What is the most reliable way to start a friction fire?
What is the most reliable way to start a friction fire using foraged materials?
Not necessarily just the overall technique (ie: "drill" or "plow" or whatever); it's good to compare specific variations of the technique.
Assume that you can process the materials with a blade. It is only fine to use other tools if they can be made from what you find (ex: preparing a hearth board days or weeks ahead of time).
Assume I have the most common knowledge that you can expect someone to have after watching 2 or 3 videos each about fire drills, plows, and saws.
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The one you've practiced
Starting a friction fire is hard work. It's not something you can "just do" after watching a video.
You need to have the experience to choose the right wood, build the bow or drill or whatever method you've chosen and the strength and stamina to use it.
None of the methods are reliable for a beginner, none of them are "easy".
Try them all and you might find that one works better for you than the others in the long run, but a definitive answer can't be given as to which one is best, because it really is which one the individual in question finds suits them best.
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I have seen the most people succeed with the hand drill method. But I've never seen anyone succeed with the hand drill without getting blisters.
I've never seen anyone succeed with the plow method.
I've only seen the fire drill succesful when two people worked together. Also, for the fire drill you need a very strong string, a knife to hollow out the top block and some grease for the top block, which makes it unlikely that you don't also have a lighter with you.
Most important is of course that the wood is completely dry. Any hint of moisture makes your efforts futile.
Using two rocks or a flintrock and metal to produce sparks doesn't seem to work, unless the metal is magnesium.
I saw someone using a tinder mushroom in a video, but I couldn't even get that to burn with a lighter.
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