is close but imagine one has to know what wood they are looking for to do it the way you have here, I'm just beginning to learn to forage for the right softness of wood for bow drilling. You really know your wood for friction fire, thanks Lonnie!

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

I have experienced that wood that is beginning to partially decompose can sometimes make great friction fire sets as long as the wood has not decomposed too far. Sometimes, woods that are normally a difficult variety to make work for friction fire can make great sets if slightly decomposed.

[@tallcedars2310]

Thanks Lonnie! I will check those out as well when I get out to collect a bunch of wood. It will be interesting to test them and will actually take pictures of the wood before I harvest pieces. It will help in my quest for future good wood to collect. I tend to get a bit too eager while out there and collect so much that I don't know what came from where:)

[@davidharvey5672]

Came over from David West channel where he had your link. Amazing how adaptable the method can be with the right hands in control. We have plenty of different willows here, so glad to hear you thinks it's good to use. Thankyou for expanding our knowledge

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Welcome to the channel. Glad to have you. i have a lot of respect for David. He is one of the good guys.

[@glenwarren404]

Brilliant Loni.

[@WoodwindSpirit]

Great, thanks! Ha ha there comes a time when this fire making method will work out for me too. ;) I tried it a couple of times but I wasn't very sucessful yet. Such a beautiful landscape... I am dreaming of visiting Alaska since a few years. Some day it will come true. :)

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

If you have not already and are interested you may want to see my two part video series on teaching key nuances that help one to succeed at friction fire. You may also enjoy my primitive fire play list. The video links are below. Helping You To Succeed At Friction Fire Bow Drill - Part 1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZLcc6uolr6Ln80 Helping You To Succeed At Friction Fire Bow Drill - Part 2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqHTfKeYo7aChNE

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Learn Primtive Fire Lighting Methods kzbin.info/aero/PL_fotv96EsweIAj1K0a86buJjGxFsQMWR

[@StirlingLighthouse]

Very nice work! All the best!

[@KYTO82]

Willow is my favorite wood to But have never tried punk wood you made it look easy!

[@EconoChallenge]

Cool. This is a first for me. Would be a good hearth board to use the two hole method of drilling an ember.

[@Wintertrekker]

Very cool Lonnie! I never tried a punk wood hearth board, so yet another thing to try.

[@RS-nh9gu]

Thanks for sharing Lonnie. Best regards to Connie. That Moose stew are still in my mind.

[@biggles1024]

Terrific video, Lonnie. I'm almost healed enough to be able to get back out into the bush. A fire will be a necessity because it's almost winter down here. :) Cheers from Oz.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

First time I have seen this done. Will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing Loni

[@yoopersurvival]

I will have to give that a try. thanks for sharing

[@canesser1]

Wow, that was too easy! Thanks for the great tip. Will keep the look out for fungus/punk birch, we have plenty of it lying around here as well as willow. The skeeters are already on to you there!

[@MuskratJim]

We have lots of punk birch around here because of the hard winters. This is an option worth exploring!

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Muskrat Jim It is worth a try if you find the right sort of piece. Good luck

[@MuskratJim]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@thetruthhershelcyphers]

Great video, thanks.

[@joybickerstaff194]

Hi ya Lonnie! Never seen it done this way, I like it!!! Hey, if u have another caribou bone, would u consider selling it to me??? The view there is ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL, I’m always looking when u show it, u and Connie are lucky to see it daily! Thanks Lonnie

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Glad you are enjoying the videos. Can you get an email address to me and we can then discuss your caribou astragalus or talus bone request.

[@Barbarossa4U]

Awesome as usual and great find with that punk wood.

[@bushcraftessentials]

Great video - thanks! I like the idea with the bone. I am currently using a very hard root tuber, which works very well too, but never thought of using a bone (which I will try)

[@davidharvey5672]

This is great because we have plenty birch and several kinds of willow along the rivers. I have often looked on the dead birch for fungi for tinder but curiously little of it. Thanks Lonnie.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

Awesome Lonnie! Thanks for sharing!

