tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614419204929232512024-03-11T03:54:22.682-07:00Wilderness Survival Skills - Joe O'LearyBushcraft, survival, wilderness living, self reliance, traditional crafts, home made gear, ancient technology...wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-83296155391406911462020-02-25T08:53:00.001-08:002020-02-25T09:32:08.009-08:00A Tool Bag for the Woods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdrdK70iVlrUXoWhyphenhyphen9-MjeNCg2MAOEdjjhM58FiEKsHnymP6Qpby676W-Prihf6zfWi5RkrOVtz1P07pOjUAxoBMP_hK9DE_0aZM7O1JU3r8MJrRbqVHQvx_L-alEP1c3eR-SgJTQgao/s1600/IMG_3375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdrdK70iVlrUXoWhyphenhyphen9-MjeNCg2MAOEdjjhM58FiEKsHnymP6Qpby676W-Prihf6zfWi5RkrOVtz1P07pOjUAxoBMP_hK9DE_0aZM7O1JU3r8MJrRbqVHQvx_L-alEP1c3eR-SgJTQgao/s640/IMG_3375.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I made this woodcraftin’ tool bag a while ago
but have recently added some extras to the original.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; min-height: 13.8px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s based on the
canvas bucksaw and axe combination carriers I’ve seen elsewhere, but with more pockets and sleeves to fit an entire carving tool kit in! I've used mainly
canvas but also some recycled straps and QR buckles from an old Berghaus rucksack.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; min-height: 13.8px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The concept is that when I'm travelling light, only taking a haversack with the essentials into the woods,
this bag can be slung over the shoulder (or strapped to the side of a rucksack when carrying a full compliment of gear)
as a standalone tool kit, separate from my cheese and pickle sandwiches.
Everything stowed safely and neatly in its own place.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; min-height: 13.8px;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>The various pockets
and sleeves are currently holding... </i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLtLyYZMLPdiSWoQXsCd62PNwLdUIEQyix5P3_SGEkJKTfBuv3LvixwYHbgXtvgUBhUQZoiXDDLFp2diaOQU2pCnbDjjhyphenhyphenrs2eLI3_ozY_OyOFC_560e1M9BL4I8Ioi6uisIWszjLrWA/s1600/IMG_3379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLtLyYZMLPdiSWoQXsCd62PNwLdUIEQyix5P3_SGEkJKTfBuv3LvixwYHbgXtvgUBhUQZoiXDDLFp2diaOQU2pCnbDjjhyphenhyphenrs2eLI3_ozY_OyOFC_560e1M9BL4I8Ioi6uisIWszjLrWA/s400/IMG_3379.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">1.<i> <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/18-forge-your-own-axe" target="_blank">Alex Pole carving axe</a></i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KV9cFtWBWXd7Qf_pOhOieV8Thhk7Z6gRYVe9T3VpSCYzo14VER-PaXC-acWhuJab_3wc3Kt_I7RJYiY4ta-XjbfaZaacyjzi2g1IdBk4HnomrA5QRuA0qLe_Bn4hoN0gvYF7LlFw86k/s1600/IMG_3380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KV9cFtWBWXd7Qf_pOhOieV8Thhk7Z6gRYVe9T3VpSCYzo14VER-PaXC-acWhuJab_3wc3Kt_I7RJYiY4ta-XjbfaZaacyjzi2g1IdBk4HnomrA5QRuA0qLe_Bn4hoN0gvYF7LlFw86k/s400/IMG_3380.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">2. <i> <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/39-wooden-bucksaw-workshop" target="_blank">Oak takedown bucksaw </a>with green and seasoned wood blades</i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2AzQv6jgJDFUw_pZzeYh4esbeM0RlxTFnubHDLjHjz-TGeQ_MylmrGZSrzBX1UH2177oBSwFUBdr2-Ibj1vHaaLWiIEgWGGLV2pzzNSs_ZQ89bRdcjrXljFSPLeCjGD2j9GtlgJi2DY/s1600/IMG_3384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2AzQv6jgJDFUw_pZzeYh4esbeM0RlxTFnubHDLjHjz-TGeQ_MylmrGZSrzBX1UH2177oBSwFUBdr2-Ibj1vHaaLWiIEgWGGLV2pzzNSs_ZQ89bRdcjrXljFSPLeCjGD2j9GtlgJi2DY/s400/IMG_3384.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">3. <i>Svante
Djarv <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/21-carving-spoons--spatulas" target="_blank">spoon </a>knives (r & l handed)</i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_6J3BouohhqNx1GEbE1Rh2mfAZd4KVE8NdLxsCUxMGm3RUEKsSg4_eifYeHQqkkLPKo5mPVvJ5NQWBwyTmXzgnokr9V0VfZEm-B-0XQq0Pq_kIkbLyEkvBJtt3wRkt6qHBWaM5cAQ1k/s1600/IMG_3386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_6J3BouohhqNx1GEbE1Rh2mfAZd4KVE8NdLxsCUxMGm3RUEKsSg4_eifYeHQqkkLPKo5mPVvJ5NQWBwyTmXzgnokr9V0VfZEm-B-0XQq0Pq_kIkbLyEkvBJtt3wRkt6qHBWaM5cAQ1k/s400/IMG_3386.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">4. <i>Yew
handled whittling knife</i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>5. Chippies
pencil, ceramic slip stones for straight and curved blades plus some wet &
dry paper</i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJX79hlZweCraA2RY0sMWlA-XizyZYDsIo1eQ1Rh-a_zj6QjfF5IDqcZryUSRGuG7kjX6u8YPt8udc9diZ363t3ex3sbM960gbneRDq_EKeXZ_Dqm3fXq3ND-NQVhSMPAy75xKksrbj-Y/s1600/IMG_3389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJX79hlZweCraA2RY0sMWlA-XizyZYDsIo1eQ1Rh-a_zj6QjfF5IDqcZryUSRGuG7kjX6u8YPt8udc9diZ363t3ex3sbM960gbneRDq_EKeXZ_Dqm3fXq3ND-NQVhSMPAy75xKksrbj-Y/s400/IMG_3389.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oAV8geH4Ye_WauOm9WwC_AEsOG0y2Zn0av1PuKsLhpClOFSXJlm1nXvWyl2vC4d6GRCGAFdjYrysWrdmOWMMWyiG6X9Kjg_3TXb0ks0EX574j4-rBtcMyQ0xZ1q6YHogxvuwvWRo2K4/s1600/IMG_3393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oAV8geH4Ye_WauOm9WwC_AEsOG0y2Zn0av1PuKsLhpClOFSXJlm1nXvWyl2vC4d6GRCGAFdjYrysWrdmOWMMWyiG6X9Kjg_3TXb0ks0EX574j4-rBtcMyQ0xZ1q6YHogxvuwvWRo2K4/s400/IMG_3393.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">6. <i> Opinel
folding saw</i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">7. <a href="https://benandloisorford.com/carving-tools/" target="_blank">Ben Orford</a>
crook knife with longer handle for hollowing <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/24-carving-a-noggin-cup-workshop" target="_blank">cups and bowls</a></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">8. <a href="https://benandloisorford.com/carving-tools/" target="_blank">Ben Orford</a>mocotaugan</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">9. Favourite home
made whittling knife</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>10. Little <a href="https://benandloisorford.com/carving-tools/" target="_blank">BenOrford </a>pick knife with own yew handle</i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxKJdLP8Gs7YRJv4HgsRTThf5W8fiXno_eQLYJJiUnV1tj0Ou_B9DehieBjbwQhkvRWNqQ9rra8vbEzdHHHgx9ZMTVLuX0vnmeQ0v7urb3LJLzHrPiKodWdA2wrjKI7HVEYgVNHalbZE/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxKJdLP8Gs7YRJv4HgsRTThf5W8fiXno_eQLYJJiUnV1tj0Ou_B9DehieBjbwQhkvRWNqQ9rra8vbEzdHHHgx9ZMTVLuX0vnmeQ0v7urb3LJLzHrPiKodWdA2wrjKI7HVEYgVNHalbZE/s400/IMG_3403.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; min-height: 13.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>This little lot can help
me turn out all manner of <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/21-carving-spoons--spatulas" target="_blank">spoons,</a> <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/24-carving-a-noggin-cup-workshop" target="_blank">cups and bowls</a> but is neatly packed and easily carried; a lightweight solution to
the standard tool box for mobile wood carving adventures!</i> </span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAgouEp6bEBZ5r6A6Myi-ilOqStryFiAvzHhrG-qr5_qf9KNx1EkpKYpD40kCRTGBCWUCha5R2Cp4rIkudCZWIZW0sf4mOUJzcmVd4Fw-sO2fdVNLMe1zgfyRU9Rw_44AGjtQXypEXWE/s320/IMG_2205.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RBrRS-NVhb6D-IhDsEZ1B8RkZByHheg8U8NoQRdul_3VUax4H5KD1uQiI6yCvaln39vZNc9w14evdmfJU3vr1YJCBI8F4lu-1JM6yq332dmUclY2dDYeIeX8EQCWas7BkTGn_FCHGr8/s320/IMG_8112.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH5uK2o2ZD4UNm3HECwkzvGOFxjTEzI34MOVFVL2ASmyTIouDw1V05dOhhgQuXxclvSux9q7KDlvpCCTTMw-8KysboaZUkjgDZgcGyOmTZKOSlzUradJ1B2eeRHzC8sYJHfBJmi2wWO4/s320/IMG_2173.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBYqerRS1cNq5sH09jo5l04sFTkZ4qtMIIPZruFx4ADK6UCwE2j_ckoryaczlc47PUfpO0hYB2koEb6IIvQpv5TuU7SpK5iq-XoGJNQPZY09qU0MAwvcdguR_gWEE4hKTsd0UhLU68Z0/s320/IMG_2370.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLFU-NdY4S0BBb2HbwlpKivXoplVXzqNfXhAa1WmO9Ksa23P0EwOOPEftWDR-5bv4FARpUmn4bhQDBY-ggymHETvLWTk9vojYuuziy_AOcNljT-kvUrRpqTRT9VMkb8g1heiUVTHX95E/s320/IMG_2411.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>Possible additions
for additional carpentry capers would be some curved gouges, straight chisels and an auger
set. Might need to fit some extra pockets... </i></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpIizXMz06djUyiC8-ZPhDaYfB9P1If0Vw_Y8xhR1neaKWlaxfwwqtW6vU-Kf0jyuM4Uirxv7PbVtKq4RLxp86f-i6IQ9HdSUp7HP5PNnRf8OCMA27ccGyZVyoITqEyohMx5l-aKmLVg/s1600/IMG_3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpIizXMz06djUyiC8-ZPhDaYfB9P1If0Vw_Y8xhR1neaKWlaxfwwqtW6vU-Kf0jyuM4Uirxv7PbVtKq4RLxp86f-i6IQ9HdSUp7HP5PNnRf8OCMA27ccGyZVyoITqEyohMx5l-aKmLVg/s400/IMG_3356.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hope you like it - add one to your
projects list! </span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">😁</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-58122938770476242872020-02-16T15:06:00.002-08:002020-02-17T04:40:30.605-08:00Do or DIY...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEC3mUem5P5WlrsiHdAwZ4wHEALCPefp4x1G3XER1i8HwxSB2MLaJoXV3XRP9VXTuMxRGotnqu1UesEDqDoJXsbhjibyIb5zEbeP4FVn6tFpPeICxXE8Icm09SDeF7QmjyxN2P54VF7g/s1600/IMG_2789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEC3mUem5P5WlrsiHdAwZ4wHEALCPefp4x1G3XER1i8HwxSB2MLaJoXV3XRP9VXTuMxRGotnqu1UesEDqDoJXsbhjibyIb5zEbeP4FVn6tFpPeICxXE8Icm09SDeF7QmjyxN2P54VF7g/s640/IMG_2789.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i><u>Do or DIY...</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I love this time of year! Although
the daylight hours are shorter, the weather cold and often damp, it’s the perfect <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">season</span> to wrap up warm, batten down the hatches and get craftin’!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, I can't <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">hide indoors all winter and those same shorter, colder</span></span> days spent outside at the
mercy of the soggy British weather always trigger a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">want for better, warmer, updated kit</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fiTyKWGRWmVJOu_IJU1Mj2u4oc0APcX-kzjBfQ_redXh30HQUqhdhbRP5KmVRe8hkWFLiFrNYxloSu49Yg6CB_CZD5w7uwa46AXGFdyS3Mn4F5rl4XPmDlPZzNUUDlSWbeE9rVdpFJM/s1600/IMG_2450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fiTyKWGRWmVJOu_IJU1Mj2u4oc0APcX-kzjBfQ_redXh30HQUqhdhbRP5KmVRe8hkWFLiFrNYxloSu49Yg6CB_CZD5w7uwa46AXGFdyS3Mn4F5rl4XPmDlPZzNUUDlSWbeE9rVdpFJM/s400/IMG_2450.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This annual winter requirement for
good gear that really works seems to tie in perfectly with those long, dark
winter evenings and cold, rainy days trapped indoors. A kind of evolutionary
symbiosis between the need for stuff and the opportunity to make stuff that’s
been repeated year on year, since the first person decided ‘it’s a bit fresh
outside the cave, let’s spend this evening making those furs into a coat’. </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It
has been said that the invention of the bone needle was one of our most significant
game changers, allowing <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">aforementioned</span> furs to be properly tailored, maintained and
repaired in order to keep body heat in and cold weather out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even just a couple of generations ago, it was
common place for our more thrifty grand-parents to possess this make do and
mend mind-set, darning socks, frantically knitting scarves, improvising and inventing
whenever the need arose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is most
definitely a quality to be admired and aspire to rather than just viewed as a
nostalgic memory; especially in recent years as we struggle to reverse the effects
of several decades trapped in what we now view clearly as an increasingly throw-away society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nowadays many outdoor clothing
manufacturers are making moves to embrace recycled, natural and more sustainable
materials, however big outdoor brands are still constantly having to re-invent
the wheel to maintain a foothold in the retail marketplace, frequently updating
designs and changing colour schemes to stay ahead of the game and give us all
something new and shiny to lust after.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft6PcHlFXNpHx6fDwEgE_YkhHQ999zOY_nF2qoOhgvZODFGpG1LGea4EqEag0hbxn5lMShW5Nv2U4rGM3uF3xZOfS8v4OGVV-0l8stnHU3lnTlmWlX-Q4W9dsT9pJOcEQoQj-EkCZibk/s1600/IMG_9378a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="640" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft6PcHlFXNpHx6fDwEgE_YkhHQ999zOY_nF2qoOhgvZODFGpG1LGea4EqEag0hbxn5lMShW5Nv2U4rGM3uF3xZOfS8v4OGVV-0l8stnHU3lnTlmWlX-Q4W9dsT9pJOcEQoQj-EkCZibk/s400/IMG_9378a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Historically I’m not completely
immune to the lure of shiny new crap I don’t really need but as a ‘maker’ I do
feel I’m slightly more resilient to the hypnotic power of outdoor gear
advertising, having the choice to make my own version by buying materials cheaply,
recycling or ideally utilising renewable and free natural resources. Often my
time is the only significant cost!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact I’ve become almost smugly
militant about not buying new gear when I know I could make something myself to
fulfil the same task. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having said that, I do accept that
it’s extremely difficult to resist the constant and subliminal drip feed of the
advertisers, informing us that it will be absolutely impossible to enjoy the
great outdoors without the latest folding, titanium, marshmallow toasting fork.
Luckily amongst the bushcraft community, to balance this nonsense out there’s
also the terrifying horror of being thought of as having ‘all the gear but no
idea’. Nobody wants to be that guy! But…. you do still want the shiny gear…..
What better way to affirm your genuine connection with the hardcore
bushcrafters of yesteryear than actually making the gear?! <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s impossible to have no idea if
you’ve actually made the gear...<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVr8mgsqnTbxx6qajhXKe-jfHaDKKtG132v2iaBux9YeewE-RZidQWDpJjqvSImBa00wZHqCP8aTtWE1UoD5DalId974QMZJz6ercxgkY286p_1i6O5IQuJGgoWH-8RTpu2IZs2K3hsU/s1600/081344C0-36DA-4C99-96D2-F6B55284D663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVr8mgsqnTbxx6qajhXKe-jfHaDKKtG132v2iaBux9YeewE-RZidQWDpJjqvSImBa00wZHqCP8aTtWE1UoD5DalId974QMZJz6ercxgkY286p_1i6O5IQuJGgoWH-8RTpu2IZs2K3hsU/s400/081344C0-36DA-4C99-96D2-F6B55284D663.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So we’ve established a certain level
of ‘smugness’ on my part when it comes to all of the above, but recently I
wondered, how ‘DIY’ am I when it comes to outdoor kit? I know how to sew clothing and footwear, weave a basket or two and c<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">raft</span> wood<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,</span> clay and bark into <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">all sorts of interesting things</span> but at what point can someone
feel completely self-reliant, enough to provide EVERYTHING they need? Even
then, is it all genuinely practical and useable in the modern day? It turns out
there’s definitely room for improvement before I’m qualified to fully engage
smug mode, but I <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">reckon I'm heading down the right path</span>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But for now,</span> I’ve compiled a list
of the self-made kit that I use most regularly (which if you’ve spent time with
me in the woods you’ll no doubt be familiar with), plus some information on how
and why I made them; they all have their own story to tell. I deliberately
haven’t included any items that border on ‘historical re-enactment’ , are only
designed for a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ver<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">y particular</span></span> task or look really pretty but are often left on the
shelf in favour of a more practical alternative. These are purely DIY kit items in
constant use, that have proved themselves to be just as good, if not better
than any off the shelf, possibly mass produced alternative. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s worth pointing out that I’ve
received very little formal training to make the majority of the items listed,
the joy of discovery and learning through doing being a <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">major</span> part of the
attraction. With that in mind, I hope any fledgling makers out there will see
that their weird compulsion to ‘make stuff’ can indeed have a practical
application and anyone with a will, can get involved.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjjeeg6mVkl9YTjQJpos5KU33eIef9PpV9ErhSNr27mNuGB_2AbOPzlWWr99hyjrkATb3yANworhyozfWw90y0FLIxejllJkBgdaBrZ0FJPYOE1MVCY6uCoqxQ0QECAclt132T2j7HsA/s1600/IMG_4118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjjeeg6mVkl9YTjQJpos5KU33eIef9PpV9ErhSNr27mNuGB_2AbOPzlWWr99hyjrkATb3yANworhyozfWw90y0FLIxejllJkBgdaBrZ0FJPYOE1MVCY6uCoqxQ0QECAclt132T2j7HsA/s400/IMG_4118.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For those of you that maybe haven’t
got the time to get into making but do appreciate hand-made kit and can
recognise it’s many benefits in terms of it's high quality, the makers attention to
detail, lower environmental impact or just ‘keeping hard won
skills alive’, there are crafts people and cottage industries out there doing
all of the above just for you! In reading this you MUST appreciate the hard
work and devotion that goes into everything they do; check ‘em out when you get
the chance! </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, if you are keen to learn
more about DIY kit, <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">read on</span>. For me, making my own gear has always been an
extension of my interest in bushcraft, survival and self-reliance. I’m hoping
to explore this further and in more depth in a follow up book (or books) to <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilderness-Survival-Guide-Practical-Outdoors/dp/1907486046/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=the+wilderness+survival+guide&qid=1557218191&s=gateway&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=joescraft-21&linkId=261eda6d1f4a833814ef1c43c4e3e3dd&language=en_GB" target="_blank">the Wilderness Survival Guide. </a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILjYoeGzv-Va68UJOoR3ZMbGJP5z415ON6_W486NzbGpsMULyt7YjmuFuDOW__rXAki-paX_Sp5fPpAGBtK_1p1CXzAEA5dVHBOi1g4UxwAyeLm4YCXm_IBvluOdnzec7y9pd1-9CUnM/s1600/IMG_2782a.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILjYoeGzv-Va68UJOoR3ZMbGJP5z415ON6_W486NzbGpsMULyt7YjmuFuDOW__rXAki-paX_Sp5fPpAGBtK_1p1CXzAEA5dVHBOi1g4UxwAyeLm4YCXm_IBvluOdnzec7y9pd1-9CUnM/s640/IMG_2782a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><b><br /></b></span><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Firstly, the billy can is
representative of a time that seems to have <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">come and gone, M</span>yself and other long
standing campfire enthusiasts often lament it’s passing and use it as an
example when harking back to the ‘good old days’ of survival training and bushcraft.
It’s just a stainless steel coffee tin from a kitchen shop, with a fencing wire
bail handle and a simply carved wooden knob. Using a coffee tin as a billy can was n<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ot </span>my
idea but it’s a good one and prior to this I (and others) used old catering
bean cans and similar recycled metal containers to cook up a stew over the campfire. Basically it was a
time when we recognised a need for a certain bit of kit and set about making or
improvising our own, which worked just fine! At best, you would set out on a
long and drawn out search through boot sales and army surplus shops looking for
something that would ‘nearly’ do the job. Nowadays, a quick Google search and a
browse through Amazon’s vast virtual warehouse and a day later, delivered to
your very door is the latest all singing, all dancing mega billycan mark seven
‘sport version’ endorsed by <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">a<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">n outdoory celeb</span></span>. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span>I can’t help feeling as though a big part of
the process of recognising a need for something and then coming up with a
solution, has been somewhat lost along the way.</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPfUvBKyfvtmhfwfwm2eVal8HWkA60o0k8LXl434SVYZPigxtzdni4puXK7JskG-17SIMXBdXZIw6J3Q8V0UYJ9efezuNEnse_LRjrtVJq_9l-NwyzcDKIoXL1Hgov0gz3D9BDHOg0YM/s1600/IMG_2624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPfUvBKyfvtmhfwfwm2eVal8HWkA60o0k8LXl434SVYZPigxtzdni4puXK7JskG-17SIMXBdXZIw6J3Q8V0UYJ9efezuNEnse_LRjrtVJq_9l-NwyzcDKIoXL1Hgov0gz3D9BDHOg0YM/s400/IMG_2624.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Th<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e</span> birch spoon is also representative, but of all the many wooden utensils I’ve carved for the kitchen at home
and also the base camp kitchen in the woods (the beauty of carving your own spatulas
and stirring spoons is that they’re so quick and easy to knock up it would be a
crime to buy the factory made treen from the supermarket, no matter how cheap it might be),
however, this one is my current favourite, often carried as part of a little
demo kit to pass round on foraging walks</span></span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Wooden cup or ‘kuksa’. Although it doesn’t look it anymore, this cup
is also carved from birch. It was carved from semi-seasoned wood, out in the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">forest</span> using an axe, knife and a small crook knife to hollow it out. I used it
for a bit (until my next favourite came along – I have a string of
ex-cupfriends, something I’m not proud of). I couldn’t bring myself to say
goodbye so it spent the next few years hanging off the main kettle tripod in
camp as a ladle, hence the lush wood smoke stained patina. Always confusing
when you bump into your ex and they’re all tanned and smelling gorgeous…</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4LBAfLiC3p193mZTFEuvcjx-aiA4tV0YRhc94UU6kPf1O2SnPIxtzGAbqxa6lMnxHyJKZ-O7irL0Gg64yE2dAQEPa36hnBRMEixC7Ad_2XDnITxKcLkZnSdyss3bPJCgZOHqZ7r6WNs/s1600/IMG_2789+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4LBAfLiC3p193mZTFEuvcjx-aiA4tV0YRhc94UU6kPf1O2SnPIxtzGAbqxa6lMnxHyJKZ-O7irL0Gg64yE2dAQEPa36hnBRMEixC7Ad_2XDnITxKcLkZnSdyss3bPJCgZOHqZ7r6WNs/s400/IMG_2789+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. Take down wooden bucksaw – this one
is made from seasoned oak, with a solid mortice and tenon construction. A no nonsense,
lightweight<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> frame saw for sectioning quite hefty timber, which comes apart and
can be carried unobtrusively in a slim canvas sleeve. An age old design but
this one’s mine</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">5. Buckskin Moccasins. I<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> have lots of moccs now but these must be getting on for nine years old. </span>I’d made simpler versions prior to these, but this <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">style</span>
was an itch I’d been needing to scratch for a while. They were based on the cartoony
illustrations of the woodland moccasins I’d coveted from the Ellsworth Jaeger
book ‘Wildwood Wisdom’ but with a few of my own additions (sewn in tongue,
rubber soles). I also made the buckskin first from a fallow deer hide using
brains, smoke and elbow grease, so it feels as if I actually conceived and gave
birth to them<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">!!</span> I wear them in the woods when we’re doing something
sneaky or my other footwear needs to dry out but they’re lightweight and
squishy enough to be always there when I need them, like a pair of comfortable old
slippers...but don’t call them slippers!</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4k6EoeYsoZwzct5D1aLjuzTU9BI7PkEwbVJ01stdapINCGYmfSiFmhPrC6n-l-kFsQA-4kcdwTNiBj53Ou_Fgw9AeKX476E6FM8LhdxW9atl7V8Tum8Xe4BMVpymRBJUGDqAccYFJpk/s1600/IMG_8092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4k6EoeYsoZwzct5D1aLjuzTU9BI7PkEwbVJ01stdapINCGYmfSiFmhPrC6n-l-kFsQA-4kcdwTNiBj53Ou_Fgw9AeKX476E6FM8LhdxW9atl7V8Tum8Xe4BMVpymRBJUGDqAccYFJpk/s400/IMG_8092.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">6. DPM camouflage basha tarp. I made
this lightweight tarp around fifteen years ago, having used something similar
(but smaller and also heavier!) in the Army. It was probably the largest thing
I’d made using a sewing machine up to that point, but despite this, was quite
easy to put together. I bought the PU nylon and iron on seam sealing tape from
Point North (https://www.profabrics.co.uk/ ) and opted for guy line loops made
from the same material to keep <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the design simple and minimalist</span>. Although I’ve since moved onto
other tarps, this one is loaned out regularly to visiting course students and
it’s still going strong!</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB64oz5eW59whmVMa2oS5ZXlqjZkshJfBrEnuxHCiQ864OrVHGE8nf8MI81qJQzXhylqdzCr4xT-k3rH_qWskEs2IJnrTjwmS58z7HrJGqXKq7PlWu7ZKfeNgM0rTPEFr5yAtlSb0UAz8/s1600/IMG_2782+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB64oz5eW59whmVMa2oS5ZXlqjZkshJfBrEnuxHCiQ864OrVHGE8nf8MI81qJQzXhylqdzCr4xT-k3rH_qWskEs2IJnrTjwmS58z7HrJGqXKq7PlWu7ZKfeNgM0rTPEFr5yAtlSb0UAz8/s400/IMG_2782+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">7. Leather belt and knife sheath. This
belt is becoming a bit like Triggers broom (“<i>I’ve had the same broom for twenty
years but it’s had 17 new heads and 14 new handles”</i>). The buckle is from a belt
I bought about thirty years ago and once it seemingly came to the end of it’s
days, it was a relatively easy job just to replace the leather part and carry on wearing it. Soon the buckle
will need replacing and then the leather again and so it’ll continue until I pass it onto my children for them to continue the never ending tradition. The
sad truth is that when I replaced the leather in my early thirties, I added a
good amount of extra length so it could be used as a knife strop. I’m not sure
where that extra leather has gone now that I’m past my mid-forties…perhaps the
belt has shrunk…yep it’s definitely shrunk…</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The knife sheath was made from the
same veg tan saddlery leather and has happily held my main belt knife for the <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">best part of a </span>decade. </span></span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooQg8KbUD2H1pPrGprrQ_nJUVhnObtMn6ayNX_fpNquWxargmFIyahf4WrE248BQDAbQ9C1_xE7H-lgILmo0i8SjsGemW2AO7uSOlVM32VfxUcyzMlTHoC-c_BLMZfYPJV6T3zz_okXE/s1600/IMG_2789+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooQg8KbUD2H1pPrGprrQ_nJUVhnObtMn6ayNX_fpNquWxargmFIyahf4WrE248BQDAbQ9C1_xE7H-lgILmo0i8SjsGemW2AO7uSOlVM32VfxUcyzMlTHoC-c_BLMZfYPJV6T3zz_okXE/s400/IMG_2789+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Tool roll and carving kit. I needed a
compact but tough tool roll for my carving kit so it could be easily included
or excluded from my standard outdoor equipment depending on my plans. One neat compact little unit, everything in it's place, nothing
forgotten. The green canvas came from an old army camp bed and the QR buckle
and strap up-cycled from an old Berghaus rucksack. Additional home-made kit
that lies nestled within are my whittling knives. The blades are from several
different sources but the handles are home made from box, yew and beech. The
sheaths are also home-made from cow hide and folded birch bark </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9ssIwkUVUG7nrEwXxkq9uZ4hrE3B8izR8GU84VN47xM46Bw1dL8SU7uJM3-PNM_nCakd-qDx_wK_FCOav99Hgl5wi_mx_H6DMBHW04t5xUfMC-pzxni5imnQPq8HJx5EAr55pGAeWW0/s1600/IMG_8102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9ssIwkUVUG7nrEwXxkq9uZ4hrE3B8izR8GU84VN47xM46Bw1dL8SU7uJM3-PNM_nCakd-qDx_wK_FCOav99Hgl5wi_mx_H6DMBHW04t5xUfMC-pzxni5imnQPq8HJx5EAr55pGAeWW0/s400/IMG_8102.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. Buckskin haversack, duffle bag,
folding saw sheath and knife sheath. I
love to make buckskin but I REALLY love making useable, practical kit from it.
Buckskin moccasins and clothing have their place and look fantastic but I’m
unlikely to wear them all the time. However these bags are in constant daily
use and will easily outlast their cordura or canvas counterparts. The
haversack, complete with oak bark tan shoulder strap, chunky thong stitching
and antler buttons recently travelled to Holland with me as hand luggage. Not
one person in the airport started whistling the theme tune from ‘Last of the Mohicans’ at me, in fact I’m positive everyone wanted to know where they could
buy one, but were probably too polite to ask! </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSbfk7BNyhQWHjX8s5ycy0JlICu6-FNaNG3ifNrVxvvJyRcW5u0FIIU24Vuzew22gkYmCyr0GD47yreOgLrAvOg13QkddpBQFtPrApdOvxF910dYY5uDsrQGsQXqBfBrZzODwEElVe1g/s1600/IMG_2786+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSbfk7BNyhQWHjX8s5ycy0JlICu6-FNaNG3ifNrVxvvJyRcW5u0FIIU24Vuzew22gkYmCyr0GD47yreOgLrAvOg13QkddpBQFtPrApdOvxF910dYY5uDsrQGsQXqBfBrZzODwEElVe1g/s320/IMG_2786+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9YnOcPby_XQCKZr4EVqgEd8bFo-4QBV7KMCObR1Ihl6seV3JcPR3sf7_KkNWsqq-AGrf8jNCGPRZA_0ppgsYmmPc5Y9bBN-D_63Nrf8SIeXBpCUlmttt3WZYpjzd1IDBOmacBQhcYf8/s1600/20190503_104712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9YnOcPby_XQCKZr4EVqgEd8bFo-4QBV7KMCObR1Ihl6seV3JcPR3sf7_KkNWsqq-AGrf8jNCGPRZA_0ppgsYmmPc5Y9bBN-D_63Nrf8SIeXBpCUlmttt3WZYpjzd1IDBOmacBQhcYf8/s320/20190503_104712.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The buckskin duffle <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">was originally tasked with carrying </span>my water bottle and mug, first aid kit, waterproof jacket, lunch – my
day to day essentials in the woods. The haversack has now willingly accepted
that role leaving the duffle to dutifully deal with carrying my sewing and
leatherworking kit plus a project or two.
When I tan a large fallow buck hide, I accept that the thick neck is not
going to end up velvety soft (lazy ....or sensible?..). However, this thicker,
stiffer section makes great sheaths as they require a little extra rigidity and
strength. The little buckskin neck knife sheath feels warm and pleasant next to
the skin and the belt sheath holding the Silky saw is perfect for the job,
tough, quick drying and as cool as a penguins undercarriage.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_GrrYq_-TP-OtaI88vTCCtEqTGnLXQsn2nK0MtOAwNCYUSPV3AYcPoegXyIRCJCfwGlcPFE9cwJroiaudJPbXAwAkmKA0HkFcRLKBrDkuqCd9mcBDN2-EjNTj8XwL0Hl7Rp2QbgbHI8/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_GrrYq_-TP-OtaI88vTCCtEqTGnLXQsn2nK0MtOAwNCYUSPV3AYcPoegXyIRCJCfwGlcPFE9cwJroiaudJPbXAwAkmKA0HkFcRLKBrDkuqCd9mcBDN2-EjNTj8XwL0Hl7Rp2QbgbHI8/s400/IMG_0474.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. Pacing beads. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>hese are used when navigating over
distance in poor visibility. Basically you count your paces along a certain bearing or route which gives you a
fairly accurate indication of how far you’ve travelled. This <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">valuable info is then relayed to the map so you can constantly check where you should be, even if you can't pick out distant landmarks on the ground</span>. </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To make this job
easier, each leg is broken down into 100 metre chunks and every time one of
those chunks is completed, a single bead is moved to the other end of the cord
they hang off. If you lose count, you can refer back to the beads. You can buy
military looking pacing beads or string several cord-locs onto some colourful
paracord. Of course, I painstakingly hand carved these from a hazel stick after
first, drilling carefully through the centre, then strung them all onto a
leather cord. It was fun to do and aside from their practical use, they break
up the otherwise ‘military’ appearance of an army green rucksack. I suppose <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm</span>
a bit like the boring bloke in the office, sporting surfer bracelets
with <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">his</span> suit and tie. “<i>Check me out everyone – I’m way more interesting than <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">you might think</span>”</i></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tragic... <i><br /></i></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i></i></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtSj8G4RyJ3WWb8yLtN8srFTJ8i2jwD8WL5FyBh3dNc3C3_UYhCIefCvo6RtQebKZt3qQndE4GMvcPmyF7mfRuswRn-LUG13iDfcQSmy6lHl1cZ9pW4V3bRFlC4XNgm6IM20F8GK4BEY/s1600/IMG_3645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtSj8G4RyJ3WWb8yLtN8srFTJ8i2jwD8WL5FyBh3dNc3C3_UYhCIefCvo6RtQebKZt3qQndE4GMvcPmyF7mfRuswRn-LUG13iDfcQSmy6lHl1cZ9pW4V3bRFlC4XNgm6IM20F8GK4BEY/s400/IMG_3645.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">11. Wool gilet. I love a gilet – such a practical bit of clothing
when working in the woods! This one was made from an old wool blanket, dyed and
boil washed to thicken it up. Warm wool clothing has long been a favourite for people who work
outdoors. The close weave, blanket-like wool works well as an outer garment too
as it’s tough and hardwearing and will still keep you warm if it gets damp in
the rain. It can also be treated with lanolin to increase weatherproofing. However,
the long sleeved, long tailed, hooded coats can be bulky if carried rather than
worn. The gilet is a great way of getting a bit of wool in your life and cutting
down on bulk in your rucksack at the same time. </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I find that I wear one a lot
more than I’d wear a long sleeved wool shirt and because I wear them so often,
I added some Ventile shoulder protection to this one to give it a better chance
of shrugging off the odd shower. If you’re carrying a single layer ventile
smock or jacket as your weatherproof layer, this wool/ventile combo makes the
perfect under layer giving you a second layer of ventile on the shoulders and
then warm wool between you and the ventile cotton (which although will have
swelled it’s fibres to stop anymore water getting through, will still feel cold
and damp to the touch). <span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY8c-BM-gL_H24jClYT-webKHA1hsQqZ81S-gCvTVL-ebP_h6Z4UenSY-qzoCiJ2tya93RIlJuSLog98sx8Vo2r8rrMV01glEidvd44-v_7GO1auX2QffYQ8LoxwL_rX-8UQnT9ZAsgE/s1600/IMG_2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyY8c-BM-gL_H24jClYT-webKHA1hsQqZ81S-gCvTVL-ebP_h6Z4UenSY-qzoCiJ2tya93RIlJuSLog98sx8Vo2r8rrMV01glEidvd44-v_7GO1auX2QffYQ8LoxwL_rX-8UQnT9ZAsgE/s400/IMG_2226.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">12. Weatherproof hooded smocks – Ventile cotton
and breathable waterproof fabric. One of
the attractions of survival, bushcraft and self-reliance as a life style is the
comforting feeling of being able to provide. At its most basic and introductory
level, this would mean providing shelter and warmth, a fundamental human need.
Successfully crafting my own weatherproof outer layers, for me, is an extension
of that ability to find or build shelter. In being able to create my own
personal micro-climate, regardless of the weather, I’m positively taking charge
of my own destiny! So, one way or another, making my own weather proof layers
was inevitable; but there is another reason. </span><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh6RqB4vsFWQAcdojdgetAvQKsWLb5fN5rTF2SKsqUROTFpPL7zePjAPLt45Sy39NBrHuBp1zbIFN9d6o4djIElqOb3qE2YZDvLuBcMze0Vp5EPeWkc5Uvd1xbOGaNmNytlp2K96BRZA/s1600/IMG_2442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh6RqB4vsFWQAcdojdgetAvQKsWLb5fN5rTF2SKsqUROTFpPL7zePjAPLt45Sy39NBrHuBp1zbIFN9d6o4djIElqOb3qE2YZDvLuBcMze0Vp5EPeWkc5Uvd1xbOGaNmNytlp2K96BRZA/s400/IMG_2442.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Probably due to all of the above
points, a good weatherproof jacket seems to be one of <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span> most costly
investments when getting kitted up for the great outdoors! Out of all the items
I've listed here, these are <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">probably the only ones that </span>have been self-made in order
to save a few quid. There are some amazingly well <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">designed</span> and constructed
jackets out there today but as a self- employed parent of two, they are pretty
much all well outside my budget. However, the amazing weatherproof fabrics they’re
made from can be bought off the roll (in most cases, unless the fabric has been
developed and patented by the company that makes the clothing…but you’ll find
something similar) so if you have the time and a sewing machine (mine cost
about fifty quid from Argos) you can have fun making your own. </span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Start with
something simple, like a poncho – an incredibly useful garment and shelter all
in one! These two smocks are again representative of the many I’ve made over
the years, including as gifts for friends and family (the image below shows a pair of cosy wool lined, ventile salopettes I made for my son from upcycled clothing). Each time I make another the design
improves and more features are added; upgrades that are borne from experience and necessity rather
than influenced by fashions.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6OV0y_rl0WpMjRjSrclQhCggQHNfUrlXZf5pTjKiWBmYJw8EqMYjtTOakmXWmoZEDDr6aAAuUCC45hGWZ7pPoYdm03Xtig9re37IPNLfKtC-VKNuXFMZ7pQjT7g2lswHc9qg5UAvnfk/s1600/IMG_7737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy6OV0y_rl0WpMjRjSrclQhCggQHNfUrlXZf5pTjKiWBmYJw8EqMYjtTOakmXWmoZEDDr6aAAuUCC45hGWZ7pPoYdm03Xtig9re37IPNLfKtC-VKNuXFMZ7pQjT7g2lswHc9qg5UAvnfk/s400/IMG_7737.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">13. Wool ‘jumper’ hat. There’s
a bit of a standing joke here at Wilderness Survival Skills that whenever I
have a nice wool jumper, at some point it’ll inevitably shrink and at that
point it’ll be donated to one particular, more diminutive friend. However, I
really didn’t want to give this one up so I kept it and turned it into a hat!
