Traditional Fire Starter
Mastery of fire began with the selection of the right wood and the right tinder. The Bow-Drill was the standard ‘match’ of the Great Plains.
Friction Physics
By rapidly rotating a willow or cedar spindle against a soft cottonwood board, the harvester creates charred wood-dust that eventually reaches the ‘ignition threshold.‘
The Botany of Tinder
Learn why bird’s nest grass, dried inner-bark of the cottonwood, and specific fungi were favored as tinder for capturing the first spark.