Crack Willow Bow Drill in New Zealand
Whilst travelling in New Zealand I've been experimenting with different woods, some of which I know and others I don’t, to effect a friction fire.
We explored the Blue Lakes in the Mackenzie area of the South Island, a high remote basin over two thousand feet above sea level where it’s possible to see Mount Cook within the Southern Alps.
During a walk with my family around lake Benmore I noticed the dominant tree growing at the lake edge was the Crack Willow - Salix fragilis.
The Crack Willow is a very useful resource, aside from bow drill sets the stems are very flexible and are used in basket making, the fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body.
The bark of this species is used interchangeably with S. alba. A poultice of the bark has been applied to sores as a styptic and healing agent.
Although I was able to recognise the Crack Willow I haven't used it before to effect a friction fire. It didn’t take me very long to find a couple of suitable pieces of dry wood to make a hearth board and spindle.
So with the help of my young daughters we made this short 3 min video showing the preparation of the bow drill set and then my first attempt at making an ember.
-
0:57
SpiritedAdventure
3 years agoMoreton Bay Fig Tree, Bow Drill.
251 -
0:58
SpiritedAdventure
3 years agoMullein Hand Drill in New Zealand
403 -
3:37
Dusite
7 months agoBushcraft - How to Make a Bow and Drill to Make Fire
46 -
7:51
BlackWaterBushcraft
1 year agoBushcraft Alternative Bow Drill Friction Fire
23 -
22:57
Prevent Global Genocide
8 months agoNo Nonsense Guide to Tree Felling. How to cut down a tree safely. - By FarmCraft101
154 -
7:37
MamlamboRocks
1 year agoPetrified wood and agates in New Zealand - rockhounding adventure
2 -
9:47
Woodworking with villy
2 years agoWood turning - Log to live edge bowl
59 -
17:01
My Self Reliance
9 months agoBushcraft: Carving a Wooden Spoon and a Hooked Knife Handle at the Log Cabin
8.91K4 -
9:09
belkowood
3 years agoYou have never seen such a Bog Oak! How did we manage to cut it with a chainsaw ?!
2 -
2:47
DarkMetaOFFICIAL
1 year agostoke the fire - [bushcraft: no tools]
3