It’s built around<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and stitched to </span>a thin fleece liner hat I already had so is one of the warmest hats
I’ve ever owned. Hats like this are a great starter project that get you used
to turning measurements and flat patterns into a three dimensional object. They
don’t use much fabric and if you muck it up, you won’t have invested as much
time as a jacket…and there’s always someone with a smaller or larger head you
can give it to!</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aF-4XU4OTSx_7pA2jYi-_L4vCzpcX4fIY_vDqMvNdnZqvCQyMCGdPZ7QgcinC0Om6KvMEu62jTMHIK13wC0EaMucXPBNWFGio6wVLykUWkrWMagX08a9JSJGlZaG2GwuJlCFlBuBlFk/s1600/IMG_2791+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aF-4XU4OTSx_7pA2jYi-_L4vCzpcX4fIY_vDqMvNdnZqvCQyMCGdPZ7QgcinC0Om6KvMEu62jTMHIK13wC0EaMucXPBNWFGio6wVLykUWkrWMagX08a9JSJGlZaG2GwuJlCFlBuBlFk/s400/IMG_2791+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">14. Leather axe mask for a small forest
axe. This axe mask probably isn’t one of
my neatest pieces, but it was made a long time ago out of necessity rather than
wanting to ‘upgrade’ the one it came with. It also serves as a constant reminder of an embarrassing
error that I’ll happily pass onto students as an example of how easily an
accident can happen when using sharp tools outdoors. To cut a long story
short…Scotland in November…instructing on a five day course…limbing a fallen
fir tree…tired…hungry…getting dark…in a hurry…forgot to take off the axe mask
and ended up chopping right through it, rivets and leather flying everywhere. Still, nobody got hurt (apart from the axe
edge and my pride) and sometimes you need a good reason to make new stuff!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbuBtBSgHcEDWl2W4xaLrhM71ox_0bgU4IVi9NCO1KaWrYFv8LMPiRJBnq8dzTNjxSh-JhwGRlA2G8MIUtQjrrrjc4U0LFfsKweYprWffOJlfRhGyY6FxlQqjXOS58UlRZUM0wAr0cQU/s1600/IMG_2793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbuBtBSgHcEDWl2W4xaLrhM71ox_0bgU4IVi9NCO1KaWrYFv8LMPiRJBnq8dzTNjxSh-JhwGRlA2G8MIUtQjrrrjc4U0LFfsKweYprWffOJlfRhGyY6FxlQqjXOS58UlRZUM0wAr0cQU/s400/IMG_2793.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">15. Tipi and half liner. This was a big project! I was keen to have a
sort of ‘base camp’ tent that I could sleep in, store kit in, sit and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">move </span>around in if the weather was bad and would be able to sleep me plus two kids comfortably
or even fit a wood burning stove in winter. It had to be big enough to do all
of these things but also small and light enough to hike with alongside my
standard outdoor kit. I can trim the weight down further by improvising pegs and
a pole from wood I gather once on site or even suspending the tipi from an
overhead branch, therefore doing away with the need for a central pole. Finished
packed weight of the outer and liner is around 3.5kg. It’s six sided, single skin PU nylon in a wonderful
camouflage of green and black splodges (perfect in a dappled coppice woodland)
with sealed seams, extra guying off points, a large door and a removable ‘hat’
if more ventilation is needed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCadA3NyEOrsyc6J5NR5Yg_MxZJbHkNKyxj6GVctFBQrXVdwi3HIW7FmlrG41wZRWL3bVwQ8pK-_SL2FDse_Xez57-QgdZ_5LoXdklD6ViVbCYQ-y_e9qEq5XMrVZkfqU0_9UckjTwCQ/s1600/Dancam+tipi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCadA3NyEOrsyc6J5NR5Yg_MxZJbHkNKyxj6GVctFBQrXVdwi3HIW7FmlrG41wZRWL3bVwQ8pK-_SL2FDse_Xez57-QgdZ_5LoXdklD6ViVbCYQ-y_e9qEq5XMrVZkfqU0_9UckjTwCQ/s400/Dancam+tipi.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I got lucky with the Danish
camouflage waterproof fabric and even more so as it was on offer in a
sale – there was just enough for the size I was after! <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This meant I could pay</span> a bit more for
the tough, rubberized groundsheet material and the insect proof netting needed
to make the half sized, fully enclosed inner compartment. Getting all the angles right and maximising
the amount of fabric I had, to end up with the largest size finished tipi I
could, was certainly a head scratcher, but it all came together nicely in the
end! The design certainly isn’t my own and there are similar products already
available, but this one is lighter than many you can buy online, cost about a
tenth of the price of an off the peg tipi and I’m pretty sure nobody else has
one in such a lovely camouflage pattern. It’s unique! <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2g5gr-G3vosp5x4d9-rAXCNEzKuLrZOzF3kRMEkzR2EzwIYXHhg-iVIuyG1CDDKxklpsSUy6IDWCGd4Frs1ysMgjO7OmQ8dKVzCLMlofn3YSI_l7dlEKSTlxDhDI-opL_gt2-YOu3Ac4/s1600/IMG_2510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2g5gr-G3vosp5x4d9-rAXCNEzKuLrZOzF3kRMEkzR2EzwIYXHhg-iVIuyG1CDDKxklpsSUy6IDWCGd4Frs1ysMgjO7OmQ8dKVzCLMlofn3YSI_l7dlEKSTlxDhDI-opL_gt2-YOu3Ac4/s400/IMG_2510.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">16. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly...v</span>arious sewing machine projects, new
and old – padded cordura pouches for penknives, compasses and the roll top carry bag
for my tipi, a tough but lightweight canvas and ripstop fabric cookset pouch, a waterproof first aid
and emergency kit belt pouch <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">plus pertex</span> water filter bag attached to the integral QR belt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUe_QvSEoaIDmjRPNWjNGVLcGu9TH9DQ2p4y32XdKHGczspbgkBbcBpbiIFXf4VS9aXNPIsEgKfv8WScJKTicqly0cNYCXCpOFxE09ioy1jI6LIvy_kYaWqXjiSYfe4dV-deSudM8YCw/s1600/IMG_1126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUe_QvSEoaIDmjRPNWjNGVLcGu9TH9DQ2p4y32XdKHGczspbgkBbcBpbiIFXf4VS9aXNPIsEgKfv8WScJKTicqly0cNYCXCpOFxE09ioy1jI6LIvy_kYaWqXjiSYfe4dV-deSudM8YCw/s400/IMG_1126.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I’ve lumped all these sewing projects
together as, although the older ones have been kicking about in my kit for
years and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">others</span> are recent additions, they have all been made specifically to
fulfil a task when I could have just as easily have bought something similar
for a few quid. However, these are bespoke, made just for that task. They
often have little extra touches I <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">can't</span> f<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ind </span>anywhere else (additional
pockets, straps, padding etc) and they’re small enough that I generally have offcuts
from previous projects that will do the job or I can upcycle something else I don’t
use anymore. They’re relatively quick and easy to <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">put together</span> and in making them, I am
recognising a need for a certain kit item and then finding the solution myself...</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just
like the old days!</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxLsmN-C59gIFKo0N6uR548SabS8iM57xjC1nL0jzZU3fbVEgqfzK1utxL5soPrWqNk0U40Wl16UnV6TjOdoeLn73-8L_N6rTptPyufFTmPDM8otMn1DfAa2TEja-Ta-sWZ1aeY1XNBs/s1600/IMG_8104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxLsmN-C59gIFKo0N6uR548SabS8iM57xjC1nL0jzZU3fbVEgqfzK1utxL5soPrWqNk0U40Wl16UnV6TjOdoeLn73-8L_N6rTptPyufFTmPDM8otMn1DfAa2TEja-Ta-sWZ1aeY1XNBs/s640/IMG_8104.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In s</span>ummary<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One factor I’ve noticed that seems to bother all amateur
makers, (including myself in the past) is a concern that you’re not doing it
‘right’. I’m not sure there is ever a ‘right way’ – just YOUR way! If it works
it then it must be the right way! If there’s a better way you’ll discover it
for yourself at some point. I couldn’t tell you the names of many of the
stitches and seams that I use, but they work for me. When you’ve figured out
how to do something all by yourself, through trial and error, you own that technique! There’s no better
way to learn and whatever it is you’ve made will be way more valuable to you than
anything you could ever buy in the shops!</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Happy craftin' ! </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joe O'Leary</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses">Wilderness Survival Skills</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtY8ujDsOqQnVtVvXAKfCTmxmPGDexef8yz3eRBWnrWJXAKlJC-n4RoXRbcZmp0eeiEO80grVr11axNpxW4X6eDMAbY6iQZhmFWFWDBcIB1DiiCogROMysX8ILjADvzWrt3_vlRuPRiA/s1600/The+Wilderness+Survival+Guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtY8ujDsOqQnVtVvXAKfCTmxmPGDexef8yz3eRBWnrWJXAKlJC-n4RoXRbcZmp0eeiEO80grVr11axNpxW4X6eDMAbY6iQZhmFWFWDBcIB1DiiCogROMysX8ILjADvzWrt3_vlRuPRiA/s400/The+Wilderness+Survival+Guide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i><u></u></i></b></span>wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-54027966033552100982018-12-31T12:26:00.001-08:002019-01-02T07:57:26.368-08:00Making fire using just one log, an axe and a fire steel<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgGdAz6dQ8S7q4ga3sl8MzLC4bw4TFqevdCuXWrDXdR2e7HhFi_0CsTtXx8ShWPloCl1eyOTvebJlDLJLcnlxGzvFj3tt1cu9MyuT5p7lbB3MQnAh6auz5ScKvUpH68ziWuWaHon2DuQ/s1600/IMG_2380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgGdAz6dQ8S7q4ga3sl8MzLC4bw4TFqevdCuXWrDXdR2e7HhFi_0CsTtXx8ShWPloCl1eyOTvebJlDLJLcnlxGzvFj3tt1cu9MyuT5p7lbB3MQnAh6auz5ScKvUpH68ziWuWaHon2DuQ/s320/IMG_2380.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is a worthy challenge as it tests not only your skill
with an axe but also your ability to make a fire using only natural materials
in cold, damp conditions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ok, so there was just a very light drizzle in the breeze on
this late December afternoon but most natural tinders in the woods capable of
lighting from a fire steel spark, were pretty cold and damp...(birch bark would
probably still have lit with some preparation). But this was a training exercise!
Train hard, fight easy as they say!! When everything in the woods is damp, your
best bet is to fall back on standing dead wood – cutting and splitting down a
larger log to take advantage of the dry wood inside. This takes more time and
effort to process into all the fire making materials you'll need to create a
warming blaze, but it’s more likely to succeed than fiddling about with cold,
damp bark and twigs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The axe of choice was my hatchet made by <a href="https://www.alexpoleironwork.com/">Alex Pole</a>. It’s relatively
light compared to most axes carried for general bushcrafting work. It feels
light in the hand and in the pack too and the handle’s short enough to sit
comfortably inside a typical daypack, even with the lid cinched down as low as
possible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could almost forget you
were carrying it!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My dead standing wood of choice in these Dorset woods was
spruce. Straight grained (if cut between the branch knots) it would split
easily, hopefully with minimal twist and would carve predictably. Not only
that, it burns with a strong, bright flame due to the high amount of resin it
contains. It’s certainly not the best fuel wood if others are available but on
a damp day, the above qualities should ensure me of a quick, hot fire. Oak, ash
and beech logs, all the slower burning fuels would be added after. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93GiLz6RqFDSKM0h6HChCG_RnZ8lCpSKWcbrk8QgROcyVcowoAVJ0o5ne-FWK67VCYvPvv4nzWLoLrdr04X2Cwrf5LucY03j3szlWc0hdShnbzOxigUI9GPCbwnPHI7flI3bLvZko3X8/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93GiLz6RqFDSKM0h6HChCG_RnZ8lCpSKWcbrk8QgROcyVcowoAVJ0o5ne-FWK67VCYvPvv4nzWLoLrdr04X2Cwrf5LucY03j3szlWc0hdShnbzOxigUI9GPCbwnPHI7flI3bLvZko3X8/s320/IMG_0489.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I knew the hatchet, although relatively small was more than
capable of splitting a 4” diameter straight grained log. For accuracy, (and due
to the lack of a decent splitting block) I used the hatchet as a splitting
wedge initially, tapping it right into the centre line of the log with another
piece of dead wood as a makeshift mallet. Once buried in the log’s end grain it
only took a couple of whacks to split the spruce cleanly down the middle (for
safety, make sure you are looking at the cheek of the axe rather than the poll when
using an axe as a splitting wedge, so the cutting edge swings away to the side
of your body rather than back towards it). Each split half was again split down
the middle, this time by placing axe head, cutting edge against the centre of
the split section and clamping both axe handle and log together with both
hands. A quick whack of log and axe against a fallen dead branch saw the half
log split cleanly at the point where the axe head had been held against it. A
slight twist of the half log against the axe head and the split continued all
the way through leaving me with two quarters of a log.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrl78rom7DVmGb5VugwEwcaPjAqPGiQxiXiVm87GTVNREhGeBuEgY6r6Ievub4Dd-0HM-tnlTwk7XV1o03azT-CORoMbCq9neIag5uXhs2r3KYobeM2mIk7GEjKeX4V_Q_rwsMkHR7j0/s1600/IMG_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrl78rom7DVmGb5VugwEwcaPjAqPGiQxiXiVm87GTVNREhGeBuEgY6r6Ievub4Dd-0HM-tnlTwk7XV1o03azT-CORoMbCq9neIag5uXhs2r3KYobeM2mIk7GEjKeX4V_Q_rwsMkHR7j0/s320/IMG_0493.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvKxFM2-lxaoki7FxEzLjq3aeMbdr6jdSgBeqRtEU5yCJAmYOaTUNVQ37_mJY9UN7UpsPg4PWJkjr1BvH3GGcAUvqgTZ3ealxkB5b1AWTqxQmYb_LrWBAK__D1A1fv2zXHA6IYF9k1T8/s1600/IMG_0494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvKxFM2-lxaoki7FxEzLjq3aeMbdr6jdSgBeqRtEU5yCJAmYOaTUNVQ37_mJY9UN7UpsPg4PWJkjr1BvH3GGcAUvqgTZ3ealxkB5b1AWTqxQmYb_LrWBAK__D1A1fv2zXHA6IYF9k1T8/s320/IMG_0494.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFMPYFuU7InZbn1sj3K3uMyBx72Dzyu9xfAanaHcAAPWzsP1HYbdqORVT_TMnmlIX__1ZjH-rZvr57o8r5wUCAuAIWLxfUS8eNt2kmcF-Nsr7Jo8AwHCg8EdYFpJ6N5nKw3EQu2ZZhJA/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFMPYFuU7InZbn1sj3K3uMyBx72Dzyu9xfAanaHcAAPWzsP1HYbdqORVT_TMnmlIX__1ZjH-rZvr57o8r5wUCAuAIWLxfUS8eNt2kmcF-Nsr7Jo8AwHCg8EdYFpJ6N5nKw3EQu2ZZhJA/s320/IMG_0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
I continued with this same process, bringing axe and log
section together with a whack against the dead branch until the whole log had
been split into kindling of differing sizes. I needed some nice thin splints so
for those I employed the slightly different technique of using the axe head, partially
buried in the dead branch as a cleave, pushing the much thinner wood against
the blade to control the split until it sprung apart with a satisfying ‘pop’
(careful here as you’re working towards the sharp blade; take it easy and pull
the last part from the other side of the axe rather than continue pushing
straight onto the cutting edge)<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KjBwShtXHlmxgOnNY4U1kQ4I7PylbMEEx2-lB3S3Eab_qWRMcAJF69iQYdR_tz87cYigB8IXCSH-MzUCz1makJCW5j0FRiEhPRfzoJn1JXZwG1tcA8vJL9x6Up770KXdrf7H4aaI8lg/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRXLCjmZEq7j8ra-d4uoKPrN1XtQWhYD-wpXsbz43UWUBPFOO6WJ5oFH0zn8qSdQ19Vr1mtbRupN8Jr-UfE22MqsEv3yqpVDN5LeEM6uwL1welv9R6W1VzelrmJ3SokVPiObgy_VPLko/s1600/IMG_0499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRXLCjmZEq7j8ra-d4uoKPrN1XtQWhYD-wpXsbz43UWUBPFOO6WJ5oFH0zn8qSdQ19Vr1mtbRupN8Jr-UfE22MqsEv3yqpVDN5LeEM6uwL1welv9R6W1VzelrmJ3SokVPiObgy_VPLko/s320/IMG_0499.JPG" width="320" /></a></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5RX6yDky4vKCZRzZ8c-zI_uu0a2URYOTBRNkrH7UHYG2erCAG7zHarOGv5S5UPwX4c8qEFkQsGM4hTvo7FrKxTT50JLxB6u7n-3VgjyVRQ-Vf7YMtbTaBfQRnTRzTGREQXBjARSV9R8/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5RX6yDky4vKCZRzZ8c-zI_uu0a2URYOTBRNkrH7UHYG2erCAG7zHarOGv5S5UPwX4c8qEFkQsGM4hTvo7FrKxTT50JLxB6u7n-3VgjyVRQ-Vf7YMtbTaBfQRnTRzTGREQXBjARSV9R8/s320/IMG_0500.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjqtDIjY4TDE_fp7BCCAi_MQdOkSR_bbVXtjF9psSpW4uDQA-a11kdXsQLnp4L7Ww1Z7JkB160C5GL30t9XdwJXeC3nIya87QNh-RiKmAlOS1LyRPRQMnK9SBwqjswnJjhPbdsv3Zk60/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjqtDIjY4TDE_fp7BCCAi_MQdOkSR_bbVXtjF9psSpW4uDQA-a11kdXsQLnp4L7Ww1Z7JkB160C5GL30t9XdwJXeC3nIya87QNh-RiKmAlOS1LyRPRQMnK9SBwqjswnJjhPbdsv3Zk60/s320/IMG_0501.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Most hatchets or small axes are capable of producing split
wood if used this way, however I wanted to continue reducing the seasoned log
down to paper thin shavings, known as ‘feathering’ the wood. If I could get the
shavings thin and wispy enough, they would serve as my dry tinder, hopefully
catching the sparks from my fire steel to become flame. Usually this would be a
job for the knife with it’s thinner (usually sharper) blade. However, even
though as a chopping and splitting tool the Alex Pole hatchet has a slightly
convex cutting edge for strength, it’s damn sharp so I knew with some
adjustments to my usual carving angles, it would still effectively feather the
seasoned wood into a cluster of fine wood shavings. A knife is also more
controllable with one hand – it’s small and balanced and pretty much designed
for carving and whittling. This particular hatchet head is still small and
light enough to carve thin shavings but I needed to use both hands for control.
Cutting your log overly long at the start is a useful tip here as it means you
can clamp the wood about to be feathered, between abdomen <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and a tree stump and leave both hands free for
controlling the axe head, a bit like a very wide, short chisel. Again, be careful
here. Always double and triple check where that axe head is heading if the wood
slips or breaks. I was kneeling, slightly side on and upright, never working
directly over, or pushing the cutting edge towards my own legs. Cutting your
log as long as possible gives more safe working room, well away from your important
fleshy bits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also important for fire
lighting success, I made sure any thin shavings that became detached from the
wood, landed somewhere dry so they could be added to the fire in it’s early
stages. Lay down a coat to catch them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7rPikjP0oKC_XYmWLH0CHPi_sxHB0ODj-rZhm81jN0XOIdVSOcaXF88oMAvVaPGozpVJUrHOEyRcvBZ0aGfF2tAWh1r4jstQDjr8XJQWQUCdCHFSqxI-mSQ9_wS-HNqPkVpuxRvlHfo/s1600/IMG_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7rPikjP0oKC_XYmWLH0CHPi_sxHB0ODj-rZhm81jN0XOIdVSOcaXF88oMAvVaPGozpVJUrHOEyRcvBZ0aGfF2tAWh1r4jstQDjr8XJQWQUCdCHFSqxI-mSQ9_wS-HNqPkVpuxRvlHfo/s320/IMG_0520.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFryKfj0iBdVl65NN_6m-zaEwwY2QySmeUUg5kjcuCe_4PCMwCh22VDLhqMDH_bnQImekC3Pq8LApVyc5hxrMWfcOFNmnfTVDVoyoY6OWOdz3vP02s6Im9h50N073Zm0xK4j1Es8yO3c/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFryKfj0iBdVl65NN_6m-zaEwwY2QySmeUUg5kjcuCe_4PCMwCh22VDLhqMDH_bnQImekC3Pq8LApVyc5hxrMWfcOFNmnfTVDVoyoY6OWOdz3vP02s6Im9h50N073Zm0xK4j1Es8yO3c/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">For this particular challenge, I was happy with just the one
good feather stick plus a big handful of wood shavings and some nice, thin
splints. If lighting the fire meant the difference between life and death, I’d
have definitely made a couple more feather sticks. Some of the thicker sections
of split spruce wood became my platform on which to build the fire and the
remaining kindling sat around the edges, dry and ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyLLwd9I668Z8oE8PbpOsI3DARCsOfo5yEWuqH2iG3SjcMLyjRIDSaaVLQH0ox5slvgqbMm3Tfrs-Z84KVVQ3kP8KRnB8t8uZsVaE_z_bH4GFlqpwMwRmpcKO03xmNS50x3HjRf8K480/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyLLwd9I668Z8oE8PbpOsI3DARCsOfo5yEWuqH2iG3SjcMLyjRIDSaaVLQH0ox5slvgqbMm3Tfrs-Z84KVVQ3kP8KRnB8t8uZsVaE_z_bH4GFlqpwMwRmpcKO03xmNS50x3HjRf8K480/s320/IMG_0532.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My Swedish fire steel is carried with my belt knife and so
doesn’t have the original metal striker attached (the sharp spine of my knife
is used to create sparks instead). Not wanting to use my knife as I felt it contravened the rules of the challenge, I looked around
the woodland floor and found a convenient broken shard of flint to use as the hard,
sharp edge to scrape sparks from the ferrocium rod. Again, I found the best way
to hold the extra-long feather stick was clamped between abdomen and tree
stump, looking down at the base of the upside down curly, cluster of wood
shavings. This left both hands free to work the flint and fire steel, showering
sparks down onto the feathered wood. I’d made an effort to shave the last few
shavings as fine as I possibly could with the axe. You want the finest shavings
sitting just where the sparks will land.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyBpZIG4k1mXb2QHs1d82qIgb7KKPqatdg2xhkEIUGeP8Nt9-Xw-TPyCzR6xKHJ-ROwBziqso6a1Nwg4iQ7Ag' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a few showers of sparks, one of the shavings caught.
Note; trying to nurture a fire in it’s infancy and operate an iPhone at the
same time isn’t the best way to guarantee fire lighting success! However,
somehow a short video of the burning feather stick AND fire was achieved all at
once (a fine example of multi tasking). I added just enough of the spruce splints to establish a
sound and satisfactory fire and enjoy it’s warmth, before pulling the sticks
apart to cool, dowsing the area with water and packing up the remaining
kindling in my pack to light the wood burner with that evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwpVTdgx84-lmWRkgFgBA5QDtNQCFGSkXXfkpEhWvaepYc0bbQrm-PblX0nYMuoK-dzbqUbD2IaVUMikKttiA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, lessons learnt? Well, if you spend time outdoors in the
winter and a campfire features regularly in your activities, get yourself a
<a href="https://www.alexpoleironwork.com/">good axe</a> and learn how to use it! Practicing with challenges like these, I know
that if all I had were an axe and a fire steel, I could still make fire in the
damp, winter woods. It’s important to know from hard won experience, that you
can really do these things; confidence in your abilities and a positive
approach = half the battle won! Regular practice with your sharp tools is also
essential for safety. Lastly, keep your axe sharp and hone those axe skills!!
With a not so sharp axe and a basic level of axe knowhow, I could’ve created
the split kindling…but probably not the feathered tinder. If you can use an axe
safely and know how to light a fire, give this challenge a go. I’d love to hear
how you get on! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVgyuyG3Cc4PhnN7W7_XxP0y0_LfwGk9f9ZNOgdMQcm-A2HZqunkHyA460GHpxJsUfXB2BivSNo7BohXDSJZg_YBK6z4H3FY0fcw2gwbs4BhAqIBSs5Hlb_ecAM7dB0YTYOwGLzbMKF4/s1600/IMG_0537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVgyuyG3Cc4PhnN7W7_XxP0y0_LfwGk9f9ZNOgdMQcm-A2HZqunkHyA460GHpxJsUfXB2BivSNo7BohXDSJZg_YBK6z4H3FY0fcw2gwbs4BhAqIBSs5Hlb_ecAM7dB0YTYOwGLzbMKF4/s320/IMG_0537.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGLfAMZTiym8PEckN8GJX1oKE-n-_O_uwgpz5_3cyZuqorJFndUv4JgFIOuJ4ZK1iT5rvaFj0dnbJJa_WtQceibmWBziZ0BUEDrmTI_3oG5B3IxddWgbl-J3X-GtBwyyFVNlO7prL5_Y/s1600/IMG_0449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGLfAMZTiym8PEckN8GJX1oKE-n-_O_uwgpz5_3cyZuqorJFndUv4JgFIOuJ4ZK1iT5rvaFj0dnbJJa_WtQceibmWBziZ0BUEDrmTI_3oG5B3IxddWgbl-J3X-GtBwyyFVNlO7prL5_Y/s320/IMG_0449.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KjBwShtXHlmxgOnNY4U1kQ4I7PylbMEEx2-lB3S3Eab_qWRMcAJF69iQYdR_tz87cYigB8IXCSH-MzUCz1makJCW5j0FRiEhPRfzoJn1JXZwG1tcA8vJL9x6Up770KXdrf7H4aaI8lg/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KjBwShtXHlmxgOnNY4U1kQ4I7PylbMEEx2-lB3S3Eab_qWRMcAJF69iQYdR_tz87cYigB8IXCSH-MzUCz1makJCW5j0FRiEhPRfzoJn1JXZwG1tcA8vJL9x6Up770KXdrf7H4aaI8lg/s1600/IMG_0501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></span></span></a></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The axe and it's safe and efficient use, maintenance and sharpening is covered on the following workshops running in
2019…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/24-wood-carving-part-2">Wood Carving & Whittling Workshop - Part 2<o:p></o:p></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/11-bows--arrows-workshop">Bows & Arrows workshop<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/28-shave-horse-workshop">Shave Horse workshop<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And of course the <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/18-axe-forging-workshop">Axe Forging workshops<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All weather fire lighting in detail is covered on…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/2-wilderness-survival-we">Wilderness Survival & Bushcraft weekend<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/1-winter-survival-weekend">Winter Survival & Bushcraft weekend</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/6-fire-by-friction-workshop">Fire by Friction workshop<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh...and even the groovy, little <a href="http://wilderness-survival.co.uk/courses/31-leather-bag-workshop">haversack</a> has it's own workshop too...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Please follow the links for more information<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I hope to see you there! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span>Joe </div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-89945088025456558092018-03-23T07:07:00.002-07:002018-03-23T07:07:38.108-07:00Bad weather? Perfect opportunity to practice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKGKrpjWcUJgT92IQHYpdWbhnJNxsLVnMlM7-WSHfg41C1GjCj-aG3gnnKs-BFPv0IHnWmDuBEryI9EzfCq-5zvDnl8336pnDoU2i49X-PkNDFkaHhjjolOfd0GcXMdG6upYMRMDS9P8/s1600/IMG_7903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKGKrpjWcUJgT92IQHYpdWbhnJNxsLVnMlM7-WSHfg41C1GjCj-aG3gnnKs-BFPv0IHnWmDuBEryI9EzfCq-5zvDnl8336pnDoU2i49X-PkNDFkaHhjjolOfd0GcXMdG6upYMRMDS9P8/s320/IMG_7903.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Earlier this week we were hit with an unexpected second
dumping of snow. Snow rarely lasts very long in the UK, especially so late in
the year so in addition to the standard seeking out of a suitably snowy incline
to slide down on our backsides, I seized the opportunity to practice one of the
more fundamental bushcraft techniques, lighting fire in inclement conditions. When
I first started teaching bushcraft sixteen years ago, I found that having to perform
a certain survival skill in front of a group of paying customers was a great
way to hone that particular skill under significantly increased pressure! If
these techniques are to be of any real use in an emergency then they should be practiced
under stressful but controlled conditions. Even then, after time it’s all too
easy to become complacent. You know where to find exactly the right resources,
you’ve had time to prepare and squirrel away the best bits; even though the
materials used are natural and taken from nature, psychologically <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you’re as prepared as you would be using carried
perfect man made kit. Every now and again you should stray further outside your
comfort zone; a kind of sado-masochistic form of refresher training. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5K_eUub3GLPnqMtejmxAlttIVABkF6hQVnHKYG62vlpX3Cai8sXiiBWsHtKX8j3tW7DfwGoYI-A4IDdkP8uuIG1Jb5z-Ea9FCQlKEe3X0oNr09soAeB9jAR7rM-I_NGDpbNyPdDSzDw/s1600/IMG_7899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5K_eUub3GLPnqMtejmxAlttIVABkF6hQVnHKYG62vlpX3Cai8sXiiBWsHtKX8j3tW7DfwGoYI-A4IDdkP8uuIG1Jb5z-Ea9FCQlKEe3X0oNr09soAeB9jAR7rM-I_NGDpbNyPdDSzDw/s320/IMG_7899.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having the ability to light a fire using only what can be
found in the woods is a great skill to have. Knowing you can make the necessary
tweaks to light that same fire in bad weather conditions develops that particular
nugget of bushcraft into a life-saving skill. One main-stay of day to day
bushcraft is the trick of splitting and then ‘feathering’ standing dead wood
into kindling and even tinder, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be
sure of a roaring blaze when all other natural tinders and kindling are sodden.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
In short, you must first find some dead seasoned wood,
ideally still standing (not necessarily upright but away from the damp ground).
The outer bark may well be wet but the inside should generally be dry if the
wood is of the right condition – firm and carve able. Too far gone and it’ll be
powdery, porous and therefore damp like a sponge but too green (freshly cut)
and it’ll still be wet from sap within the wood. The inner bark is a good first
indicator of suitability. Scrape the outer bark away and assess whether the
inner bark is brown, brittle and papery (dead and seasoned – perfect) or green
and flexible (not seasoned enough). Weight is also a good indicator. Seasoned
wood is nice and light whereas green or wet wood is weighty.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5OJaY4zyOf4p9TkTzgOT-Y9GtAK4RnWKtPaQcMHWvl3NZ52JLbzGK8yRx8fVBYzGIEnPmHiuIEEMgd9xXa8j6F4vzwnGytPMKJRXA2D0q1092I6XQ-928SFOIDoCEB_SMpZu9KlcM68/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5OJaY4zyOf4p9TkTzgOT-Y9GtAK4RnWKtPaQcMHWvl3NZ52JLbzGK8yRx8fVBYzGIEnPmHiuIEEMgd9xXa8j6F4vzwnGytPMKJRXA2D0q1092I6XQ-928SFOIDoCEB_SMpZu9KlcM68/s320/IMG_7898.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cut or snap a section around 30cm long and around 5cm in
diameter. This section should be knot and blemish free for easy splitting and feathering.
Wood types do play a part. Straight grained timber that splits straight and
true is perfect (Sweet Chestnut, hazel, sliver birch) and even better if the
wood is known to be resinous (pine, fir, spruce) which will produce brighter,
stronger flames during the early stages of the fire.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Using your knife as a splitting wedge and another log as an
improvised wood mallet, split the straight grained, knot free section down the
middle. Make sure you use a wooden platform to split onto and consider the follow
through of the cutting edge if you slip or split the wood more easily than
expected! Keep all fleshy body parts well out of the way. Turn one half of the
split timber through 90 degrees and split it in half again, then split each of
those halves. The wood inside should be nice and dry and will burn really well
as a fuel wood, however it needs further processing to serve as kindling and
tinder too!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfGRcKBj_SoYIKf5SoGXba9DBeZfsXIIucAxiIEboxVweyNcY_wXYhtiHHpwEziuaw4udhbxA4P2CEgbEjPjEyZ90YtYx2hSVtEeI1jsQR3M0A7UKwKzOFK8mNBwXzq1KSDJKoXYVzBo/s1600/IMG_7906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfGRcKBj_SoYIKf5SoGXba9DBeZfsXIIucAxiIEboxVweyNcY_wXYhtiHHpwEziuaw4udhbxA4P2CEgbEjPjEyZ90YtYx2hSVtEeI1jsQR3M0A7UKwKzOFK8mNBwXzq1KSDJKoXYVzBo/s320/IMG_7906.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qegzML0YjYhUOJjnWUJ9wRY7jKdn0aZMUFs5tPoLJNjZYgnUXXBBYZXHyYWU93cgPHEyrkRr8scptV7T3EWAsq3pJpGupZ3puAp9Q8bMhbWgPrjkl7UwuXsrDAhgtRtvVWbAap2INxU/s1600/IMG_7907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qegzML0YjYhUOJjnWUJ9wRY7jKdn0aZMUFs5tPoLJNjZYgnUXXBBYZXHyYWU93cgPHEyrkRr8scptV7T3EWAsq3pJpGupZ3puAp9Q8bMhbWgPrjkl7UwuXsrDAhgtRtvVWbAap2INxU/s320/IMG_7907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take one of the straightest, split lengths and holding it
firmly at the top, bear down onto a hard, wooden surface. Working on the sharp
edge of the inner most part of the split wood, shave a thin curl from top to
bottom leaving the fine shaving attached to the wood. Having shaved off the
sharp ridge to make the curl, you will have created two new edges either side of
it. Work on these now, shaving down the length of the wood to create two more
thin shavings. The trick here is firstly to always work on the new edges or
ridges you create as you carve a curly wood shaving but also to slightly dig
the cutting edge deeper into the wood as you near the base of the feather
stick. This should ensure that your curl is kept on the stick and not just
sliced off. Keep shaving away the wood until you’ve amassed a veritable ‘fuzz’
of thin, dry wood shavings attached to a now quite skinny section of wood. Dry
tinder and kindling in one neat package! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, there’s a whole lot of finer detail
that’s difficult to explain, but that’s the kind of information you’ll gain by
getting out there and doing it. Several of these feather sticks arranged on top
of one another should form a fail-safe foundation to your fire. Any remaining
split wood can be split into thinner splints to make additional kindling. The
extra preparation is well worth it and the additional benefits to practicing
this technique are most definitely improved carving ability and knife control. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99I-GG3uoAQmNMFnA2ndH1ipVg724piLwPACJ32Yvh9zoUTyuDeMmQjkVOmTnbrwEbQnDAQTVU08XBoH4OhnUoGYAI5ka49caxER7qYa7S8LSF9X6M9ReyTlV3M9JXuUkXpTUTddXQXo/s1600/IMG_7912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99I-GG3uoAQmNMFnA2ndH1ipVg724piLwPACJ32Yvh9zoUTyuDeMmQjkVOmTnbrwEbQnDAQTVU08XBoH4OhnUoGYAI5ka49caxER7qYa7S8LSF9X6M9ReyTlV3M9JXuUkXpTUTddXQXo/s320/IMG_7912.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkgXVepdHTeod9L4FPBrLaA17Jxs9jCIwbftmm_Me8h5Qe9uDAvbyUDHxLVrc13dJUPVe_g-MqWSAo7StuQbzipISqIL19NEcl9_qXNeyrI-JLPkz43AA8WIwb_DBn1D8jxAYq1ZqWCA/s1600/IMG_7914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkgXVepdHTeod9L4FPBrLaA17Jxs9jCIwbftmm_Me8h5Qe9uDAvbyUDHxLVrc13dJUPVe_g-MqWSAo7StuQbzipISqIL19NEcl9_qXNeyrI-JLPkz43AA8WIwb_DBn1D8jxAYq1ZqWCA/s320/IMG_7914.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
</span></o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, back to the snowy morning earlier this week. We’d had a
good dumping of snow overnight and come morning, the snowflakes were still
coming down, made even more blustery by the icy wind. Perfectly challenging conditions
to practice this rough weather fire lighting technique in real conditions! Here
are my findings which will hopefully be of use and put more meat on the bones of
your own fire lighting training and kit preparation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Firstly, it’s worth pointing out that I was fully equipped
with warm and weatherproof gear, never putting myself in any real risk and had
left full details of my route, location and my expected return time with
someone responsible and reliable back home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Location:</u></span></em></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbY_cKh0rXvchCm1g-UEjbDVcgIzkD2EQoduUHxMsFANAnUmBOhzMJg7nmfRbXLpyZvAzsPDcvAAEAM5LDqWTIQv2hiMDmwNx11UrW-cSwN7lh9EVMCFoSw5E_MtMvwFGvOef4GWf8SY/s1600/IMG_7938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbY_cKh0rXvchCm1g-UEjbDVcgIzkD2EQoduUHxMsFANAnUmBOhzMJg7nmfRbXLpyZvAzsPDcvAAEAM5LDqWTIQv2hiMDmwNx11UrW-cSwN7lh9EVMCFoSw5E_MtMvwFGvOef4GWf8SY/s320/IMG_7938.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It doesn’t make much sense to light a fire out in the open
in a blizzard when you have a more sheltered area nearby in the form of dense woodland
which also provides all your fuel wood. However, the snow was heavy on every
branch and twig and although I gave the trees directly overhead a good shake
before getting started, I was still experiencing the odd dumping of snow, blown
from the higher branches, right onto my fire place and dry, prepared materials.
This could easily have been enough to put the fire completely out. Putting up
some kind of temporary shelter before getting my fire going was the obvious answer
to this problem. I usually carry an <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/need-tarp.html">Alpkit rig 3.5 super lightweight tarp </a>which
would’ve been ideal in this situation. </span></div>
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span></span></span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><u>Preparation:</u></em></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I cleared away the snow back down to bare ground and then
prepared a platform of dead sticks ready for a second platform of split wood
above that. My chosen feather stick wood was dead pine and my chosen ignition
method would be a Swedish fire steel creating strong sparks but no flame
meaning that my feather stick curls would have to be super thin and good
quality. The surrounding depth of snow helped by acting as a wind break to the
fire in it’s early stages.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span></span></span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><u>Insulation and protection:</u></em></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I decided to try and achieve fire as fast as I could so ‘toughed’
it out when it came to working directly on the snow. Very quickly, my knees
became frozen to the point of being extremely painful, distracting me from the
task in hand and slowing me down. Eventually I took the foam padding out from
my rucksack to kneel on. Problem immediately solved – I’ll do this straight
away next time!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfBuBgkhPFH47Fa6NKIc-F4ZjC-VwmkPQH7jMDzm5n1lTvm2DnoIdt2cm5j-wqrNbp4u4zvVUMX54ClSk9Xta5z1rrSYtLQmBrF59yoS5T31kPPIkRrYJR7xYha0oQ1CvgOsHm5DD4Rc/s1600/IMG_7908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfBuBgkhPFH47Fa6NKIc-F4ZjC-VwmkPQH7jMDzm5n1lTvm2DnoIdt2cm5j-wqrNbp4u4zvVUMX54ClSk9Xta5z1rrSYtLQmBrF59yoS5T31kPPIkRrYJR7xYha0oQ1CvgOsHm5DD4Rc/s320/IMG_7908.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</span></span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
I also tried to work in only the layers I was wearing for
the 30 minute trek in; a thermal top, fleece gilet and thin runners Goretex
jacket plus windproof fleece gloves and hat. This was fine whilst on the move
but as soon as I stopped and began to prepare my fire lighting materials, my
core temperature dropped very fast, exacerbated by the fact that I’d been walking
fast or running through the snow and was sweaty, especially my back where I’d
been carrying my rucksack. Again, this affected my state of mind significantly.
