One is never too old to learn how to make friction fire , one of the other sites I visit share they skills regularly . The wood is Poplar both the hearth and drill (bow drill) Not all woods are good for this , surprisingly soft woods are best.
Bow drill fires using cedar, tulip popular, white pine, cottonwood, and spruce. Hand drill fires with Bull thistle, mustard, white pine, cottonwood, and mullein for the drills, and various hearths, but prefer that brown shelf fungus that grows on hardwood trees. Fire plough with same woods as bow drill. Flint & steel, flint & flint, Iron pyrite with either steel or other pyrite, steel & anything with quartz, or quartz and quartz, but that just about requires charcloth or the above mentioned fungus. Magnifying glass is my fave for easy, but requires exposed sun, 2x magnifying lens about 2" in diameter is my go to, but can get enough fire focus out of a clear shooter sized marble which I like to mount in my walking sticks near the top for a Gandalf effect, and actually get a kick out of peoples expressions when they see me start a fire with it. Binocular lenses back to back with water in between, have had mixed results with eyeglasses and lenses formed from ice. Bottom of a soft drink aluminum can polished out to make a solar reflective mirror, counting this as primitive as these cans are just about everywhere, even in wilderness areas. Fire saw using bamboo, which isn't native to my area, but have experimented with it just so I could gain the experience. last primitive method I can think of at the moment is cotton & charcoal from old fire, rubbed together vigorously between a dry split stick. Never used a fire plunger, working on compression, but they look like another good way. Lot's more ways, but got to draw the line somewhere when the descriptor word is "primitive". Ferro rods, batteries, car light bulbs, steel wool, chemicals, gunpowder, etc., all modern, but don't neglect practicing with these either as your life could depend on getting a fire started. I still carry matches along with several lighters, but you never know.
I have used a bow drill successfully and a plough with less success. Nowadays, too old, weak and my hands are too damaged to go primitive! So.....carry lots of fire gear and tinder in my packs and truck! Also, when I was in the Boy Scouts, I learned the many uses and safe techniques of "Boy Scout water," gasoline that is!
If I have a cordless drill that will run, I have a battery I can use to make steel wool get hot, or sparks for lint.
I bought a steel for both the older Grand-kiddos. Flint + Steel + cotton wicking and tinder = much smoke and some fire....We practice making fire w/o matches multiple times a year. BBQ season keeps them busy. This summer we start with cooking sans pots or pans.
That's a great plan! Last year I taught the grandson to make spears, including fishing spears, and emergency fire making! You have inspired me to take him out and make fish spears, kill something and cook it all primitive like!
