People have used fire for a million years. Yet modern matches don’t appear until the mid-1800’s.
Do the math! How did our ancient ancestors start fires?
Fire Makes Us People
Fire was indispensable to ancient man. Fire provides warmth, cooks food, and keeps large predators at bay. It also unchained our ancestors from the rhythm of night and day. Fire makes it possible to work and socialize after the sun sets.
Certain plants and animals use fire to their advantage. But only one animal has learned to create fire: Humans! Anthropologists argue that creating and using fire is a distinctly human trait. It’s part of what makes us people!
Friction is Not a Drag
Fire by friction is one of the ancient techniques for starting fires. Here’s how it works:
Rubbing two surfaces together generates heat. Even the smoothest surfaces have irregularities at the molecular level. These peaks and valleys interlock when two surfaces touch. The molecules of each surface also attract one another. So when we slide one surface over another, part of our kinetic energy (motion) is used to overcome the forces that bind the surfaces together.
We describe the binding forces as “friction.” And the energy we use to overcome friction transforms into thermal energy (heat). Try vigorously rubbing the palms of your hands together. The warmth you feel is your kinetic energy overcoming friction.
In the modern world friction is despised. The conversion of kinetic energy to heat is described as “loss” or “inefficiency.” This is true if you are building a pump or an automobile. But ancient man harnessed this energy to produce fire. How clever is that!
The Fire Roll
I enjoy trying to make fire by friction. I relish the challenge and exult in my successes. If you haven’t tried it, do so! The feeling of elation when you succeed stays with you the rest of your life. It’s a delirious joy that stems from something primal buried deep within us.
There are many fire-by-friction techniques used by indigenous peoples throughout the world. I have tried hand-drill, bowdrill, mouth-drill, and bamboo fire-saw (my favorite!). And there are many methods I have not tried, like the fire plough.
So I was startled to discover a new one this week.
I first learned of the ‘Fire Roll’ on a bushcraft forum. It is distinct from all the techniques I know. The Fire Roll generates friction by rolling wood ash inside a tube made from plant fibers. You roll the tube between two flat surfaces. My guess is the rolling action agitates the ash inside the tube. The friction from the moving ash generates heat that eventually ignites the plant/ash combination.
Here are two videos I found that demonstrate the technique. The first video is done in the field, using cotton fibers for the tube. The second video uses jute twine. Both materials are commonly found around the home. The videos use wood ash, and I don’t know if other materials work inside the tube.
Have you seen this technique before? What do you think of it? Leave a comment below to let me know.
Related Articles on NatureOutside
How to Choose a Wilderness Survival Class
For fun facts and useful tips, join the free Bushcraft Newsletter.
Excellent article and supporting videos. Wayne has come out here a few times and is a consummate student of the skills. So glad you used his video to share a little known yet effective fire starting technique.
I’m glad you enjoyed the article, Michael! I was impressed by his video and like how he demonstrates the skill in the field.
Boggycreekbeast is the top expert on this method. Has been doing this in nature with all natural material for a few years now. You placed a video of his up thats not performed in the field. If you want to see this done with all natural material then heres a video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXEksu7MqUs
One more thing, it’s Rudiger Roll not “fire roll”. Fire Roll was a working name suggested to Tim (boggycreekbeast) by his friend Ulrica until he came up with a better one.
Yes, my understanding is that Rudiger Nehberg popularized this technique, which he observed indigenous peoples using. Since Rudiger did not invent the technique, I don’t have a problem with people referring to it as the “fire roll.” And we should certainly credit Rudiger for documenting its use.
Jay, thank you for posting the link to the video! I enjoyed watching him demonstrate the technique with milkweed fibers.
A few more things and I promise I will stop posting here. In your article you mention that you don’t know if other materials work inside the tube. Tim (boggycreekbeast) has come up with so many accelerants other than wood ash that I lost count. Here’s a list of some natural accelerants he discovered : Rust, Dung, Bracket Fungus, Coal, Crushed Shells, and Bone Dust. He also has come up with numerous commonly found chemicals to use like Manganese dioxide (that black stuff on the inside of batteries). Anyway, I am not singling you out sir and apologize if it seems that way. I believe my friend deserves to be recognized for his work. Thank you, Jay Reily
Jay, thank you for supplying a list of materials to try with this technique.
Sorry sir. I can not take credit for any of this. Thank you and have a good day
Interesting! I’d never heard of this method before. I’ll have to give it a try.
Corey, let us know how it goes when you try it. Seeing a video demonstration is nice. But hearing insight from people who try the technique is even better.
Rudiger Nehberg did not learn this method by observing indigenous people. Why didn’t you post a video of boggycreekbeast performing this in nature? He’s the first person to perform this outdoors with all natural material.
Thank you for your comment, Scott. Another reader has already posted a link to a video in the comments above.
I fail to see how this guy RUDIGER can claim tio have invented this in the 5 60s when I learned this fire roll from my Cherokee grand ma in 1950 and she learned it before 1900 from her grand dad and so on all the way back through before 1800 in my family
People have already proven that this method did NOT originate in North America. Myself as well as a few others have asked several professors at various universities and ALL agreed this method was NOT used by any native tribe here… Until Boggy Creek Beast posted his first video over this method no one here in the US had ever seen it. Only Europeans had made videos over this. Even then, all the videos over this method from overseas were demonstrated using cotton and ashes. Boggy Creek Beast is the person who made this simple trick into a new primitive method of fire making. All other videos were the same old thing til he started making his own. THOSE are the FACTS.