I knew that as soon as I started to shiver, this would be my bodies involuntary
attempt to re-warm itself, (the start of a slippery slope to hypothermia) and
shivering I was, within just ten minutes of being stationary! Having a good
insulating and windproof layer in your winter walking kit is essential, even
better if it’s designed to be hastily donned over all your other layers when
extra warmth is needed fast. I learnt this years ago during a winter mountaineering
course in Scotland and it’s proved to be sound advice. In the colder months I
carry a synthetic fill, hooded Rab belay jacket, one size larger than I’d
usually wear, already ¼ zipped to prevent fumbling about with cold or gloved
hands. Once it was on and zipped up, I could focus completely on getting the
fire going without worrying about becoming dangerously cold.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></div>
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_51RyU0JYz2feMQwwXhrg9YWFdKoZTwOmTO-RjCfTnjGJBLZnX_OgMe3RMC01RB2RZnWFhHXU1zl-w0WqLdIpHQNbBSCe9HQaOCbNhV-c2ZAb7NseRfV1TN7wI7KWuGfPc7TLEvb1sAE/s1600/IMG_7917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_51RyU0JYz2feMQwwXhrg9YWFdKoZTwOmTO-RjCfTnjGJBLZnX_OgMe3RMC01RB2RZnWFhHXU1zl-w0WqLdIpHQNbBSCe9HQaOCbNhV-c2ZAb7NseRfV1TN7wI7KWuGfPc7TLEvb1sAE/s320/IMG_7917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span></span></span></span></span><h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><u>Kit set up:</u></em></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To make good feather stick curls, you need a sharp blade…and
mine definitely wasn’t! To make up for my dull blade, I had to invest more
energy and more concentration to get the quality of feather stick curls needed
to light from sparks alone. I did have a slip stone in my kit, but pushed on
regardless. This oversight most likely added to the overall time taken to
achieve fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I set off in the morning with no breakfast and after a 30
minute run/yomp through the snow to get there had depleted my energy levels
significantly. My grip and my forearms definitely felt weaker due to the
combined effects of the cold, physical exercise and an empty fuel tank. I do
carry a couple of energy bars in my kit but chose to push on without breaking
them out. My lack of easy to access energy in the tank most likely contributed
to my rapid cooling and subsequent shivering too. If I’m ever in the same
situation again, I’ll be chewing on one while I prepare my materials!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It became immediately obvious that working under pressure in
fairly deep snow has the potential for valuable items of emergency kit to
become wet or even completely lost if you’re not 100% disciplined about keeping
a track of where they are at all times. Wind catches stray gloves or maps and
whisks them away in a flash and snow can chill or soak fire lighting kit. Put
stuff away in a pocket when it’s not in use, close the lid of your rucksack, hang
knives and fire steels on lanyards, keep everything out of the weather and away
from the damp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hO4caecIY2aGkdcGSWD9ISQ3jMQqHKvOW-_oqx1g-5n9BEZ1qrVDaM7r-HVUMByW5a7eH08yqLfav3fIK8Wey9fvI8O_IJIYAoSBMU3gKRM4u2BM7kEG-NhDVH95M8Nb7JOVTU9fb1w/s1600/IMG_7920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hO4caecIY2aGkdcGSWD9ISQ3jMQqHKvOW-_oqx1g-5n9BEZ1qrVDaM7r-HVUMByW5a7eH08yqLfav3fIK8Wey9fvI8O_IJIYAoSBMU3gKRM4u2BM7kEG-NhDVH95M8Nb7JOVTU9fb1w/s320/IMG_7920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve made reference to the fact that I chose to light the
feather sticks with sparks rather than matches or a lighter. This was mostly to
ramp up the difficulty and ensure that despite the inclement conditions, my
materials and preparation was on point. The last few curls of your feather
stick <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>must </u></b>be super fine and
fuzzy to catch those sparks and create a flame. However, by the time I’d
finished preparing all my materials with damp gloves, the snow and wind chill
had reduced my dexterity significantly. One good thing about the Swedish fire
steel is that it’s large and robust enough to operate with a gloved, clenched
fist of a grip which is pretty much all I was able to produce by the point of
ignition. Fiddling about with matches would’ve been far trickier! My only
option then would’ve been to spend time re-warming my fingers and hands using
body heat (most likely shoving those icy digits down my trousers!) to the point
where they’d regained enough dexterity to hold a match or operate a lighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s worth mentioning at this point, that one of the key
lessons to take away from all of this is to be prepared when venturing out into
wild places. Stopping, gathering and preparing enough materials to create fire
takes time and energy. In a real situation in such extreme conditions, having
good kit on hand would save your bacon. Carrying the right clothing including
back up options for extreme conditions, plus emergency shelter, a stove and/or
fuel blocks, dry tinder such as waxed tinder card or cotton wool with a
reliable lighter, wind proof matches AND a fire steel would mean that you could
get warmer a hell of a lot quicker or potentially save yourself if your situation
was worse than my self-imposed one. Develop a good system with your kit. Keep
it well maintained and know how to use it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NBbDF2CeAu5t-GiwKdGcirLGUfXzB9uOjWkmgB8MrMrpWupRnnX7P3asVh6wRYg1ahfHeiiFK9ZTddW_2URJAqT6s8k0Tn_Ko93g2QFYulwL5zgKquT4pi8FyHNKos6pjnQVneALYxU/s1600/IMG_7932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NBbDF2CeAu5t-GiwKdGcirLGUfXzB9uOjWkmgB8MrMrpWupRnnX7P3asVh6wRYg1ahfHeiiFK9ZTddW_2URJAqT6s8k0Tn_Ko93g2QFYulwL5zgKquT4pi8FyHNKos6pjnQVneALYxU/s320/IMG_7932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, despite all my mishaps and poor decisions above,
fire was still achieved with a fire steel in the snow. The biggest obstacle to
overcome in situations like these is a lack of confidence in your own abilities.
Having practiced this skill previously, I knew from personal experience that if
I persevered and tweaked my approach to the problem, I’d get there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weirdly, trying and failing can be just as
valuable a lesson as succeeding first time. All those failures serve as an
excellent trouble shooting manual when things aren’t going to plan and
ultimately give a lot more depth to your understanding of the technique.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>I hope this information is of some help to you in your training. Get out there and try it!</o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span></span></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span></span></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-26016495626941527312014-12-19T07:06:00.000-08:002015-11-06T05:53:04.166-08:00Need a tarp?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDsvs-VVoWMsBKkAIbdS_TItQeX18ouWDA5nZm-VZYUsV0E_jFVZ1pRFyaTxr6wAhSf9WdRKp395LlJkZplHSPfNWt7JVmAlJTb7zSgXGINOn2yCSHSIoWN1OR-kjz7gvaKbwXSRNrNc/s1600/IMG_9131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDsvs-VVoWMsBKkAIbdS_TItQeX18ouWDA5nZm-VZYUsV0E_jFVZ1pRFyaTxr6wAhSf9WdRKp395LlJkZplHSPfNWt7JVmAlJTb7zSgXGINOn2yCSHSIoWN1OR-kjz7gvaKbwXSRNrNc/s1600/IMG_9131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hello, I’m initially breaking radio silence in blog world
with a well deserved kit recommendation in the last few days before Christmas! However, keep
an eye on this blog as I’ll be updating it regularly over the winter months
with articles for anyone interested in traditional skills, crafts, kit advice,
bushcraft skills and other adventures. I’ll be kicking things off with a series
on making your own outdoor gear from scratch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the meantime...if you’re looking to make the transition from tent to tarp
in 2015 or possibly hoping to swap your existing tarp for a lighter, stronger
version…you must take a look at the <a href="https://www.alpkit.com/products/rig">Rig range</a> from Alpkit. I have a LOT of time
for this UK outdoor gear company, they just seem to keep getting better and better, coming up with new
ideas and consistently producing <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lightweight kit and
clothing of high quality. Tarps are one item from their extensive equipment range
that really don’t seem particularly complicated or confusing but don’t forget,
you’re effectively investing in a roof over your head! Not a decision to be
taken lightly…</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ocOZKtKRto_xa5Sq5CMrMdk-OnhV7ZSBulwT46Xy7towpQ7vLfdHI-c2Vn2W8EzGFjGC90Hzc-pMUUSIwzUZ4o0Ddlub5XlSWu4ojjpShmMena51_AgRoWg-hzImxeguDf4vemGgOPo/s1600/IMG_9194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ocOZKtKRto_xa5Sq5CMrMdk-OnhV7ZSBulwT46Xy7towpQ7vLfdHI-c2Vn2W8EzGFjGC90Hzc-pMUUSIwzUZ4o0Ddlub5XlSWu4ojjpShmMena51_AgRoWg-hzImxeguDf4vemGgOPo/s1600/IMG_9194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The rig 7 tarp in action keeping the winter weather off me and my incredibly cosy bed!</span></em></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
I’ve been using tarps (or ‘bashas’) all year, every year for
several decades now, initially starting with the issue green army poncho in the
mid 80’s (not very roomy or lightweight but fairly bomb proof) then progressing
onto different sizes, materials, coatings, colours, even making several of my
own. I love the simplicity and versatility of the concept and much prefer
sleeping outside (but under cover) than crammed into a tiny, sweaty tent. The
Alpkit Rig range first caught my eye due to the lightweight pack size compared
to their generous coverage when open. The ‘kelp’ choice of colour was perfect for
keeping a low profile in the woods too – a mute, non-offensive earthy colour
without looking military in anyway. I initially went for the rig 7 as an
extremely roomy one person option but was so impressed with it that the much
larger rig 21 expedition tarp and super tiny, packable rig 3.5 soon followed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsw0PW2EjVNs07L3xVJtTYBFJm69BTBDyvS3H1DVVbZLww2p08b63RqSj5uaT2eTxa4IZ5fEGbyCaBAglizUT-9eZjIqlZQYBT2Z1wg_zNziWU1id8l7sjH_5klZsmhbxwR8REz9lN3w/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsw0PW2EjVNs07L3xVJtTYBFJm69BTBDyvS3H1DVVbZLww2p08b63RqSj5uaT2eTxa4IZ5fEGbyCaBAglizUT-9eZjIqlZQYBT2Z1wg_zNziWU1id8l7sjH_5klZsmhbxwR8REz9lN3w/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">The big rig 21 suspended from intermediate rigging loops to allow the ends to be folded in and make a fully enclosed and still very big tented area</span></em></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgKOT8MtYUnx_hVsXvFjNFaC8yOyOgdD0D_KyhnSH6JYDeUWTfHT6V4Vuq1WwHY_BppMLiAXPW44hHWrrGL9AeURJ6jp40EnJw1BMZOwopHkc1JiDts3rEPiS9XiVdyVMxhFzjjG6dFc/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgKOT8MtYUnx_hVsXvFjNFaC8yOyOgdD0D_KyhnSH6JYDeUWTfHT6V4Vuq1WwHY_BppMLiAXPW44hHWrrGL9AeURJ6jp40EnJw1BMZOwopHkc1JiDts3rEPiS9XiVdyVMxhFzjjG6dFc/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">This was my home for a very rainy mid summer ten day camp. Myself and all the course demo kit lived under here quite comfortably</span></em></div>
<br /></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If
you decide to try one, you’ll immediately notice the small pack size. Once open
you’ll like the reinforced guy line holes and webbing tabs providing the perfect
compromise between lightweight materials and strength. I’ve only ever seen one
webbing loop break so far but the reinforced holes have never torn out or
ripped on me yet. As you’re putting it up for the first time you’ll be
impressed with the build quality, taped seams and neat, strong stitching. As
you lay under it in your sleeping bag, listening to the rain drumming on your
rig roof you’ll be amazed to see no leaks and astounded to see no absorption of
moisture on the outside, just rain being repelled back to from whence it came
(or into a collection device if you’re crafty).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG8ssgGMglhYPvJSjstPMQ1jxQEPMRJmg4f_1xsMd84NaPqQnz2EsMTnwgNYSX0S1v7B5aDqpD5v57eVt-lBujpUnMJNYWTQveLeeapXuRo7jWVcJkWAzMPEZTHWAMIL1kcrwMRaHVxw/s1600/IMG_9089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPG8ssgGMglhYPvJSjstPMQ1jxQEPMRJmg4f_1xsMd84NaPqQnz2EsMTnwgNYSX0S1v7B5aDqpD5v57eVt-lBujpUnMJNYWTQveLeeapXuRo7jWVcJkWAzMPEZTHWAMIL1kcrwMRaHVxw/s1600/IMG_9089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Close up of reinforced guying holes. These are extremely strong even with very thin guy lines shown </span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOLyekpOh0sQLf9soTND5A-BPp_HtpYRXK89bWRF8xVlaTPjU5QyhtODqHd-z8Nou-4qW6LnRFYGrZ8QRSXT-gaOuVFTFP-gZqIzvmpOUyS3xmUh_Zo0ZrNNySrh9AW3Dv5TksFEw9cA/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOLyekpOh0sQLf9soTND5A-BPp_HtpYRXK89bWRF8xVlaTPjU5QyhtODqHd-z8Nou-4qW6LnRFYGrZ8QRSXT-gaOuVFTFP-gZqIzvmpOUyS3xmUh_Zo0ZrNNySrh9AW3Dv5TksFEw9cA/s1600/IMG_9092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The ridge line hanging loops, also reinforced and well sealed</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In fact, one problem often associated with lightweight
tarps and shelters is that of moisture transmission as soon as you touch the
inside of the material. This just doesn’t seem to happen with the rig tarps
(must get around to asking them why…). In North Wales recently I had to set up
an extremely low bivvy due to high winds and was constantly brushing against
the inside of my rig 7 tarp as I moved around inside but didn’t notice any
drips coming through as a result. Result!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkpI3eTX46UL_cgaw7vT8l_7XEbGVSjDqqyzMryruRPu0rwcgU9jiIrP-H3S9PorEesKxYhA-zxcmDeXup5OZYb2hWtcQgiP1Mr2IncO5QwanJfYpukiuzjCO4WQCGvvvhdZeDpRGono/s1600/Debs+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkpI3eTX46UL_cgaw7vT8l_7XEbGVSjDqqyzMryruRPu0rwcgU9jiIrP-H3S9PorEesKxYhA-zxcmDeXup5OZYb2hWtcQgiP1Mr2IncO5QwanJfYpukiuzjCO4WQCGvvvhdZeDpRGono/s1600/Debs+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Very low rig 7 bivvy tarp in North Wales. I'm lying in a ditch to give me a bit more room inside. Luckily the ditch had an underground drainage system...</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6Kx6V-NKfyw336KjYS1e8pOosDXiaGNuZ74p9ge3W0QN8teKEjPeWgkr8ZGaxNc9d0shxp1m6e0YYqclomMvEaKXUWuy1Lo-WrdR_IjX9ED2Ctk9rsoV4Uw3TQVyRkB1iVeLVSEG_Bc/s1600/IMG_9222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6Kx6V-NKfyw336KjYS1e8pOosDXiaGNuZ74p9ge3W0QN8teKEjPeWgkr8ZGaxNc9d0shxp1m6e0YYqclomMvEaKXUWuy1Lo-WrdR_IjX9ED2Ctk9rsoV4Uw3TQVyRkB1iVeLVSEG_Bc/s1600/IMG_9222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">My trusty rig 7 again doing a grand job of keeping off the winter snows. This roof pitch looks flatter than it was (the centre was raised to give a secondary pitch), even so the tarp didn't drip inside!</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’ve used the rig 7 as my main camping tarp for several
years now and hope to for years to come. It’s the perfect size when open and
packed away, strong, simple and light. There’s just no need to look elsewhere!
The larger rig 21 has been used as a group shelter on courses, the inner skin
on a leaky roundhouse when using it as a base camp in foul conditions and even
the roof of a show stand at outdoor events (unfortunately it was nicked recently so I’ll be
ordering another one next year). <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQqw37YrUCEERzq5EoMtbXbOrDwZqz4xB6s73OfZOVeo3tsjoIPxqVPW_C7u9NfVfgWdjqYgpt3Jea3y-_8S8hR7z8PoXaRFS-so08tqqmk3R7K4UoDI5zXPPUMILPLJ-LbxfclCe_YA/s1600/IMG_2923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQqw37YrUCEERzq5EoMtbXbOrDwZqz4xB6s73OfZOVeo3tsjoIPxqVPW_C7u9NfVfgWdjqYgpt3Jea3y-_8S8hR7z8PoXaRFS-so08tqqmk3R7K4UoDI5zXPPUMILPLJ-LbxfclCe_YA/s1600/IMG_2923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The massive rig 21 deployed as the roof of our show stand at the wilderness gathering 2013. The tarp easily kept the whole of our extensive display dry and when packed down, takes up around half the volume of the little round willow basket in the fore ground!</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The rig 3.5 is a little revelation. It’s a minimalist one
person bivvy tarp with all the same features as it’s larger cousins. It’s main
advantage is that it packs down absolutely tiny. I mean minuscule! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes it perfect for super lightweight,
minimalist trips, adventure races and especially as a ‘you never know’ bit of
kit in your daypack. I use mine as exactly that and it gets frequently set up
as a temporary work area when I’m out in the woods working on a craft of small
project on a rainy day. Barely noticeable in your pack, easy to set up and
provides a decent dry spot for one person, whittling a spoon by the fire.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4fzSAAFwGytIXaArOjnCLQMxSOvrTFintINnBwK_RgP6CwGZfqWHXxU4lqWZEZCrp24rB3ThFlACZLeHs9ZJhAZ0R5H-Cjx5wze0_j4pUq7EUSB3aaNZdZHpzv_mhdd9dNcPY8PFwJY/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4fzSAAFwGytIXaArOjnCLQMxSOvrTFintINnBwK_RgP6CwGZfqWHXxU4lqWZEZCrp24rB3ThFlACZLeHs9ZJhAZ0R5H-Cjx5wze0_j4pUq7EUSB3aaNZdZHpzv_mhdd9dNcPY8PFwJY/s1600/IMG_9036.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The amazing rig 3.5 set up as overhead shelter for a one person temporary workshop area</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTj6q-fVnnaHMKxGtsg2G6eLLQT-31a9Tn2b9r2_doO-XoAsB1kS-KUZkHYFiqakh924me1_XCz9QIyY_-0j4g41BtWDalZdjxYZQ59wWWeaufvUkUf_XQrgtnJT5YkYbzaB3u4JG3po/s1600/IMG_9099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTj6q-fVnnaHMKxGtsg2G6eLLQT-31a9Tn2b9r2_doO-XoAsB1kS-KUZkHYFiqakh924me1_XCz9QIyY_-0j4g41BtWDalZdjxYZQ59wWWeaufvUkUf_XQrgtnJT5YkYbzaB3u4JG3po/s1600/IMG_9099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The same rig 3.5 tarp set up as a good sized, one person survival shelter, open fronted to allow the occupant to stay warm next to the fire (otherwise the open front could be closed down for maximum weather protection and retained warmth as shown below - one corner flipped up to provide a sheltered cooking area during the day)</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIAXF5jJl74WOyD5U7U2CvWQCznIz9srRDBefeR9LCxB9mhCzdHshcjY8WqzPwf1uG1XaEDpnUp4TLftsk9iNtX-_t64UReBXE1IrKcqdq8Bgd2MC5cWe24MkpiNfIoc85XlyTOB0JTw/s1600/IMG_1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIAXF5jJl74WOyD5U7U2CvWQCznIz9srRDBefeR9LCxB9mhCzdHshcjY8WqzPwf1uG1XaEDpnUp4TLftsk9iNtX-_t64UReBXE1IrKcqdq8Bgd2MC5cWe24MkpiNfIoc85XlyTOB0JTw/s320/IMG_1232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZJ6X2Kht-Wmu6dVoB02oexR6YuiR3e8pygtuWnhoRbrEvb2pJKYmVoZlSmK1EhDfMEfvVIIkPtjIH3cXD1_Olqox_gs9gQrby_mc3ODAgvt-ebTMeyxOdBQRXVAj0tO_iSStHAUjr-A/s1600/IMG_9175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZJ6X2Kht-Wmu6dVoB02oexR6YuiR3e8pygtuWnhoRbrEvb2pJKYmVoZlSmK1EhDfMEfvVIIkPtjIH3cXD1_Olqox_gs9gQrby_mc3ODAgvt-ebTMeyxOdBQRXVAj0tO_iSStHAUjr-A/s1600/IMG_9175.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The 3.5 rig tarp packed away, sitting in between Nalgene bottle/ titanium mug combo on the right and insulated jacket in yellow dry bag on the left. This standard day kit has everything needed for a walk off the beaten track plus emergency overnight gear. The rig 3.5 compliments this small, lightweight but effective set up perfectly</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span>Take a look at some of my images of my rig tarp collection
in use and if you’re after a tarp, I can heartily recommend the Alpkit rig
range. Check out all the specs <a href="https://www.alpkit.com/products/rig">here</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Happy winter tarping!</em></span></strong></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-77312104442739427732014-03-06T08:35:00.002-08:002014-03-06T08:41:37.250-08:00Primitive Packs – load carrying equipment made from sticks, skins and string:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz5uvaRw_hheiK8eP_v0i4auoxtCrfUXhumwq7j8VXYrQ0a2PAHFAVNo2x8KubZ87tl5nXj1JmT-INGh2fpI9K1m8XsnIYcLgIXgQzh2ROdnFSjvfeKWxlljr9xMDprqwYPg2QoeIvKQ/s1600/IMG_6356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz5uvaRw_hheiK8eP_v0i4auoxtCrfUXhumwq7j8VXYrQ0a2PAHFAVNo2x8KubZ87tl5nXj1JmT-INGh2fpI9K1m8XsnIYcLgIXgQzh2ROdnFSjvfeKWxlljr9xMDprqwYPg2QoeIvKQ/s1600/IMG_6356.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This post was originally published in a magazine but after spending the weekend weaving perfectly useable kit carrying devices using only willow wands and rushes, I thought it deserved an airing!</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I first
started down this route over twenty five years ago, it was with a view to
learning the essential survival skills that might give me the edge in an
unplanned outdoor emergency but I never really devoted a lot of thought to
where I was heading and why. Over the years my direction has seemingly changed from
‘survival training’ leaning more towards the traditional crafts and wilderness
living skills collectively known today as ‘bushcraft’ although the effortless
merging from one into the other implies that this had been my intended journey
all along. I was just addressing it by the wrong name!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bushcraft as
a subject is difficult to define having many variables and countless
connotations, meaning different things to different people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An interest in bushcraft often begins with
survival training then delves further, looking towards becoming able to source
everything needed for life from the natural world around us. We strive to learn
how these natural resources were shaped and processed to benefit our lives in
days gone by. With the development of this knowledge comes an awareness of how
resources should be harvested responsibly so as not to have a lasting impact on
the very environment that provides us with everything we need. One thing’s for
certain…bushcrafters will never be bored!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those of us
who like to trace a skill back to it’s roots in order to understand it
completely, look to the sketchy clues of the past for inspiration. More recent,
well documented hunter gatherer societies help to fill in the gaps but every
now and again a window to the past is unearthed enabling us to see first-hand,
how ancient people, not too different from us today, were able to live in
relative comfort long before we all needed bushcraft knives costing more than a
family car and branded waterproof coats flown into the UK from the other side
of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One such
window discovered in the Otztal Alps, September 1991 was Otzi, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the ice mummy found still surrounded by a good
amount of his personal possessions just over 5,000 years after perishing in the
snow. Setting aside the mysterious circumstances of his demise for now, the
fact that he was moving through such treacherous terrain meant that he must’ve
had total confidence in his clothing and gear to even consider it as a
realistic option. No goretex covered, down filled jacket for this chap!
Instead, his outfit had been skilfully made up from grasses, animal hides,
bark, stone, sinews and wood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything
he carried and wore had been crafted from the woods, rivers, mountains and
meadows he had lived amongst all his life. So based on this evidence and other
similar examples, a motivated and skilled bushcrafter could theoretically put
together a whole outfit, proving that everything a person needs really can be
found in or made entirely from natural resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s quite a challenge! We’ll need
something to carry it all in…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Otzi’s pack frame:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Otzi had
what most people think was a pack frame lying near him. If so, then this item
alone illustrates perfectly, the combining of skills and knowledge that a
bushcrafter strives for. A two metre bent hoop of hazel rod formed the frame
itself so the maker must have known about hazel as one of the more flexible
woods. Two backboards of larch were lashed securely to this using plant fibre
cordage meaning that the maker knew which species provided strong cordage and
also how to process and construct the cordage needed. A goatskin kit bag was
believed to have been fastened to the frame so a working knowledge of how to
preserve and cure animal hides in order to make leather and buckskin would have
been needed. I don’t believe any shoulder straps were found but these must’ve
been present originally and it would be fair to assume these were also leather
of some sort. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The images of the broken
frame, despite being extremely ancient remind me hugely of some modern day
external frame packs I have lugged over hill and dale so it doesn’t seem beyond
comprehension that I might be able to make up a close copy that might actually
be effective and maybe even comfortable to carry. After all, Otzi did
apparently haul his original model most of the way up a snowy mountain with an
arrow head lodged deep in his shoulder! You can’t really get a better
recommendation than that.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Construction:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My first job was to cut and bend a two metre length of hazel wood. Having had some success with steaming and bending wood in the past I decided to give it a whirl by suspending the hazel rod over a steaming pot of water, covering both rod and pot with a damp towel. The rod was quite thick and the bend in the middle, pretty tight so my first couple of steaming attempts resulted in splintered hazel. ‘Let’s keep this simple’ I thought so I decided to gently coax the freshly cut section by hand, around a stump acting as a former. This worked well so</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">after scraping the bark off, I tied the frame in position to let it ‘set’ overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy18ZsnK_fbyKxJwPcUzJn20-3ZBa8mqhBL-IsN3_hY-kzENPehn-X7GEGqe_gSGXX4tG-1D78Mg6P_tFRC1xNd9E44Kf10WSHQjDscfCh2KIR8bbJNrO_LXkXGNeYeJl1ZSaBjONhHHk/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy18ZsnK_fbyKxJwPcUzJn20-3ZBa8mqhBL-IsN3_hY-kzENPehn-X7GEGqe_gSGXX4tG-1D78Mg6P_tFRC1xNd9E44Kf10WSHQjDscfCh2KIR8bbJNrO_LXkXGNeYeJl1ZSaBjONhHHk/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Bending a green hazel rod around a former</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH-ibMAIjDpAZSFn7SPJk7pvALFfs2XoHCwBf0E_-Vw3_5kSTrt7EGQHAQexIw7bTC8zGJEQOW2eVKxGGvWebyAqTgMJSHG4VI4bAXLGSCh3uVdBe2eEBZGUspA4V73t1q7xLl6m1WhY/s1600/IMG_5850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXH-ibMAIjDpAZSFn7SPJk7pvALFfs2XoHCwBf0E_-Vw3_5kSTrt7EGQHAQexIw7bTC8zGJEQOW2eVKxGGvWebyAqTgMJSHG4VI4bAXLGSCh3uVdBe2eEBZGUspA4V73t1q7xLl6m1WhY/s1600/IMG_5850.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Leaving the rod to 'set' in position</em></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Otzi’s
original back boards were larch wood (yet I’ve also read that they were elm) so
just to be different, I made one from yew and the other from field maple. These
back boards were split from round timber then carved into two thin planks. I
drilled two holes in each end to provide secure lashing points, of course using
a flint burin mounted into a hand drill spindle using rawhide lashing and pitch.
This worked very well indeed! As I had every intention of using the pack frame
I wanted to improve on the original by sealing the wooden parts with birch tar
and using deer skin rawhide for really strong, durable lashings instead of the
original plant fibre cordage. The rawhide lashings would be applied damp,
shrinking as they dried gripping the work even tighter. My birch tar coating
gave the wood a nice ‘antique’ effect and strong creosote smell which appealed
to the eye but definitely not the nose (although it did keep the bugs away).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7OAa_AVumxNwI7v6FtFmq-6lQnn14br-2yTWl76QtnK2bfA0XKk5BGkky9_7yVcU12aVZ5wCmwVUbK7UMYIqZdzDtgTnb16eqR1oGH-rfx6aKOxNJV6QbGv-JDTnT8xbJagVll5IQJE/s1600/IMG_5859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7OAa_AVumxNwI7v6FtFmq-6lQnn14br-2yTWl76QtnK2bfA0XKk5BGkky9_7yVcU12aVZ5wCmwVUbK7UMYIqZdzDtgTnb16eqR1oGH-rfx6aKOxNJV6QbGv-JDTnT8xbJagVll5IQJE/s1600/IMG_5859.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Using a flint burin to drill lashing points</em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWnWPHjiteaVENTjEvTLp4wozX3T0xdrutlFWNXqIQBqRD-0qzSz545lpSTMVg1g2gfZi-eoFPIeXtoDJ4RQk_7H8wxBgFLZsqf4-_BR_xMXTKfWldL12QAijTXSJm3tdNg2qWIRP73E/s1600/IMG_5868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWnWPHjiteaVENTjEvTLp4wozX3T0xdrutlFWNXqIQBqRD-0qzSz545lpSTMVg1g2gfZi-eoFPIeXtoDJ4RQk_7H8wxBgFLZsqf4-_BR_xMXTKfWldL12QAijTXSJm3tdNg2qWIRP73E/s1600/IMG_5868.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Sealing the wood with birch tar</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The shoulder
straps were made from two 3” wide lengths of fallow buckskin, stitched around
the frame with buckskin thonging and tied in place around the horns at the
bottom end. I couldn’t help thinking the finished article looked similar to a
snowshoe which, funnily enough is another theory as to it’s original use.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBvW7b1KGZBHnuwiwsNSf2RFxxmISSTt3ClwU-fKvhWXMsoy9qAPffcCnOMRHbfc-ZQMdd9j2DmVDuBnCgFevSp_fPYaEj7KBk1-NV76fw3jEaiuOJTEIgLDxxniIMm1Q9J5aFrtzOZM/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBvW7b1KGZBHnuwiwsNSf2RFxxmISSTt3ClwU-fKvhWXMsoy9qAPffcCnOMRHbfc-ZQMdd9j2DmVDuBnCgFevSp_fPYaEj7KBk1-NV76fw3jEaiuOJTEIgLDxxniIMm1Q9J5aFrtzOZM/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Lashing the backboards</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjDCuEzBdalrEQd7bbwOIj23ONPWF5ikDqFcqj_RskK2y8QxXUDZ_jWBxcLkdTTI1M_Wocg1QSiBRGl9Mk4QOdqa8F1qQsXBhi4eN9nkykL0XTInNEDKA3u1-XsAqRzpqvk10gWIfk2c/s1600/IMG_6334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjDCuEzBdalrEQd7bbwOIj23ONPWF5ikDqFcqj_RskK2y8QxXUDZ_jWBxcLkdTTI1M_Wocg1QSiBRGl9Mk4QOdqa8F1qQsXBhi4eN9nkykL0XTInNEDKA3u1-XsAqRzpqvk10gWIfk2c/s1600/IMG_6334.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Finished frame with buckskin straps</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In use:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">With pack
frame finished and birch tar dry I got to work loading up the frame for a test
run. In the absence of a goat skin bag I rolled up my standard day sack kit in
a heavily smoked red deer hide and lashed it to the frame with cordage for a
touch of authenticity. The frame felt extremely light and the fit was good. As
the hazel rod still hadn’t seasoned fully, in theory the green wood frame would
conform to the shape of my back during use. The buckskin straps had plenty of
room for adjustment and enough spare end to take them from the bottom of the
frame and around my waist, tying with a reef knot. This lifted the pack slightly
placing it higher over my centre of gravity and taking some of the strain away
from my shoulders and neck. I had just re-invented the rucksack waist belt and
wondered if Otzi and his mates would have taken advantage of this unplanned
bonus too. With the addition of some padding on the back boards this pack frame
would not be too dissimilar to any of my modern packs for lightness and
comfort!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPqMLQz732jfYClKfJEZdSRUgGUo0gv93F1h5FuLzF_hMpkhrrzZ2SUGdwU_3MxolRfVzMYo1DvXCc9MDd-ocGEB2mY5ZdNUtf6lnAe0SjLLXA_JjC9Mzt7lgsxjqxXE6iDGhaL_an90/s1600/IMG_6350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPqMLQz732jfYClKfJEZdSRUgGUo0gv93F1h5FuLzF_hMpkhrrzZ2SUGdwU_3MxolRfVzMYo1DvXCc9MDd-ocGEB2mY5ZdNUtf6lnAe0SjLLXA_JjC9Mzt7lgsxjqxXE6iDGhaL_an90/s1600/IMG_6350.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Loaded up with belongings wrapped in a heavily smoked red deer hide</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The burden basket:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">At this
point, all I had to compare Otzi’s pack frame with was my plethora of modern,
traditional hiking rucksacks so in the interests of experimentation I decided
to make a completely different load carrying system using sticks, skins and
string, the burden basket. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Burden
baskets have been used for centuries and still are the world over for carrying
heavy loads. The conical shape is an extremely strong design and allows
lightweight materials to be used in it’s construction. Typical carrying methods
include shoulder straps or a ‘tump line’ (wide strap around the forehead or
chest). They can even be fitted either side of a mule or similar beast for
hauling a serious amount of gear. Some can be quite decorative, made up from
coiled grasses and plant fibres while others are more rough and ready. I went
for the rough and ready option, a rigid warp and flexible weft open weave
design using green hazel rods and rawhide cordage. This model is apparently
influenced by several different cultures from Mexico to Africa and with access
to suitable materials, can be put together very quickly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Before
bending any hazel rods, I snipped my way through the remaining supply of fallow
deer rawhide, cutting an ever decreasing spiral to create very long continuous
lengths once soaked and stretched. With the rawhide lashing and weaving
material soaking I carefully bent three similar sized green hazel rods around a
former, then another two for spares, plus three hoops for the rigid wefts and
left them to set in position. As with my Otzi pack frame, these had the bark
scraped off and a coating of birch tar to seal the wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the hazel components were dry and the
rawhide had become flexible again, the three ‘ribs’ were lashed in place to
give six equal gaps between warps. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8emhKBjKspghV_As4yKv3qCiCZhOaAUWcXrRkQUZg0jV9C02O0_tkjjuWpkpv-zb8jwxwtm0WzRb6_X9uAOtL0rk1fZ23RVJ-00PzawsG7fqKyKAuTISUU7eBoMFJ-Wvf3J7vJXv2D-0/s1600/IMG_6144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8emhKBjKspghV_As4yKv3qCiCZhOaAUWcXrRkQUZg0jV9C02O0_tkjjuWpkpv-zb8jwxwtm0WzRb6_X9uAOtL0rk1fZ23RVJ-00PzawsG7fqKyKAuTISUU7eBoMFJ-Wvf3J7vJXv2D-0/s1600/IMG_6144.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Cutting a spiral of rawhide</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYmaaMDrkjj-BdVt2yyQLlemBBU8GX6-Av81vLWe_fmbckz8RoyCMjsjGVhPWYP1hAKoqw_lyTIJTUxWz3Ln2YXPlUjDQ3WvnMK_SFuavh8FOJASNXgDvY7bCqpnJNI8qcxPhLF4ATwQ/s1600/IMG_6302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYmaaMDrkjj-BdVt2yyQLlemBBU8GX6-Av81vLWe_fmbckz8RoyCMjsjGVhPWYP1hAKoqw_lyTIJTUxWz3Ln2YXPlUjDQ3WvnMK_SFuavh8FOJASNXgDvY7bCqpnJNI8qcxPhLF4ATwQ/s1600/IMG_6302.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Lashing the three hazel hoops in position</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The hoops
were bound securely in place using rawhide lashings, starting near the base
with the smallest and working up to the largest at the top giving the framework
a natural flared opening. Soaked and stretched rawhide warps were taken from bottom
to top and back again, spiralling around the hoops to tie each section more
firmly in place. Lastly, a rawhide weft was started at the top and worked down
to the base wrapping around rigid and flexible warps alike, creating a strong
mesh. A buckskin tumpline was fitted and my second (and much prettier) pack
frame was ready to trial.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuEqG7BXFriJui8uq2StZutTE3nTicZCVchWTwj9egKau6Gi4MF4jE8cvLxtl6xSsP1jxgOYmBpXu1EZtKfImSxjYQft4HE6_QyCROSR4jToGlKzVymtOM1WVBINPJC_vI2HvFD2AlxY/s1600/IMG_6311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYuEqG7BXFriJui8uq2StZutTE3nTicZCVchWTwj9egKau6Gi4MF4jE8cvLxtl6xSsP1jxgOYmBpXu1EZtKfImSxjYQft4HE6_QyCROSR4jToGlKzVymtOM1WVBINPJC_vI2HvFD2AlxY/s1600/IMG_6311.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Adding in a strengthening hoop</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYECmcq-BQTx-Ul8iwH23n54rLbuEolnNdScX375Fhwq4NhcNmGNVDXJm2x5JjAkPPxWKguwLC-v9rucjeHbudkf58Wt9wK8-VXRge7Y7nPRaihP0V5DQjDIajsFAryp36EdgTqiagzeI/s1600/IMG_6317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYECmcq-BQTx-Ul8iwH23n54rLbuEolnNdScX375Fhwq4NhcNmGNVDXJm2x5JjAkPPxWKguwLC-v9rucjeHbudkf58Wt9wK8-VXRge7Y7nPRaihP0V5DQjDIajsFAryp36EdgTqiagzeI/s1600/IMG_6317.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Fitting an intermediate hoop and strong rim</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzXIKHdW9xPPBWklqES_rBx2O31SAqwjgfg9xfn1MYremBYMXwtcz1qXnJaUPvL-QuNTxHRxMWBy1DTNluPTyK2OgpkqJWxdpgD01gEnwqOAIGHT7QPk4XAeOuNgrRwxlCAlP0osBWME/s1600/IMG_6327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzXIKHdW9xPPBWklqES_rBx2O31SAqwjgfg9xfn1MYremBYMXwtcz1qXnJaUPvL-QuNTxHRxMWBy1DTNluPTyK2OgpkqJWxdpgD01gEnwqOAIGHT7QPk4XAeOuNgrRwxlCAlP0osBWME/s1600/IMG_6327.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Rawhide warps</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRB5yzEvTCx98M2-jzUkzQt0nyutSsvth-qbwcXnQjEA8W_T_FPC67kvyUA3Ybsy6BaT5Ho_01TTve5iizijKE7Up8V-HhM0MWttJJYLvx24Ln76Z-3zgcryEs2d5gyMAloTpRI-Uxu8/s1600/IMG_6340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRB5yzEvTCx98M2-jzUkzQt0nyutSsvth-qbwcXnQjEA8W_T_FPC67kvyUA3Ybsy6BaT5Ho_01TTve5iizijKE7Up8V-HhM0MWttJJYLvx24Ln76Z-3zgcryEs2d5gyMAloTpRI-Uxu8/s1600/IMG_6340.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Rawhide wefts close up</span></em></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In use:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Whilst being
vastly differing designs, both packs required an additional weatherproof bag to
contain small items of kit although the burden basket did not need any further
lashings to accept the load. Everything sat inside nicely. The burden basket
did exactly what it said on the tin, swallowing up a vast amount of heavy kit.
I was amazed at how much kit it could take and impressed at the concept. Each
of the individual components on their own were not particularly robust but when
woven into a strong but flexible mesh their different qualities combined made a
tough bit of kit. It could probably even be used as a fish trap with a bit of
imagination!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1DegPtKhyANS5zL5YnCVsoljCw_cXt8dTj8LgKIbHYqDT3TWF5Ooagcsa8TtPxBjw2YYbA0sZ9jmaO8Uoj7OmobjeAHBrUhFLm1UnfOFmpvYSWmNC8wBO0kbyj_3cLetKSjFWXEB0Z0/s1600/IMG_6349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1DegPtKhyANS5zL5YnCVsoljCw_cXt8dTj8LgKIbHYqDT3TWF5Ooagcsa8TtPxBjw2YYbA0sZ9jmaO8Uoj7OmobjeAHBrUhFLm1UnfOFmpvYSWmNC8wBO0kbyj_3cLetKSjFWXEB0Z0/s1600/IMG_6349.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Buckskin tumpline fitted although this is likely to be replaced/reinforced with shoulder straps</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">However, it’s certainly not that comfortable when you need to be
nimble and light on your feet. This is where Otzi’s pack frame edges into pole
position in my opinion. It’s still robust enough to carry your kit but won’t
swing about as much or attempt to break your neck when ducking under branches
and skipping over logs. My plan now is to oak bark tan a couple of nice thick
fallow deer hides to make a roll top, leather sack for it, probably treated
with a mixture of animal fat and birch tar to make a kind of primitive dry bag.