[@mikemagnum7987]

Great alternative Lonnie! I happen to know where I can get a good supply of that. Just need to cut it to size and dry it out! Thanks for the info, great video as always.

[@t.w.milburn8264]

'mornin,Lonnoe-Connie & 'ole friend Buck; Great Demo,Will give this 1 a try 4 sure. Thanks 4 sharing another great how-2 with us. 'holler at ya later friends Happy Trails From The Maritimes In Canada ATB Terry " GOD BLESS "

[@shocktroop0351]

Very impressive!

[@hobbexp]

its really funny when ppl sit on the INTERNET and say they dont know what wood to use, wher they live, i use to send guys like that a link to a google search engine :)

[@markcash2]

lol...I am that guy. I know what to use where I grew up (cottonwood, aspen, willow), but then I moved to the American south-east and I just don't know the trees. I can look them up, but so far I can only identify sycamore, oaks, hickory, pecan, persimmon (yeah, that one is no good for bow drill, trust me!). I've been told some I could use but I just don't recognize them yet, especially when they are dead standing and you have to guess from just the bark.

[@DavidWestBgood2ppl]

Gonna have to try this one and depending on my success, make a video. THANKS!

[@kullcraven]

Great job Lonnie awesome once again.

[@Druetty]

Another new one for me! Thanks

[@1fanger]

Thanks, thumbs up!

[@kcolmore1]

It is good to know what wood to use, but you need to do what he is doing and get out there and practice and do a lot of experimenting. if you only look for particular woods you might not ever find them. Remember usually any soft wood will work. If you can dent it with your finger nail, chances are it will work. If you're in a survival situation you just got to keep trying.

[@markcash2]

I have a southern river birch in my yard. I think I will try this!

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

It will most likely only work if your tree is dead and has been partially decomposed such as the chunk I used. If you want to know what woods are good for friction fire the link below may be of help. www.primitiveways.com/Fire%20Making%20Materials.html

[@markcash2]

I had a limb fall that turned into punk wood over the last summer. I have a big portion in the oven drying at 200 degrees right now.

[@virginiacopeland108]

Thanks for the information. We will try it.

[@aholesmith]

Thumbs up once again.

[@lurchfowler2]

Outstanding

[@billyjoedenny]

awesome job lonnie,,suggested by kenneth kramm, you now are a member of the ember club ,,lol. done on good faith or vr.. ..bill

[@pete777able]

why didn't i think of that?.. Nice Job

[@karenchakey]

Wow great video Lonnie I wonder if this would work with any punky wood? I think I'll try it! Thanks for the great video! always a pleasure to watch! Blessings and Take Care

[@travisheck5979]

I used to watch a lot of Survivorman and he would always go on about how important it was to not get sweaty when you're in a cold environment so that it doesn't make your clothes damp.. I think a video showing what to do if your clothes get wet in a survival situation would be interesting! forgive me if you already made such a video and I didn't see it

[@TheBrianZink]

Travis Heck you take layers off as your work

[@travisheck5979]

Brian Zink yes I get the idea of how to prevent it and what to do if it happens I'm just saying that a video on it would be interesting

