A fire-saw is a firelighting tool. It is typically an object "sawed" against a piece of wood, using friction to create an ember. It is divided into two components: a "saw" and a "hearth" (fireboard).
History
Two forms of the fire-saw have been documented in central and western
Australia.
One model is a split, notched stick as a
hearth, and a
knife-like
hardwood stick as the saw. The other model makes use of the woomera weapon and defensive
shield that natives carried.
In the Philippines and Oceania, a fire-saw from bamboo pieces is common.
Fire thong
A
fire thong is a form of fire-saw, where a
pullstring (usually
wood fibre or
rope) is used to saw.
It is common in Southeast Asia and Oceania.
See also