So in summary, the burden basket is fantastic for lugging heavy loads but my
Otzi pack will always be sitting on the top, holding all my essential kit ready
to grab and go as soon as the heavy kit can be left behind.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSvzRw-tTDEjW16kNzRgYDrt7caDyZwXyrY0s1kNqmHBOvm8jjoZgWNJm7DKDT7rny-PErlj7dCGFEVJaZbNI1YJ6NWuDCl8cKGa9JBwCWsnd9Krqbmu-YeZvrp01h0SZiTtAO_wfpBQ/s1600/IMG_6358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSvzRw-tTDEjW16kNzRgYDrt7caDyZwXyrY0s1kNqmHBOvm8jjoZgWNJm7DKDT7rny-PErlj7dCGFEVJaZbNI1YJ6NWuDCl8cKGa9JBwCWsnd9Krqbmu-YeZvrp01h0SZiTtAO_wfpBQ/s1600/IMG_6358.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">All loaded up and taking it out for a spin. The high position is better for load carrying but a bit unstable with just the tumpline fitted. More traditional models are shaped more like a cone which seems to dovetail better with the tumpline strap and aid stability</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-29217793553375535842014-02-20T16:34:00.000-08:002016-02-24T12:44:01.871-08:00The Winter Bushcraft Challenge <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0CKHaXK2QITvuN3eh55x2JOL3K42ShmkC3df1Hu-K4rbgO0te1ukEX4VIvBoibaaM-N9LfGZsKRzCv5VcnVBZOYWED3vBmpACCyhcyowot_Wfz67XAS_91lLatHI7ky_Qu_nM3dBjxM/s1600/IMG_5280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0CKHaXK2QITvuN3eh55x2JOL3K42ShmkC3df1Hu-K4rbgO0te1ukEX4VIvBoibaaM-N9LfGZsKRzCv5VcnVBZOYWED3vBmpACCyhcyowot_Wfz67XAS_91lLatHI7ky_Qu_nM3dBjxM/s1600/IMG_5280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bushcraft training and survival training are often thought
of as two quite different creatures however, there is a point where the two
merge and cross over. The <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/winter-bushcraft-challenge/">Winter Bushcraft Challenge</a> which took place at our Wiltshire
woodland site last weekend, is definitely one of those hybrids. Designed as a
testing 48 hour exercise, it aims to address some of the essential requirements
for wilderness living from a bushcrafters perspective. Kit, clothing and food
are deliberately limited at the coldest, wettest time of the year to truly test
the participants understanding of survival priorities, their knowledge and
their skill in implementing wilderness survival skills training.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before signing up, participants must have an existing level
of skill and knowledge, including a realistic awareness of survival
strategy’s in the event of an unexpected be-nightment at the mercy of the
elements. In a typical UK based emergency scenario such as this, the recommended
course of action would be to seek immediate, safe shelter and do everything
possible to conserve body heat, paying special attention to where and how this might be
lost (conduction, convection...). Precious energy would need to be retained for
keeping warm during the long night, possibly only invested in improving your
shelter or making your position more visible to rescuers. Hopefully by
hunkering down in this manner you would be alive, safe and well the following
morning. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgGixoV9pAwjvLTAWRmKbeftzmQJgvVNu5PF-0_N4f4zSd2CCtDpHxmk7kpeuhrNFiweDHfeqdXXrL4LAtRp4RGUGrDIRQKc-ltq7fXyR_S69UY0NXeurmwig0exkdlO4KvqqK6Axo5k/s1600/IMG_5315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgGixoV9pAwjvLTAWRmKbeftzmQJgvVNu5PF-0_N4f4zSd2CCtDpHxmk7kpeuhrNFiweDHfeqdXXrL4LAtRp4RGUGrDIRQKc-ltq7fXyR_S69UY0NXeurmwig0exkdlO4KvqqK6Axo5k/s1600/IMG_5315.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Utilising a fallen birch tree as a shelter framework</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the Winter Bushcraft Challenge seeks to go further
than short term wilderness survival and allows participants to fly in the face of
logic, speculating to accumulate with a bit of hard graft, making their
potentially miserable situation into a positively enjoyable one! Participants are
encouraged to brave the elements, possibly putting themselves at greater risk and invest some of that precious energy to
raise their survival chances considerably. It’s a double or quits strategy,
even more so due to the fact that their clothing choice (each persons own
little micro climate) is deliberately restricted to ye olde wool for inner
layers, tight weave cotton for outer layers and one wool blanket per person. For these
reasons, plus the colder time of year a warming campfire becomes a high priority in
this fictitious scenario, where you would most likely be able to get by without one at other times of the year. The ability to light a fire in cold, wet conditions,
under increased pressure, with only sparks as your ignition medium and no
pre-prepared dry tinder, is an essential skill to develop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWnnYJAIUs_QulotBmO8ozUBj53GcJlOnl9yB5BMNGkmwe3hWY6DxXFiZrsSAMUjXPIf2klJzKosShP43Tk6JP9-daiCn7wk_FHk-ZTrxu08Ex02OEy9iQILeIa0L6I9h8XwwBx9UN6k/s1600/IMG_5350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyH6hGkVBNrRjhyIQpMLOOigCf1FkWJPndyB2fpUkB6UBKSv5QyK2qB1W2b6tFcrKkycqAGxa1KJ-tR_YcYe27Hfl7geIgk2XJxkXA7IpnV0BQzmBbKCuPpXnTXPtjWup8rnqDTOCmGHE/s1600/IMG_2819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyH6hGkVBNrRjhyIQpMLOOigCf1FkWJPndyB2fpUkB6UBKSv5QyK2qB1W2b6tFcrKkycqAGxa1KJ-tR_YcYe27Hfl7geIgk2XJxkXA7IpnV0BQzmBbKCuPpXnTXPtjWup8rnqDTOCmGHE/s1600/IMG_2819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Burning 'bony oak' for long lasting warmth through the night</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Additional items on the limited kit list include a belt
knife, small folding saw, a Swedish fire steel, one metal cooking pot, a wooden
cup and a handful of safety gear (torch, whistle, phone, first aid kit).
Participants are also given a small amount of wild game and rice to sustain
them for the 24 hour duration. Even this relatively modest meal obviously requires
cooking before eating, meaning that energy must be invested before energy can
be obtained. Water too, is deliberately difficult to come by and must be boiled
before drinking – a mean trick again designed to get participants thinking carefully
about prioritising their survival needs. Almost every decision made in such
testing conditions carries consequences and there will always be a trade-off.
Any mistakes made only serve to enlighten the participants further, providing
the kind of personal experience impossible to obtain from a book, demonstration
or lecture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRurfrlMJFd6McoAnnyJcn-6Z8Aajc3L2ogjKRUFHPtZ3GFYYON3vIiEo1wL0I1ty-fAlNuBXJa5i8txDvYCvMg6EogiEVQz_78ZfkANm1QIAEsMfXjYr6720o6hx74aF-TSLH2o4ejI/s1600/IMG_5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRurfrlMJFd6McoAnnyJcn-6Z8Aajc3L2ogjKRUFHPtZ3GFYYON3vIiEo1wL0I1ty-fAlNuBXJa5i8txDvYCvMg6EogiEVQz_78ZfkANm1QIAEsMfXjYr6720o6hx74aF-TSLH2o4ejI/s1600/IMG_5393.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovlWfnA1XN60026mTi5D9RR8HDx-GPL-u8qNYlWSaakDBbrF7_ugpbGj3BZfJUMgWWmJkJmAZUhGj6kIi9TT5JNLqhEq1IjJddV7OZB6J3H1wVKcoGUUfRmG2bKpFLDBTcKnYvWntuoI/s1600/IMG_5350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovlWfnA1XN60026mTi5D9RR8HDx-GPL-u8qNYlWSaakDBbrF7_ugpbGj3BZfJUMgWWmJkJmAZUhGj6kIi9TT5JNLqhEq1IjJddV7OZB6J3H1wVKcoGUUfRmG2bKpFLDBTcKnYvWntuoI/s1600/IMG_5350.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em>A hot cup of pine, fir or spruce needle tea is just the job!</em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me stress once again, such a strategy would most likely
be a gamble too far in many typical UK survival type scenarios and the kind of natural
resources required to build shelter, light fire etc, unlikely to be immediately
at hand on your average remote Scottish hillside. I would always encourage anyone
venturing out into the wilder parts of this island and similar environments to
carry a suitable lightweight shelter system (bothybag, bivi bag, tarp) as well
as enough warm layers (blizzard bag, down jacket) and high energy food to help maintain
core temperature during the long, winters night. See this suggested packing
list for <a href="http://www.joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/packing-your-kit-for-winter.html">advice</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This challenge is less about employing bushcraft skills in a
realistic survival scenario and more about encouraging a feeling of self-reliance
and total confidence in ones abilities, a heightened awareness of natural
resources and less dependency on the reliability of carried survival kits. We’re
also preparing for the extremes and the unexpected where a carried survival kit might not provide all the answers. What if it's so cold that just hunkering down
won't be enough? What if your clothing and kit are soaked, damaged, inadequate,
lost or possibly not even there in the first place? Having confidence in your
abilities as well as personal experience to draw upon will ensure a more level
head is maintained when sh** meets fan, rather than the onset of panic and a mental barrage
of partially retained yet untested information. Your situation may not be
<em>exactly </em>the same as this self -imposed practice run but you'll have raised your
chances considerably. You’ll know what's possible and what would be dangerous
to attempt. Ultimately, you’ll know exactly what you're personally capable of! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89_5RhlikGKWIW5JI1-HfwOjR1oa5M8ltu-8fRGInd5_eiRCmKQnU4bUrjHj2bqdXFCx21f1prEXbrUMp64_pvfhIxFLaDiptM3UroQun8kU7yTPHyRJ7JORDUiKgJdxbyl2xmD8TY2M/s1600/IMG_5343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89_5RhlikGKWIW5JI1-HfwOjR1oa5M8ltu-8fRGInd5_eiRCmKQnU4bUrjHj2bqdXFCx21f1prEXbrUMp64_pvfhIxFLaDiptM3UroQun8kU7yTPHyRJ7JORDUiKgJdxbyl2xmD8TY2M/s1600/IMG_5343.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVWujYbt1P82Jgu-jOgc7YIoxIASkCVmpOQpSOfzpD3bxjVoHxqfA6hMFq_BVUSKstmhDTmZp0MdFRugSdHRVZHVOsE-qVt4SzQKfCC-6K8eXx9w4U4rXNbwWg7TQMTxvmE-ZgidnSqE/s1600/IMG_5436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVWujYbt1P82Jgu-jOgc7YIoxIASkCVmpOQpSOfzpD3bxjVoHxqfA6hMFq_BVUSKstmhDTmZp0MdFRugSdHRVZHVOsE-qVt4SzQKfCC-6K8eXx9w4U4rXNbwWg7TQMTxvmE-ZgidnSqE/s1600/IMG_5436.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imaginary survival situation aside, your desire to learn bushcraft
might stem from an interest in natural history or experimental archaeology. You
might have no real interest in survival techniques at all. Reducing kit to a
minimum for a challenge such as this puts more emphasis on traditional wilderness
living skills, adding meat to their bones and giving them real meaning.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5E6VsVOD1__tS5_sgIa94EOOtUPC8bei3R3Nf9SXRle1jP0Da3dGtYPjWElClenUeE-lEhZcZYHGHPTNtjsjJrPi5eILfzyDNxPMxkg-UaQoM4F8Yymnpw7QGrnEU23rJEww8hl_K1k0/s1600/IMG_5376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5E6VsVOD1__tS5_sgIa94EOOtUPC8bei3R3Nf9SXRle1jP0Da3dGtYPjWElClenUeE-lEhZcZYHGHPTNtjsjJrPi5eILfzyDNxPMxkg-UaQoM4F8Yymnpw7QGrnEU23rJEww8hl_K1k0/s1600/IMG_5376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Rear view of a lean to shelter showing the thickness of thatch required to keep the winter weather at bay</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYusr8kvRrYAaVFKRE4EL-0-12icpIoKBM9tcy1O6KHrixzOdGSrFgAjNkDw1SBGw56xkai7niBjtA0MYPN3cNzb2VS0rkk-4g31kHE4MgTBBsKDaWEflYNOlG8M-X1Ugif3fbhZ_z1WI/s1600/IMG_5398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYusr8kvRrYAaVFKRE4EL-0-12icpIoKBM9tcy1O6KHrixzOdGSrFgAjNkDw1SBGw56xkai7niBjtA0MYPN3cNzb2VS0rkk-4g31kHE4MgTBBsKDaWEflYNOlG8M-X1Ugif3fbhZ_z1WI/s1600/IMG_5398.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Don't forget the insulation between you and the cold earth. Here, Doug fir boughs make a perfect mattress</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your interest in bushcraft might just be about shedding the confusing
clutter of modern life, lightening your mental load, regaining control over
your life. The knowledge that you <strong>can</strong> provide everything you need with your own
two hands, hard work and grim determination is unbelievably empowering…even if
it is only for a weekend! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-T82793yfIoTh8HyEUCqY5glcrgrANwGI6gTYAreki8iXs5OGeMu33Nn6oIh1r6xchyODzphiMcwFRPKTPlhP-la-sHpM1Cp4fwUdjShtCa3G7MY-V-HjjW3nmg-vDmFm_ouTU8uBMw/s1600/IMG_5356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-T82793yfIoTh8HyEUCqY5glcrgrANwGI6gTYAreki8iXs5OGeMu33Nn6oIh1r6xchyODzphiMcwFRPKTPlhP-la-sHpM1Cp4fwUdjShtCa3G7MY-V-HjjW3nmg-vDmFm_ouTU8uBMw/s1600/IMG_5356.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You might just enjoy the adventure…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whatever the reason for learning bushcraft, I like to think
of challenges such as these, as a final part of the jigsaw.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih86-IwuAwbF7rxYcB_dKlGnli6mCKTYuRJ_LGeUzA_aI23PHOGYLwCmX2-ii7j76nmP8_CdMYrs8TSqcJGwy04Gr0pDvXDmM6rzx0lzG2AnVrQDUAXPuYtGiNvGXPmgxKnbNQAN4AwxM/s1600/IMG_5263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih86-IwuAwbF7rxYcB_dKlGnli6mCKTYuRJ_LGeUzA_aI23PHOGYLwCmX2-ii7j76nmP8_CdMYrs8TSqcJGwy04Gr0pDvXDmM6rzx0lzG2AnVrQDUAXPuYtGiNvGXPmgxKnbNQAN4AwxM/s1600/IMG_5263.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><em>The Winter Bushcraft Challenge will run again in 2015…but
you better be ready! Preparation should include knowledge of building natural
shelters, beds, bindings and cordage, well-practiced wet weather fire lighting
skills, experience in preparing and cooking various types of wild game, water
purification techniques, a good knowledge of wild plants, trees and their uses
as well as an honest, hearty helping of just getting out there and doing it!</em> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong>For everything you need to know, look <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/winter-bushcraft-challenge/">here</a></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-31723172086226504362014-01-05T05:08:00.001-08:002014-01-05T06:51:52.924-08:00A Week in the Wilds part 3: Bush Crafts<span style="font-size: large;">A Week in the Wilds part 3...the story continues...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbsYjm6ikSvSlKNbHV6rx-Zn6ZzyK6ucC8Qm7XCKy3d-TylePdWcYCKYJHeDjD6enN-TmjIRBAXHAVGXlKdjIUYfpMWrMkvFo-Hc0ulNVPHi3Cw87q7EyyOWYFm2W9YvzC49iliLxAaY/s1600/IMG_7789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbsYjm6ikSvSlKNbHV6rx-Zn6ZzyK6ucC8Qm7XCKy3d-TylePdWcYCKYJHeDjD6enN-TmjIRBAXHAVGXlKdjIUYfpMWrMkvFo-Hc0ulNVPHi3Cw87q7EyyOWYFm2W9YvzC49iliLxAaY/s320/IMG_7789.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the
Hunter Gatherer challenge week already taking bookings for October 2014 I
thought I should get back on here and conclude the story of my own experiences
whilst taking part in the course during the autumn of 2012. </span><a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-week-in-wilds-part-1.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part one</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> gave an
outline of the challenge, what would be required, the tools and equipment we
took and explained my own strategy in achieving the basic essentials for survival
outdoors, most of which needed to be completed on the first day! </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/a-week-in-wilds-part-2-living-from-land_29.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part two</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
took a detailed look at my strategy for gathering, processing, cooking and
storing enough wild food to keep me topped up on energy for the week.</span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During this
third instalment I’ll explain the true purpose behind the challenge. Although
we were using our bushcraft training to help us locate, gather, process and construct
almost everything we needed to help us survive for a week in a wood, the aim of
the game was to go beyond just scratching together an existence and delve
deeper into improving our situation. Looking to the long term rather than just
waiting to be rescued from our self-imposed imaginary survival situation. Once
the basics for life had been achieved and food had been gathered we would be looking for ways to
become more effective hunters and gatherers, ways of making our homes more
comfortable, ways of making our lives more energy efficient. For someone with a
lifelong interest in the subject and an ever expanding interest in traditional
crafts and ancient life skills this was an exciting prospect…however, you can
only hope to achieve so much in a week (my ‘to do’ list had me down as
inventing the internet by the Friday and getting everyone else to do my hunting
and gathering). This was going to be an exercise in testing bush crafts skill rather than
survival.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">By entering
into the challenge, fully appreciating the true aim I was able to be constantly
mindful of the need for certain resources in the very near future, even though
other needs ranked higher at that particular moment. In previous posts I have
explained that whilst a metal cooking pot turned out to be one of the most
essential items of equipment you can have in a situation such as ours was,
having only one pot in the kitchen proved to be fairly limiting. Every drop of
water gathered needed to be boiled before drinking and survival stew was pretty
much the only meal on the menu most days. So, while gathering my first billy of
water from the stream, future resource number one was noted…clay. Our wild meat
ration came in it’s natural packaging so again, future resources such as hide,
sinews and bones were removed and squirreled away. Certain trees were added to
the mental resources map if they looked useful for resin, carving wood or cordage.
My foraged plants often had non edible parts that could be put to good use such
as the easily weaved cattail leaves or the huge leaves of the burdock. If a
resource was small enough to be gathered and bought home whilst looking for
firewood and food, then it was. Soon my camp began to look like a hoarders
paradise, an Aladdin’s cave of crap fit for the compost.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwYbSuIOKHhzC6dOpoS9Uq9HDkfcdcBigEoFlP-O0fZnni9J87VYXxiwAqxnMiKiD0JoMCm0WLmwbUBTe_gMjF_rpYiiEAGgQyyQlmG79-iY5u1nf2ynWb58tRdZBTMgaOozaoQnaUzY/s1600/251122_275186355933657_377376864_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifwYbSuIOKHhzC6dOpoS9Uq9HDkfcdcBigEoFlP-O0fZnni9J87VYXxiwAqxnMiKiD0JoMCm0WLmwbUBTe_gMjF_rpYiiEAGgQyyQlmG79-iY5u1nf2ynWb58tRdZBTMgaOozaoQnaUzY/s320/251122_275186355933657_377376864_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>A cattail leaf food preparation mat made by Guy</em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first
priority, however, was to repay the wild meat loan. The deal here was that all
participants started the challenge with a certain amount of wild meat (their
only food for the week). The reasons for this marry up nicely with the aforementioned
long term survival theme of the challenge and are explained in </span><a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-week-in-wilds-part-1.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">part 1</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.
To retrospectively ‘earn’ the wild meat we had agreed to meet up on day three with
a primitive projectile hunting weapon made by our own fair hands and using only
the limited tools and equipment we carried along with any natural resources we
could gather. Not only that, but it had to be capable of hitting a target from
a suitably realistic hunting distance. We were fully aware that many other
factors would come into play if we really did have to hunt wild game with our
home made efforts (including a hefty fine or prison sentence in the UK) but
given the nature of the challenge, we felt that making an effective weapon and successfully
hitting the target would be a perfectly acceptable compromise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">So, I needed
a projectile weapon capable of taking down a small deer. Not only that but I
had nothing but a small knife and folding saw to make it with, limited time,
lower energy levels and limited skill in successfully hitting targets with some
of the more basic primitive weapon options. I’ve taken many a rabbit, squirrel
or wild fowl with nothing more than a well thrown stick and a hasty follow up
in the past but knew that to justify my fortuitous protein head start I’d need
something with greater accuracy and packing more of a punch than just wellying
a log through the woods. Knowing that a spear would require a lucky encounter
or a long ambush and my atlatl throwing skills were about as predictable as the
British weather I decided that the only realistic option for reliability and accuracy would be a bow and
arrow.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6k1uOYRBYUYXygpzJVDSgQV_dou2oeV61I_duzujz6fY6NnIUIQO0QWrOY6I-QyYiFYHqbpfJ2Dmdw7Y5xga1EvVS5BKYKQtFcE8-_46W-m3mNoZnoZcFOzg6emfgu1sINlDAm0JVgU/s1600/IMG_7585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6k1uOYRBYUYXygpzJVDSgQV_dou2oeV61I_duzujz6fY6NnIUIQO0QWrOY6I-QyYiFYHqbpfJ2Dmdw7Y5xga1EvVS5BKYKQtFcE8-_46W-m3mNoZnoZcFOzg6emfgu1sINlDAm0JVgU/s320/IMG_7585.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Hazel rods stripped of their bark</em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’ve
made bows before but here, faced a few potential hurdles. Firstly, to make
something with a fair bit of power, that could be used over and over in
practice would require a seasoned stave of a suitable and readily available wood
such as ash. To split out a stave and then remove enough wood to tiller the bow
with only a small knife would not be impossible, but would take more time and
energy than I was prepared to spare. I had made various ‘survival bows’ in the
past too including a bamboo cane ‘bundle bow’ (bound bundle of canes, various
lengths with all the bulk in the centre, tapering off towards the end of each
limb). These proved to be extremely effective and quick to make…but I didn’t
have any bamboo. By way of experimentation and the potential to look a real
smart arse if it worked, I decided to use the bundle bow principle with a
material I was familiar with, hazel rods. Hazel rods could be easily harvested
with knife or saw and very quickly bound in the same fashion as a bamboo bundle
bow.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyEtqqA0Nz2Erc766fxgF8zMiuWPAaTilXYqcr9rRNOgwl_N6pccFHILxQDF2XfYY4gkOrJ1K2RD2g7bzO2vioXTrD8oTyN9FB25x-L3lPz9FiNVRTbCexdmpd9PscS2m7gxZpwxDU0Y/s1600/IMG_7586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdyEtqqA0Nz2Erc766fxgF8zMiuWPAaTilXYqcr9rRNOgwl_N6pccFHILxQDF2XfYY4gkOrJ1K2RD2g7bzO2vioXTrD8oTyN9FB25x-L3lPz9FiNVRTbCexdmpd9PscS2m7gxZpwxDU0Y/s320/IMG_7586.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hazel rods bound with rawhide</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></em> </div>
</div>
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The binding
material needed to have good tensile strength to hold everything tightly in
place while being stretched back and forth. Gaffa tape provides the perfect
solution if you have your survival kit but the best option available to me was
rawhide strips taken from my RPG blasted muntjac deer. As the hide was not in
the best condition and I was keen to use parts of it for other projects later
in the week, I took just enough for my needs, cut it into strips and left it
soaking in a muddy puddle along with some hard wood ash from the fire to help
loosen the hair. To be honest, the hair was already coming out by the time I
began making my bow and if push came to shove, leaving the hair on wouldn’t
have really made a lot of difference to the materials for this task.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9kb2IYbum1UsCUarg5c5ldOnD_tGo8v8ZYw-Uy_q0vR3X_jcJ6_E37Esm6i6PcHq78_GnkGIDGHeAENNxPRiqr3oXCTOz-hB0-zkRDeSZYgzKQIECGwXQQtltCXSRtgMp2PzSYwMPbs/s1600/IMG_7589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9kb2IYbum1UsCUarg5c5ldOnD_tGo8v8ZYw-Uy_q0vR3X_jcJ6_E37Esm6i6PcHq78_GnkGIDGHeAENNxPRiqr3oXCTOz-hB0-zkRDeSZYgzKQIECGwXQQtltCXSRtgMp2PzSYwMPbs/s320/IMG_7589.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The finished bundle bow with paracord bow string</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
the bow was to be used in quite close cover, I decided on a short but hopefully
powerful model. This was to be mistake number one (but I didn’t realise yet). A
shorter bow would be less cumbersome to sneak around with in the woods and easier to use
from dense cover. The theory was that I should be able to stalk closer to the
deer in woodlands too meaning that the range of a longer bow wouldn’t be so
important. A shorter bow also meant less lashings leaving more hide for other
tasks. I cut several likely looking hazel rods, stripped the bark with the back
of my knife and arranged them in size order. Bundling them together and lashing
them tightly with the stretched and slightly damp rawhide, I gave the clumsy
looking bow a tentative floor tiller. It creaked and complained a bit but felt
extremely robust and springy! I re-positioned and straightened the rods, re-tightened
the rawhide as best as I could and hoisted the bow up in the smoke and ambient
heat from my campfire to dry out overnight. Now redundant, the paracord from my
bow drill set looked like the best choice for a bow string so I tied a loop in
one end and fixed it to one limb of the bundle bow ready for action.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next, the arrow...</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the arrow, I used another thinner hazel rod
cleaned of it’s bark and scraped to a more even diameter along it’s length. Any
bends and crooked sections were heated over the fire, then held just beyond the
straight until the wood cooled. Finally, I scraped the wooden shaft with a sharp flint edge and using my folding saw, carefully cut
opposing notches at either end for the arrow head and string nock. The
fletchings came from one wing of an unfortunate wood pigeon who had become
lunch for a fox by the looks of things. I carefully trimmed these to sit
tightly against the arrow shaft and bound them in place with sinew. I used back
strap sinew taken from the muntjac deer as it needed very little preparation
and was pretty much good to go after being dried, smoked and re-dampened. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89WjsGdZnYbClCjYFOSQfXMYM1pD8RAMRKauYEtv61q0C3k0QQeI1zlJNe5WYEVsOEhDvb6RiiN707XQCvrcnZgkEQmNHnykMVM70sjtrZgh0690y9I9ovt125DwFADtbgNMxbEAGuhY/s1600/IMG_7578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGoEtmiik5hiRENiVThfv-4b4SdvTC5tKVdZY5zqVq8o8f0qx6Anyx789-9dpiK-mfx5ARgfgFVoftzzl1s6x5TBd_9-rd5aOQOjF_AzFFn2J680i4oD6vbS3PHJbYN3w8kCFw9eisIk/s1600/IMG_7602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGoEtmiik5hiRENiVThfv-4b4SdvTC5tKVdZY5zqVq8o8f0qx6Anyx789-9dpiK-mfx5ARgfgFVoftzzl1s6x5TBd_9-rd5aOQOjF_AzFFn2J680i4oD6vbS3PHJbYN3w8kCFw9eisIk/s320/IMG_7602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Close up of pigeon wing fletchings tied with sinew</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_okdwqPs9VHb40ZCN2dHFE5zRT3io2fFeNJbSMzZal-uKRV6BWTMPJOYrkeyHIchQpP1mHlk8yGc_XCJMvmZTZT_pcjc53rxunu8-6YIOT8eZRG0KrWavWTWd68qehfqV2OH0HkqX_w/s1600/IMG_7578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_okdwqPs9VHb40ZCN2dHFE5zRT3io2fFeNJbSMzZal-uKRV6BWTMPJOYrkeyHIchQpP1mHlk8yGc_XCJMvmZTZT_pcjc53rxunu8-6YIOT8eZRG0KrWavWTWd68qehfqV2OH0HkqX_w/s320/IMG_7578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The scraped and dried muntjac back strap sinew</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the head
I made a very simple flint point by basically smashing the hell out of a small
nodule and sorting through the shards until I found something roughly around
the right size and shape. This was coaxed into a slightly more recognisable
arrow head with a few carefully placed taps from a pebble sized, slim hammer
stone. Earlier in the day I had gathered some pine resin leaking from a bark
scar and this was softened by the fire on a hot rock then mixed with finely
powdered charcoal to add strength. Using this make shift hot melt glue I fixed
the arrow head to the shaft, additionally binding the fixing with sinew then
covering the whole caboodle with more resin. It must be said that after the
frantic first couple of days building my temporary home in the woods and laying
on all the services, the whole bow and arrow making episode felt like a huge
and obvious transition from one stage to the next. In fact, lying on my home
made mattress, surrounded by darkness and hooting owls, survival stew bubbling
away, working next to the light of the fire I couldn’t remember a time when I
felt more contented out in the woods.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs6RnBpYpVe-pVXhaoQeVn-OFt1PoXevGjZ-XZ0ESp8IVYYkg4i26oSYTgHQkp9WlBK463h5IqZ5yXbRz8iqGfEcM3v9nnekOJKPvHgi0vVDUWPTyFt5ehf3Jvx3eZaJIm4xW8z8Wrgw/s1600/IMG_7592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUs6RnBpYpVe-pVXhaoQeVn-OFt1PoXevGjZ-XZ0ESp8IVYYkg4i26oSYTgHQkp9WlBK463h5IqZ5yXbRz8iqGfEcM3v9nnekOJKPvHgi0vVDUWPTyFt5ehf3Jvx3eZaJIm4xW8z8Wrgw/s320/IMG_7592.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></o:p></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
day of reckoning arrived! I’d put together a ‘range’ where we would all meet
and now here we were brandishing several dangerous looking weapons including
spears, dutch arrows, darts, throwing sticks and a couple of bows. After
several days living wild in the woods we all looked (and smelt) like the
theoretical animals we would be hunting. Having previously discounted spears
and throwing sticks, in the right hands they were looking decidedly lethal and
making a mess of my target board!</span> </span></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uzoyieVMVAcYXF-On7niFv3kWgMXr5-DK4ajXY4Xyu0ZlIsSgPTehzhwctMxbxp6gNpEagPSqf6IykTNr1dHMfWuy9AKCPAuzgy5TjkH9BUdsPqdszXN_2iWPtz3IwqApcl9B6kdAqA/s1600/IMG_7614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uzoyieVMVAcYXF-On7niFv3kWgMXr5-DK4ajXY4Xyu0ZlIsSgPTehzhwctMxbxp6gNpEagPSqf6IykTNr1dHMfWuy9AKCPAuzgy5TjkH9BUdsPqdszXN_2iWPtz3IwqApcl9B6kdAqA/s320/IMG_7614.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmIkE1NtlMChJ7GQWQ4SUQSo-qFGli7YO-Fsr5e4i7F8sjHIPEYhjEIGfMeUjSEjYwax4-rXq7I2cQPXYvmnLjebs2vwEEHLbQliLxW5JyZLLOgwsdPlweJysymhjovwGdIAek7H8SWk/s1600/IMG_7631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmIkE1NtlMChJ7GQWQ4SUQSo-qFGli7YO-Fsr5e4i7F8sjHIPEYhjEIGfMeUjSEjYwax4-rXq7I2cQPXYvmnLjebs2vwEEHLbQliLxW5JyZLLOgwsdPlweJysymhjovwGdIAek7H8SWk/s320/IMG_7631.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>"Get to the chopperrrrr..."</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My hazel
bundle bow worked ok, hitting the target where it needed to but would’ve benefitted from a few evolutionary tweaks. I
used green rods which meant that the bow wasn’t as ‘snappy’ as it could’ve been
(but there’s a very fine line between gathering seasoned hazel rods and
gathering kindling). Also, for next time I would increase the length of the bow
for more draw weight and power as well as making the lightest arrow I could get
away with. I know this because Dave (the android) had managed to rustle up an
ash self-bow with some very thin hazel arrows and a thinner bow string made from inner paracord fibres. His super light arrows and
springier bow combo was the Usain Bolt to my Bella Emberg. I mumbled some stuff
about my heavier arrow causing more haemorrhaging but we all knew whose bow had
bought home the bacon. A lesson learnt…don’t try to be a smart arse!</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3IBD8nZO0X2ccPDip4ISTVk8tpS3hjiR7Aj97Uu7a1S8qG1jHBBg2rVy1ovjTQYM9Jw1DFbiLchsW0Kei5YQIZYBl-BTBMvhEqfbQM_vWuboonRAZqWAsD2bUHI-Mg5X6EDAaweyz8c/s1600/IMG_7625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3IBD8nZO0X2ccPDip4ISTVk8tpS3hjiR7Aj97Uu7a1S8qG1jHBBg2rVy1ovjTQYM9Jw1DFbiLchsW0Kei5YQIZYBl-BTBMvhEqfbQM_vWuboonRAZqWAsD2bUHI-Mg5X6EDAaweyz8c/s320/IMG_7625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq1hMpOETil598hyxgfbhERaZEuOl2hwQ225BtbC2GH9DhaSUqg49KVUDCAqpueQAn5sTBKKJQkSB7jzF9QFsLM5b6v9AkyU_pwwXJErugyXTCqScM_UCcEJVXi5p5Nh5ZGqGfzQQZWM/s1600/IMG_7646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq1hMpOETil598hyxgfbhERaZEuOl2hwQ225BtbC2GH9DhaSUqg49KVUDCAqpueQAn5sTBKKJQkSB7jzF9QFsLM5b6v9AkyU_pwwXJErugyXTCqScM_UCcEJVXi5p5Nh5ZGqGfzQQZWM/s320/IMG_7646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzPYEdAG7vhEdxDkfyMKyq0kRt048Pl-9k1YWDSeXFApZ3oD3T9zeCA5CnVBke7PCt4qEnf7UuqFylEvj1omrhERa9GBDhzBTwQs8XEIDuS9O-QMNM7RaBuXwqTKtkboVwGqNdj8S8cQ/s1600/IMG_7648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzPYEdAG7vhEdxDkfyMKyq0kRt048Pl-9k1YWDSeXFApZ3oD3T9zeCA5CnVBke7PCt4qEnf7UuqFylEvj1omrhERa9GBDhzBTwQs8XEIDuS9O-QMNM7RaBuXwqTKtkboVwGqNdj8S8cQ/s320/IMG_7648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Dinner!</em></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lessons
learnt, I sloped back off to my den in the woods to try my hand at a bit of
wild pottery. The water level down at the stream was much lower than usual and
as a result, a good amount of clean and useable clay was clearly visible and
easily gathered. I hauled back as much as I could, also hunting down an old
house brick from a foresters bonfire to use as a temper and a hefty hammer
stone to crush it up with. I hadn’t had a great deal of success with previous
pottery experiments but knew this was mostly to do with the fact that I often
tried to squeeze these experiments into a ridiculously tight time schedule. You
can’t rush something like primitive pottery, but here I had time to do a better
job. So I worked the clay in my hands as much as possible, clearing out any obvious,
potentially problematic pieces of debris as I went. With my clay cleaned as
well as it could be in the circumstances I wrapped the burnt house brick up in
a t shirt and bashed it to smithereens with the hammer stone until it was
reduced to a fine red powder. Thinking of Dave and his stupid bow really helped here
(only joking Dave).</span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKMxelDJWJBVnLJnI-tTpilvdxNsV32wKc7XkDpPPuUB8rnKPDZE4TIaocLDq5Rmb1qAkIOZXpZ1yrBENnfv1VnMhyphenhyphenSaaWiJb4BLlsDD17jGF9ihTWGVCIYz1zmSBQ8ypSnzmR3Zu8sA/s1600/IMG_7678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKMxelDJWJBVnLJnI-tTpilvdxNsV32wKc7XkDpPPuUB8rnKPDZE4TIaocLDq5Rmb1qAkIOZXpZ1yrBENnfv1VnMhyphenhyphenSaaWiJb4BLlsDD17jGF9ihTWGVCIYz1zmSBQ8ypSnzmR3Zu8sA/s320/IMG_7678.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9_jmQJ-mqBVI0Kl-cHvshPcEX5IRslgefMrljSkXroa191UuT1Lgf8WfePVtmAp9QpahEY1dLNQH3uvn1gX-DZ6ZIiZGA98CxIvOzxdeWVWAS0ZF7YZACQN9um6tsKh0QmCUtjgI-to/s1600/IMG_7683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9_jmQJ-mqBVI0Kl-cHvshPcEX5IRslgefMrljSkXroa191UuT1Lgf8WfePVtmAp9QpahEY1dLNQH3uvn1gX-DZ6ZIiZGA98CxIvOzxdeWVWAS0ZF7YZACQN9um6tsKh0QmCUtjgI-to/s320/IMG_7683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Stream bank clay with burnt, crushed house brick temper</em></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was
worked into the damp clay at a ratio that seemed about right. I pushed, pulled,
prodded and pinched the ball into a sort of shallow bowl, dish kind of thing
trying to get it as smooth and as even as possible even at this early stage. It was
then hidden away to begin drying out in the driest part of my shelter, not too
near the heat from the fire. As soon as the clay felt like it was firming up I
took a sharp slither of stone and began scraping and smoothing the inside and
out to an even thickness, filling any tiny cracks that appeared with the slurry
I had created by scraping. The happier I became with the bowls progress, the
more trepidation I felt about firing it. Previous firings had resulted in some
disappointing but dramatic mini explosions.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV6oxBZQLXn3MpJ-U-Nt52kyT_gIS4ORrXrJmlHxZqIFpvrFOztMxnPmPLSV79LntTMdYJYEveOYlaVykLhyphenhyphensXZl8C80lMeETQU5NM2AeQK4Fjr3oWN_csRrbYtpVi0m4QwqKu8gSC9Y/s1600/IMG_7686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV6oxBZQLXn3MpJ-U-Nt52kyT_gIS4ORrXrJmlHxZqIFpvrFOztMxnPmPLSV79LntTMdYJYEveOYlaVykLhyphenhyphensXZl8C80lMeETQU5NM2AeQK4Fjr3oWN_csRrbYtpVi0m4QwqKu8gSC9Y/s320/IMG_7686.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ0vyZCjp4xN6nIAdDN-i4gPp3jIoSj5IblZjlarXdzVL2wYmiH7OB_EJVryOqgcqN7Bgnka8TDywlBKSf0snSE4oNB9HZfbMl2EefC34feDrG0mqdcC0pKZSOFZ1w4SJoLJ7jcx4xvc/s1600/IMG_7746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJ0vyZCjp4xN6nIAdDN-i4gPp3jIoSj5IblZjlarXdzVL2wYmiH7OB_EJVryOqgcqN7Bgnka8TDywlBKSf0snSE4oNB9HZfbMl2EefC34feDrG0mqdcC0pKZSOFZ1w4SJoLJ7jcx4xvc/s320/IMG_7746.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I let the
bowl dry some more then carefully etched a pattern around the rim as decoration
(trying to be a smart arse again..). Now, feeling dry to the touch the bowl
found a new, warmer home just inside the stacked log wall surrounding my fire
place. I knew that despite feeling dry, it would only take a few drops of water
to revert this bowl, dish thing into wet clay once more so firing was the only
answer…but not too soon. My plan was to gradually move the bowl closer to the
fire over a period of days, finally allowing the fire to claim it for a proper,
fierce firing right in the heart of the coals and flames on the final day. In
fact, I went home with the bowl dry but not yet fired. The firing happened
whilst running a course a short while later (I think we were heating up rocks
for an underground hangi oven or something). As you can see, despite a few
authentic looking cracks, none of them life threatening, it survived the
process! There’s certainly room for improvement but it’s a good step forward.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX76nCmA9ZITlSt8h2pyBmckhYG1S1nFWBhvaUH5ljJbOer8L-NK7__kAZaZUZhNXWnLZ9N-G2FIG3BJmXREQzYD5_33Mlt-BpFtIoDj8AKRnAFKCv59-impE6ydrm-VGhcI4eixKAvNg/s1600/IMG_7806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX76nCmA9ZITlSt8h2pyBmckhYG1S1nFWBhvaUH5ljJbOer8L-NK7__kAZaZUZhNXWnLZ9N-G2FIG3BJmXREQzYD5_33Mlt-BpFtIoDj8AKRnAFKCv59-impE6ydrm-VGhcI4eixKAvNg/s320/IMG_7806.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmsGFqgFaWC-VKeRNZRCexnh9mEa3LBuAUsqc2Is-frZF16-twIpsMkLvSNE4KS4TOQ-pQuBcNzhUTmWhfbpWLeqGIlw14NEwea4aLpZmILRqzsRR5umwSFQ_uoDepM92Oo0gFOeWBOE/s1600/IMG_4668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmsGFqgFaWC-VKeRNZRCexnh9mEa3LBuAUsqc2Is-frZF16-twIpsMkLvSNE4KS4TOQ-pQuBcNzhUTmWhfbpWLeqGIlw14NEwea4aLpZmILRqzsRR5umwSFQ_uoDepM92Oo0gFOeWBOE/s320/IMG_4668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As the days
ticked on we all found time to work on different crafts in addition to feeding
ourselves, staying warm and sheltered. We whittled pot hangers, spoons and
other treen, wove brambles into baskets and leaves into food preparation mats.
