# Bow Drill Bearin Block



## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Been workin on my bow drill fire skills. A few years ago I messed up my left hand an I don't have much grip in it. It be hard ta hold smaller stuff.

I came up with this fer a solution:










Took allotta sortin through rocks till I found this en an it fits my hand well. Then allotta time with a good masonry bit an a slow speed hammer drill ta make that divet there in the middle.

A rock be a bit heavy, but will last fer ever an it be one less step ta makin fire with the bow drill.


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Been workin on my bow drill fire skills. A few years ago I messed up my left hand an I don't have much grip in it. It be hard ta hold smaller stuff.
> 
> I came up with this fer a solution:
> 
> ...


Great idea. Using rock. I made much the same thing from a block of hedge. They work great and take a lot of the strain out of your fingers.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Think about how much more friction you could save if you used an actual bearing or bushed contraption. The rock is a simple and effective solution. I am going to make me a few of those even though I have lost all my rocks, I still have a few left. I bet you have to drill easy to keep from busting the rock. In a survival scenario, you wouldn't go anywhere without that rock, it would be very valuable and hard to replace. You did a good job, good idea and thanks for sharing.


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

For my kit, used a section of mesquite limb, drill with 1 in wood bit, then add some furniture wax until broken in.

These were called a thunderhead in my AO.

Cool idea on rock. If flint, you could use it with a piece of steel...


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## Onebigelf (Sep 17, 2011)

I made a set of both blocks with some small scraps of maple. I can pick up a stick for the bow anywhere, pull a bootlace or a length of paracord, and have a fire in minutes. It's also a fun party trick at a BBQ to demonstrate fire making and it's fun to let everybody else try it and learn. Everybody likes to play with fire!

John


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

I posted-up a video a while back where someone took a fixed-blade knife and embedded a dime into the handle to use as a bearing-block for his bow-drill. I like your idea as well, looks nice-n-fancy!


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## Onebigelf (Sep 17, 2011)

NaeKid said:


> I posted-up a video a while back where someone took a fixed-blade knife and embedded a dime into the handle to use as a bearing-block for his bow-drill. I like your idea as well, looks nice-n-fancy!


That's an idea I hadn't thought of! Not necessarily the dime, but the bearing block in the handle, maybe the other side on the scabbard and the tie down as the bow string.
You got me thinking!

John


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I never could get one to work right, I just carry a glass and about a dozen other fire things.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Onebigelf said:


> That's an idea I hadn't thought of! Not necessarily the dime, but the bearing block in the handle, maybe the other side on the scabbard and the tie down as the bow string.
> You got me thinking!
> 
> John


I had to do a quick search and found my original thread with a video how-to in it ..

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f39/bow-drill-handle-9581/

HTH


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