I’ve already written about my experience with an outdoor survival course I’ve taken and a little about how I felt the first time I saw fire being created with two sticks (a hand drill).

On the course we learned several ways of producing fire: bow drill, hand drill, magnifying glass, matches (in wet conditions) and magnesium rod, among others.

The first time I used a hand drill to produce wood dust, then a glowing ember which, when placed in the tinder bundle was caressed into a handful of fire, I was impressed by the sheer magic of working with natural materials to make fire.

As I’ve said before, coaxing fire from wood felt as if I had joined an ancient brotherhood – feeling connected to eons ancient peoples living a life in harmony with the earth.