Firecraft!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our fantastic Firecraft workshop and Blacksmithing demonstration on Saturday the 19th. Jeff Butler led an enthusiastic group through fire-crafting and wilderness survival skills, and Dana Kittilsen and Owen Flewelling demonstrated their blacksmithing skills. Lots of helping hands made this day a success. Alison, Shannon, Pauliina, Mark, Chelsea and Horus; you're all wonderful! (Please keep reading for Pauliina's take on learning with Jeff, and mastering the bow-drill.)

Hanging out and meeting each other in the morning. Charles shows everyone his very impressive chain-mail shirt.

Pauliina heads into Dana's blacksmithing studio.

Owen heating steel...

Getting ready to shape his piece...

Our beautiful lunch--Shannon's delicious baked beans are in the oven...

Lunch in progress.

A beautiful leaf key-chain made by Owen.

Pauliina tries her had at the bow-drill.

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FIRECRAFT!

by Pauliina Tuominen

KAN centre meets survival basics with Jeff Butler.

After yesterday’s rain, Jeff Butler says, it is a perfect timing for a firecraft workshop – all the wood will be soggy or frozen. Today is a cool morning below zero degrees C and sun is shining with a full blast. According to Jeff, firecraft is the most important element of survival skills after having handled first aid. Other important factors to think about are finding shelter – which could be as simple as a tree to stay under -, signaling material and water. Food will come last and, according to Jeff, is mainly a convenience, as a human being in reasonable shape can go for 40 days without food.

I am glad to have an instructor so experienced and full of knowledge – it feels easier to have the theory enter my brain after some previous experience in fires. We do some experimenting with magnesium sticks and igniting cotton swabs impregnated with Vaseline. This, together with his knife, is all the fire making equipment that Jeff feels essential for a good survival pack.

With the help of a stone and a strike anywhere match we light our tinder bundles smeared with fir sap and a hidden jewel of more chunky spruce sap tucked within. After a delicious community lunch we head out to be more physical, namely dealing with preparing a bow drill set and initiating a fire. Initiating smoke, that is, this time around, but luckily we now have our bow drill set to keep us busy at home. Jeff reminds this is a pastime one can well practice indoors, and is mainly about technique rather than force.

Bow drill, to me, seems like a perfect way to create stamina and physical capacity. Each time trying it I notice its requirement of true centeredness and capacity to work in co-operation with one’s breath. This is a practice I would, apart from survivalists and bush craft enthusiasts, recommend for city people and body workers alike. I see great value in bow drill, although would be glad not to rely on it in survival circumstances. Jeff emphasizes bow-drill to be a great way to enhance one’s understanding of fire, but suggests us to take along the magnesium stick, nonetheless…