Myself and Guy had some buckskin pouches to put together <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(admittedly these were made using our own previously
prepared buckskin we’d bought along but at least we had the spare time).<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY-fue9CTfs842mg1HLFefw-CcuXOWubxxVQ6wDd4aepZv9OjYRXy_v_3sQZ5fQIHHK26EjPeuVO1qZg5GRAkHO4jCw_8g_FIhbhPsEDCw-vTFz31nVIM5_wdqxMbJobE300vE62kB2E/s1600/IMG_7830a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPY-fue9CTfs842mg1HLFefw-CcuXOWubxxVQ6wDd4aepZv9OjYRXy_v_3sQZ5fQIHHK26EjPeuVO1qZg5GRAkHO4jCw_8g_FIhbhPsEDCw-vTFz31nVIM5_wdqxMbJobE300vE62kB2E/s320/IMG_7830a.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Various crafted items: bramble stem foraging basket, clay bowls, carved spoons, venison jerky, a roughed out kuksa cup and buckskin pouch</em></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpfwg_-kwTTBFjmneRlIt6zfIu4x55dSGShvNAhhFrr3CPMruk2p6z61gPM9rmkgIchqXiy7XkD_hr1f3jWETBz8DZPVaIPN_ATsFUCtG7iwok6PGQR7FfdPzAKBBJRRYgqdY4auxjVE/s1600/IMG_7762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpfwg_-kwTTBFjmneRlIt6zfIu4x55dSGShvNAhhFrr3CPMruk2p6z61gPM9rmkgIchqXiy7XkD_hr1f3jWETBz8DZPVaIPN_ATsFUCtG7iwok6PGQR7FfdPzAKBBJRRYgqdY4auxjVE/s320/IMG_7762.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Guys buckskin pouch with bone toggles</em></span></div>
<br /></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once we’d
fought through the first couple of days and established a routine we seemed to
have quite a bit of spare time, however I’m under no illusion that, for the
purposes of this exercise I had chosen a location with plenty of accessible
wild foods growing nearby. Also, we were just entering a time of year when, not
only was it still pretty warm but in wild food terms it was certainly a time of
plenty. Additionally, we were all in good health and only there for a week so
this personal experiment cannot be considered a realistic example of how
bushcraft training can help a modern human successfully revert back to hunter
gatherer status. Everything is relative though and I still maintain that
without the skills we had spent years honing, our week living wild would’ve
been over in the first 24 hours …. and even if we had managed to stay alive, we
certainly wouldn’t have been as comfortable!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKWpZz8jy-V7HKOrj2pNydwtH3e8kqF0xr3Tfk7jWuO6E_X5fsqZ5H9-qBMGVWX_JoKHOXGcGe54IK5S8JAbpBXuX3Bal5GQqrDM5r61unGW4l9FxdmsEbX9tcliW-ckzSPI0oxVzLr0/s1600/IMG_7671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKWpZz8jy-V7HKOrj2pNydwtH3e8kqF0xr3Tfk7jWuO6E_X5fsqZ5H9-qBMGVWX_JoKHOXGcGe54IK5S8JAbpBXuX3Bal5GQqrDM5r61unGW4l9FxdmsEbX9tcliW-ckzSPI0oxVzLr0/s320/IMG_7671.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If you fancy trying your hand at the <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/the-hunter-gatherer/">Hunter Gatherer Challenge</a> in October 2014, get in touch to discuss pre-course preparation or visit the website page <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/the-hunter-gatherer/">here </a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">We're also running a <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/winter-bushcraft-challenge/">Winter Bushcraft Challenge</a> in February which is designed as a perfect warm up (probably not the best choice of phrase) for those who have the intention of attending the Hunter Gatherer later in the year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it!</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-66105917518875785582013-11-24T05:16:00.001-08:002013-11-25T17:23:34.207-08:00If spoons could talk...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LJBAQwgGqSAm9DsasSgfiQYO8_L-cehFKjPZANl_M8DkmMiPyMy-DikgGpd0F5mNcb_tzQCdyP1cxp0vdcKcfR4UU3mhEnm9lVZNMqgkF-0tiHIic8ZEOCt2KHMEz_IWhhp0kdwWxo0/s1600/IMG_4728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LJBAQwgGqSAm9DsasSgfiQYO8_L-cehFKjPZANl_M8DkmMiPyMy-DikgGpd0F5mNcb_tzQCdyP1cxp0vdcKcfR4UU3mhEnm9lVZNMqgkF-0tiHIic8ZEOCt2KHMEz_IWhhp0kdwWxo0/s320/IMG_4728.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just looking at some of
the whittled spoons I have hanging around in the kitchen whilst waiting for the
toast to pop up and the kettle to boil this morning. Every one of them has a
story to tell – many are the product of heading out to the woods, sometimes with no agenda
other than to go home with a new creation. A spoon is clearly a functional
item, as is a basket, bowl or cup, a bark container but carving a spoon goes
way beyond the need for a tool to shovel food into face. The materials have
been harvested paying close attention to the type of wood and their differing
properties, the condition of the timber, maybe even the time of year. The finished
piece bears the ever-lasting marks of your hard work, perhaps giving others an
indication of your craftsmanship but more importantly on a personal level, serving
as a physical reminder of where you were, who you were with, what you were
thinking as you carved. Such an investment of time and labour imprints these
memories deep within the wood grain itself, far better than any photograph. As
time passes, a unique patina develops through use telling a story all of it’s
own… </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a handful of favourites, starting at the bottom with the crook
knife (don't try and eat your cereal with that one..) and turning clockwise through the photograph:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
<o:p></o:p></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">A <a href="http://www.benorford.com/">Ben Orford</a> small standard crook
knife with a hybrid handle which lives in the lid pocket of my daysack. Excellent for spoon hollowing and thanks to the
extended, curving handle great for larger projects too. You need this tool in
your life!</span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Oak spoon – carved on a winters day
whilst being not particularly successful at hunting rabbits on the Sussex
estate where my brother in law works as a game keeper. The green oak was easy
to carve and showed the characteristic oak medullary rays in the spoon bowl
before greying through use. This one is probably about thirteen years old.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
</span>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;">
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Little Cedar spoon – carved whilst
sitting next to a campfire in Morocco around ten years ago, surrounded by sand dunes and stars. The
bowl is shallow because I hadn’t packed a crook knife so used the curved tip of
my pen knife instead. I increased the bowl depth slightly through burning using
a glowing ember from the fire, then sanded it smooth with sand grains and
cloth.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Small Ash spoon – carved as a
demonstration several years ago, this little spoon became the camp coffee
spoon, hence the dark colouration in the bowl. I lost it after a course and
suspected a shady character who had been admiring it all week, of it’s theft.
Six months later I found it again hidden under the leaves where the washing up
bowl is often emptied and had to forgive the formerly accused and entirely
innocent person quietly to myself.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Extremely curvy birch spoon – Again,
another demonstration piece however, this one started life as a dramatic
failure. Whilst demonstrating the benefits of a ‘stop cut’, I didn’t stop at
all and ended up shearing off the whole of one side of the bowl. I can still
hear the laughter (not mine obviously..)! After this shameful
episode I persevered and ended up carving a smaller spoon using the extra bit I
normally leave on either end of a spoon blank ‘just in case’. So the shape is a
little strange but it has it’s own unique elegance and is probably perfected
suited to some sort of role somewhere….just need to find it.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ash spoon, also from the lid pocket of my daysack – the last remaining (not
finished) member of a set of four similar spoons. The other three were slowly
seasoning in a bin bag when they were mistakenly included with the rubbish and
chucked out! A warning to fellow forgetful folk…</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">A beech eating spoon – this is my
current eating spoon. The bend in the handle isn’t intentional, instead the
result of warping as the wood seasoned. As it happens it curls round my hand
perfectly! The other half of the split beech limb was carved into a spatula and
has also warped in the same way to make a perfect matching set.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sweet chestnut spoon – made during a
bushcraft course attended after leaving the army quite some time ago. Made some
good friends and learnt some fantastic skills. The lead instructor was a
quietly understated but extremely skilled Swedish chap. He had a good look at
the spoon (my first ‘proper’ hand-made wooden spoon) and told me to go away and
make another, but this time just using an axe. I think it was his way of
telling me I’d passed that particular test.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 115%;">Black oak spoon – carved in Portugal
from seasoned wood about eight years back. Extremely hard work, my thumbs never forgave me! This
served as my eating spoon for a while and could probably have doubled as a club
for knocking out tiny assailants.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 39.9pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make some memories - happy carving! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 21.9pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-74382738433907293282013-11-18T06:22:00.001-08:002013-11-18T06:33:29.915-08:00Packing your kit for winter:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a4gZFHYnlYW_sKv-BkW2BNNb-yO0iQUazPXgHuAbEbP1u5Cx_xb2eKMSrk-hK8xZLSttt58xngVTbQRPoPQ7l2R2696zHDiblIUR5L2HhBb7h9pnSJy7nqG7lV0VW3NrZIpwkq9S-B0/s1600/Joe-snowy+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a4gZFHYnlYW_sKv-BkW2BNNb-yO0iQUazPXgHuAbEbP1u5Cx_xb2eKMSrk-hK8xZLSttt58xngVTbQRPoPQ7l2R2696zHDiblIUR5L2HhBb7h9pnSJy7nqG7lV0VW3NrZIpwkq9S-B0/s320/Joe-snowy+woods.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkpKbl0UOMmBsECEvD6B-G9yhT7ISPu52-f5ie18j7z-t02iVqphENl1-Hd5qU3d6XcJoQM9dTCoDy2Z-7Tgm5WcJ8uGUWjCWs0m2iZBlH1J-c_l5N07KZx_QlRRIi6JGNo0UfIdaohw/s1600/IMG_8723a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the winter of 2013/14 apparently about to be the worst since 1947, we're set for some seriously chilly weather. Despite the seasonal media doom mongering, it's no revelation that winter is cold in the UK! This should most definitely <strong>not </strong>mean putting your outdoor kit into storage until spring - the colder months are some of the best times to get outside. You'll probably have the place to yourself for starters! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first glance, the stark
landscape and sleepy, quiet woodlands suggest that there’s not much going on and
that the best place to be is snug and warm indoors, but it’s well worth pulling
on your thicker socks and silly hat with the ear flaps and going to take a look
for yourself. The winter snows bring their own set of seasonal bonus’s to the
bushcraft enthusiast; greater opportunities for tracking is just one. Not only
is it easier to pick up sign but it’s far easier to interpret and follow a track
from start to finish. This is helpful for confirming certain theories that are
otherwise difficult to interpret correctly at other times of the year. This
information, once confirmed can be of great use when using knowledge of a
certain animal’s behaviour to fill in missing gaps along a trail at other times
of year.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have set out to learn bushcraft skills as a
form of insurance should something ever go wrong then to gauge progress,
occasionally it helps to test yourself. Skills that come easy in the summer will
be that much harder in the winter months as the harsh weather and difficulty in
identifying resources throw up all sorts of additional limiting factors. Fire
lighting, tree and plant identification, navigation are all outdoor skills that
require a real in depth understanding which is fully tested to the limit in the
winter. By practicing and mastering important skills such as
these in the winter time your confidence will be increased dramatically at other
times of the year. Train hard, fight easy as they say...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Above all, waking up in a snowy forest is the stuff
of fairy tales. If properly kitted out and equipped with sound knowledge of the
winter environment then to a certain degree, snow can be your friend offering
insulation, building materials and even drinking water. Any light from the moon
is enhanced greatly on the surface of a snow covered woodland floor allowing
some fantastic night time wildlife encounters that would otherwise be missed.
But cold, wet conditions can rapidly increase the speed at
which things go wrong if caught out unprepared. Practicing skills that could
save yours or others lives is important but you must have a back up plan
when the cold weather hits. Before venturing out it’s a good
idea to spend a bit of time preparing to ensure that you could take care of your
own survival should the unexpected happen and you find yourself stranded between
A and B at the mercy of winter at it’s most wintry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keeping things simple is
always important and initially it makes sense to settle on a packing system that
works pretty much all year round, only needing a bit of tweak for extreme
weather conditions or different environments. When tweaking your packing system
for a trip in winter, give some thought to whether or not your kit would
realistically keep you sheltered, warm, hydrated and fed if you had to spend an
unexpected night outdoors. Additionally, could it enable you to call for help,
guide in rescuers or even self rescue before things got out of hand?
In light of the annual stories of unfortunate travellers
stranded overnight on snowy motorways, it seems that any winter journey could
result in a chilly, potentially life threatening experience if things don’t go
to plan. It pays to be prepared and a well thought out, fully packed winter
survival bag could serve you just as well kept in the boot of your vehicle as it
could out on the hill. Additionally, if the zombie apocalypse begins while
you’re out doing the shopping you’ll be laughing all the way to the fortified
survivors compound.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here’s a suggested winter packing system for a day out walking or an emergency bag to be kept in the back of the car. The rucksack shown has a 45 litre capacity which should really be seen as the minimum size for a winter day sack:</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGuqhVcspgc3xWhsH4UO_Gkw9fJcIm2_NsSs9iCU8aBTaMMNWv7W_nks-sKFxPJL9gs4J1ZsqWY77ptVSOP-jq_l34j2a9cC0qFmohbzCwGRqDvpVkXxS7bavNo78vAFePFQMh5IVQAo/s1600/IMG_8706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGuqhVcspgc3xWhsH4UO_Gkw9fJcIm2_NsSs9iCU8aBTaMMNWv7W_nks-sKFxPJL9gs4J1ZsqWY77ptVSOP-jq_l34j2a9cC0qFmohbzCwGRqDvpVkXxS7bavNo78vAFePFQMh5IVQAo/s320/IMG_8706.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Lid / outside pocket: Items you might need in a hurry:</u></span></strong></div>
<div align="left">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></u></strong> </div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep the following items in the lid pocket or a side pocket so they’ll be close to hand without having to tip the contents of your bag out all over the snow...</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFseMKZ-E9zHtakBroIE1TYALHf5pUifq9VQ6y7ZJAWXIangosZDBRnDkpC0teIGmQp14TtgQ6XN6TIKtLT8-ra29GdEBPQW0U_udBxrkCz-z2vwxDg5QDsQVZW8TreLYazA3dYoQNqBw/s1600/IMG_8711a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFseMKZ-E9zHtakBroIE1TYALHf5pUifq9VQ6y7ZJAWXIangosZDBRnDkpC0teIGmQp14TtgQ6XN6TIKtLT8-ra29GdEBPQW0U_udBxrkCz-z2vwxDg5QDsQVZW8TreLYazA3dYoQNqBw/s320/IMG_8711a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span><div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">1. Good head torch with new batteries, powerful beam and preferably some additional features (the <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16345&category_id=253">Alpkit gamma </a>shown has all sorts of flashing, different coloured and different strength beams).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
2. Tough, flexible, waterproof pouch containing phone as well as a spare battery or reliable, portable charging system. My waterproof pouch has a lanyard so it can be attached to my rucksack. I also carry a second ‘cheapy’ phone that uses a different network to double my chances in areas with poor signal.</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
3. Compass, whistle, notebook, pencil and waterproofed map (map not shown here). Forward thinking mountain navigators also have a spare map, sometimes of a larger scale hidden away in the main body of their pack. Maps can suddenly become tiny un-piloted para gliders without warning on windy days...</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
4. Back up mittens: In winter time, especially out on the hill if your hands are frozen you’ll get into serious difficulty. Putting up shelter, lighting a gas stove, even using a map and compass becomes virtually impossible with numb hands. In the event that your primary pair of gloves becomes ineffective after a good soaking, or even whipped out of your hands by the wind, you won’t want to faff around too long looking for replacements. Keep a warm, weather-proof but easily packable pair sealed in a small drybag (Buffalo make excellent pertex and pile mitts for this purpose) in the hood pocket. Basically somewhere you can reach with your teeth if needs be!</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
5. Toilet kit: the last third of a toilet roll and some anti-bacterial hand gel in a ziploc bag is a better option than looking for soft leaves on a hill side in winter!</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
6. High energy snacks (not shown, or eaten. Probably eaten)</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Main body of the rucksack - top layer:
Shelter and warmth</u></span></strong></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxRgL2AR-WtZk4fGWWmt265ayfTIE89QgL7lIWQz9GvmRCDSIhvCj0dBob0FpMT9HVTx6Ag3DCVS6G8uoUM28N_lJ3BIe2DZzINWqFf1lA0NDJxOaKKgojgNe2SwL2aE3zprWZbnvueg/s1600/IMG_8715a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxRgL2AR-WtZk4fGWWmt265ayfTIE89QgL7lIWQz9GvmRCDSIhvCj0dBob0FpMT9HVTx6Ag3DCVS6G8uoUM28N_lJ3BIe2DZzINWqFf1lA0NDJxOaKKgojgNe2SwL2aE3zprWZbnvueg/s320/IMG_8715a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
</div>
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. If not already worn you’ll want your waterproof jacket right at the top ready to
don if the heavens open. In this day and age, your main jacket should really be
made from a waterproof and breathable fabric with taped seams, weather-proof
closures, a good hood and pockets. I hate wearing too much when on the move so
avoid wearing mine whenever possible, instead opting for a lightweight windproof
hooded top and thermal shirt underneath. If you feel the same then you must
ensure that your winter walking top is at least windproof, preferably
showerproof. Constantly battling the wind chill will use valuable energy and
mean that you’ll rapidly cool to the point of shivering whenever you stop
moving. A windproof top keeps the wind-chill at bay and traps much of your own
generated body-heat next your body where it belongs. There are loads of
windproof, quick drying, lightweight and highly breathable fabrics out there
that don’t feel like you’re wearing a bin bag. Montane, Rab, Paramo and Buffalo
all make good lightweight windproof tops.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. I also keep a warm hat in the pocket of my
waterproof jacket and make sure the jacket is arranged with that pocket being
the first thing I see when I open my rucksack. It’s amazing how much warmer you
feel if you pop on a hat when you stop for a brew or to check the map. Almost
like putting on another layer! A snood, buff or whatever the latest strange name
for a warm neck covering is, should also be kept here for the same
reason.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you carry them, waterproof trousers should be
stowed here too. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Keep a mid-weight windproof and warm top near
the top of your bag, just under your waterproof jacket. I favour a gillet if I’m
on the move or working hard as it’s less restrictive on the arms; synthetic fill
insulated job when out in the hills and dense wool if mucking about in the
woods. Top tip; if your warm top has a full length zip then keep it zipped
around a third of the way up and pull it on over your head. Trying to get the
two halves of a zipper to connect with cold fingers or big gloves on when the
wind is picking up is not easy. Also, when removing clothing such as jackets to
add another warm layer underneath, keeping the bottom section of the zip, zipped
means it can drop down out of the way still fastened around your knees but not
be completely free to be suddenly blown awaaaaay across the hills.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also shown here, sunglasses are handy for protecting
your eyes from the glare of the snow and more importantly, will magically
transform a boring looking rambler into a polar explorer or adventure racer!
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. In the winter, especially if walking primarily
in exposed areas it makes sense to carry a lightweight shelter of some sort. If
stopping for a rest it can be quickly set up to provide protection for you or a
small group and if stranded out overnight it could be a lifesaver. When I’m in
the woods I take a lightweight, waterproof tarp (currently an <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16474&category_id=290">Alpkit rig 7</a> –
fantastic) with guy-lines fitted so that I can set up some overhead cover to
work under in the rain. When out on the hill an emergency ‘bothy’ bag would be
your best bet. These can easily be whipped out and used to create a sheltered
place for lunch. My rig 7 tarp is about the same size as a two person bothy bag
when all squished up, basically very small indeed. If you carry walking poles a
tarp can even be set up like a small tent out in the open but you’ll need some
origami training first.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. If you have an old foam sleeping mat then it’s
a good idea to cut out a section as long as the height of your rucksack and
twice the width. Fold it in half along it’s length and slip it down inside the
main body of your rucksack to sit against the existing back padding. This can be
pulled out to sit on whenever you stop for a rest or in an unplanned overnight
emergency, used to provide vital insulation between your body and the ground.
Although smaller than a full size mat, you can at least provide protection for
your torso with your empty rucksack and other kit providing some ground
insulation for your legs. It also gives a bit more padding to the back of your
rucksack when packed!</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div align="left">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Middle layer: Food, water, stove,
essential kit</u></span></strong></div>
</div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk0jb8C9jwJ425RzfviIM_gZk-Q9Dsn1eWPyF-47HxVPcphTnlRuNHGci67yhsT13ut3OygNenXubNn0H53BgLiiMT4Q_lBQHNqqLYM_MznxuSc1I2DM4nSX-9b-khJf9uYfkG1nDQJs/s1600/IMG_8723a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk0jb8C9jwJ425RzfviIM_gZk-Q9Dsn1eWPyF-47HxVPcphTnlRuNHGci67yhsT13ut3OygNenXubNn0H53BgLiiMT4Q_lBQHNqqLYM_MznxuSc1I2DM4nSX-9b-khJf9uYfkG1nDQJs/s320/IMG_8723a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8Q5qvM_f9fTBkv77TEN4NImtTMlOO_xFgWX2Kw0xLsS9dx0VVLz3mcijU7TB6RYIKvc0qffCLeicHI5sNEUWMy5-z8rheOMpJi833tsH7kB4Myv_UaPIzD6mT53s7W1EUNjTtHxEvjQ/s1600/IMG_8733a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
</div>
<div align="left">
<br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Drinking system: I’ve had problems with
hydration systems in the winter (frozen hoses) so carry my water in a hard,
plastic 1 litre bottle with a wide mouth. Hunt around for a bottle that will fit
neatly inside a large metal mug so that these two bed fellows can stay
permanently locked together in your kit. A metal mug can be used to cook in,
melt ice or boil wild water to make it safe to drink. Keep your water bottle/mug
combo in a pouch along with a spoon, a metal lid for the cup (to speed up the
heating process), a cloth water filter bag and some water sterilization tablets
or similar water purification device.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. One litre of drinking water isn’t really enough
so carry a second water container. In the winter months this may as well be a
small stainless steel flask filled with a hot, sweet brew! Looking for a good
place to keep your gaffa tape? Wrap a load around your flask and water
bottle.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Food: Winter walking grub needs to be highly
calorific offering both quick and slow releases of energy. Time to raid the
Christmas selection packs! If heading out for the day then choose food that
matches this criteria but also concentrate on foods that don’t necessarily need
to be cooked. Obviously heating your food in the winter is recommended but if
stove fuel is low, it’s good to know that your only available meal option
doesn’t involve crunching your way through cold powdered potato sachets (been
there...). Also, take more than you need for the day – pack for an unexpected
overnight camp out. If you’re packing a rucksack for a potential emergency then
24 hours of highly calorific food needn’t take up that much room if you spend
time shopping for the best options. If you’re annoyingly organised you can
separate meals into different ziploc bags with a separate one for brew kit.
Incidentally, replace milk or milk powder for the sweet, condensed stuff in a
squeezy tube which can also be guzzled in an emergency and tastes yum in a
coffee.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Cooking pot, stove and fuel: If you won’t be
able to light a cooking fire (open terrain or not permitted) then a cooking
stove is essential. Ideally, carry a small but effective stove that will fit
inside your main cooking pot for protection. To stop everything rattling around
your stove should also be kept in a cloth bag or wrapped in a tea towel within
the cooking pot, along with a lighter and spare fuel if it fits. As your pot is
likely to be dirty on the outside this should be kept in a dry bag of some sort
leaving room for a flexible or folding windshield to speed up cooking times and
save fuel. A word of warning though, always make sure that gas stoves which have
an integral fuel compartment don’t get too hot due to your reflective windshield
being too close and surrounding the stove completely, or you could end up
wearing your dinner as a hat. Leave the windshield open on the leeward side to
keep the fuel compartment cool. Never cook inside a tent without proper
ventilation due to the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and it goes without
saying that in the event of a vehicle breakdown or becoming stranded overnight
in the snow, cooking inside or even near a vehicle is an extremely stupid thing
to do!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously there’s a limit to how much stove fuel can
be carried so if carrying extra food, and travelling somewhere where lighting a
fire may not be possible, it makes sense to also carry an emergency cooking
source and for this you can’t go far wrong with a small packet of solid fuel
tablets. A small pot support can then be improvised with sticks or rocks. There
are also a number of ingenious little portable wood burners which maximise the
effectiveness of natural fuel sources (such as dry bark, pine cones etc), leave
nothing but ash, are much safer than a full on campfire, weigh virtually nothing
and take up little more room than a birthday card when packed. Worth adding to
your stove bag for sure. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Bits and bobs bag: This bag contains a
number of essential items which may be needed during the day as well as spare
back up kit to some of your most important gear. It’s also a stand alone
survival kit if needs be. A detailed breakdown of mine can be found <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/putting-together-realistic-survival-kit.html">here.</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Bushcraft tools – belt knife and folding
saw: With a good multi tool in your bits and bobs bag, cutting tools aren’t
really essential kit to the average walker. However, to those who intend to go
off the beaten track or have taken time to learn how natures resources can be
utilised to your advantage, good cutting tools are definitely not leave at home
items. After all, how the hell do you expect to whittle a wooden spoon without
them? Don’t forget that if your rucksack is to be carried in a vehicle ‘just in
case’ then the carrying of fixed bladed or folding lock knives needs to have a
good explanation if you find yourself being stopped by the police for any
reason. Use your common sense here. A machete strapped to the outside of a
rucksack on the rear parcel shelf is asking for trouble. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. A first aid kit should always be carried but
especially if using sharp cutting tools. Some of the items from larger kits
(such as slings, folding splints etc) can be improvised so unless you’re
intentionally heading off into the wilderness for an extended period your first
aid kit need only consist of stuff that might actually be needed. My personal
kit has plasters, blister plasters, steri- strips, antiseptic wipes,
painkillers, zinc oxide tape, latex gloves, tweezers, sterile wound dressings,
antiseptic cream, a crepe bandage and a small tin of vaseline (good for cracked
lips, rubbing toes and chafing). Because I often use sharp cutting tools whilst
a bit further away from medical assistance, I also carry a large military wound
dressing and a small packet of haemostatic clotting agent. There's normally room for this mini kit inside my 'bits and bobs' bag.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div align="left">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Bottom layer: non essential emergency
gear and spare clothing:</u></span></strong></div>
<div align="left">
<strong><u><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></u></strong> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8Q5qvM_f9fTBkv77TEN4NImtTMlOO_xFgWX2Kw0xLsS9dx0VVLz3mcijU7TB6RYIKvc0qffCLeicHI5sNEUWMy5-z8rheOMpJi833tsH7kB4Myv_UaPIzD6mT53s7W1EUNjTtHxEvjQ/s1600/IMG_8733a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8Q5qvM_f9fTBkv77TEN4NImtTMlOO_xFgWX2Kw0xLsS9dx0VVLz3mcijU7TB6RYIKvc0qffCLeicHI5sNEUWMy5-z8rheOMpJi833tsH7kB4Myv_UaPIzD6mT53s7W1EUNjTtHxEvjQ/s320/IMG_8733a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Before deciding what emergency gear to pack in
the event of becoming stranded outside all night, I can thoroughly recommend
attempting exactly that as part of a safe, supported and controlled experiment.
I have on several occasions and the bitter experience gained means that the kit
I carry now has just the right balance between real performance and small pack
size. Rather than increasing my slim chances of survival by just a tiny amount,
the comparatively small increase in weight and volume will ensure that I see the
next morning with relative ease. A huge leap forward in survival kit technology
is the emergency ‘reflexcell’ gear made by Blizzard. Blankets, bags and even
jackets are all available. These are made from layers of reflective foil with
compartments sandwiched between the innermost and outer layers designed to trap
your warm air. I carry the Blizzard sleeping bag which comes vacuum packed to
the size of a video cassette but has the warmth rating of a medium weight
sleeping bag! Peace of mind if trapped outside in cold conditions
overnight.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Super warm top: Again, you should be looking
for maximum performance with minimum weight and bulk here. Down or high
performance synthetic fill jackets fit the bill perfectly squishing down to
almost nothing but keeping you extremely warm when worn. Your super warm top
should be kept in it’s own waterproof brightly coloured and labelled bag so it
can be easily found down there in the depths of your rucksack, only seeing the
light of day in an emergency, during an extended stop or at much colder times of
the day. If stuck out all night it’ll really turn the tables in your favour when
worn inside a blizzard bag. Such an extreme garment should have a hood for
maximum warmth and if it’s sole purpose is as a last resort layer then buy a
size bigger than usual to allow for extra layers underneath.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3,4 & 5. Lastly, right at the very bottom of
your rucksack is a mysterious waterproof bag containing a full change of
clothing, only to be opened in a dire emergency. A full change of clothing
sounds like a bulky and heavy over indulgence for a day bag and not everyone
goes to such lengths. In fact this part of my kit is only included if the
weather is absolutely horrendous, if I’m heading well off the beaten track or if
I’m planning on staying out for a couple of days. However, when you’re out all
day at the mercy of the elements, even expensive waterproof clothing has been
known to give up the ghost and let moisture in. You may even slip into a cold
river and get a soaking! Despite sounding like a bulky package, a full change of
clothes can be trimmed down to the bare essentials. A full set of wool thermals,
spare warm socks, gloves, a balaclava, and a windproof suit made from para-silk
or pertex squashes down to a surprisingly small package and will provide a warm,
dry and protective layer next to the skin. With your super warm jacket on top
you’ll be back in the game in no time.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For walking on steep, snow covered ground you’ll also
need various specialist equipment such as crampons, an ice axe, snow shovel and
avalanche probe but really, anyone needing to carry this kit should book
themselves onto a winter mountaineering skills course first as the knowledge
gained here WILL save your life. Check out <a href="http://www.expeditionguide.com/">Rob's site</a> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for
just such a course. Rob’s an absolute diamond of a bloke – you’ll be in safe
hands!</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Hopefully the above advice will be of use to you.
Enjoy the season!</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div align="left">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div align="left">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-88456583258120601092013-11-02T06:10:00.000-07:002013-11-02T06:20:09.767-07:00Building A Long Term Shelter part 2:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_-Q0QmLMMEfuBIe2OkM4vXbC-w_upE3skXeW6lBLlEXxwJtxnn2WaPBFocc3f8h-wSY6ObS0MWWkbf8lBIwckLcEoJ8zXEzeThUIjqtAu3_90cVWmZVSfn74BMMhwIoM0LmKmKmDaUE/s1600/IMG_3997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_-Q0QmLMMEfuBIe2OkM4vXbC-w_upE3skXeW6lBLlEXxwJtxnn2WaPBFocc3f8h-wSY6ObS0MWWkbf8lBIwckLcEoJ8zXEzeThUIjqtAu3_90cVWmZVSfn74BMMhwIoM0LmKmKmDaUE/s320/IMG_3997.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Building...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Welcome back! The story so far…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A decision to build an equipment storage shed at our
woodland site in Wiltshire very quickly morphed into a quest to build a long
term shelter using minimal tools (mainly what we might carry as part of our
standard kit) and maximum knowledge of the building resources growing naturally
in the woods. A <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/building-long-term-shelter-part-1.html">proper hinged, plank door</a>, a la quaint hobbit cottage became
the first construction challenge but proved to be a superb exercise in what can
be achieved with only natural materials and a fair slice of ‘know how’.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shelter building, be it small survival bivouac or palatial
log cabin, always requires a sound plan before the work starts and that’s
exactly where we were at on a chilly, wintery morning among the bare, hazel
coppice and towering, skeletal oak trees. Resisting the urge to be too
ambitious by embarking on a full Celtic roundhouse or Anglo Saxon long house we
settled on a small, rectangular floor plan with the doorway at one end, just
big enough for one hypothetical person to live in comfortably through the
winter months. This would mean allowing enough room to fit a raised bed, make a
fire place and still have enough room inside to work, cook and store kit in bad
weather. The roof would be a simple double pitched affair continuing around the
back of the house in an arc at roughly the same pitch (around 50 degrees). The
initial planning brain storm also bought to light several problems that
typically reduce the effectiveness and life expectancy of survival shelters. We
were determined to provide our own answers to these problems but ultimately,
only time will tell if our efforts have worked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Firstly, we wanted the house to be able to ‘breathe’. Our
plan was to make a fully enclosed shelter that would be capable of keeping out
the worst weather but in doing so, we were all too aware that such an enclosed
design could also keep moisture in, especially as the house wouldn’t really be
inhabited and therefore wouldn’t have a constant heat source chugging away.
With a cold, damp atmosphere inside, our shelter structure would rot and
collapse very quickly. Even with our hypothetical inhabitant keeping the home
fires burning day and night creating a dry atmosphere in side, the point where
the thatched roof met the ground would always be damp and if the strength and
integrity of our structure depended entirely on the rafters (as many survival
shelters do) then it stood to reason that it’s life span could only ever last
as long as it takes a constantly sopping hazel rafter, half buried in earth and
leaves to rot through. Probably not very long!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskE-RqtIcRTw1BhNW9huHcz8TR0cp-NBTaTD_oaCgD5TVYM0oZ1sClTnEYk2WFDn3bw71sU5nXZfFk0abGasJ1v-ejn8bvoSiNh2R8x_vs6W-Qb7P0j8LbVoIEJbOLaE_QnkABoRe7_0/s1600/P1010249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskE-RqtIcRTw1BhNW9huHcz8TR0cp-NBTaTD_oaCgD5TVYM0oZ1sClTnEYk2WFDn3bw71sU5nXZfFk0abGasJ1v-ejn8bvoSiNh2R8x_vs6W-Qb7P0j8LbVoIEJbOLaE_QnkABoRe7_0/s320/P1010249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The shelter footprint - level ground with building materials on hand, no dangerous trees overhead but some natural shelter from the surrounding hazel coppice</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The solution came in several parts. We would first build a
strong, internal low wall of hazel rods woven around several oak posts on which
many of the rafters would rest (therefore, never being in contact with the damp
ground). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This woven, rectangular frame
would provide a sturdy base to start building from, but it would have to be
pretty solid! The secret to the wall’s strength lay in a handful of quartered
‘bone oak’ posts, split from a large log using a small axe and the maul and
hazel wedges made on site. Bone oak, having gone through a chemical change as
it seasons, is absolutely rock hard and virtually rot proof when compared to
the other timber in our woods. These long posts would be carved to a point and
hammered several feet into the earth to form the corner posts and a couple of
intermediate posts to weave between. This seemed like a fantastic idea but by
the end of a very long day of splitting, hammering, shouting and swearing, we wished
we hadn’t thought of it. After the bone oak
splitting saga we decided that any other posts needing to be sunk into the
ground, should be made from readily available and easily workable hazel. The
below ground parts would be charred in the fire first to help preserve them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XQlzNZrgP8I1RieTT3Aaek067HkGwQSenj7Wzf-qrQ-TrxLLgd0gGUCQp-5klVnyY040vUD216povdvc4RivFQ1uMkEVuE4HvXMQWDRttpHR9o8CWgT5OfAIVYaGUTY4P6ga_zphffg/s1600/P1010248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XQlzNZrgP8I1RieTT3Aaek067HkGwQSenj7Wzf-qrQ-TrxLLgd0gGUCQp-5klVnyY040vUD216povdvc4RivFQ1uMkEVuE4HvXMQWDRttpHR9o8CWgT5OfAIVYaGUTY4P6ga_zphffg/s320/P1010248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Splitting bony oak to make the main posts</span></em></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GVN377KxcY9zBptG_x8-mZXuCFL2uUI8jNwDjKZftvpsvfabK7KEye3Ap9UewByPMiPZLwCwirtV1WSy-8KwTz07an3fE1AJ3ybhvCgksNEGvUXXDdzgzsTC3D3OHpLoQWbr2QMbUhM/s1600/P1010250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5GVN377KxcY9zBptG_x8-mZXuCFL2uUI8jNwDjKZftvpsvfabK7KEye3Ap9UewByPMiPZLwCwirtV1WSy-8KwTz07an3fE1AJ3ybhvCgksNEGvUXXDdzgzsTC3D3OHpLoQWbr2QMbUhM/s320/P1010250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cutting simple joints for the wall plate</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7sIG6GzsGXSxZEK0P1l7wh4hpHbL_AdXea75wL1pex6D2oi163vFcbXIh45bCzXtJwrkp79czGvMMzXmrV36cdoJ3W2hxOl9VAPxbrPs97u8WoJ19hsubAhCn_uvNpbN5dcYPQcTA7Q/s1600/Joe-long+term+shelter+f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7sIG6GzsGXSxZEK0P1l7wh4hpHbL_AdXea75wL1pex6D2oi163vFcbXIh45bCzXtJwrkp79czGvMMzXmrV36cdoJ3W2hxOl9VAPxbrPs97u8WoJ19hsubAhCn_uvNpbN5dcYPQcTA7Q/s320/Joe-long+term+shelter+f.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Charring the ends of any hazel posts due to be driven into the ground</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An
almost endless amount of flexible hazel rods were then cut and woven in and out
of the upright posts to make a surprisingly strong hurdle wall starting on one
side of the door frame and eventually coming all the way round to meet the
opposing door post. None of these hazel rods were split, instead kept in the
round for speed and ease. A strong, upright ‘king post’ held up the main, central
ridge pole towards the back of the shelter wall, reinforced by two further
posts sloping away and through the woven, wattle walls. At the front of our
house, two strong posts formed a backwards sloping ‘A’ frame, interlocking
securely around the ridge pole where they met at the top. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KjYSP37ONOzmGclLgAbSk-FNAnif0LGLPEc4lbsK8ZavXO1qK_eeuWRgez-AqX1vArRg0QxCLQiUKAPZk23LAObUtiZ_64yyTuCgjUC_ZKs_nVPGngqvgVWEQbdA0q1BTLROnU2tKf8/s1600/Joe-long+term+shelter+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KjYSP37ONOzmGclLgAbSk-FNAnif0LGLPEc4lbsK8ZavXO1qK_eeuWRgez-AqX1vArRg0QxCLQiUKAPZk23LAObUtiZ_64yyTuCgjUC_ZKs_nVPGngqvgVWEQbdA0q1BTLROnU2tKf8/s320/Joe-long+term+shelter+051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Weaving walls from hazel rods</span></em></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAytoJ3LQlBctDL7sRAenPebv-hPkc2EKp_Y9XnevWX4J5xdydVsGHGWFdwGebWP02lVIfKQi2BEb9SQSusbxoVpuYC54A-bH9gkzRMdlUY7WY3SOco0-sZyjjIv1zMSZ2NIgr_aGN64/s1600/181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUAytoJ3LQlBctDL7sRAenPebv-hPkc2EKp_Y9XnevWX4J5xdydVsGHGWFdwGebWP02lVIfKQi2BEb9SQSusbxoVpuYC54A-bH9gkzRMdlUY7WY3SOco0-sZyjjIv1zMSZ2NIgr_aGN64/s320/181.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The main rafters in place, bound with hazel witheys</span></em></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvR7S6oOTq24DlvtIS6SvvVOwHRKb_odd8suOtOY2t6xZSduDTSbIa1wqIO_nwOLgHps_h3gb33jST9_BdFMKCtcnOxKIQdyAfVkz5xk9tbzL3OGyo96hF6hMK4fnN3QTRhHCrW3WBUo/s1600/189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvR7S6oOTq24DlvtIS6SvvVOwHRKb_odd8suOtOY2t6xZSduDTSbIa1wqIO_nwOLgHps_h3gb33jST9_BdFMKCtcnOxKIQdyAfVkz5xk9tbzL3OGyo96hF6hMK4fnN3QTRhHCrW3WBUo/s320/189.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The door frame is fitted to the structure and birch plank door is hung and swinging</span></em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
A ‘wall plate’ (wooden platform on which the roof rafters
sit) was fitted to the top of our woven walls by way of some simple but nifty
joints to minimize any movement and wherever two timbers lay against or crossed
over one another, they were lashed securely in place with hazel withies. Our
rafters were selected so as to have a ‘Y’ fork that, when turned upside down
could hook over the wall plate and hold the rafter in position. For added
stability, every few feet a rafter extended down and into the ground (charred
first of course).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where the rafters
crossed over the ridge pole at the apex, a twin band of flexible hazel rods
wove in and out between them to hold them securely in position. The little
woodland house was beginning to take shape!<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRR5nsysthNwcrzQf3U5-w2niAtUYeDuMiHyfid_ueSH4hbTMaSS_pqPDfaEM4tAqUynCodylP8GbJKQyYNHPRCwtO1E18IVzBAi1eFDSgiFlPyaChAiO1npTCOwTCHhHvWm9gCLTBoNc/s1600/Joe+-+Long+Term+Shelter+3+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRR5nsysthNwcrzQf3U5-w2niAtUYeDuMiHyfid_ueSH4hbTMaSS_pqPDfaEM4tAqUynCodylP8GbJKQyYNHPRCwtO1E18IVzBAi1eFDSgiFlPyaChAiO1npTCOwTCHhHvWm9gCLTBoNc/s320/Joe+-+Long+Term+Shelter+3+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rafters fitted, held in place with their own natural 'birds mouth' forked ends and a twin band of hazel along the ridge</span></em></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvStUlW-rNZYios1U7v3k4mKT07eOh1EglDDxLl09DvQ4WTZI0JuDNHL6BTCaiFy8aF4_xpzC-S-UmN7efNSYBqiNGqdTAm-FNLyFJ_UUVqrcsLG2tu4jX-lgPwTxrmGQGLPnz7BbjRzo/s1600/197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvStUlW-rNZYios1U7v3k4mKT07eOh1EglDDxLl09DvQ4WTZI0JuDNHL6BTCaiFy8aF4_xpzC-S-UmN7efNSYBqiNGqdTAm-FNLyFJ_UUVqrcsLG2tu4jX-lgPwTxrmGQGLPnz7BbjRzo/s320/197.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hazel wattle continues up and over the door frame, tying everything in nice and tight</span></em></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span>Our building plan had highlighted the need for the shelter
to be kept fairly small and therefore easy to heat with a small open fire
inside. Previous research had shown that similar ancient dwellings were often built
without chimneys, instead allowing the central fire to form a ‘smoke ceiling’
above head height which would slowly permeate through the roof thatch. This
helped preserve the roof timbers and kill off any resident bugs overhead.
