This might be a situation you never thought could happen, but here you are cast away on
a deserted island with nothing but the clothes on your back. In this project we'll be making
a survival fire by rubbing sticks together, because if you can do that, you'll have a
much better chance of being found alive.
Looking around the island, the first thing you notice are plenty of coconut trees and
at the base are some old coconut husks. Those might come in handy. There's also plenty of
wood lying around, so you just need to find a dry piece of a soft wood, like this branch
from a hibiscus tree. Hibiscus is a very lightweight wood and when it's this dry, it's a great
choice. Your old coconut husk will make a great tinder bundle because it's packed with
very fine fibers that should burn easily. Ok, to prepare these sticks for a friction
fire, it's important that both sticks come from the same branch. A sharp rock can be
used to fashion some of the wood into a long narrow stick, cutting the tip of the stick
so that it's slanted at a 45º angle on both sides. When it's ready, it should look like
something like this. Now use your sharp rock to carve a flat spot into the other piece
of wood, knocking it down until you've got a surface at least 8 inches long, then make
a groove down the center to act as a track for guiding the other stick. Ok, the last
step is to wedge anything you can find under the base to help stabilize it, then go sit
down on the back. It's time for the action. Taking the shorter stick in your one hand
like this, place your other hand overtop so that the stick nestles in securely at the
base of your thumbs. Ok, when you've got the tip set firmly in the grooved track, try pushing
it back and forth, keeping it at a 45º angle to the base. Not much pressure is needed yet,
so don't worry about putting too much effort into it. When the heat of the friction builds
to where the wood is ready, you'll notice a change in how it feels and might even see
a little smoke. At this point, push a little faster, and use your strong hand to pull down,
adding pressure to the tip. You should see a lot more smoke now, and bits of charred
wood dust starting to pile up at the top. Put your back into it and increase the pressure,
making sure the tip is stopping just short of the pile. It looks like you've got a little
ember burning now, but let's continue just a little longer to be sure. Hopefully when
you stop it will keep smoking. Ok perfect, you've got a nice little coal. Now, go turn
it into a flame. This is a good time to get your coconut husk ready by pulling apart the
fibers. The fluffier they are, the better. Transferring the coal is a delicate process,
so try pressing the husk right up to the coal, then turn the ember base over and tap the
bottom with a stick to make sure all the embers transfer out. Nice, your coal has been captured,
so loosely cover it over with more fibers so that it's protected from the wind, and
continues to smolder. Patience is a virtue here. You don't want to pinch it too tight
or you'll smother it out. Too loosely and the fibers won't burn. The heat needs to build
slowly, so try to balance the amount of air the coal is getting, with the quantity of
tinder it's exposed to. The amount of smoke being generated is a good indication of how
well you're doing, and sometimes blowing gently can help speed the process. When the smoke
is thick and you can start to feel the heat radiating, it's time to get a little more
aggressive. Waive the bundle around to get some more airflow, and blow right into the
center of the coals. Just a little more air now, and success! There's your flame! The
hardest part is over, but don't pat yourself on the back just yet because by the time you
add some wood shavings, your flame may be going out. Not to worry though, because as
long as the smoke is thick, there's still a good amount of heat, and the same techniques
can be used for blowing the coals back into a flame. Well there you have it. Now you can
start a fire by rubbing sticks together, now best of luck getting rescued. If you liked
this project, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com