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Yes as #Brian says below, you need to be aware of this potential problem that you mention and carefully regulate your body temp by the amount of clothing you are wearing. I have indeed done a video where I give a solution to this problem but it may not appear so at face value. The solution is to *NOT* wear cotton clothing during cold weather outings. I highly suggest synthetic clothing. My recommendation is not popular in "bushcraft" circles but non the less it is an opinion that I have arrived at through experience. In bushcraft circles you will hear over and over how good wool is but you virtually never will hear how good synthetic clothing is. That is because it is not politically correct to suggest synthetics for bushcrafting. Synthetic clothing is not only *MUCH* cheaper if you get them at thrift stores. but I believe that they are better than wool. Wool will hold over 20% of it's weight in water whereas polyester synthetic will hold less than 1%. I have experienced this first hand. I have been out in the rain in a very expensive Woolrich coat and it became considerably heavier during the afternoon as it soaked up the water. I was warm enough with the wet wool but I would have preferred that the wool was not wet to start with. On the flip side, I have been out in the rain when it was a drizzle while wearing total synthetics from skin out. The top of my shoulders would feel a bit damp and the front of my thighs would also feel damp as i walked through soaking wet brush. As soon as it quit raining and I was out of the wet brush, my body felt totally dry all over. The water would all drain to the lowest part which was my sleeve cuffs and pant cuffs. It could then be partially wrung out and left to dissipate. I had a base layer of polypropylene for top and bottom. I then had polar fleece type pants and a polyester outdoor shirt. The outer top layer was a polar fleece type coat. There are however several problems with synthetics that a person needs to be aware of. They will get damaged by campfire sparks and the polar fleeces are not good protection against wind. So if you are in a windy situation, you may want to have a synthetic material that will protect against the wind such as a tight weave nylon or polyester. Synthetic clothing is very reasonably priced here in Alaska at thrift stores. The video where I talk about this is found at the link below. Cold Weather Clothing Choices kzbin.info/www/bejne/foiWmIOeqtiCerc

[@micropyro7470]

Awesome as usual Lonnie. When you dried out that punk birch did you put a weight on it to help with compression?

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

The punky birch piece was dried out in it's natural state with no altering by me other than drying out.

[@ThePatriot4freedom]

Would love to see how you transfer the coal. Thanks!

[@TheBertjeT]

Lonnie, what is that ANOS thing clipped onto your blouse?

[@jackmccormack6938]

Awesome video. What is it you're wearing round your neck brother? Cheers, Jack

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Jack McCormack The thing around my neck is a "mouth" piece that a friend made for me. It is used in performing the Eskimo strap drill method of friction fire. I have a video on the Eskimo strap drill located here if you are interested. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ineUYalrqrl0fsU

[@jackmccormack6938]

awesome man, thank you very much! It looks really cool! Cheers, Jack

[@uncasnetewateweslenape2383]

This will work with any dried punky wood, or just birch?

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

The punk wood needs to be very hard and not punky. If the wood is too soft the drill will blast through it too quick to for the enough friction to develop.

[@fjellboi2391]

What kind of Caribou bone did you use as a socket?

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

My favorite bearing block is a "talus" or "astragalus" bone of a mature bull caribou. See the video below. Location on a moose where to find a bow drill bearing block kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2LNpGCGarSBntE

[@fjellboi2391]

Far North Bushcraft And Survival Thanks Lonnie, i really like that you always take the time to reply to my questions. In summer i will stay with a group of sami reindeer herders. When we slaughter a reindeer i will get me bone socket.

[@palehorsesurvivalandtactic9771]

Great video my friend. I've had good success with European white birch as a primitive fire by friction wood. I have an instructional video on my channel where I made a birch kit and achieved a coal easily. I was on a mission over a few year period of trying all kinds of different wild harvested woods for bow drill kits. Bill

[@jordansmith371]

What kind of dog is buck?

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

Jordan Smith Buck is half mixed lab and half Bouvier Des Flandres. He is by far the best dog my family has ever had

[@jordansmith371]

***** Looks like a a pretty well behaved dog> Never leaves your side

[@PaulStilgrove]

i like that atb paul

[@joybickerstaff194]

Hi ya Lonnie! Please forgive me, I am severely ignorant to internet stuff, went from flip phone to iPhone and 1st time watching KZbin Spence October 2017. How do I give you my email address???? Thank u for ur patience Lonnie

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

KZbin has recently done away with the youtube private messaging ability so the only way I know of giving me your email address is to just give it to me in a comment such as this one that you just wrote to me. If you place the whole email address including the ".com" then KZbin will probably place that comment in my "held for review" or "spam" folder which I will see but no one else will see. However it may place the comment in the normal area and of course then is made public. However I can remove your comment shortly after I see it so that very few people will see your address if any.