All you're going to get is a coal. It won't burst into a flame. The trick is to take the coal and drop it into a tinder nest of very fine, very dry tinder and blow it into a fire. The whole process is a real art form. I'm certainly not an expert but it's a fun project to do with the kids in the back yard fire pit. I hope i never have to use it in a survival situation. There's a lot of information and tutorials on tithe Internet that can help you.

gave up on the idea of the bow drill several years ago. Too much work and never got it working in the most controlled conditions. Saw a way on you tube using jumper cables and a pencil and a car battery that was pretty cool. Coke can with the bottom polished with toothpaste and reflect it into your tinder. And when all else fails a road flare with burn wet wood well enough to dry it out.

Hi...

Starting a camp/survival fire frequently requires a weatherproof flame or a strong spark (or series of sparks).

Then, you need tinder for the spark(s)or flame to ignite.

Sparks can come from a ferro rod or spark striker, for examples.

Then, you need some good tinder to catch the spark and ignite. One good method is to use cotton balls that have some Vaseline added.

However, JPMNTMAN's road flare is one you just can't go wrong with (not usually, anyway).

Other methods may also work at times...if you have the equipment and the talent...but are best left for science and/or medicine shows, IMuHO.