I'm pretty good with a bow drill and have had success with cordage made of dogbane and milkweed but it's used up by the time I get an ember. Now mind you, I'm not likely to succeed under conditions that are much less than optimal but I can walk into my neck of the woods in dry conditions without a knife and usually get a fire going. Willow bark makes some good cordage too. I've tried cat tail but it's unusable for a bow string in my opinion. You need to know your area and really take stock of your material and take your time in making your gear to get an ember going.
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