However, these structures were built to house an entire family and therefore,
much larger with higher roofs. Our humble woodland bedsit would be more like a
lung bursting smokehouse if we followed the same principle so we came up with
the idea of a ‘dormer window’ style opening near the top of the roof on the
opposing side to the prevailing wind. With our shelter design being so
completely enclosed, this opening would also let in some light. The combined
window and chimney idea became affectionately known as the ‘wimney’.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlmhlw8BJFXQIN_fB8FlUtytEAroU7XHaZDiTR7QceIGe6RIjUHOolNyb7BhoEvjApYapCVwqP8qrE6gx6yK0pJpDizH7M7FWGEzYU-PpM3Rgjlu4lx0Fy2E3ys_PjP4fK92LW1sI800/s1600/197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AfYlWzRal5flPF_1R0bAHDy2nmR5Du6rO2EQ2jhSKVVgwh7vHYR0p9_upehu5RT_6XDhQSslXLCbU2zBL-JKZKiqpD-MGN3Juxf0BhKXUjqL24J93VwsZOFlkClAIdqhz6wrS3nFN_8/s1600/Joe-long+term+shelter+2+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AfYlWzRal5flPF_1R0bAHDy2nmR5Du6rO2EQ2jhSKVVgwh7vHYR0p9_upehu5RT_6XDhQSslXLCbU2zBL-JKZKiqpD-MGN3Juxf0BhKXUjqL24J93VwsZOFlkClAIdqhz6wrS3nFN_8/s320/Joe-long+term+shelter+2+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The wimney frame work woven and bound in place</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qw4WoOKxJr9GcCwtywgZGk5kfoLUDeIPwGxx_q93jSj97z-jDAZPxAiIRUjloPIK5REaVDySFco-DpW4KaOG9160l-GWUXQ3pRZqqpmSwbdrBXMi87hKkstzZx8TYU7nIH9nJfh7d_o/s1600/IMG_2040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qw4WoOKxJr9GcCwtywgZGk5kfoLUDeIPwGxx_q93jSj97z-jDAZPxAiIRUjloPIK5REaVDySFco-DpW4KaOG9160l-GWUXQ3pRZqqpmSwbdrBXMi87hKkstzZx8TYU7nIH9nJfh7d_o/s320/IMG_2040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wimney opening with thatch border and roof nearly ready for thatch</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></em> </div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now, the super observant readers amongst you will notice a
slight continuity error with the seasonal backgrounds to the following accompanying
images. As with most exciting projects, life and work seemed to get in the way
and it wasn’t until the summer that we were able to finish the next part of the build. The
increasingly warm weather could have created a false sense of security but looking further ahead to
winter we decided to address our predicted damp problem by ensuring the
roof thatch stopped short of the ground leaving a gap for ventilation under the
eaves. In theory, this should allow the whole building to breathe and dry out
once the rain stopped. When we initially hatched our building plans we all
imagined a beautifully thatched roof straight off the pages of an Asterix the
Gaul cartoon however, very quickly we realised that total coverage of our roof
would require an awful lot of prime quality thatching materials to achieve the
quaint cottage look. Bracken is plentiful in our woods and the long stems
looked like they might provide a good alternative to thatching reed but for
such a shallow roof pitch we would need a thatch depth of at least a foot,
possibly more. Using only bracken stems that would be a mammoth task. Laziness
and guilt (where would all the ticks live if we cleared the woods completely of
bracken…probably on me) kicked in and we concluded that the only realistic
thatching option would be to scoop up every leaf, twig, clump of moss and slab
of bark in the near vicinity and dump it on the roof. <o:p></o:p></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-X7YwAIetr2kzaqdzo77sckbKAtqNuzGcynLLckHDsrKQmU-LE4y4JKKGI4PBjV_SkgTwDON1TsmI-L4ELCjEfq2cVHC_RabmfZNYwqeYOkxMuR1xA-CWvJckgD6DkDsaxeIw49tvng/s1600/IMG_2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqinNFJXfnNIYJkoUQ6f-5eDXg0uhb9wx0E0fwWEBmAa9-Ug0F36KbvwshKMUp_2QNBFNJhLWyrOaNyHbTCvQhcCTiikD7HlpRGqm7x_jytiwUUlaxAr2Vk8FW7X0F_JbXeQGAa1CMMIA/s1600/IMG_2051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqinNFJXfnNIYJkoUQ6f-5eDXg0uhb9wx0E0fwWEBmAa9-Ug0F36KbvwshKMUp_2QNBFNJhLWyrOaNyHbTCvQhcCTiikD7HlpRGqm7x_jytiwUUlaxAr2Vk8FW7X0F_JbXeQGAa1CMMIA/s320/IMG_2051.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Brash wood matrix applied ready for the thatch and giant thatch retaining sausage fixed in position</span></em></span></div>
</span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kQcQNKbWE87nE6uKqXvVdyGNDmS4OqYBXZYExyfsegRf7ZUl2H_2u7h0FomevQoK4biFnbv0LrVO16B1tKGt4QkVuya9MpdA8FKXE0FsiPXjWIF9GVSryVseBdlxam64CRbsO59yg4c/s1600/IMG_2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kQcQNKbWE87nE6uKqXvVdyGNDmS4OqYBXZYExyfsegRf7ZUl2H_2u7h0FomevQoK4biFnbv0LrVO16B1tKGt4QkVuya9MpdA8FKXE0FsiPXjWIF9GVSryVseBdlxam64CRbsO59yg4c/s320/IMG_2041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Back view of the shelter with thatch retainer shown leaving a suitable gap under the eaves</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Usually, when using forest floor debris to thatch a shelter
the huge volume of materials is gradually piled against the shelter from ground
level upwards. In order to achieve our ventilation gap between roof and ground
we would need to prevent the leaf mulch and jumbled medley of materials from
just slipping right off the ends of the rafters and so the ‘giant thatch
retaining sausage’ was born. A big, long bundle of twiggy brash wood, lashed to
the end of each rafter about a foot up from the ground, forming a continuous
buffer line running around the lowest point of the shelter roof and sweeping up
and over the porch (yes, we built a porch too!). The thatching materials would
sit against this buffer creating the desired depth of a foot but still leaving
our all-important ventilation gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where
required, horizontal hazel poles lay against the rafters to provide a sound
base, followed by a good layer of spiky brash wood to close up any gaps and
give a good ‘sticky’ surface (excuse the pun, but it is rather good…) for the
leaf mulch layer to adhere to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tva8CY0mqV1rFptsI41h_71jw_4ErBPfnG87nKtjdqdHD3fL2EokAgxNJomFxHpJLQF5ews23_AzqyV6I-MIbuClA_iFRITwbKoDlyPXNE0rkf4sIc9Me1GD1K1_AyrDMaYi_-82dHk/s1600/IMG_2061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tva8CY0mqV1rFptsI41h_71jw_4ErBPfnG87nKtjdqdHD3fL2EokAgxNJomFxHpJLQF5ews23_AzqyV6I-MIbuClA_iFRITwbKoDlyPXNE0rkf4sIc9Me1GD1K1_AyrDMaYi_-82dHk/s320/IMG_2061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Leaf thatch being applied</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRNQ-owTzqlvXIR1LlWcjy5PRSp7pVSGOqgvgF4krZKDlosOrU00DaLZo_3NSXj8twN_4OFp65FLR2YzNsCMDOd3yBeRxajDEMe9jNg49OgcJvNigMtXNbvukOdJ0Z_cl-XXcNoNeATA/s1600/IMG_3940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv49WHIwVMQuS6kzTjZAQRFhSbQ_G7yOJIUMHpzGBqmDWmOZNLOh_s-W_jGHS5kIPPx6Gfb_y4t72JtTuT1_ma_W0FBDJ-75agSekyBlB5f_z6E-_6zvmBDdVQoEzGuwY5_iaPe-KYBxY/s1600/IMG_3946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv49WHIwVMQuS6kzTjZAQRFhSbQ_G7yOJIUMHpzGBqmDWmOZNLOh_s-W_jGHS5kIPPx6Gfb_y4t72JtTuT1_ma_W0FBDJ-75agSekyBlB5f_z6E-_6zvmBDdVQoEzGuwY5_iaPe-KYBxY/s320/IMG_3946.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wimney opening still visible in the thick layer of thatch</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_OMmueZ34_H7-o76KriyWJcbj74xjmPeSn_iIN0qYLMWmAOci1nFRk1BJrKJflTeuWEJBSElGMz_vGuPvr5TgJ8lMuIBOqZ3YIh-BSDQSxZlTyFDMdleE8ZDJq5jAh0H27-ZStiqpKA/s1600/IMG_3940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_OMmueZ34_H7-o76KriyWJcbj74xjmPeSn_iIN0qYLMWmAOci1nFRk1BJrKJflTeuWEJBSElGMz_vGuPvr5TgJ8lMuIBOqZ3YIh-BSDQSxZlTyFDMdleE8ZDJq5jAh0H27-ZStiqpKA/s320/IMG_3940.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Shelter roof with a good covering of leaf thatch for the summer</span></em></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The giant thatch retaining sausage (GTRS for short) did a
great job of keeping the first insulating layer of leaves exactly where we
wanted them and before long our little hut in the woods began to blend in
beautifully with it’s surroundings. Just down the track we were fortunate to
have a huge swathe of tall, mature bracken. We made the most of this seasonal
resource by taking just enough to give a good coverage to our roof, leaving the
rest for the ticks. When harvesting bracken it’s important to cut the stems
rather than pull at them. For starters, the roots aren’t usually that deep and
if the plant is removed roots and all, there’ll be no bracken for the following
year. Also, the stems have a sharp ridge that will give you the mother of all
paper cuts as you tug them up. Instead, gather together a good bunch and using
a long bladed knife, carefully slice through the stems with a sloping angle at
ground level. The resulting long, pointed stems we found to be ideal for poking
through the leaf mulch and the brash wood thatch layers before folding the
bushier fronds over to lay against the roof. By starting at the bottom of the
roof and working upwards towards the ridge, each course of fronds overlaid the
previous for maximum rain shedding, with the added bonus of ‘pinning’ the mulch
and brash layers together like a thatching spar.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4UsU0uEvvf9D59xL6dHNcNuEltogOuYM81VACDziadE_j2cNQTY4ZA4qQi1erNYzqFq_w8mxswttW5sFHCKR2RksTsOiPwDo6nAKHixolLLFHjVWCkO96gPJBhdNtRJrIPBNOZ_mSug/s1600/IMG_3980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4UsU0uEvvf9D59xL6dHNcNuEltogOuYM81VACDziadE_j2cNQTY4ZA4qQi1erNYzqFq_w8mxswttW5sFHCKR2RksTsOiPwDo6nAKHixolLLFHjVWCkO96gPJBhdNtRJrIPBNOZ_mSug/s320/IMG_3980.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Late summer and the bracken layer is added increasing the volume of the roof thatch</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcpM0kcHaHW-9zVUaSD_y9PiJBJ3eJJkGsEFIGYGyCW_QCQO31vnTp56NvD6SLOGomBCYSJ8BZ9zwel3OBVDvNqmC9niEd5Knt239QBfaTp5lp4FJiZbq5EQ-gYbsaG2e4J0HVC43h8/s1600/IMG_3987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcpM0kcHaHW-9zVUaSD_y9PiJBJ3eJJkGsEFIGYGyCW_QCQO31vnTp56NvD6SLOGomBCYSJ8BZ9zwel3OBVDvNqmC9niEd5Knt239QBfaTp5lp4FJiZbq5EQ-gYbsaG2e4J0HVC43h8/s320/IMG_3987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A small fire is lit inside to dry the shelter out and drive away any insects (and to get the kettle on...obviously)</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I always judge the strength of a shelter by whether it’ll
take the weight of a fully grown man standing on the roof. To position the top
few courses of bracken thatch this is exactly what it had to support and I’m
very relieved to say that despite me owning shares in both Ginster’s and
Cadbury’s, the roof survived intact. As summer gave way to autumn a familiar
resource became available once again. A top layer of newly fallen leaves was
added to the now wilting bracken fronds giving the shelter more weather
protection and also some seasonal camouflage. In preparation for winter I
decided to add some ‘daub’ to the woven hazel walls, something I had seen
demonstrated before in re-constructed Anglo Saxon villages. Firstly, I turned
over a patch of earth outside the shelter, then added water and old bracken
stems to bind the mix. One ingredient was missing but without a horse and no
other method of producing dung (not one I fancied using anyway) mud and bracken
would have to do. Having mixed a fair few buckets of lime mortar and plaster
while renovating my old cottage, I knew consistency would be all important if
the earthy sludge was to stick to the wall. Using the bushcrafters most
important tool (my hands) I squelched and smoothed the daub between the hazel
wattle until the whole façade was covered and any gaps were filled. Despite
being a pretty messy job I found this to be possibly the most gratifying part
of the whole build, similar in some ways to applying and then buffing a final
coat of wax polish on an item of hand built furniture. The concept of taking
such a readily available resource and using it so effectively to weatherproof a
shelter wall really appeals to me and I’m sure it won’t be the last time I
experiment with it as a building material.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiatkKxFEX7ruXvGwtY8iE5eJOT8IjcLv-Ge-V3Qd1xyFg4pmcH18VvaGzSNU8fKCDd_eGvyZ5J6QienKhKlwHXgEkqRlWulgrcjVFI9DFOeB7QNmEjvpHftchNiD2tw6gLnw6YIBmw8/s1600/IMG_4005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiatkKxFEX7ruXvGwtY8iE5eJOT8IjcLv-Ge-V3Qd1xyFg4pmcH18VvaGzSNU8fKCDd_eGvyZ5J6QienKhKlwHXgEkqRlWulgrcjVFI9DFOeB7QNmEjvpHftchNiD2tw6gLnw6YIBmw8/s320/IMG_4005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Applying a caulk of mud and bracken stems to the hazel wattle walls</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_c7qzlqD0TpHBSJd1kHGVUfuQ-pEjWVFGLuiQPb2MtUw0Lu5rhEEgaDKHv7m1XROSnW5abWjuXebOO17uiuZtAMXikOugUhnxBlPdd-oFGKUHU3xXQmt1n4kM8zuzQ4ezCdYu0rOjnI/s1600/IMG_4052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_c7qzlqD0TpHBSJd1kHGVUfuQ-pEjWVFGLuiQPb2MtUw0Lu5rhEEgaDKHv7m1XROSnW5abWjuXebOO17uiuZtAMXikOugUhnxBlPdd-oFGKUHU3xXQmt1n4kM8zuzQ4ezCdYu0rOjnI/s320/IMG_4052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Finished front wall and the shelter really begins to look like a weatherproof dwelling</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NVkcHHoI-m88S-oOBvVRKVGsxYryVvJ0zSCMN70N3vH71Lx9AzQUYC9b2OUo3wFRwRsQsbTr8cXIlpNQQGYF6q7Q6JMSHn3UG_FAfQNazKEFMOBd3zpQtkb1vBmdPpU_U6iUv4lVJx4/s1600/IMG_4069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NVkcHHoI-m88S-oOBvVRKVGsxYryVvJ0zSCMN70N3vH71Lx9AzQUYC9b2OUo3wFRwRsQsbTr8cXIlpNQQGYF6q7Q6JMSHn3UG_FAfQNazKEFMOBd3zpQtkb1vBmdPpU_U6iUv4lVJx4/s320/IMG_4069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Inside view, looking out. The hinging post and socket can be clearly seen as well as the benefit of having a good porch!</span></em></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As mentioned earlier in the article, only time will tell
whether our efforts have created a weatherproof and long lasting shelter.
Throughout the build and especially now it’s finished, I’m drawn back to the
woodland house whenever I pass by to see how it’s holding up. During it's first winter the house had to endure high winds and a long period of wet weather followed by heavy snow. I expected to have to carry out some hasty repairs but amazingly every part remained intact and secure. The multi layered thatch performed admirably at keeping out the heavy rain and inside was still dry and cosy. Not bad for an un-inhabited hut made of sticks!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After three winters without being lived in, just the same as pretty much any un-inhabited house it needs repairs. The central ridge bent and eventually broke under the load of thatch and snow. If the house had had permanent residents this problem would've been identified early and rectified. T</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">he mud daub cracked as it dried (which is apparently expected and perfectly normal) but weirdly
I relished the opportunity to mix up another muddy concoction and get to work plastering
over the cracks. Of course, the door is still going strong...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLjbr9-s2KqqOdlwtpUC4qxdC4tPPFpCRQy0ENSmN9rXsjoBAUAZ0FmQnnntxTvpEhZUv04z74lJLyWIaPkI7Rgkk3cT4QolmSq9OWxEQm6PpIeSdqiYAGjMNxq_OhRSMK-7zzlLk_00/s1600/IMG_4107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLjbr9-s2KqqOdlwtpUC4qxdC4tPPFpCRQy0ENSmN9rXsjoBAUAZ0FmQnnntxTvpEhZUv04z74lJLyWIaPkI7Rgkk3cT4QolmSq9OWxEQm6PpIeSdqiYAGjMNxq_OhRSMK-7zzlLk_00/s320/IMG_4107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wooden door latch in action. A buckskin loop is pulled from the inside to lift the latch clear of the retaining hook</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So..what would I have done differently with hindsight? For starters I would have beefed up those supports. Although the house was only small, a damp, thatched roof plus snow weighs a hell of a lot - even more than me! I may have looked at different roofing materials. Sheets of birch bark covered with turfs might have done the job or with the tools we had, enough time and patience we could have covered the whole thing in split, wood shingle tiles. I would have experimented with digging down a couple of feet to give more head room without such a large structure above ground. Our soil drains extremely well as we're up on a high wooded ridge on flint and chalk so with a good overhanging roof, guttering trenches and a fire inside I don't think damp would've been an issue. With the small size of the structure we could only ever have a small fire for heating for fear of setting the roof alight. After coming up with the 'wimney' design I have since discovered that old thatched dwellings also allowed the smoke to permeate through the thatching (rather than leave a smoke hole chimney) because it created a 'damping' effect - a smoke ceiling above head height which smothered any lively sparks heading up towards the dry, wood tar covered thatch. A smoke hole actually encourages better draw and carries those cheerful bright sparks right on up to the tinder dry thatch. Possibly not the best idea after all! My next attempt might involve the building of a stone and clay fire place and chimney stack...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rJk_hxNlBR6vIPYHYCL05xKV4KTAYGoqAIUZr_ynH3OfJnhAX_Fhq_Ne5U4RWBypTnbbLQleJt8h0-kDyh_VLKFB9STyRN4kUmm1ztwmUknoXq9olT_butWnuTyGZGfSMw4xaqdhkWY/s1600/IMG_4113a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rJk_hxNlBR6vIPYHYCL05xKV4KTAYGoqAIUZr_ynH3OfJnhAX_Fhq_Ne5U4RWBypTnbbLQleJt8h0-kDyh_VLKFB9STyRN4kUmm1ztwmUknoXq9olT_butWnuTyGZGfSMw4xaqdhkWY/s320/IMG_4113a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A home in the woods. Perhaps a glimpse into our past?</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-52645794488485183612013-11-01T10:03:00.002-07:002013-11-03T03:56:40.351-08:00Building A Long Term Shelter part 1:<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00OJiinlB1sEwKJ1Qpd7oEPg7l1M-OAzJj6sxleTGIes4eEVyHZkQAf8nBEiZ_UuRSaNJSRmr7tmFtmiZR9HkV7LacUVDYywLlDvBYo169BtmY2q48f0z7ilxUryd00_YzP9l9fmLaMI/s1600/IMG_4113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00OJiinlB1sEwKJ1Qpd7oEPg7l1M-OAzJj6sxleTGIes4eEVyHZkQAf8nBEiZ_UuRSaNJSRmr7tmFtmiZR9HkV7LacUVDYywLlDvBYo169BtmY2q48f0z7ilxUryd00_YzP9l9fmLaMI/s320/IMG_4113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">...The Door</span><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Not a single nail or screw in it mate” boasted the bloke at
the reclamation yard. I looked the heavy oak door up and down. It consisted of
several large planks, clearly oak by their grain pattern, all bearing the marks
of hand hewn timber. The rippled surface, probably made that way by an
incredibly sharp side axe or fairly flat adze was as dark brown as very old oak
should be and polished smooth by a mixture of exposure to the elements and
centuries of grubby hands pushing it open and pulling it shut. Here and there,
where the oak planks were deemed already too thin to remove any more shavings
by the craftsman, underlying saw marks could be seen. A motor driven circular saw
would have left curved, arcing marks but these were parallel and irregular.
“Pit sawn” said the reclamation yard owner and then proceeded to tell me all
about where the phrase ‘being the underdog’ came from (I already knew this but
listened politely). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single plank
was fixed side by side to two horizontal bracing bars top and bottom. As the
owner had quite rightly pointed out, not by nails or screws but instead by
drilling a hole through both components and fitting a round peg, splayed at
each end with a hard wood wedge, then cut flush to tidy it up. The two horizontal
bracing bars, also hand hewn were securely dovetailed, pegged and wedged into a
sturdy oak post on one side which protruded above and below the door. These
protrusions were rounded at the ends and also polished smooth through wear. “This
is the clever part” blurted the owner, sensing a deal was on the cards, “these rounded
protrusions sit inside a carved socket, top and bottom on the inside of the door
frame and that’s yer hinging mechanism. Clever eh? Must’ve had to keep ‘em
greased though, with a door this heavy!”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was fascinated, the whole door consisted of wooden
components, hinges, fixings, everything… made entirely using hand tools. I
tried my hardest to look nonchalant about the whole thing but there was no way
I was leaving without that door! After parting with a small fortune I scurried
home with my new workshop door vowing that I could make back the extortionate
cost by working extra hard over the next few months. Unbeknownst to me at the
time, this impressive example of rural craftsmanship from a bygone era was to
become the inspiration behind many of my experimental bushcraft projects for it
showed exactly what can be achieved with an open mind, a modest tool kit and a
working knowledge of both raw materials and the age old techniques required to
do something useful with them. This self-sufficient mind set combined with a
desire to push boundaries, always striving for betterment is in many ways, the
perfect summing up of my own interest in bushcraft and traditional skills.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShE1DE9pjboqELapirfBguQp6V3ONO9dTI8HiqBof2t1amMnPKOJzLU9EnPzjNjZmZUbVkQS6vpDaul-3R4N7LHsqb5OeDzH6k9UuEQx873gpyKv-yJr5ymSITTgsTohzdhhlV11weVA/s1600/IMG_9168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShE1DE9pjboqELapirfBguQp6V3ONO9dTI8HiqBof2t1amMnPKOJzLU9EnPzjNjZmZUbVkQS6vpDaul-3R4N7LHsqb5OeDzH6k9UuEQx873gpyKv-yJr5ymSITTgsTohzdhhlV11weVA/s320/IMG_9168.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Fast forward to winter 2009 and a discussion round the
campfire about the need for an equipment storage shed of some sort at our
woodland teaching site. It would have to blend easily into it’s surroundings,
preferably using natural materials in it’s construction. In fact, why not make
it using entirely natural materials? As the discussion develops it becomes
clear that we are no longer designing a storage shed but a long term shelter,
more than capable of keeping out the weather all year round. A sort of scaled
down early Anglo Saxon house complete with walls, thatched roof and a door – what
a perfect opportunity to showcase the instructor’s shelter building talents and
test out a few theory’s on the longevity of a carefully constructed long term
shelter? But, staying true to our minimalist ethos we should build it using
only natural materials sourced on site and the hand tools carried as part of
our standard bushcraft kit. The idea quickly barged it’s way to first place on
the ‘to do’ list and before long,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>brimming over with motivation I found myself back in the woods on a
slightly frosty spring morning ready to start work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLS-AtryBYpbmC8PrMlMWzLA7ZtQwxtpfPKOjKsxqI5UR9-9l9sfTEQ3gyOSeFHN-2wIhor7YTNJ_TOKtHlUL2jgInCQQfsSVRRfyjelPBmtEeprkQrvLU_d-jZD8tzPEUL-5MfIJeyg/s1600/IMG_2070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLS-AtryBYpbmC8PrMlMWzLA7ZtQwxtpfPKOjKsxqI5UR9-9l9sfTEQ3gyOSeFHN-2wIhor7YTNJ_TOKtHlUL2jgInCQQfsSVRRfyjelPBmtEeprkQrvLU_d-jZD8tzPEUL-5MfIJeyg/s320/IMG_2070.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br /></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Anyone with any knowledge and practical experience of
constructing shelters in the woods knows that building the door first is a very
back to front way of going about the task in hand. Adding a door to your
shelter is a great way of improving it’s efficiency, keeping heat in and foul weather
out. The fire draw is improved sending the smoke straight up and out through
the smoke hole while shutting out the draught reduces firewood consumption
dramatically. Having the ability to construct a door will make your shelter
feel like a home, but…from a survival point of view, your first priority has to
be getting a roof over your head and providing immediate protection from the
elements. On this occasion however, due to the experimental nature of the build
and the fact that there was no-one around to tell me otherwise, I decided to
invest my time in making a sturdy door that would hinge open and closed and
last for a fair few years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
This was an exciting prospect! Making a hinged shelter door
that echoed the craftsmanship of my beloved and ancient workshop door,
completely free of any metalwork or iron fixings is an itch I’d been wanting to
scratch ever since I’d clapped eyes on it at the reclamation yard years before.
With only a minimalistic set of tools, this would be a real challenge. In fact,
the only concession to the tools I normally carried with me in my pack for long
trips (small sheath knife, folding pocket saw, small crook knife, homemade
folding bucksaw and a Swedish axe) was a traditional hand operated bit brace
for drilling holes. The ability to drill holes in wood launches your woodland
joinery forward several centuries, enabling the construction of proper pegged mortise
and tenon joints, uniformal and speedy joints for chairs, benches and stools,
in fact any number of ambitious carpentry antics. My previous attempts at
improvised hole drilling in wood had included burning holes either with
carefully managed hot coals or by rotating a hard wooden spindle until a
charred hole was formed. Clamping a triangular section of flint and even a
metal drill bit in the spindle of a bow drill set had also worked well enough
but all these methods were time consuming and exhausting. I concluded that if I
ever embarked on an expedition where some fancy furniture for camp would be
required I would quite happily pack a bit brace in my pack and suffer the 3lb
weight penalty. Otherwise, I’d just lash stuff together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, with the addition of the bit brace well
and truly justified (in my head anyway) I set to work.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLi6cpCKexm25ygAvhZCHQAdGOLAbAyxu9lkPtNEFnJIQK-bsUQ5r_kklVLrv77WMYRTbRv8Bg688XQ0GbZuOR-KzoC6f1qPvxJw0dzXELC67tSMMBATY1jbxDj0Kk7AQVR_pExKhHIts/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+log+split+a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIsh_iYY7J5V2qT29c29y9IgaPxSDJA0BcDBs5VN4mm1g6ZXrlpz4sUXwXxagGiEDbmFHFA4rGBTizLjjsTYc6CrEntnYctX37dM-I1BW6W-u_5xM8Z8KYlULJSxal6e4S2Zn7gPnWiI/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+splitting+planks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIsh_iYY7J5V2qT29c29y9IgaPxSDJA0BcDBs5VN4mm1g6ZXrlpz4sUXwXxagGiEDbmFHFA4rGBTizLjjsTYc6CrEntnYctX37dM-I1BW6W-u_5xM8Z8KYlULJSxal6e4S2Zn7gPnWiI/s320/Joe-shelter+door+splitting+planks.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
A silver birch tree had recently fallen across the track
resulting in a long section needing to be sawn free to re-open access to camp.
The trunk was pretty thick and the wood quite straight grained by the looks of
it so I decided to split it into as many planks as possible forming the bulk of
the door, but first I would have to use my carried steel tools to create more task
specific tools from local materials. A thick length of hazel was hastily hacked
into a set of splitting wedges whilst a seasoned ash limb became my maul, one
end whittled into a hand sized handle. By starting off the central split with
my axe and maul then extending it along the grain with the hazel wedges, the
birch cleaved in half cleanly and evenly, followed suit (amazingly) by each of
those two halves splitting perfectly again with very little tapering off. Four good
planks from one log, bonus! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLapHVkV7ypwv0dvcHI9n6B-S6CjHZfk4nCGQnmAknjx3LLooqc8Mx9IzAkqWbltE8JIx4ki1n8CU7z3LqkvCH0jsIGDwFaWRqH0Cb0BGNBY5HCQ0CKNfitfXDjZCS4LaoQECS5E7f3jU/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+four+split+planks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLapHVkV7ypwv0dvcHI9n6B-S6CjHZfk4nCGQnmAknjx3LLooqc8Mx9IzAkqWbltE8JIx4ki1n8CU7z3LqkvCH0jsIGDwFaWRqH0Cb0BGNBY5HCQ0CKNfitfXDjZCS4LaoQECS5E7f3jU/s320/Joe-shelter+door+four+split+planks.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next I needed a hinging post which would ideally have two
bracing bars sprouting out of it to fix the planks to. After the extremely
jammy plank splitting episode I expected to find the perfect piece straight
away but it wasn’t to be. An extended trek through the coppice eventually
revealed a fallen, horizontal hazel which had a well developed sun shoot
growing out of it at almost 90 degrees, giving me one integral conjoined bracing
bar. The second, lower bracing bar could be dovetailed in place. The birch
planks were flatted and smoothed with a few careful slicing cuts from the axe
and laid side by side ready to be joined together. With the second bracing bar
housed into the hinging post by way of a dovetailed half lap joint, I was ready
to drill the first peg hole. Both parts of the dovetail joint were green wood and
so very easy to drill. I whittled the round, tight fitting peg from seasoned
ash, the theory being that as the green wood dries and shrinks around the
already seasoned peg, the drilled hole will naturally distort into an oval
shape, squeezing the wedged peg even tighter.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgJ5suq69NtI4zATVTZ3nrNXtpQSZSgjB1JKmiAxXyyi7J1v1gK2ae2513m938FD3VxoB4Sbc-pywDx09BEPFPQFwAYH76M_27r5sHYieye5c15S6g_Y-PsToB4t8OkpWkSjvsVoICZw/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+wedged+peg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgJ5suq69NtI4zATVTZ3nrNXtpQSZSgjB1JKmiAxXyyi7J1v1gK2ae2513m938FD3VxoB4Sbc-pywDx09BEPFPQFwAYH76M_27r5sHYieye5c15S6g_Y-PsToB4t8OkpWkSjvsVoICZw/s320/Joe-shelter+door+wedged+peg.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before hammering the peg through
both halves of the joint, I carved a leading edge on the face and made a saw
cut in each end to accept the wedge (saw cuts were made at 90 degrees to each
other to avoid the peg splitting in two). Depth of cut was important as the saw
cut had to extend down into the joint to allow the wedge to splay and holdfast.
The wedges needed to be even harder than the ash so, imagining my poor knife
blade wincing at the thought I opted for some nearby, ultra hard ‘bone oak’ and
whittled up a couple. Finally, the first peg was hammered home then fixed
firmly in place with a bone oak wedge in each end. Solid as a rock! Spurred on
by the success of what looked to me like an extremely neat, effective bit of
back woods carpentry, lunch was hurriedly scoffed on the hoof as each plank was
then fixed to the two bracing bars in exactly the same way. With every peg
wedged firmly in place the door could be stood up and propped on a corner with
absolutely no movement in the joints at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1yXRLGS1vwrEBoZAqXlffnGotAJQ8UZgDr5fdb1D8vvLvPPOcEDIkZ4g6Tq04rzoiPpLoznLNe3-uTg9CImUoGRWbrqeNkddIrobhpKUGJWlXE-6zMTnDpGPdPlvxYAmioVsFy6M044/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+drilling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1yXRLGS1vwrEBoZAqXlffnGotAJQ8UZgDr5fdb1D8vvLvPPOcEDIkZ4g6Tq04rzoiPpLoznLNe3-uTg9CImUoGRWbrqeNkddIrobhpKUGJWlXE-6zMTnDpGPdPlvxYAmioVsFy6M044/s320/Joe-shelter+door+drilling.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The hinging post had been left to protrude a good hands
width from the top and bottom of the planks. Both protrusions (we’ll call these
hinge nubbins) were then rounded off and whittled as smooth as possible to
reduce friction as the door swivelled open and shut in it’s frame. I wasn’t
sure how the frame would be built into the shelter at this point so I selected
two sturdy, seasoned hazel logs to form the all-important top and bottom pieces
(lintel and sill) which would clamp the door in place. These were left overly
long to be built into the shelter framework at a later date. A bit of nifty
crook knife work later and both sill and lintel had a smooth, hollow socket
ready to accept the rounded protrusions on the hinging post. With frame pieces
temporarily held in place clamping down over the hinge nubbins, the door
creaked open and shut with a noise befitting of your average haunted mansion!
