Mastering the Art of Friction Fire

Friction fire may be one of the most important inventions of all human history. The ability to make fire has transformed the path of human existence here on planet earth. Besides being one of the most important discoveries it is also one of the oldest besides lithic technology and the ability to utilize tools. Friction fire and the knowledge of managing fire is so engrained in humanities DNA it is hard to distinguish the two apart. Unfortunately less and less people retain the knowledge and skills to produce fire with their hands. This is why we teach this skill at Nature Reconnection because we feel it is a vital link to understanding what it means to be a human being.

Our head instructor wrote an amazing book on this subject called “Mastering the Art of Friction Fire” by Chad Keel and it is an excellent resource for learning on your own. Today there are hundreds of youtube videos on this subject but nothing is better than learning from a true wilderness survival expert. If you are out of reach from a true primitive survival teacher we would recommend picking up a book before you attempt to learn on youtube. This is because anyone can upload a video onto the internet and parrot information they heard others say and provide you with false or incorrect techniques, methods, or knowledge. When it comes to practicing survival and real wilderness emergency training having the incorrect information can unfortunately cost you your life.

We would always suggest reading a field manual or book which covers the details of the subject you wish to learn vs simply watching random youtube videos. However, pairing a book with videos made by that instructor can prove to be extremely beneficial. This is because you can read the book for in-depth explanations and examples of techniques and methods and then have a visual video of that instructor showing you the process in action. This will be as close of a lesson you can get versus actually training with the instructor in person. Also, most books cover the history, culture, and the instructors full knowledge on the subject which is sometimes glazed over in in-person training because of time.

The Nature Reconnection field manual “Mastering the Art of Friction Fire” by Chad Keel is available on amazon.com and is highly recommended by both beginner and advanced students. The book is an in-depth look at both the hand and bow drill methods of friction fire. Please pick up a copy and leave a review after you read the book and apply the principles in action. If you are in Southern California and want to take a class on friction fire or any other primitive living skill connect with us to get started. We also teach true survival courses, primitive walkabout courses, and international trips to Africa, Costa Rica, Peru, and Pakistan. Lets get you started today!