The 'bow drill' or is an ancient tool.
They might have started fires with the help of a bow drill operated by sinews, which was in general use some centuries later.
The potters used a bow drill to produce the fire needed for baking the pottery.
Richard would have Victor make him a set of drill bits for a bow drill.
We'd lay on our bellies, We'd get a fire going with a bow drill in brutal conditions.
With a well-built bow drill and enough practice, fire can be easily created even in wet conditions.
Travelers up to the late 19th century would often use tinderboxes to start fires more easily than with a bow drill or hand drill.
I'd heard that boatbuilders in Asia preferred their bow drills to American electrics.
They use a bow drill, like for lighting a fire.
Poplar wood, particularly when seasoned, makes a good hearth for a bow drill.