In the Stone Age and Bronze Age, European men created fire by striking flintstone on marcasite and catching sparks on tinder made from horseshoe fungi. Marcasite is crystallized pyrite (an iron sulfate mineral) and is not readily available but has…

Friction fire hand drills are usually not the first choice for fire lighting in the Northern Hemisphere, as they are regarded as a strenuous technique, especially in cold and humid environments. Dave Watson proved this perception is incorrect under overcast…

The approach to friction fire lighting with bow drills in the UK slightly differs from that in other countries. In the following, these differences will be explained. Materials and shapes of the various bow drill elements Hearth board of the…

Harnessing the power of sun rays for fire lighting is one of the most elegant and rewarding skills in the bushcraft repertoire. Unlike friction-based methods that require intense physical exertion, solar ignition harnesses the sun’s virtually unlimited energy to create…