Fire drill base. Living in the frigid north, the ability to quickly start a fire was a critical life skill. Hunters or anyone who was away from camp would carry a fire drill base to help them quickly start a fire in a short time with minimal flammable material.
This was used with a drill rod to create a fire. One would twist the rod with an end in one of the holes in the base using a drill bow. This would create friction and sparks would fly from the drill base onto the tinder below.