Suspecting some binding in the bottom socket I hunted around in some nearby
flint knapping debris and found a nice little disc which fitted the base of the
socket nicely. Now, with nubbins held in corresponding sockets and the full
weight of the door sitting on a smooth flinty surface, it swung back and forth
beautifully.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorWv5hKcbWQC23NNtWtvL-43cBZNXotuRX2h1NQwI77MAv7pArEMg7YToYxr4wwsg9x1RUQwyJuRF1ky2imbQmIfVdOL0uEkhd6XGJvchw_3e05ZjLqRiOjIRAGDBZb6nfv9Apvatrxc/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+close+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorWv5hKcbWQC23NNtWtvL-43cBZNXotuRX2h1NQwI77MAv7pArEMg7YToYxr4wwsg9x1RUQwyJuRF1ky2imbQmIfVdOL0uEkhd6XGJvchw_3e05ZjLqRiOjIRAGDBZb6nfv9Apvatrxc/s320/Joe-shelter+door+close+up.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0BMseIIzhL8_2vI-5TKvFpSSd77ziLkrtUUxminrp4R56PVQNFa_UuQ2u7UdVf5V9JZRIicSP5ApCu7YefINn8QjGr73Vhjsu9Wogib-7CuMqZsd5GxwNZuhLnWTNEdwUQ840SmD-QY/s1600/Joe-shelter+door+handle+latch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0BMseIIzhL8_2vI-5TKvFpSSd77ziLkrtUUxminrp4R56PVQNFa_UuQ2u7UdVf5V9JZRIicSP5ApCu7YefINn8QjGr73Vhjsu9Wogib-7CuMqZsd5GxwNZuhLnWTNEdwUQ840SmD-QY/s320/Joe-shelter+door+handle+latch.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By way of an encore and now fighting against the setting
sun, I whittled like fury to knock out a pleasantly curved door handle and
thumb type latch before nightfall. Using my head-torch as a makeshift stage light
I proudly leaned the solid plank door against a tree to observe my work, a
fitting homage to the unknown craftsman who had toiled away on my workshop door
centuries before. I think he would’ve been chuffed to know that his work had
inspired me several lifetimes later. Having to stop work and sleep now seemed
unfair. I almost couldn’t wait to get started on the rest of the shelter so
that my new door could have a purpose in life. Images of how the finished
shelter might look filled my head - walls of woven hazel, strong sloping
rafters stained black with wood-smoke supporting a thick thatch of leaves and
bracken, room to stretch out, sleep, cook and work. A home for all weathers
made from nature, using only the tools in my back pack and the knowledge in my
head. The true essence of bushcraft!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lVWQQqdJ_qyV52yghRdJMCldDWMZZDtNoJNKFTPPiuHJ2LpEZ7EJb-xrWAwoSXfAS0jf1kc1S86XBsu6zEN3nEtSBnkcSZxMxd2G381zgLMiW8P2EtMYjwvD8roBrIMRVIdWCKgGnuU/s1600/189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lVWQQqdJ_qyV52yghRdJMCldDWMZZDtNoJNKFTPPiuHJ2LpEZ7EJb-xrWAwoSXfAS0jf1kc1S86XBsu6zEN3nEtSBnkcSZxMxd2G381zgLMiW8P2EtMYjwvD8roBrIMRVIdWCKgGnuU/s320/189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The finished and hung door. Note the hinging design - protruding nubbins clamped between two carved sockets on the fixed frame. While you're looking at it check out the integral top brace, the natural sun shoot from the fallen hazel which became the hinging post. Took me ages to find that...</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><em><strong>Tune in for part two tomorrow to see the <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/building-long-term-shelter-part-2.html?showComment=1383467643207#c6803102144236749142">finished shelter</a> and a
step by step account of the build.</strong></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV4YPDm2hBGDOeJMqYVR_HATyn_WGNgQj6_fsHTDaIiPbbBH59vx2c6doPMW7RhDj8llFDFqceWA5J3909DQSoWUYUTv4c_RI2LDYbyVY79UAM1VcDr70986IeXdSnhit732WK6sgTvY/s1600/197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV4YPDm2hBGDOeJMqYVR_HATyn_WGNgQj6_fsHTDaIiPbbBH59vx2c6doPMW7RhDj8llFDFqceWA5J3909DQSoWUYUTv4c_RI2LDYbyVY79UAM1VcDr70986IeXdSnhit732WK6sgTvY/s320/197.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-52252283291074748432013-09-11T02:04:00.000-07:002013-09-19T03:40:18.420-07:00The Advanced Crafts week 4th - 11th August 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHMXaJGRGL-TohB1CnrqGkOCQzUhAm9QaEdaywbWhQU8pwHzCSg_g5ylt_npQAETvKSv389Vyr43pRZjpvvzBsTEpvDcfUy7LlnvSMmTvTqOZG-Sa6-LjGmwKOV6-dZTeiS9Bsf_tazc/s1600/IMG_2784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHMXaJGRGL-TohB1CnrqGkOCQzUhAm9QaEdaywbWhQU8pwHzCSg_g5ylt_npQAETvKSv389Vyr43pRZjpvvzBsTEpvDcfUy7LlnvSMmTvTqOZG-Sa6-LjGmwKOV6-dZTeiS9Bsf_tazc/s320/IMG_2784.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Advanced Crafts week ran a few weeks back. This is definitely a highlight of the year for me and the 2013 course was the best attended we've had so far in the five years it's been running. For the students, it's an experience to work up to for sure, as it both confirms and develops previously gained survival skills and moves further towards long term survival and self reliance in the wilds. The course is hard work, it takes no prisoners so a basic standard of survival and bushcraft experience must be acquired before signing up. The Advanced Crafts student must already have built and lived in a natural shelter, know how to light fire in all weathers, make and use a bow drill fire lighting set, handle sharp cutting tools efficiently and safely, prepare and cook wild game and fish, have a working knowledge of wild foods, making cordage from natural materials and carving green wooden items such as spoons and spatulas. Our annual course program is arranged in such a way that the necessary experience can be gained in the early part of the year through the <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/wilderness-awakening/">Wilderness Awakening five day course</a> or even a combination of a <a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/bushcraft-weekend/">Bushcraft Weekend</a> and several day courses to get up to speed in more specific areas not covered during the weekend. Students may already have the skills required, gained through other schools or their own learning. Many students sign up for both the Wilderness Awakening and the Advanced Crafts week together and use the time between courses to practice skills and build on knowledge.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, what can they expect from the week? Arrival (as with most of our courses) is around 7pm the evening before to allow time for late arrivals and give the students a chance to settle in. A detailed briefing plus a few words of advice are given around the campfire with a chance to iron out any creases and ask questions. The following morning all excess kit must be left back at camp and armed only with a handful of key items, the students head off to build a home for the coming week. Shelter design is important and students have several considerations which contribute towards this. Firstly, they only have one wool blanket each as bedding. They also have limited tools (small knife and folding saw), must build something that they can sleep, live, cook and work in for the whole week. They have a heavy daily workload but must cook all their own meals too. It's no surprise that everyone decides on a group shelter of some sort to spread the load!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_HDk9tsEEPBN0Zu8oGo8OARmRmPwMqWe9BzlNc6WOhbvBfiJcW6bpaa_xzCe7TazoPrRP75AEDR2MCwKVTJaFgJ36PdvN_6c_TPHDlgGyBoBqOBuLOWF2FXcAKHTYLTvrlShukWe-e0/s1600/IMG_2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_HDk9tsEEPBN0Zu8oGo8OARmRmPwMqWe9BzlNc6WOhbvBfiJcW6bpaa_xzCe7TazoPrRP75AEDR2MCwKVTJaFgJ36PdvN_6c_TPHDlgGyBoBqOBuLOWF2FXcAKHTYLTvrlShukWe-e0/s320/IMG_2010.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUT-K183LveVKphnt5z5kRZ029K-6Oow97cZF1ojBDq6U0x3DVTpcSIud74DWHWaN61K1vgiMKXmK8RfXrZHEkJlkVLqMvJbnh_tuFu7XiyOCULKkv5ILbdMkzXqGU2NTq8VShC0eqvY/s1600/IMG_1589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food is supplied for the first day but it must be cooked before being eaten. The only available method of lighting fire is the bow and drill and with all the materials needing to gathered from the woods on the day, this becomes a high priority group effort. Many students, already proficient in this area are surprised at how increased pressure and fewer calories (resulting in less energy) affect their bow drilling efforts. However, there is no other choice so one way or another, the fire always gets lit...and once it does it's never allowed to go out!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SGt3jWkPRxA8s15PwJ37z02gxTgc0_wucas-sCk1A5H5D9QHNEIjx5iL7f67QHHGmDwMOA3SeDQW-8CQc1N1NzpFjdXEcE4FU5QsdIcqtHAF_4W2pFxRaLqNH-5keuD2IsjaV05nIHw/s1600/IMG_1589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SGt3jWkPRxA8s15PwJ37z02gxTgc0_wucas-sCk1A5H5D9QHNEIjx5iL7f67QHHGmDwMOA3SeDQW-8CQc1N1NzpFjdXEcE4FU5QsdIcqtHAF_4W2pFxRaLqNH-5keuD2IsjaV05nIHw/s320/IMG_1589.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fire means warmth and light at night, a means to preserve food, hot drinks, dry clothing and of course FOOD!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWKxb791QomaUjUupAUqOh9wH_ZEBTezodlKBr82EmTOFGqIZzOG6OPDQIfxKGeKybCfNjxKET9027DCVYbc80XImCmyt2NHMxt3-4hK1EJRTuHlAOQAYWs9LaZPTonQTybvF9bSK3a8/s1600/IMG_1607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWKxb791QomaUjUupAUqOh9wH_ZEBTezodlKBr82EmTOFGqIZzOG6OPDQIfxKGeKybCfNjxKET9027DCVYbc80XImCmyt2NHMxt3-4hK1EJRTuHlAOQAYWs9LaZPTonQTybvF9bSK3a8/s320/IMG_1607.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The general theme of the week is going beyond the basics for survival outdoors and looking at crafts and advanced skills which improve the quality of the outdoors man or woman. Shelter building, bed making, fire building and maintenance, cooking wild foods...all these subjects are most definitely crafts and should be developed to a higher level. This is why the challenge of day one is included....and it gives the instructors the chance to put their feet up and have a brew.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Day one is a wake up call for sure but the feeling of satisfaction at having achieved such a huge amount in such a relatively short time is immense. Relaxation time is short lived however as the following morning begins with a large game butchery session, followed by the first stages of hide preparation in order to make buckskin, rawhide or hair on hides/furs. The whole week is a whirlwind of advanced bush crafts and traditional skills instruction, all of it practical and hands on, everyone getting involved with their own projects. In addition to this, the students have to cook for themselves (all ingredients are provided, any wild game still needs preparing, some meals require foraged ingredients to be included). They also have to consider their basic needs such as improving their shelter's weatherproofing, plumping up their natural mattresses and keeping their central heating chugging away through the night. All of this requires some good old fashioned hard graft - nobody else is going to come along and do it for them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBlijIyyaFRguhnUrE19Ahx9toZLEuK343orbGRwFwcP540Hs9B0V7ZJIc_12m3q3gGJJDUEYnz1NP-L5De_S29Wfm2z1wHcLUNpQOPEQkwyIty_5nGKbLa_TFSJ_kUBT6oCxvqk5q5E/s1600/IMG_1480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBlijIyyaFRguhnUrE19Ahx9toZLEuK343orbGRwFwcP540Hs9B0V7ZJIc_12m3q3gGJJDUEYnz1NP-L5De_S29Wfm2z1wHcLUNpQOPEQkwyIty_5nGKbLa_TFSJ_kUBT6oCxvqk5q5E/s320/IMG_1480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The various crafts included are based on a logical progression of the students existing skill set. Making use of wild game by-products (sinews, skins, furs, bones and antlers) to make clothing, equipment, cordage and tools makes perfect sense so traditional hide working features heavily. By the end of the week, each student will have made their own brain tan, smoked buckskin from start to finish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde3-sDuoBkMEkJ8olbDRt4SI9GjiM-F0l_mVDgNld5Ca3yOqmyeR1M8Bo8c15svZTz_8yS9nhRTFlGVVJA7y4iNR5QO5X_rzcBXqg8M_FCCAvB1YveZqQ-CMMAHFyqoVriOQi8lteOvE/s1600/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde3-sDuoBkMEkJ8olbDRt4SI9GjiM-F0l_mVDgNld5Ca3yOqmyeR1M8Bo8c15svZTz_8yS9nhRTFlGVVJA7y4iNR5QO5X_rzcBXqg8M_FCCAvB1YveZqQ-CMMAHFyqoVriOQi8lteOvE/s320/IMG_2633.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Weaving natural materials into baskets, containers and fish traps is a natural progression of learning how to manipulate and shape plant fibres into string, rope, bender shelters. Students had a choice this year of learning how to weave a basket or a fish trap. The skills needed to do both are very similar so although the end result is different, the valuable skills developed in achieving it are the same. Our goal is to send everyone away with a grasp of each skill shown during the week - anything they've made is really considered a bonus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ljxv9H6szdm1jXYD1sB9Yu3z9aLSbfp1V7teZTGxSOQOhN_hDd4AuXfKqriwpTV6uuM2yhInUDIaTbqnxobYCtv4_WyhbmOWoci9fTeKGCGegKUbuuDPeCNsqqFMX_0cGzbQ0d4jdhs/s1600/IMG_1823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ljxv9H6szdm1jXYD1sB9Yu3z9aLSbfp1V7teZTGxSOQOhN_hDd4AuXfKqriwpTV6uuM2yhInUDIaTbqnxobYCtv4_WyhbmOWoci9fTeKGCGegKUbuuDPeCNsqqFMX_0cGzbQ0d4jdhs/s320/IMG_1823.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The axe is a hugely important tool of the backwoodsman or woman. The safe felling, limbing, splitting and sectioning of small trees is included in the schedule as well as finer carving techniques. In addition to this, more advanced carving techniques are shown such as the use of curved gouges, hollowing hand tools and holding devices made on site...the end result being that every student takes home a wooden cup or bowl too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6BVJPmtCyB4NqfsSqmvDQzzWJ8HndH4l3Ao0oMPZnX_8QnKpXCGEjR8QC15tgHy_LDeRxzrlylr-8KORVJP-z_bkQ8RNcc9UAJVb-9tbSuKSKp68RuX0t8pZ0lrgLcrSVeVYTZcueVc/s1600/IMG_2266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6BVJPmtCyB4NqfsSqmvDQzzWJ8HndH4l3Ao0oMPZnX_8QnKpXCGEjR8QC15tgHy_LDeRxzrlylr-8KORVJP-z_bkQ8RNcc9UAJVb-9tbSuKSKp68RuX0t8pZ0lrgLcrSVeVYTZcueVc/s320/IMG_2266.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lastly, with sharp edged tools featuring so heavily during all of our courses along with the need to feel capable and self sufficient, maximising the use of natural resources, we couldn't run a week like this without including a day of working flint to make sharp tools. Flint knapping is extremely technical so students shouldn't expect to be able to craft a Danish crested dagger by the end of the week but they can get a good grasp of the theories behind breaking rocks and obtaining useable, incredibly sharp flakes. Refining techniques are also covered for those who get the bug and wish to take it further.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKW9ZPVKvbfFWwxtRLvK8-0j1X3rnDQkl3exliUaiSNRacmFpI7SU6t0ej0u97uXJzyEwDuKmYjwb1xEmP9Uxo97T9Jwaad_QhVNRlO_l9diVrDxIVjvjukcLZEgAEWW84O086a8__Sc/s1600/IMG_1921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKW9ZPVKvbfFWwxtRLvK8-0j1X3rnDQkl3exliUaiSNRacmFpI7SU6t0ej0u97uXJzyEwDuKmYjwb1xEmP9Uxo97T9Jwaad_QhVNRlO_l9diVrDxIVjvjukcLZEgAEWW84O086a8__Sc/s320/IMG_1921.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The last day is set aside for consolidation of the craft projects started during the week. It's usually a blur of whittling, weaving, carving and hafting flint arrow heads into shafts. All too quickly the week is over but the evidence of everyone's hard work is easy to see! I like to think of this course doing a damn good job of turning out students who have a much better understanding of bush craft, a more complete picture and a greater personal experience of exactly what is required to live comfortably out doors with very little. It helps complete the jigsaw and gives all those attending a real appreciation of how every tree, plant and creature can, and has helped us through the ages and how important they should be in everyones lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nek6xA_aNvBNAM9wWddDg-CWYFOwXouq-1e02IZWcIZVkFcXT_LGvNo4ZdGdBJIP8kxt051qLYfBx9CufCXj8654taWGKnaGQ9QgkPHUMgSa_DGKpBCjXd94f0AD94EzKzabd_UgNVQ/s1600/IMG_2840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9nek6xA_aNvBNAM9wWddDg-CWYFOwXouq-1e02IZWcIZVkFcXT_LGvNo4ZdGdBJIP8kxt051qLYfBx9CufCXj8654taWGKnaGQ9QgkPHUMgSa_DGKpBCjXd94f0AD94EzKzabd_UgNVQ/s320/IMG_2840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>For more images taken during the Advanced Crafts week, check out the
facebook gallery for that course </strong></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152176338683065.1073741830.75399658064&type=3"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>here</strong></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>.</strong></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Next stop...the <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-week-in-wilds-part-1.html">Hunter Gatherer week</a>!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkomnBnSqFzPCRRRZMklYS5qKUYnUr47h4weOk2pYq9zYrGa8PzITCO90DTL6bGE8Ym18pcHwAYcStHM8k4SkfW-FHD9UMKgAwbaFUIcs4jvXWq37pQigN6QSGtqPNlWZSrirHDZ5QlbA/s1600/IMG_2780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkomnBnSqFzPCRRRZMklYS5qKUYnUr47h4weOk2pYq9zYrGa8PzITCO90DTL6bGE8Ym18pcHwAYcStHM8k4SkfW-FHD9UMKgAwbaFUIcs4jvXWq37pQigN6QSGtqPNlWZSrirHDZ5QlbA/s320/IMG_2780.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-75037635286303973392013-08-29T07:12:00.002-07:002013-08-29T13:25:19.972-07:00Putting together a realistic survival kit and ‘grab bag’:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCG5oy0ne1wXVsRgQTe_J8Oc_VWBKGJzAYOqCYjjR-Jv0Vlafm7X4I02BRxhovGr7f1VnY-FuH_yY-0it-CaeIgVp4ziLr9x9qyaEb0aEfD7-v9lkjW0mgEP4UsnfZfNA-9Yw-wLg9i6s/s1600/IMG_7858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCG5oy0ne1wXVsRgQTe_J8Oc_VWBKGJzAYOqCYjjR-Jv0Vlafm7X4I02BRxhovGr7f1VnY-FuH_yY-0it-CaeIgVp4ziLr9x9qyaEb0aEfD7-v9lkjW0mgEP4UsnfZfNA-9Yw-wLg9i6s/s320/IMG_7858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is my firm belief that the forward thinking outdoors person should always strive to develop his or her knowledge and </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">improvisational abilities before relying on a survival kit. However, as any boy scout worth his salt will tell you we should </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">always be prepared when heading off the beaten track. Carrying an ‘off the shelf’ survival kit of some sort will tick that </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">preparedness box and the classic survival tin comes up trumps as a very small, lightweight and unobtrusive option. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, the user must still have specialized training in order to use it effectively to improvise shelter, create warmth </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">by lighting a fire, turn the little hooks and line into a fish supper and so on. As an emergency pocket kit in an environment </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">where shelter building materials, water and fire wood are available the tin comes into it’s own but surrounded by natural </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">resources, the properly prepared survivor should already feel confident that their knowledge, training and experience </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">could compensate for many of the items in the tin (although a good knife and cooking pot would be handy…). For </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">adventurous types planning to head out into the wilderness it makes a lot of sense to spend time contemplating what </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">situation they’re most likely to have to survive in the first place!</span></span><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I base my survival kit around the conditions found in the wilder, more remote parts of the UK and similar environments, </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">where one or more nights on an exposed hill side, possibly injured, possibly lost with limited available materials for </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">fire lighting and shelter construction are potentially lethal and fairly commonplace. I also base it on some sound advice f</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">rom <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mors_Kochanski">Mors Kochanski</a>, that the wise outdoors person should always carry enough equipment and clothing to sit out a storm </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">or potential survival situation in relative comfort until rescued or can rescue themselves. Relative comfort! Those are two </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">words most people wouldn’t expect to hear in conjunction with an article about survival kits! It’s a lot to ask from such a </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">small package but the makings of a good kit should include…</span></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
</span></span><ul><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Effective and immediate protection from the elements</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A method of providing external warmth and/or maximizing body-heat retention</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Equipment to call in rescue or alert potential rescuers</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Equipment to gather and sterilize water</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Equipment to repair kit or improvise using locally found materials</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Direction finding equipment</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Some basic first aid kit</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">An emergency ration</span></div>
</li>
</span></span></span></ul>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Now, this is an article I’ve written before a few years back but circumstances, knowledge and kit are always changing so </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">the contents of my own survival kit have recently been updated slightly. The superb team at <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/">Alpkit</a> sent me a few </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">goodies, some of which I already use as part of my standard kit and some which I hadn’t had the chance to use yet. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">You’ll see many of them listed here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><br /></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">As stated previously, my kit is based on reality and also ease of use. Rather than being something I squirrel away on the off </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">chance I’ll fall out of a plane and land in the Amazonian jungle, my survival kit has many items in that are used more </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">regularly. They are just arranged in a way that will (hopefully) ensure I have the most important bits with me when it </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">matters</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">. It’s a two stage system; stage one features a small but comprehensive bag of ‘bits and bobs’ easily plucked from </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">my main rucksack and carried on my person in a situation where I might not want to carry my main pack or might </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">not be able to (travelling cross country in a vehicle, crossing a river or mucking about in a canoe). It is designed to provide </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">everything needed for survival in an unexpected situation on it’s own but also form the foundations of any outdoor kit list, </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">no matter how big or small, providing a sensible bridge between the tiny pocket kit and a full complement of gear.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Stage two is a ‘grab bag’ which is larger but allows for greater scope, even to the extent of it being a ‘grab and go’ </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">lightweight daysack for micro adventures. It covers most emergency eventualities and even holds a few luxuries for day to </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">day use. Both the ‘bits and bobs’ bag and the ‘grab bag’ can be carried at the top of a main pack (all your essential kit in one</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> neat package) or as a standalone emergency/unexpected hike into the hills lightweight kit kept in the car. In the winter, I’ll </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">often swap the Nalgene bottle for a stainless steel flask of hot chocolate and carry the grab bag as my lightweight running </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">pack when heading off the beaten track. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">So, the stage one ‘bits and bobs’ bag…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0440uyFkc6EVngkP_bKzbcslFvNlVEqmXeDKLkr0u2CDAp4YM0LeblX26WlzsVrGr_bhZfb_Qb0A2Vb_AdX6TlASd6dY7FwQNC3-UwWlaRTJTxMzdXp8HPIFJKopUB2pq5GuBfXPXsA/s1600/IMG_3015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0440uyFkc6EVngkP_bKzbcslFvNlVEqmXeDKLkr0u2CDAp4YM0LeblX26WlzsVrGr_bhZfb_Qb0A2Vb_AdX6TlASd6dY7FwQNC3-UwWlaRTJTxMzdXp8HPIFJKopUB2pq5GuBfXPXsA/s320/IMG_3015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I use an Alpkit <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16469&category_id=296">‘airlok xtra’</a> 3 litre stuff sack. These are tough little roll top dry bags with well thought out fixing points for </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">lashing them to your pack, mountain bike etc. They come with an handy webbing strap but I like to use 550 paracord, </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">doubled over instead. This makes a fine ‘baldric’ style across the body carry strap but can also be taken off and used for </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">spare boot laces, shelter building or any number of strong cordage related tasks (I once witnessed a couple of crazy Para’s </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">abseiling out of a window on a doubled over length, although I strongly recommend you don’t do this…). The airlock range </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">also come in red, which makes a first rate first aid kit bag. Being fairly heavy duty means that they float pretty well if </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">accidentally dropped in the water (sealed obviously) but are also great as an emergency water carrier with just under 3 litres </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">capacity!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm -90pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">All the following items fit inside this bag…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N8ImnTpCj_oJhwJ09lVjLeZs2qWWTiEI1Yd21d7ypGb4mRQABuAj9A6s5en0oYL3uJNJLE0b78VOtwVptEpUJmcriwb7MWkZZKb-iJbhyphenhyphen2yqFfQE91l7wTSH5WTaXUa11wxp81A-UTY/s1600/IMG_3020a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N8ImnTpCj_oJhwJ09lVjLeZs2qWWTiEI1Yd21d7ypGb4mRQABuAj9A6s5en0oYL3uJNJLE0b78VOtwVptEpUJmcriwb7MWkZZKb-iJbhyphenhyphen2yqFfQE91l7wTSH5WTaXUa11wxp81A-UTY/s320/IMG_3020a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Alpkit ‘<a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16256&category_id=283">Mytimug</a>’, a titanium mug complete with lid. A lot of
the smaller items fit inside this incredibly lightweight but strong boiling
vessel. A metal mug rates highly among my survival items – through personal
experimentation I’ve found that it’s one of the few items you’ll struggle to
improvise effectively from nature…but so important for sterilizing water and
cooking food. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. A good headtorch (this one’s an Alpkit <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=17007&category_id=288">‘manta’</a>) with spare
batteries. Carry another in your main pack and treat this one as back up. When
you’re out in the hills and your main torch batteries die, you’ll want to be
able to do a straight swap for another good quality lighting system rather than
fiddle about changing batteries in the cold darkness!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Heliograph signal mirror<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. ‘Mylar’ reflective survival blanket. Extremely small and
lightweight but will offer protection from the elements while maximizing
retention of your radiated body heat too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Lightweight orange plastic survival bag by BCB. Provides
additional protection as a bivi bag, can be slit open and made into a shelter
sheet or even weighted down with rocks as a highly visible marker panel for
rescue aircraft<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. Mesh, insect proof headnet. Additionally useful as a
‘shopping bag’ for foraged food, catching fish, melting snow, bank robbers
disguise<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">7. Small tin of highly effective insect repellent (this one is
by Nordic Summer). This is one of those items that can’t really be classed as a
survival item but you’ll be glad of it once you’re out in the woods<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">8. A good quality multi tool. Several cutting options with a
mini tool kit attached and the pliers are a real bonus too. Not meant to be a
work horse but handy for light use or in an emergency<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">9. Pocket sharpening system. Again, not essential for survival
but it’s tiny, weighs virtually nothing and handy to have if you use sharp
cutting tools a lot. This one is a <a href="http://www.fallkniven.com/en/shop/details/369/13/sharpeners/dc4">Fallkniven DC4<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">10. Fire lighting kit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Swedish ‘scout’ fire steel, lifeboat matches, some fat wood (highly
resinous pine) and waxed tinder card. Fire steels give a huge shower of hot
sparks, are virtually ever lasting, work even when wet and can be used in a
gloved fist if dexterity is beginning to go in cold conditions. Can also be
used to signal for a long way on a dark hill side. I also pack a candle - will
make a snow cave feel like ‘home’ and raise the temperature a couple of degrees
too<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">11. A small but proper Silva compass plus a good quality whistle
for alerting rescuers. The internationally recognized distress signal is six
whistle blasts in quick succession followed by a minutes silence to listen for
a response. Even after a response keep whistling until found!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">12. Power bars as a high energy emergency ration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">13. Water purification tablets and a large transparent plastic
bag. The bag can be used to collect rain water and as a transpiration bag for
collecting evaporating water from non-poisonous foliage. I also include several
paper coffee filters as a lightweight filtering system<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">14. Trapping and fishing kit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Several brass wire rabbit snares (pre-dulled) and some strong line,
small hooks and lead weights. It’s unlikely you’ll need to use these items but
you never know…and they’re incredibly useful for making running repairs on your
gear<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">15. Repair kit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More 550
paracord, some incredibly thin but strong ‘comms’ cord and a small roll of
gaffa tape. Gaffa tape mends waterproof clothing, holds kit together, straps up
a twisted ankle. Nuff said! Assorted needles and strong thread are also
included but more for clothing repairs than ‘Rambo’ style surgery…hopefully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">16. Very basic pocket first aid kit – purple Nitrile gloves (for
dealing with other group members), a wound irrigation wash, tweezers and tick
remover, assorted plasters, antiseptic wipes, steri strips, safety pins, asprin
and a small field dressing for larger wounds. I’ve also included a small packet
of ‘Celox' a haemostatic clotting agent for serious bleeding<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaII-wsm7SDwDUDXBEY_jAsQ-DfVX5RpMvVHUk9QIje-v4mVeQmxxNwMhTdQzP6-sihow8a-r4iozmOaTT8e5ljsSBByqm0xtbphDWVvWgcpD6m_2J4I8fiFPuA5WHYmFRw_QHoOzGNsQ/s1600/IMG_3077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaII-wsm7SDwDUDXBEY_jAsQ-DfVX5RpMvVHUk9QIje-v4mVeQmxxNwMhTdQzP6-sihow8a-r4iozmOaTT8e5ljsSBByqm0xtbphDWVvWgcpD6m_2J4I8fiFPuA5WHYmFRw_QHoOzGNsQ/s320/IMG_3077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>A small but perfectly formed first aid kit</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJbrTgTwRCOAlPryDYuqsY7zWP4hM1vP9DUCVO3T8bhsCWkWswf2bCDS2L5fPy8nrThUiQXmPMVTMzDR-rx1QaLFPRw2Fn3BHNPzpi4jBLn0I3AE3n6wYBHs7MXcaJLnWuqToDCVnC8E/s1600/IMG_3047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJbrTgTwRCOAlPryDYuqsY7zWP4hM1vP9DUCVO3T8bhsCWkWswf2bCDS2L5fPy8nrThUiQXmPMVTMzDR-rx1QaLFPRw2Fn3BHNPzpi4jBLn0I3AE3n6wYBHs7MXcaJLnWuqToDCVnC8E/s320/IMG_3047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(above) The kit packed up ready to be stowed away. Key items that are most likely to be needed first are kept separate and near the top, easy to locate. The black cordura belt pouch holds the multi tool and sharpening stone. The unpacked kit as it is shown here could all be either worn as separate items on a belt or carried in the pockets of a jacket leaving the airlock bag to be used as a 3 litre water carrier</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5aFzz53hop-qXcGgc8CtNXrfU78ZvXZ31eJCMX7gtESetiBKxheVNHf0sUuyaJlkNbPYtV6z1MQf8cgHBhb23uBvYhTFXjYvbVfCC4zVMAIg2avMtKW1rRQE4QPj_-cM8h2SKqgzKqg/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5aFzz53hop-qXcGgc8CtNXrfU78ZvXZ31eJCMX7gtESetiBKxheVNHf0sUuyaJlkNbPYtV6z1MQf8cgHBhb23uBvYhTFXjYvbVfCC4zVMAIg2avMtKW1rRQE4QPj_-cM8h2SKqgzKqg/s320/IMG_3060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(above) The kit packed and ready for business, shown next to a mobile phone for scale. Love them or loathe them, you would have to be barmy in this day and age to head off into the wilderness without a fully charged mobile phone!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><br /></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Stage two, the grab bag:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span> </div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Many bushcraft or military style rucksacks feature removable side pouches with straps that can be used as a grab bag but I like to carry something made for the job. The excellent Alpkit ‘<a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16379&category_id=296">Gourdon’</a> dry bag day sacks are ideal. Lightweight, waterproof and fitted with comfy straps, mesh pockets and a shockcord stowage system – this is a LOT of daysack for the cash! I like to carry it in the main compartment of my rucksack, near the top as I find this better for weight distribution, especially if my main pack isn’t loaded up for a long trip. Strapping it to the side or slotting it into a side pocket can unbalance things a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The grab bag has my ‘bits and bobs, survival kit forming the foundations of the pack, which has most eventualities covered. With the addition of some very lightweight but completely useable items of kit, an unplanned night on the hill would only cause minor embarrassment rather than hypothermia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctTM6Vk-3lBp66YAQvkkJjpedsdJ8qmRKHiEyXTojXEyxbvoAo0QMRDg9LWnrVBL-TIT8nrh5rhyulqZtDwpz7AVAk-Lv2V5OJmO0aWUy1yQnggOe8v5PHsx_mzCGByP-istBaNE_5tw/s1600/IMG_3102a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctTM6Vk-3lBp66YAQvkkJjpedsdJ8qmRKHiEyXTojXEyxbvoAo0QMRDg9LWnrVBL-TIT8nrh5rhyulqZtDwpz7AVAk-Lv2V5OJmO0aWUy1yQnggOe8v5PHsx_mzCGByP-istBaNE_5tw/s320/IMG_3102a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
</div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">‘Bits and bobs, survival kit<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Alpkit ‘<a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16379&category_id=296">Gourdon</a>’ 20 litre waterproof day sack (they also do a 25 litre version and several other, brighter colours for outdoor folk who want to be seen). The back system is simple but even so, features a removable pad for using as insulation between your bum and the cold ground<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The fantastic ‘<a href="http://www.blizzardsurvival.com/product.php/100/blizzard-survival-bag">Blizzard Bag’</a> a vacuum packed survival bag with a warmth rating of a medium weight sleeping bag!<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Fully charged mobile phone in a waterproof pouch – I normally carry mine in one of the mesh pockets, tethered to the pack<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Extremely warm, hooded jacket. This one is the Alpkit <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16936&category_id=350">Filo jacket</a> with supreme goose down fill. It squashes down incredibly small and weighs next to nothing. I keep a thin merino wool hat and windproof fleece gloves in the pockets<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Nalgene bottle with additional Mytimug fitting snugly on the outside giving additional cookability or just a more readily accessible mug for brews<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">A lightweight, breathable bivi bag for total weather protection out in the open. This one is (you guessed it..) the Alpkit ‘<a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16414&category_id=253">Hunka</a>' which squashes down into it’s own mesh pocket (as shown). An alternative for forest environments might be a lightweight tarp such as the<a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16474&category_id=253"> rig 7,</a> or even a lightweight waterproof poncho with attached guy lines for more versatility <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXR8SAesmc0XaAnMDIWk5XotX3wMyMzKxNhecStiXR6T5bDsk7HR1Wuin3dxf73J4LJbLes5X9Ilz_BRzPfmNsFaWA_dL0TadxjsBysMTdfg65TwtAhvRUjp682TwXgg77Q3uKgh6Ay8/s1600/IMG_3089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXR8SAesmc0XaAnMDIWk5XotX3wMyMzKxNhecStiXR6T5bDsk7HR1Wuin3dxf73J4LJbLes5X9Ilz_BRzPfmNsFaWA_dL0TadxjsBysMTdfg65TwtAhvRUjp682TwXgg77Q3uKgh6Ay8/s320/IMG_3089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em>Alpkit 'Hunka' and 'Filo' jacket</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<ol start="8" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Brew kit, high energy snacks, food for the day, spoon. I also carry a small pack of solid fuel tablets in here with a folding burner and flexible foil windshield for environments where lighting a fire might not be possible<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Belt knife and folding saw, for bushcraftin’<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Warm hat made from an old wool jumper! It doesn’t all have to be hi-tech…</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The above list is assuming that a waterproof jacket is already being worn and a waterproofed map and user compass, carried. Both the waterproof jacket and map case could easily be lashed to the outside of the lightweight pack if needs be, by using the attached shockcord system and mesh pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUeBMeBAaidBQXFO3G7SuSFMoyyHVFXfxMcrKijTeIMtVgo2-90YAVP9wYhCkHW9u5fb5hOsYsJ8QuxvlxcJ1vYkiwAD3bD2KwOdgljcPwuRf2Ef8Gr7wmnkqwafwwUadsKSsBSXB6uI/s1600/IMG_3106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUeBMeBAaidBQXFO3G7SuSFMoyyHVFXfxMcrKijTeIMtVgo2-90YAVP9wYhCkHW9u5fb5hOsYsJ8QuxvlxcJ1vYkiwAD3bD2KwOdgljcPwuRf2Ef8Gr7wmnkqwafwwUadsKSsBSXB6uI/s320/IMG_3106.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><em>The grab bag packed and ready to go</em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Hopefully this article will be of use to you – I’m sure anyone who heads out into the wilds regularly will already have most, if not all of this kit. All I offer here are some tried and tested items of lightweight kit that I use and a packing system that ensures you have key, essential items with you when you need them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Happy wandering!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="justify">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-36773525653305173802013-07-29T09:52:00.004-07:002014-01-05T06:02:34.224-08:00A week in the wilds part 2: Living from the land<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob33kRsx7p6SldEhcaM_D4xYYfT7OfRueaFS10v6KHq1GU_HQDYr2z3aaM0Iy3oa3fs24hWEJ5qdKi9MUbNOKuCFLCfJnXq0391N25RAfLIhtGeL2fxZxrD0hmjCRnrM_RZTt3OiOFGw/s1600/IMG_7864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob33kRsx7p6SldEhcaM_D4xYYfT7OfRueaFS10v6KHq1GU_HQDYr2z3aaM0Iy3oa3fs24hWEJ5qdKi9MUbNOKuCFLCfJnXq0391N25RAfLIhtGeL2fxZxrD0hmjCRnrM_RZTt3OiOFGw/s320/IMG_7864.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Previously on </strong><a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-week-in-wilds-part-1.html"><strong>‘A Week in the Wilds’</strong></a>…..<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(to be said in a silly deep voice..) </span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So far I had
set off into an unfamiliar woodland, equipped with only a small knife, folding
pocket saw, stainless steel cooking pot, a three metre length of parachute cord,
a cloth bag for filtering water, several brass wire snares, some personal
safety equipment (first aid kit, torch, method of communication in an emergency
due to the solo nature of the challenge) a modest quantity of wild meat and the
clothes I stood up in (all natural fibres, some home-made).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Day one had
seen me find a suitable campsite, source water, create fire by friction, build
my shelter and bed from scratch, filter and sterilize the stream water, stock
up on prime fire wood, butcher my muntjac deer, eat some muntjac deer and
preserve the remainder by smoking. My first night without any sleeping gear was
bearable with periods of peaceful slumber interrupted by waking due to the
cold. The fire would be built up high again (thanks to a fair amount of fuel
wood preparation during the day) and peaceful slumber would descend upon me
once more. Day one had been a challenging and tiring day with the end result
being only to have provided myself with the absolute bare essentials for survival
outdoors. A roof over our heads, warmth, water, food, protection – these are
all things we take for granted yet it had taken me all my effort, a whole day
of hard work and several years of training to accomplish this seemingly simple
set of requirements. My strategy had gone pretty much exactly to plan. Any minor
failure at this early stage would’ve set a disastrous domino effect in motion.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNF2ALT4HG0vd5buaNM4al9j5PzjcRRSgHm8smUqL0BMhp4XKwj1UGagdV0rtBa__be3ZFcTIkgTqWFAMVxsmUcFkBCpSQ9yDgTZNLRlsW_ZS7LyGQ_5Duih59KBMxWrx7rW4C_50cKY/s1600/IMG_7554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeNF2ALT4HG0vd5buaNM4al9j5PzjcRRSgHm8smUqL0BMhp4XKwj1UGagdV0rtBa__be3ZFcTIkgTqWFAMVxsmUcFkBCpSQ9yDgTZNLRlsW_ZS7LyGQ_5Duih59KBMxWrx7rW4C_50cKY/s320/IMG_7554.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Home sweet home in the deep dark woods</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course, I
put any success mainly down to the years of training and a positive and confident approach
to the situation but there’s no denying that a certain amount of luck played a
part too. A couple of hours of heavy rain in the morning might’ve painted a
very different picture…</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Day two:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Although in
survival terms, food comes right down at the bottom of the priority list, I
knew that my hard graft to get ahead of the game on day one would all go to
waste if I ignored my daily calorie intake at this stage. Rather than just
purely survival, the object of this week in the wilds was to see how truly self-sufficient
we could be relying mainly on natural resources. I knew that any easily
converted energy stores within my body would’ve been used on day one
for building shelter, lighting the fire, getting through the first night. It would
be a while before my body started tapping into alternative stored energy (fat
and muscle glycogen) and in the meantime, just keeping the fire going and
staying hydrated (can’t access aforementioned alternative stored energy sources
without adequate hydration) would be a slow and sluggish slog. To continue
improving my situation rather than just lie in my shelter waiting for endex, I
would need to invest my time and remaining energy in obtaining some quality
carbohydrates. It has been said that fat burns in a carbohydrate flame meaning
that even a relatively small amount of carbohydrate daily would help tap into
my more than adequate energy reserves. The ultra-lean venison I had slowly
spinning in the smoke from my fire could be only be considered as prime quality
protein for helping to re-build tired muscles, an essential part of a balanced
diet and daily calorific intake and several useful by-products (raw
hide, sinew, bone) but not really an energy boost. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWQ1Vo1k59uDQZmcq3T6uDt6b2VTHxUFd0hLesWkY2lSFnej_vL1hYnM88otDc_8_wXbQ0LMNy4LQvRmKXje78SCy9l58ejF7b8pQVvNz9KMvHEMtb9D6VGKWG4rjrptoe4wB4BXxkY0/s1600/IMG_7553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWQ1Vo1k59uDQZmcq3T6uDt6b2VTHxUFd0hLesWkY2lSFnej_vL1hYnM88otDc_8_wXbQ0LMNy4LQvRmKXje78SCy9l58ejF7b8pQVvNz9KMvHEMtb9D6VGKWG4rjrptoe4wB4BXxkY0/s320/IMG_7553.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Nonetheless,
with a breakfast of skewered venison and a few handfuls of sugar rich
blackberries, fully hydrated on murky but boiled stream water, the fire banked
up with slow burning oak, I set off with an empty daysack to discover what
natures supermarket had to offer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
my initial recce I knew that the tiny stream bordering the woods linked in with
a couple of ponds out in the open fields, a potential habitat for Greater
Reedmace. Greater Reedmace or Cattails (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Typha
latifolia L</i>) is a supreme survival food. Stacked full of starchy
carbohydrates, easy to recognise, relatively easy to harvest, found all over
the place and pretty much throughout the year it was number one on my shopping
list. I made my way there slowly through the woods, ever vigilant for an
opportunity along the way. A prolific patch of wood sorrel provided a tangy
treat and although I had a good amount of dry tinder squirreled away back at
the shelter, it made sense to grab a few handfuls of clematis bark when spotted and stash them away in my pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_jEgk5KIdT52aZrDkOvDL1d06FW-ZHqLtQB6nbEimydjjh2Uj9DPGqATs_XXMBNhlDPDdAQEnL_Lpjn77jP97bPEV18LuGiQhrpKXTMh2CoXtU07WDaeFHsNmZwb2IClVn2ASpRg56U/s1600/IMG_7531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_jEgk5KIdT52aZrDkOvDL1d06FW-ZHqLtQB6nbEimydjjh2Uj9DPGqATs_XXMBNhlDPDdAQEnL_Lpjn77jP97bPEV18LuGiQhrpKXTMh2CoXtU07WDaeFHsNmZwb2IClVn2ASpRg56U/s320/IMG_7531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)</em></div>
</div>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
the open fields came into view, I slowed right down, hanging back in the
shadows to see what wildlife might be going about it’s business. I’d already
found deer tracks along with squirrel, badger and fox sign but nothing seemed
to be out and about in that particular field. Didn’t matter though, the
Reedmace could be clearly seen filling the boggy hollow between this field and
the next. After a good check to see if there were any other toxic lookalikes or
potential pollutants upstream, I set to filling my daysack with food.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1NeXHSjOvo4JcMxZgosvqX3k9I5ihqDgBrNXSHFGf9tAVsfF396PM2fd61xl9pOH0HdbpNUcVCCewqtJDEYzkT3pknypvrepeRHmnSZK62VCP9nEfMSW0CNSEdtgdH2C5AxWGXiRzX0/s1600/IMG_7535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu1NeXHSjOvo4JcMxZgosvqX3k9I5ihqDgBrNXSHFGf9tAVsfF396PM2fd61xl9pOH0HdbpNUcVCCewqtJDEYzkT3pknypvrepeRHmnSZK62VCP9nEfMSW0CNSEdtgdH2C5AxWGXiRzX0/s320/IMG_7535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Greater Reedmace (Typha latifolia L)</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
most energy rich part of Reedmace is the rhizome, an underwater root system
which twists and winds it’s way through the murky pond mud linking up and inter-twining with it’s
surrounding counterparts. It’s important to trace this rhizome from tip to
source and pull the whole thing up. For starters you’ll want the whole plant to
make a positive ID but also, there are other parts which are of use to the
forager. The long, wide, flat leaves are good for weaving food preparation mats,
cordage and woven containers, the dried stems can be
used as a delicate hand drill for friction fires and the brown, sausage like
heads broken open and used as tinder or clothing insulation (old dead ones are
best).</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsSrMSXLXbzuKH0bNh05s_aHzoXOJ6Td981XgDZqDugnXruKVbLbehMkyxoeDk_x06HfZ4RFShBlB5k7W714DhUiaYxZ32Tzi37__RA74vpVSY44sTtwCM_yrydEd0dWIrqLUA3wZRzQ/s1600/cattail+pollen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsSrMSXLXbzuKH0bNh05s_aHzoXOJ6Td981XgDZqDugnXruKVbLbehMkyxoeDk_x06HfZ4RFShBlB5k7W714DhUiaYxZ32Tzi37__RA74vpVSY44sTtwCM_yrydEd0dWIrqLUA3wZRzQ/s320/cattail+pollen.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Nutritious pollen from the forming reedmace head</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">If you have
a reedmace stand nearby to where you live, keep a close eye on them in early summer.
