well i have a few times.
for the spindle i use a large diamiter stick and squere it up in the middle(it makes it easer for the string to grip it) for the baring block i use a wood block with a impression or a peace of bamboo(the bamoo dos'nt alwas work sometimes the joint breaks but when i does work it workes good) for the harth i just use any soft wood that i find lying on the ground and cut a v notch in it and drill a little impression at the bottom of the v with a knife i havent done it for a long time but i THINK that the spindle is suposd to be hard wood and the harth is supost to be soft wood but i could EASALY be wrong english can probably corect my mistakes and add some other stuff

I don't use bow drill.  Ergo, I can't properly give any tips.
  However, the hardwood/softwood idea is a little wrong.  It's not at all true: in fact, the hearth and the drill should probably be of the same wood, preferably something soft (willow, alder, poplar) but with the bow drill, even harder woods like birch can work, apparently.  Some people like drills with octagonal crosssections, so the bow grips it better, but I don't really know much about bow drills to be honest.

I think that the bow drill is not simple enough, basically.
  I've been experimenting with alder recently, as a fire by friction wood. It's probably my favourite.  The fire plough works astoundingly quickly, as does the hand drill, surprisingly.  I'll try the bow drill soon.  Also, alder has a nice reddish colour, which I like.

i got some flint and steel and have been trying my best to start fires. I have only made one or two. Its very very hard.


what would people around 1300 ad germany use to start fires?

cool thanks

or just flick your Bic

I don't think fire-by-friction is about "connecting with the environment or the ancestors" or some tosh like that.  It's all about self-sufficiency, so that wherever you go you can get a fire going with local materials, even if your lighter runs out of fuel or your matches get too soaked to use.