My Bow Drill Friction Fire Technique

The creation of fire by friction is the most ancient and primitive technology that changed the future of mankind forever. Fire makes food easier to digest, it provides warmth making it possible to exist in cold climates, it offers protection from wild animals and insects, and it also enables man to create many other technologies, from pottery to computer chips. Making fire from friction was so commonly known and understood but in todays modern world many find it extremely difficult to create fire by rubbing together two sticks in the hand drill method. The bow drill is much easier and for me it is the only method that I have consistent success with. In this video I show the bow drill set that I am currently using to create friction fires. Learning to create fire in this manner has been a long and frustrating process for me and I still have a lot to learn. Fortunately I have found a few mentors online and their videos have helped me to understand how friction fires are made. I suggest you visit their channels and Instagram in the links below.

On Instagram: @nwprimate, uh.its_nathan, edsonrodrigues.desbravador

On YouTube:
NW Primate: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmTSIV94RNueSzZX20gmPQ

Edson Rodrigues DESBRAVADOR: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYNiwNx4w46CYPC44oKbRNA

*Please subscribe and enable notifications.

** Enable captions in your language

Follow Chad on Facebook.com/chadzuber
Follow Chad on Instagram @zuberchad

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):

Who films you?
I do. I travel alone, shoot, edit, upload, everything.

How many cameras do you use?
Usually I use just one camera. When I have underwater scenes then I also use a GoPro camera. I get different angles by moving the camera around and repeating the action to create a more cinematic viewing experience for the audience.

Where is this place?
In order to protect the integrity of the natural landscape I prefer to be very vague about the locations I use. There are places that I used to visit that were so beautiful and untouched but the consequences of social media brought all kinds of people to visit and sadly some people do not respect nature and have badly damaged these places. Therefore I do not share exactly where I go.

Do you workout?
Yes, I workout, but not in a gym. I have some weights that I use and also do a lot of bodyweight exercises. I also run and sometimes swim. I hike frequently do collect wild foods and to shoot these videos so I’m very active all the time.

Are you vegan or vegetarian?
I wish I could maintain my health on a primal diet that does not include animals but unfortunately that did not work and I ended up with health problems as a result of those attempts. From my studies, observations of nature, and personal experience I have come to believe that the best diet for optimal human health is a primal diet (paleo).

Do you get lonely when you’re alone?
No, I don’t get lonely. I’m actually so busy shooting video, taking photos and doing so many other things like making cordage, cooking, weaving, etc. that I really don’t have time to think about my lonely condition. Sometimes when something profound happens on an adventure I can’t wait to share it with people, but other than that I do not get lonely.

My equipment:

Camera: Nikon D7200
Sound: Zoom H4N
Editing: Final Cut Pro X on MacBook Air
Location: California

Music credits:

Drums of the Deep by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400021
Artist: http://incompetech.com/