Bear’s fire bow demonstration looks like he never did it before and was staged

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Claim: Bear's fire bow demonstration shows a complete lack of experience and whether it could have worked at all is questionable.

In the Costa Rica episode, Bear allegedly started a fire using the fire bow method.[1] This demonstration showed a complete lack of skill making it extremely unlikely he could have actually started a fire with this technique.

The first image shows Bear working the bow. In this scene Bear complains that it is very difficult to keep the spindle upright and work the bow at the same time. That is no surprise. His posture is completely wrong and his spindle (drill) is much to long for good control. He should be kneeling on his other knee with the hand holding the top of the spindle braced firmly against his shin. His foot should be firmly on top of the fire board holding it in place. To maintain good posture, the spindle would need to be much shorter.

The second image shows the bowstring is wrapped on the bow backwards. The way it is wrapped here will cause the string to rub against itself, causing even more difficulty working the bow. After a short time, the abrasion will cause the string to break.

The third image shows that fireboard is not constructed correctly. There is no notch cut to collect the hot, smoking wood dust. It is virtually impossible to get a coal with a setup like this.

The last image shows proper posture and construction of the fire bow components [2]

The scene never showed Bear actually obtain a coal with the fire bow. Instead it cut to a close up of him picking the coal up with his fingers to drop in the tinder. This by itself is absolutely wrong. The coal from a fire bow is fragile and would be crushed and snuffed out if this was done.

[edit] Analysis

Support: I think Bear is left-handed, which might explain his knee posture. (He shot a bow left-handed anyway.)

Support: If you were left handed, then you would put your left foot on the board. You never put your knee on the board. Anyone who doubts that stance is important should try it out to see how important a good stance is. Not like any of the rest of this stunt was done right, either.

Oppose: About the being left handed and using your left foot. Im left handed, and I would use my right knee or foot.

Support: And you would have the same trouble with keeping the spindle upright, because you would be doing it wrong. It's not about what feels natural for you, but what gives the best result.

Oppose: I don't see how it makes any difference that the string is wrapped around the spindle in one direction or the other. Whether the spindle is outboard of the bow and string, or inboard, wouldn't the string abrade itself either way?

:Support: No. In the other direction, the string forms a short spiral around the spindle, never touching itself. This is because you are holding the bow slightly tip-down.

Support: Whether the spindle is outboard or inboad is not such a big problem in this case. The string should have been wrapped in a left-hand screw direction if he wanted to have the spindle inboard.