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I’ve just been reacquainted with this fire-by-friction method recently and enjoy the simplicity and ease-of-use to create an ember/coal so I wanted to share it with others, enabling them to try it out for themselves. Folks who tried it were delighted with how quickly they could create a coal that could be placed into a tinder bundle to create fire. The more hefty the firecrafter the quicker the ember would be created when a person’s weight over the top board would cause greater friction when passed over the tinder roll.

 
In the course of the day some videographer’s from UNC-TV Public Media North Carolina arrived to capture footage for the program North Carolina Weekend (Airing Thursdays, at 9 PM, on UNC-TV) and I was able to demonstrate this fire-by-friction method as well as shared my thoughts on Turtle Island Preserve, Families Learning Together, and Eustace Conway. I was glad to give a positive report! I was featured (for a whole two seconds worth! starting at 2:19) along with a host of other folks that day. Click on the photo to see the finished video production that captured the day’s events.

It is always fun to share my knowledge and skills but just as importantly to learn from others who have come to share their knowledge and experiences. I highly recommend this annual event as a destination for you, your family, and friends next year. Perhaps I’ll see you there.

In usual fashion we discussed the priorities of survival. I began to construct a campfire showing the progression of tinder-to-kindling-to-fuel. As I battoned some wood to create kindling the boys were able to practice using ferro rods to light cattail fluff. After some coals were established I used two cans of different sizes to clam-shell over a yam and let it bake. Then I passed around some edible flora that I had collected earlier in the morning for hands-on inspection and tasting.

We spent some time learning different ways to create fire by using solar, electrical, and percussion methods. Everyone had a chance to try flint and steel firecraft and I demonstrated how to make “Quickie Charcloth” with which to catch a spark. We celebrated with each individual who was able to achieve this method of making fire!

Between classes Eustace Conway stopped by to chat with me about his vision for Turtle Island Preserve and that he encouraged instructors to include cultural aspects of our craft beyond technique and how they relate to sustainability in contrast to modern society.

You can follow the activities of Turtle Island Preserve at their website where you can register for classes and events that they offer.

I always enjoy sharing my passion with others and having the fathers accompany these young boys was a throw-back to home-schooling my own sons. The boys ranged from approximately 12-8 years old and holding a class for two and a half hours went quite well with participation by all. The class was joined by some TIP staff and one of their fathers so it spanned several generations.

After discussing the priorities of survival I began to construct a campfire showing the progression of tinder-to-kindling-to-fuel. As I batoned some wood to create kindling the boys were able to practice using ferro rods to light cattail fluff. After some coals were established I used two cans of different sizes to clam-shell over a yam and let it bake. Then I passed around some edible flora that I had collected earlier in the morning for hands-on inspection and tasting.

We spent some time learning different ways to create fire by using solar, electrical, and percussion methods. Everyone had a chance to try flint and steel firecraft and I demonstrated how to make “Quickie Charcloth” with which to catch a spark. We had numerous victories of making fire!

As the class was held in the late afternoon I was able to stay for dinner at the famous “Nacho Mama” cafe which is the TIP dining area. The meals there are always great and varied. It was a great time with wonderful folks and made my father’s day weekend that much more special.

Before the crowds arrive…

After I arrived at the FLT event and set up my demo area I saw a wide range of activities demonstrated by a range of other instructors such as blacksmithing, wood working, knife craft, blade sharpening, and many more. There was a variety of vendors offering items such as herbal tinctures, canned goods, natural paper note cards, fresh honey, framed photos, clothing, and keepsakes.

Eustace Conway, TIP’s founder was seen strolling throughout the grounds and I was able to listen in on a hillside talk in the afternoon. I began a friendship with Eustace some years before he was involved with the History channel’s “Mountain Men” series in which he and Preston Roberts, also on the grounds, have been featured in the last four seasons. For some of the attendees the Mountian Men series was their first exposure to Eustace, Preston, and TIP which was a delight to meet in person. There was close to 600 visitors in attendance for this annual event.

It’s always been an honor to participate on this special occasion held over the last several years. Not only am I able to share my skills and experiences with others but I am also enriched by the folks in attendance who share with me. I highly recommend this worthwhile event and encourage you to put in on your calendar for next year’s attendance.

I began our session by handing out wallet-sized pieces of paper on which were printed seven points of survival priorities. We moved on to some edibles. I brought a prickly pear (or nopales) cactus paddle as seen on many survival shows and prepared pieces for sampling. Earlier upon my arrival I caught a grasshopper and then demonstrated how to prepare it for roasting. A young lad volunteered to eat it later with a nod of approval.

We progressed on to firecraft where I built a campfire from scratch so that everyone could see the progression of materials from thin to thick and lit it with the sparks from a broken flint-wheel lighter. Then I shared my “Five Fire Categories” of optical, electrical, chemical, percussion, and friction, and proceeded to demonstrate each one.

