I think I mentioned somewhere in a post reply in this section that I am pretty good with flint & steel and a burning lens in making a primitive fire, I'm not that great with a bow drill, I think it has more to do with picking the right wood, but I absolutely suck at hand drill fires, someone suggested I wear a good pair of thin leather gloves, that makes sense but I haven't had the chance to try it yet, I've collected a few good dried Mullein spindles and will probably use a hearth board made if Eastern White Pine.
While watching a video link of a knife test by Brian at Survival on Purpose, a few other of his videos popped up at the end, one of them was about starting a fire with a Hand Drill using a Fat Wood spindle on a hard surface such as a rock or stone, in his demonstration he did it on his concrete driveway, to say that it was interesting would be an understatement.
In the video he has a piece of fatwood that he collected on a hike, it was about 16" long and about as big around as an average man's thumb, he whittled the sharp edges off of it, not enough to call it round, but just enough to be able to spin it between the palms of his hands, the ends of the spindle were left blunt, but he used his knife to feather stick one end, being careful to make very fine and narrow curls that went all the way to the end of the spindle, and also being careful not to cut them off.
He made the curls for about a little over an inch up the spindle and starting at the very tip, with this done he placed the spindle on the concrete and twirled it rapidly putting just a little down pressure on the spindle, in a matter of just a few seconds the little ball of curls burst into flame and in another couple of seconds the whole end of the spindle was burning like a giant match.
Brian said he got the same result the very first time he tried it and it's worked every time he's done it, I haven't tried it yet but it's at the top of my to do list next time I get out for a day hike, not only was it quick, but there's no need for a hearth board, anything to catch an ember or to have a tinder bundle ready, just have a piece of fatwood big enough for a spindle, your fire lay ready and some kindling waiting, and a fairly flat stone hard surface and you have a sustainable fire.
I'm also assuming that if fatwood is scarce in your area that the spindle can be used like a big match to get your fire going and then be put out so that it can be reused.
For those that are interested in seeing it done I'd suggest do a search of Fatwood hand drill fire, Brian's video and several others will come up to click on.