Optical – The sun had already set so I could not demonstrate optical fire methods but I did show the different optical devices and described how they are used. I gave each one a wallet magnifier of their own to experiment with on a sunny day. I always keep one in my wallet as a solar fire starter.

Electrical – I pulled off a piece of AAAA steel wool into a strand and crossed the terminals of a lantern battery. Nine volt batteries work well for this. I placed an ignited piece into a paper towel and coaxed it into a flame. Later in the evening I located a AA battery and created a flame using a strip from a foil gum wrapper.

Chemical – I poured out a small mound of Potassium Permanganate (KCO3) and made a small impression in the middle whereupon I added a little bit of anti-freeze (containing glycol). After a few moments smoke appeared followed by an erupting flame. This demonstrated how exothermic reactions of chemicals can create a flame.

Percussion – I showed the materials used for Flint & Steel fire making. I showed different strikers and various rocks. I demonstrated how to make “quick charcloth” by burning a piece of 100 percent cotton cloth until black and extinguished it between two blocks of wood. I then placed it on the flint to catch a spark from the steel striker. Later in the evening I demonstrated a fire piston using the quick charcloth as tinder.

Friction – My last demonstration was Bow & Spindle fire method. This took a few tries but demonstrated the nature of different woods and what to look for in developing proper char powder for the creation of a live coal.

By the end of the meeting the men had gained a greater knowledge of survival and firecraft skills that they can now pass down to their children and future generations.

At the beginning of each class we shared informal introductions and then I passed out slips of paper to each boy listing survival priorities, and discussed the “rule of threes”. I then demonstrated how to build a campfire that would would later serve to make charcloth for flint & steel firecraft. Each boy who attended the classes successfully achieved this fire method.

They also learned how to make a whistle out of acorn caps and soda bottle caps for signaling. We discussed cooking methods using unconventional tools such as cans and plastic bottles. I demonstrated how to use hand-sanitizer as fuel to cook an egg. They also learned about “Hobo” fishing and had the opportunity to cast a lure using a soda can instead of a conventional rod and reel. At the conclusion of the class I demonstrated a little flint knapping using glass from the bottom of a glass bottle.

I reflect on the days of my youth and value the folks who shared life-skills with me and hope that the information and demonstrations that I shared will be a benefit to the boys who attended my classes.

Some of the activities included blacksmithing, buggy rides, chicken processing, fire by friction, knife sharpening, spoon carving, salt making, shingle riving, all of which comprised only a fraction of the educational classes offered.

As usual, I provided demonstrations of primitive and survival skills. Many of these demos centered around the use of available resources that can turn typical “trash” into survival tools. I turned a coffee can into a suspended cooking pot, a soda bottle cap into a whistle, a soda can into a hobo fishing rig, a broken headlight into a fire starter, a hacksaw blade into a flint & steel striker, and bottle bottoms into a cutting blade and an arrowhead. I also demonstrated the traditional bow & spindle fire by friction method and shadow-stick directional navigation.

Turtle Island Preserve is a great environment to experience heritage skills and self-sustainable living skills. You can learn more about TIP at their website and keep up with their activities on their FaceBook page.

Hanging with my “celebrity” friends at Turtle Island Preserve

I arrived early enough to sit in on the morning briefing and at it’s conclusion we piled into a large “dump truck” to hitch a ride up the long gravel road to the entrance to meet the school buses. It was VERY bumpy but very memorable too. Once the students and teachers exited the buses we broke into smaller groups and hiked down the “ridge trail” to the base.

The first class of the day – great students!

I was very impressed with the attentiveness and polite manners of these kids and it was a pleasure to spend time with them. As the 8th graders will be graduating to a new school, we look forward to the return of the 7th grade class as 8th graders next year.

It was a beautiful day for such an event even though there were pockets of icy puddles throughout the grounds. It was strategic to stand in the sunlight when possible. Eustuce began the instruction by telling the history of his efforts at TIP which included Spencer’s contribution thirteen years ago. Spencer, once a student, continued building his skill and returned this day as a teacher of the craft.

Although the majority of wood shingles are made from oak, this class focused on white pine which was the main resource at TIP. Whereas oak is split in a radial manner, white oak is cut in parallel fashion. This is all done with hand tools.

With a chain saw, Eustace felled the first of three white pines of the day. I was totally impressed with his skill as he selected the proper tree, called out the path among a stand of trees for it’s destination and then cut with precision and layed the pine right on target. He proceeded to cut out the segments that were to be split. He then demonstrated the splitting technique on one segment and groups of two to three students began to repeat the process on the rest. Spencer advised us on techniques that would benefit us throughout the day.

Having spent the day learning this skill, I will now be on the look-out to acquire the tools with which to perform this task on my own. As Eustace says, this skill empowers you to be self-sufficient. Now, having the knowledge and some experience, I will be able to teach others to do the same.