While the heads are still green and just emerging from the leaves (so not all
that obvious to the untrained eye) a bright yellow pollen spike can be found
proudly sitting on the top. With a tap and a shake over a collection device
(plastic bag) this yellow pollen can be gathered in quantity. Mix it up to a
paste with clean water, cook it on a hot rock or in a pan and you have an extremely
tasty and nutritious yellow biscuit. I’d missed that particular boat with this
crop but didn’t hold back gathering the rhizomes. Although the novelty of
delving around in the cold, stinking mud for slimy roots began to wear off
almost immediately and I was constantly aware of needing to get back before the
fire went out, I gathered as many as I could carry knowing that repeated trips
back and forth would be a waste of valuable energy. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySCMZfjXcU4wcx0LaOue9jHcxDte4fHqhw2xCNT3HEJReob3lpz_MBzpV1HnBtwlpDofpY7iTc5j_PDUyiAWA3QvPw6hNxCL6UmXv94TNn5nOhU0jkysTGOljPC8a8lUd1rzPYL8IUzM/s1600/IMG_7540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySCMZfjXcU4wcx0LaOue9jHcxDte4fHqhw2xCNT3HEJReob3lpz_MBzpV1HnBtwlpDofpY7iTc5j_PDUyiAWA3QvPw6hNxCL6UmXv94TNn5nOhU0jkysTGOljPC8a8lUd1rzPYL8IUzM/s320/IMG_7540.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Foraged fare: blackberries, plantain, dandelion, hairy bitter cress, burdock root and reedmace</em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">On the
return trip, looking like a human cattail stand, I grabbed a good quantity of
blackberries, some wood hedgehog fungi, a couple of common puffballs, plenty of
dandelion, mint, thistle, ribwort plantain and nettle leaves and a couple of
burdock roots. The burdock roots were a calculated risk as despite also being
packed with starchy carbohydrates they’re much harder to harvest than the
reedmace but these looked like big ‘uns and the ground was soft and easy to dig.
I also took a good quantity of the huge leaves (less than 50% of the leaves off
each plant to lessen any impact) to help patch up any dodgy areas on my shelter
roof and also use as toilet paper should the need arise! One big burdock leaf became
a makeshift blackberry basket with some on the spot origami and a sharpened
twig. The dandelion leaves are normally quite bitter if eaten raw but these
were growing under a tall crop of red clover which had done a good job of
shading them from the sun, accidentally ‘blanching’ them nicely. Eating fungi
as a survival food is another risky and quite pointless strategy. Nutritionally
and calorifically they are pretty poor and the chances of gathering a toxic
lookalike are high, however puffballs and wood hedgehogs are both easy to
recognise if you know what to look for and difficult to confuse with anything
dangerous (puffballs must be completely white inside with no yellowing or signs
of an immature mushroom forming). The taste and texture would be a welcome
addition to my survival stew!</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-LXmdiKQze6xUaaVBGVhQeOImLfOVFkaleh9NWEvuIATFVTVQ1zEKhqi3B8ADcBdH1sK2GBqRJEJRaUaEaRCtFuP74uIRukva0qjSQ9bzK8JNv6LgO9QhaVTLVW3hM3XftD8gbguj6U/s1600/Joe-dan+smith+bushcraft+weekend+and+good+fungi+048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-LXmdiKQze6xUaaVBGVhQeOImLfOVFkaleh9NWEvuIATFVTVQ1zEKhqi3B8ADcBdH1sK2GBqRJEJRaUaEaRCtFuP74uIRukva0qjSQ9bzK8JNv6LgO9QhaVTLVW3hM3XftD8gbguj6U/s320/Joe-dan+smith+bushcraft+weekend+and+good+fungi+048.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Common Puffball (lycoperdon perlatum)</span></em></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORPie-opMi3QIDUxnYQHS4F9PEbAFP0-1W0jHfTaxQXxhnYn9YojztInoCPDuCT1VGVJAco1LR3_PcIp3cSu8BR3SCzZw6Ff7N9iyMkwgGPN8NNthaigSRmrv9-cKCI0DbQGeN1mSZI0/s1600/IMG_7767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORPie-opMi3QIDUxnYQHS4F9PEbAFP0-1W0jHfTaxQXxhnYn9YojztInoCPDuCT1VGVJAco1LR3_PcIp3cSu8BR3SCzZw6Ff7N9iyMkwgGPN8NNthaigSRmrv9-cKCI0DbQGeN1mSZI0/s320/IMG_7767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata<strong>)</strong></span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IrXi0FYWAW7rdjN7i3WVPcFfeqInnndIeGygixZDfQTqoj1pj3_VWBMrGeIPFLqucJMkV4e0fQe_9oYxzHADUl1p4MgvEkPrKqT-cTRDGRRNAvmUfsxIhj6G-ApZnP29aLw03wgf0xA/s1600/IMG_7770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IrXi0FYWAW7rdjN7i3WVPcFfeqInnndIeGygixZDfQTqoj1pj3_VWBMrGeIPFLqucJMkV4e0fQe_9oYxzHADUl1p4MgvEkPrKqT-cTRDGRRNAvmUfsxIhj6G-ApZnP29aLw03wgf0xA/s320/IMG_7770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">The humble blackberry but what a fantastic, sugary 'pick me up'</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDswwZvaskfcMuA_UgssaDtH6pEgUqMPspRIled5aUAMawbLxHTtKDEvtLaZaVPhrZ5G5FxCLEqdG0JibS0PeOVQmaxZeAncLa5FYha5wIaJGOHU-9rNZgVBMAQk_HH0diwfy3_Lrtx0/s1600/Joe-wood+hedgehog+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDswwZvaskfcMuA_UgssaDtH6pEgUqMPspRIled5aUAMawbLxHTtKDEvtLaZaVPhrZ5G5FxCLEqdG0JibS0PeOVQmaxZeAncLa5FYha5wIaJGOHU-9rNZgVBMAQk_HH0diwfy3_Lrtx0/s320/Joe-wood+hedgehog+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Wood Hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum repandum)</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Weighed
down with foraged goodies I re-entered camp and re-kindled my dying fire using
the clematis bark. After working so hard to make fire and relying on it to
fulfil so many roles during the week, the thought of walking away and leaving
it to die down is terrifying but knowing how to correctly manage a fire is
almost as much of an important skill as knowing how to light it in the first
place. Seasoned oak as a fuel wood along with a well-protected fire place meant
that the heart of the fire would stay hot for a long time, certainly hot enough
to ignite the finely shredded clematis bark. Building the fire up big on one
side of the fireplace allowed me to pull embers and hot ash across to the other
side for cooking. I suspended my billycan above the flames to boil water for a
mint tea while more skewered venison roasted slowly above the embers. A slack
handful of reedmace rhizomes were placed straight in the embers and hot ash at
the edge of the fire to steam the starch rich fibres in their own skins, like a
long stringy baked potato…sort of. </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZ8btMP8SM-9mEcq3m30oqvsGHJ7p6GoGSGHOkDnnsqaJBJlTSy8FY7NoVJrWH7TCqzu53RPaxG4uFWNZyHoVRjbZkfL5iWR6Rc_Zr792n75GYP7rsAtrW3hyrIjnTJdC3eMlfwapnsQ/s1600/IMG_7547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZ8btMP8SM-9mEcq3m30oqvsGHJ7p6GoGSGHOkDnnsqaJBJlTSy8FY7NoVJrWH7TCqzu53RPaxG4uFWNZyHoVRjbZkfL5iWR6Rc_Zr792n75GYP7rsAtrW3hyrIjnTJdC3eMlfwapnsQ/s320/IMG_7547.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><em>Reedmace rhizomes cooking in their skins, straight on the embers</em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Once cooked
(normally until the outer skin is charred) the stringy fibres are sucked and
sucked and sucked…to remove the starch. It’s a weird way of eating something,
almost like the reverse of chewing gum. You’re getting the goodness but without
the pleasure and satisfaction of actually chewing something! Even so, I had re-booted
my system with much needed energy and filled my belly with a hot meal and felt
ready for anything.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m3x_j6PbxtYKvV_slBWDOpBCgBjywRGdpkJnaYRlDCFGt4uz-Di3H6Q2CEA4xfejnjTxyE1G1y5lnLVpFZ_V0KmI0KyCZ6RyqNGjt8SB3XAsJoFc85E3Paq0JD6L0iAO1uETDHgX6qg/s1600/IMG_7560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m3x_j6PbxtYKvV_slBWDOpBCgBjywRGdpkJnaYRlDCFGt4uz-Di3H6Q2CEA4xfejnjTxyE1G1y5lnLVpFZ_V0KmI0KyCZ6RyqNGjt8SB3XAsJoFc85E3Paq0JD6L0iAO1uETDHgX6qg/s320/IMG_7560.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Reedmace rhizomes cooked. Check out the starch packed fibres!</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Although
this ‘survival situation’ was self-imposed, putting that energy to good use was
still very much a matter of prioritising. Before getting too excited, I took
everything right back to basics and concentrated first and foremost on the
essentials… shelter, protection and warmth during the coming night. My lean to
roof had a few more armfuls of leaf mulch placed carefully to plug the gaps,
the sides of my open fronted shelter were closed in using burdock leaves and
bracken. My log wall heat reflector was extended to fully enclose the heat of
the fire within my shelter walls and I cut, gathered and stacked the best fuel
wood I could find so as to be within easy reach of my bed during the night. My
mattress benefitted from another thick layer of leaves too. All the while my
billycan simmered away over the fire. As soon as the water came to a rolling
boil it was taken off the heat, mint leaves added, cooled as rapidly as
possible and drunk whether I felt like I needed to or not. Then more stream
water was gathered in the millbank filter bag, allowed to slowly drain through
into the billy and placed back over the fire to boil while I worked - survival
multi-tasking!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIARMqfaRY_smDJAWJ-uI_EYmd5ukZCuFaDYhdgmaAIKbQr4gdQTyIYKEOuD6rsRC_4Nm4S8IPIzLTZc94yE4F4SmzSmOuc7zD0RXlXXhLjwhVI2n8PHcYqjPBjYVr0uJ5Hv95me0mUeE/s1600/IMG_7745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIARMqfaRY_smDJAWJ-uI_EYmd5ukZCuFaDYhdgmaAIKbQr4gdQTyIYKEOuD6rsRC_4Nm4S8IPIzLTZc94yE4F4SmzSmOuc7zD0RXlXXhLjwhVI2n8PHcYqjPBjYVr0uJ5Hv95me0mUeE/s320/IMG_7745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Feeding long lengths of fuel wood into the fire, saves a lot of sawing!</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">One big part
of this whole experiment for me was to go beyond the survival stage and start
thinking about self-reliance for an extended period. Essentially, identifying
problems and finding solutions for them. This water routine threw up a glaring
issue; with only one metal pot acting as water boiling device, drinking cup and
liquid storage vessel my plans for using precious energy as efficiently as
possible were hugely limited. In addition to the 'one pot' clean drinking water issue,
having a metal pot to boil up a survival stew was probably my best cooking strategy. Boiling
helped release starches from carbohydrate rich foods, the tougher cuts of
venison could be made more digestible, infusing wild food stuffs with the more
delicate wild flavourings would be easier and any greens included in the stew
would be less bitter with loss of nutritional goodness minimised due to being
able to guzzle down the liquid they were cooked in. Conclusion…not only was a
metal cooking pot proving to be absolutely essential (perhaps second only to a
good knife, or even level pegging) but what options did I have without it?
Also, even with a metal cooking pot, how could I increase my own efficiency by
improvising other supplementary equipment to drink and eat from and store water
in once sterilized?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7ZaDUopteHzAL7vvP5DN8pXmb6DUcRl5Fz9L4XVGzJJJUliD0pBeJfmRrkAHg5qergxQG-XoQzTc9dZisibrCnofakXymvE4Pxre8ZxmdTsMnJDgelHyf1mT18bpl6StDaCtTFOfPNw/s1600/IMG_7574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqRskahQfG8-dEbz_Py7O_n3YgclHfPdIUBwc-47LGuTQuDSxhbF89yK-3VTma2kEPn9H-EVAYOL3GUXbhJ0nnQDKrtLmOvdBW9BXBz6FXztmOagJt8UJ5dZ1Pc4-_x9n5v1saNP5GE8/s1600/IMG_6645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqRskahQfG8-dEbz_Py7O_n3YgclHfPdIUBwc-47LGuTQuDSxhbF89yK-3VTma2kEPn9H-EVAYOL3GUXbhJ0nnQDKrtLmOvdBW9BXBz6FXztmOagJt8UJ5dZ1Pc4-_x9n5v1saNP5GE8/s320/IMG_6645.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><em>One possible solution to the above problem; a birch bark bucket and super heated rocks acting as a heating element to boil the water without a metal pot</em></span></div>
<br /></div>
</o:p></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
I pondered, I got to work on the venison meat smoking over my fire. The smoke
had kept insects at bay and had sealed the outside of the meat to a degree but
if I wanted it to last longer then it would need to be ‘jerked’. Making jerky
involves slicing meat as thinly as possible then drying it as speedily as
possible without cooking the meat. Your aim is to reduce the moisture content
considerably to prevent spoiling. Drying in the sun will do this but drying in
the smoke of a fire has the added advantage of keeping flies at bay and
flavouring the meat at the same time. In the shade of the woods, this would be
my best option. Above my fire was a handy, smoky spot where a couple of long
sticks were suspended. These became my drying/smoking rack and anything that
needed to be dried or smoked was laid across them, jerky, elder berries,
buckskin moccasins, reedmace leaves (better to weave with if they’re dried
first then dampened before weaving). The jerky only took a couple of days until
it was good to go and if I was hungry during the time it took to dry fully, I
took off a couple of the thicker pieces and boiled them up in a stew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9H9QynYdNgEmIiJKgVASS919OXni7q3CvG8WIXTDAyRd8qcEAAH_mnphVVxkgMea1C3WS8qQo5wmq3IhTL1zZ146vq0J4VfRaFiKlthfRVMUBdnO-HqhBPphzo2XL6BNbFmPzp3tCrCI/s1600/IMG_7574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9H9QynYdNgEmIiJKgVASS919OXni7q3CvG8WIXTDAyRd8qcEAAH_mnphVVxkgMea1C3WS8qQo5wmq3IhTL1zZ146vq0J4VfRaFiKlthfRVMUBdnO-HqhBPphzo2XL6BNbFmPzp3tCrCI/s320/IMG_7574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Venison jerky and elderberries slowly drying in the smoke of the campfire</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My survival
stews were pretty good actually; peeled and sliced burdock root, sliced and diced
reedmace rhizomes, dandelion, thistle, nettle, plantain leaves, hedgehog
mushrooms, the oak smoked venison jerky and some lovely hairy bitter cress to
pepper it up a bit. One particularly good breakfast involved slow cooking the
venison shanks by suspending them on a withy to one side of the fire from about
five in the morning. By breakfast time this normally tough cut of meat was
juicy and tender like spare ribs…it’s making me hungry just thinking about it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTl9NBl6UY25JxSIj-r0Fop-O7iIowVjBzr0wnltGjrqjytyvZtACJVrQdkWP1-wzdvcnv2cmx5yqZCxHU6ceg23EmP0HVYGLnJtC-nXUHpMBVLM45lSD8ccq1a4Yfr_8kfU7NosIND8Q/s1600/IMG_7560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong>Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I have undertaken
types of similar survival training in the past, most of which have involved an
element of living from the land but what made this experience different? For
me, prior extensive training helped greatly. A combination of taking time to gain more of
an understanding of what my body needs to function combined with an increased
knowledge of wild foods…not just which plants are edible but their food values,
available nutrition, energy expended during harvesting; this information is
important to help you target certain species over others, therefore minimizing time
wasting and energy expenditure by bumbling around the woods grabbing randomly
at the local flora. An increased skill level in ALL areas, including wild food
foraging made the whole process seem easier, more within my comfort zone (as
you would hope..) thereby giving me the headspace needed to make sensible
decisions. Stocking up during my initial foraging foray was definitely a good
move too. Repeated trips back and forth would have had a negative impact on my
energy expenditure versus calorie intake equation. So; regular practice,
experimentation, testing oneself, just getting out there and getting stuck in –
they do all make a huge difference. Even if you don’t ever expect to need to
feed yourself from the land, but you have an interest in natural history and bushcraft then taking your experimentation to the next level like this helps
complete a bit more of the jigsaw. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is the stuff you can’t learn from books! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWIoJeia4n8afiJsxyYMjqtKi-ureH1Jgg9OW35LAj9uuP2D53nU99nru70Y7LVWvKHfZ246MpZFA0QoO3zFaTrEGwn9tE2f3PkToB11NBcrk6p5Vf3_axxg3k0G7pd1KM_wgU-GzcsA/s1600/IMG_7519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWIoJeia4n8afiJsxyYMjqtKi-ureH1Jgg9OW35LAj9uuP2D53nU99nru70Y7LVWvKHfZ246MpZFA0QoO3zFaTrEGwn9tE2f3PkToB11NBcrk6p5Vf3_axxg3k0G7pd1KM_wgU-GzcsA/s320/IMG_7519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">My fellow Hunter Gatherers, doing their own thing in another corner of the wood. This is Dave 'the android' Slate</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Seasonality
obviously played a part (autumn is one of the better foraging seasons) but many
of the plants I targeted would still have been around during the winter months
with the exception of blackberries. Burdock root might’ve been more of a
mission although the area I gathered from had first and second year growth
hopefully allowing me to identify a source of potential roots from the dead
second year flowering stalks during the winter. Admittedly the colder weather
would’ve placed a lot more emphasis on gathering a higher number of calories
daily. Feeding oneself adequately would be a fulltime occupation and an
abundant area would be depleted pretty quick too. Therefore, in this case
anyway, location potentially played a bigger part than seasonality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8Ck_biMrmozVBrsWC5ulnkQ9Qt9URpnCI8kZlo6fkx7w-5UpXMooBRGGKi0WC9WShIyKAPmUK_0eq-u5ioPB7fU6zsow5Rox3BSkJbJXn6yTFv6mGi8gXjIL-s9ML-jvg_qI54kWtO4/s1600/DSC_0023a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8Ck_biMrmozVBrsWC5ulnkQ9Qt9URpnCI8kZlo6fkx7w-5UpXMooBRGGKi0WC9WShIyKAPmUK_0eq-u5ioPB7fU6zsow5Rox3BSkJbJXn6yTFv6mGi8gXjIL-s9ML-jvg_qI54kWtO4/s320/DSC_0023a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Scotty had a cosy set up and turned out to be an expert squirrel catcher</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I wasn’t
able to count my daily calorie intake accurately but it was definitely lower
than normal (not a bad thing to be honest..), despite my best efforts to gather
as much high calorie food as possible. During the week I lost half a stone in
bodyweight! However, rather than feeling low on energy and sluggish, I felt
fitter, more energetic, a real spring in my step! I’m no dietician but I put
this down to a couple of potential reasons. Firstly, what carbohydrate I was
eating was unprocessed, top quality, pure energy. Mostly slow release carbs providing a more steady, regulated type of energy. Some natural fruit sugars were included
daily but nowhere near the Billy Bunter quantities of chocolate I consume daily
back in the real world. Also, these sugars were needed and used immediately
rather than being mainly excess to requirements, accompanied by all manner of dodgy chemicals and giving me mega sugar highs and lows. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3duCgRdG6jAprYpibB7fqOoSp9djNehfBYk2hYSOHlFngRWbCiDiL9sXfZadr-Tg37-wEhCJuqyv_2-c9tTKiXrfN5bE2cH3aK5crq-umMtQF3Bw-anMn9uAbViLuNlKhlPOC20GUCzI/s1600/IMG_7754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3duCgRdG6jAprYpibB7fqOoSp9djNehfBYk2hYSOHlFngRWbCiDiL9sXfZadr-Tg37-wEhCJuqyv_2-c9tTKiXrfN5bE2cH3aK5crq-umMtQF3Bw-anMn9uAbViLuNlKhlPOC20GUCzI/s320/IMG_7754.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: small;">Guy's little corner of the wood. A well constructed fire screen if ever I saw one!</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My second theory is based on
the wonders of including dandelion leaves in your diet. As a well-known diuretic
along with being a healthy green leaf (something I don’t eat enough of) I just
feel that my system had a super de-tox, fortified by the fantastic unprocessed,
healthy calories coming straight back in. Of course, none of this can be proven
(not by me anyway) but my feeling is that had I continued with the experiment a
bit longer, my weight loss might’ve reached an optimum level as well as my
calorific requirements being slightly lower (already had fire, shelter and
plentiful supplies of water and fire wood close by coupled with a more streamlined
physique to feed). I’d like to think that in the right location, with no
hunting and trapping restrictions (more on this in the next post) then living
from the land successfully could certainly be achievable, if not indefinitely then
maybe for an extended period. This may well be fanciful pie in the sky on my
part but I certainly felt extremely positive after my own experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">In the next
post I’ll detail how all this excess time and energy was invested to improve my situation by
crafting effective hunting weapons, trying my hand at a bit of primitive
pottery and other Robinson Crusoe style shenanigans. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps7HEWD32ZamEexGdz4t0lkPE8LrBmzxiEdFjZc-VNP-Ok1S0KxEUSNCYn61Bd4fHJPQH_VMQ3Qcu5alD9lx9kEDmn0OqW-3IN6yTTveP64Iknj3DmpRYY_bFp52DHChkqmBH4hFZdw8/s1600/IMG_7592a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhps7HEWD32ZamEexGdz4t0lkPE8LrBmzxiEdFjZc-VNP-Ok1S0KxEUSNCYn61Bd4fHJPQH_VMQ3Qcu5alD9lx9kEDmn0OqW-3IN6yTTveP64Iknj3DmpRYY_bFp52DHChkqmBH4hFZdw8/s320/IMG_7592a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Part 3, click </span><a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/a-week-in-wilds-part-3.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">here</span></a></span></div>
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-22432111784318289342013-07-10T17:18:00.001-07:002013-07-10T17:29:14.717-07:00Fire lighting part 2 – using the bow and drill method:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5XOxnHomiJIAb8qyZiHoSQbsLDZk3XqwWzQ71m269dZdwHRpCu2raVfnJFqBeTE0lp4XR4UblbfRJkoAstayayYTtqE3rbch1vB7Zv8j6u8PaUPb_FVBbnmBTZpBcostQq-LyeKRQiU/s1600/IMG_0191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5XOxnHomiJIAb8qyZiHoSQbsLDZk3XqwWzQ71m269dZdwHRpCu2raVfnJFqBeTE0lp4XR4UblbfRJkoAstayayYTtqE3rbch1vB7Zv8j6u8PaUPb_FVBbnmBTZpBcostQq-LyeKRQiU/s320/IMG_0191.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, imagine you really need a fire. You’ve found some
relatively dry and sheltered spot, protection from the elements but, your one
and only set of clothing is wet and therefore conducting the creeping cold through
to your already shivering body at a much faster rate than it otherwise would.
You have plenty of water for a brew (it’s been raining cats and dogs for an
eternity) and a few soggy hot chocolate sachets but you know that drinking the
freezing rain water, chocolaty or not would potentially lower your core temperature
putting you at further risk from hypothermia. You also know that any
surrounding vegetation which could otherwise provide some insulation from the
cold earth, will be sodden and with night fast approaching and temperatures due
to plummet your only real chance of making it through to see another morning is
in getting that campfire going. You’ve collected plenty of dry standing dead
wood from the surrounding woodlands and have even got a small but sturdy knife
blade on your emergency multi tool to shave away the damp outer bark and split
the larger sections exposing the dry material inside. An empty critters nest of
shredded honey suckle bark and thistle down, hidden away inside the hollow buttress
of an old tree was a lucky find, very slightly damp but nonetheless perfect
tinder. Only problem is you’ve got no matches. Well, you have got matches but
every single one is damp enough for the heads to disintegrate every time you
attempt to produce that much needed flame. In the current situation you have
two choices…curl up into a shivering miserable ball and count the chilly hours
away until morning (if you make it that is) or alternatively start rubbing some
of those dry sticks together!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Crazy though it sounds to those of us who live in a modern
age of disposable lighters and self-igniting gas stoves, rubbing sticks
together does actually work. You just need to know which sticks, how to prepare
them, exactly how to rub them and for how long. The bow and drill method has
been used in many environments for tens of thousands of years. As with other
methods of lighting fire by friction (the hand drill, fire plough and fire saw) the basic principle involves one dry, seasoned wooden component
rotating fast or in some other way being worked equally as speedily into
another dry, seasoned wooden component. The two surfaces wear each other away
creating very hot, blackened wood dust which is purposefully caught in a notch
or groove carved into a wooden hearth board. The continual movement of one
component working against the other at speed also serves to keep these tiny,
hot, wood dust particles at a very high temperature. So much so that eventually
they smoulder and begin to ignite. Individually these particles would burn out
in the blink of an eye but working together in a cluster, their heat spreads
and grows stronger, feeding and fusing the little heap of black powder into a
single, glowing coal or ‘ember’. This small glowing ember is placed carefully
inside a bundle of dry, fine tinder material (previously mentioned honeysuckle
bark critters nest) and gently fed with oxygen by wafting or blowing until the
diminutive heat source spreads to the fine tinder surrounding it, creating
flame. The flaming tinder is introduced to your previously prepared kindling
and bingo! No more hypothermia or cold brews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XgL2RO2GZhrXP2g-Dbb4PC-0wX0kTaJNK5DysIoyCDMYmiU_O41w-6JvXTW6SfuzF8rdq7TbgR3ZT9igW86TwZr7FdSYd4th0-Srw7q4Zm-0IuiNErBOAfyA1e6YfP-t79eUJEGlzL0/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XgL2RO2GZhrXP2g-Dbb4PC-0wX0kTaJNK5DysIoyCDMYmiU_O41w-6JvXTW6SfuzF8rdq7TbgR3ZT9igW86TwZr7FdSYd4th0-Srw7q4Zm-0IuiNErBOAfyA1e6YfP-t79eUJEGlzL0/s320/IMG_0193.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So although all methods of fire by friction are based on the
above principles, the bow and drill method reigns supreme as the most reliable
due to the mechanical advantage the bow offers. Preparation time is increased
slightly by having to make the bow and bearing block but in doing so you’ll
achieve far greater energy output, can get away with slightly less than perfect
materials and can easily include other team members to double, or even treble
up on the bowing and drilling making success more likely, even in the hands of
a less skilled friction fire lighter. You should only need a small sharp blade
of some sort to manufacture the individual components. Even a flint flake would
do:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hdZK6IWiGHjeNkDMbJCi-QmsNdaUXS5BOb4cDJvgRPEGCGa8AYhVvaTJto6ro7PU_9XgfP2GnkvjKG3c9lCmaKVo30IC9_19lASq8Vc8R0NDap_jzOR8aVI9NdgllhyphenhypheneH6LQg76BcM0/s1600/Joe-book+pics+45a+parts+of+the+bow+drill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hdZK6IWiGHjeNkDMbJCi-QmsNdaUXS5BOb4cDJvgRPEGCGa8AYhVvaTJto6ro7PU_9XgfP2GnkvjKG3c9lCmaKVo30IC9_19lASq8Vc8R0NDap_jzOR8aVI9NdgllhyphenhypheneH6LQg76BcM0/s320/Joe-book+pics+45a+parts+of+the+bow+drill.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Bow – This can be made from green wood about
2.5cm and as long as the distance between your armpit and your wrist. Straight
wood can be used, but a slight bend is preferable. Carve a notch in each end to
stop the cord slipping. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Cord – You will need about 1m of strong cord. In
an emergency, your bootlaces and jacket drawcords are all fair game. Twisted
animal hide is a good substitute.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Bearing block – Green wood preferably but could also be a stone with a natural hollow, a bone, shell or even a little jam jar. Needs to
be a comfortable size to grip with one hand and if made from wood, should have a little socket
carved into its underside. Stuff a waxy green leaf, such as holly, into this
socket to create a shiny, friction-reduced surface where it connects with the
top of the drill.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Ember pan – Sliver of wood or a section of bark.
Must be slim enough to slide under the hearth board and catch your charred wood
dust.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Tinder bundle – All buffed up and perfectly
prepared, ready to accept a glowing ember.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhyMapfp9nu09u6lch_RRL2T6nf65hPWMPs-KrXRt_FqV2CkWEhexCSCQQCzM-Dm0im50SPyAxtWNITQVvTMbnBzwl5ulBodXyG_6sQd8CRNWSWYTNgR0jnov7QwpHVqP8hd5OwNdh3c/s1600/IMG_4277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhyMapfp9nu09u6lch_RRL2T6nf65hPWMPs-KrXRt_FqV2CkWEhexCSCQQCzM-Dm0im50SPyAxtWNITQVvTMbnBzwl5ulBodXyG_6sQd8CRNWSWYTNgR0jnov7QwpHVqP8hd5OwNdh3c/s320/IMG_4277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW5SJ2-V3xg5C3SHHVAqEv23xMTmVhnla-4___UcvckyiHQxPr0Jt0J0LuJ60jwi2dANZXskYaQwu0VTyrU6TundJG9VJ4O1gNn4Ax_sZCsyY7AbgiOI8zRa9AIzq2YDRkjgphbu6-2k/s1600/IMG_3900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Wild Clematis and birch bark mix - the rocket fuel of natural tinders</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Drill – Both drill and hearth board must be made
from dry, well-seasoned, standing dead wood, which should be still firm and
good to carve, not yet powdery. The softer hardwoods are best, such as lime,
sycamore, alder, willow and poplar. Hazel makes an excellent drill in
conjunction with these hearth-board woods. Carve the drill into a round cross
section with a diameter about as thick as your thumb. It must be about 25cm
long with a point on each end. The top should be sharply pointed to create a
tiny surface area where it is held by the bearing block, minimizing friction.
The bottom of the drill must have a blunt point to ensure that a wide surface
area is in contact with the hearth, making as much friction as possible.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1QncGsTI9Y9fDEaKbfJAvFvrCdx53iS3ar8ZUAyfW_jima5yTspUmIF53ReBNpL-i2xpO_WwlQ_Qv7qZwlVNAz1EtoXPuqfxsrOgzajNNunEoJeChIZ5SgepYSn_-Fr25CKzLIsF38I/s1600/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEncTpyruVluKmzT0zutf5sMzlsTfYD-hAIx8i_B7OdB0J0kzQEIwI5mQ-JQapnSuACSoRREHTPbUIHPAWIKcV4mrbGfOSbIWBH_pODSqy20UkE6YYuvJV3dga0ntwRrt7zVZG0gsYnc/s1600/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEncTpyruVluKmzT0zutf5sMzlsTfYD-hAIx8i_B7OdB0J0kzQEIwI5mQ-JQapnSuACSoRREHTPbUIHPAWIKcV4mrbGfOSbIWBH_pODSqy20UkE6YYuvJV3dga0ntwRrt7zVZG0gsYnc/s320/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+3.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Standing dead wood. Although shown next to an axe, this was snapped into the lengths shown</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR6bRGdKb89SZzQ6v4nZBDnBqHSZ_3YQvH-8leiBSDOzzBitgSKfYuI5ri1TdpABJek4i9NFbLVcyu3L5IpJuFF4ipPVEMkYFUwcEojnuaCNH1agocKWNNfgMhS-Ra3zc-Z2gAp9p70o/s1600/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Hearth board – Your hearth board should be about
25cm long, 5cm wide and about as thick as your thumb. Carve a little pinpoint
depression into one face of the hearth board, roughly central on its width and
about a third in from one edge. This is for guiding the blunt point of the
drill as you begin to bow. Once made, keep your hearth board, drill and tinder
bundle somewhere dry until you need to use them.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-quMF9lUAkenJ7KqhfTWPUDTVmOHPUP60irWkOUz_HRy7Gn9SoxVe1yV0IPxTOyR6lg6HXv__At8LvsEN2eO3v-xOFLdqglT_eeZAl2rLu_Cnn0Gl6kObPAQHl_Yu0-69_lD8pUb8LWg/s1600/IMG_7457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-quMF9lUAkenJ7KqhfTWPUDTVmOHPUP60irWkOUz_HRy7Gn9SoxVe1yV0IPxTOyR6lg6HXv__At8LvsEN2eO3v-xOFLdqglT_eeZAl2rLu_Cnn0Gl6kObPAQHl_Yu0-69_lD8pUb8LWg/s320/IMG_7457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Spindle carved correctly and hearth board split down to size on one end. Bow, ember pan and seasoned ash bearing block also shown</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTg__WOl0C7e9qVAUtolr3xb10EKqlRu64-ADiE1DjRjlURCpuofJPIAkowC9Hk1B0Z0yYFGtB8QRaJnL0HEyz2-CZplUYNrEOoYben3IEbJ_C13mGNxpTEdw9cLP-LJesJCODD1HeZA/s1600/IMG_9191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Using the bow and drill:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First, attach the cord to your bow with a knot that can
easily be undone for adjustment. The cord should be slightly loose rather than
taut like an archery bow string. You should only just be able to twist the cord
one turn around your drill. The easiest way to do this is to lay the drill
alongside the cord, rotate it slightly to overlay the cord and then twist it
round to bring it vertical to the still-horizontal bow string. This wraps the
cord tightly around the drill. Ensure the blunt point faces downwards. If the
drill twists in too easily, you may have to re-tie your cord a little tighter. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl4RbA4U_lflio_2AG5fnihcOwc9TMHZisixyao2h50os8GjZ8SMZLxl_CNa4wVMm3zOhOR4tIfXGEiex_tL7rDNoneS_SsvkU8EJCHYWuhTpJpTzzcwqIwTpRZZLa4c1VhQGA_63wGY/s1600/IMG_9191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl4RbA4U_lflio_2AG5fnihcOwc9TMHZisixyao2h50os8GjZ8SMZLxl_CNa4wVMm3zOhOR4tIfXGEiex_tL7rDNoneS_SsvkU8EJCHYWuhTpJpTzzcwqIwTpRZZLa4c1VhQGA_63wGY/s320/IMG_9191.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kneel
down on your right knee only, using your left foot to clamp the hearth board
(pinpoint depression uppermost) steady on the ground just to the right side of
your foot. Locate the blunt point of the drill into this depression, and,
holding the bearing block in your left hand, locate the sharper drill point
into the socket on the underside of the bearing block, thus clamping the drill
in a vertical position. Your bearing-block hand should be held tightly against
your left shin to keep everything locked in place, otherwise you’ll expend a
lot of energy just trying to keep the whole apparatus steady (this is a
difficult position to get into and even harder to explain but luckily there’s
an accompanying image below). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBumA0t9bnLTg80-9DQqMwVLK8QqB0p99oOlSIPtDMGtD7onvoGVLq7ls9dHaNvtW-BEHxyMYbV-J9rlpNMayw2yLZVxTFN2AzVWCj7tdrDj7lzwHgwv4rAYiOSaL_xWcXhGQrcx5UfQ/s1600/IMG_6409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBumA0t9bnLTg80-9DQqMwVLK8QqB0p99oOlSIPtDMGtD7onvoGVLq7ls9dHaNvtW-BEHxyMYbV-J9rlpNMayw2yLZVxTFN2AzVWCj7tdrDj7lzwHgwv4rAYiOSaL_xWcXhGQrcx5UfQ/s320/IMG_6409.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The drill must already be twisted into the bow string, and
with a back-and-forth sawing action while bearing down slightly on the block,
the drill should spin freely as you bow. This repetitive movement will spin the
drill into the hearth board, creating heat through friction. As long as you’re
bowing fast and hard enough, the point where drill and hearth meet will start
to smoke as both wooden surfaces begin to char and consume one another. But
don’t get too excited yet! When the drill has burnt a little charred socket in
the hearth board of the same diameter as itself, stop and have a rest.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zdWQcgfG_MuvfSBWQiz8gbqKaooJbXEJGKLW4RRS8TulXPpTLNTxzW485CkJ_SNLlFe1QrTf2pTsITtqcme-VQt7lJtlRnru6V-x-dyc3f_UWOzSqWJDq50zGERDtgtCexGXqEfSba0/s1600/IMG_9289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zdWQcgfG_MuvfSBWQiz8gbqKaooJbXEJGKLW4RRS8TulXPpTLNTxzW485CkJ_SNLlFe1QrTf2pTsITtqcme-VQt7lJtlRnru6V-x-dyc3f_UWOzSqWJDq50zGERDtgtCexGXqEfSba0/s320/IMG_9289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You will find that all around the blackened socket burnt
wood dust, or ‘char’, has collected. This is the magic dust that eventually
becomes an ember, and in order to catch it and keep it hot, a notch must be cut
into the hearth board. Using a sharp blade or small saw, cut a triangular
section from one side of the hearth board, the apex of which extends into the
centre of your burnt socket (indicated by the dotted line on the 'parts of a bow drill'
illustration and the image below). </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ddbLkssbUTgL1W4NNcHITI7fcGJgD-ZGHZoA815B_mTFXnYMKnynqbLz-dgwUnSxKdJuB2ZFN99eaIMmb2Yy6FHN8bipFilujfz9egOfMyfBPFYjTeJ2S6lHA_l-9YL_XLkItR2g12Q/s1600/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ddbLkssbUTgL1W4NNcHITI7fcGJgD-ZGHZoA815B_mTFXnYMKnynqbLz-dgwUnSxKdJuB2ZFN99eaIMmb2Yy6FHN8bipFilujfz9egOfMyfBPFYjTeJ2S6lHA_l-9YL_XLkItR2g12Q/s320/Joe-Bowdrill+with+axe+11.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once sufficiently rested, get yourself back into the same
awkward position, replace the waxy green leaf in the bearing block (the
previous leaf will probably have disintegrated), tighten the bow string (which
will probably have stretched a little) and slip the ember pan between hearth
and ground right under the notch. Then take a few deep breaths and begin to
spin the drill in its socket again by moving the bow back and forth. Pace
yourself at this point, conserving your energy. Concentrate on keeping a
regular, smooth action with just the right amount of downward pressure: too
much and the drill will bind, or stick, in the hearth, causing the cord to
slip; too little and your char dust will only be brown in colour and nowhere
near hot enough. Keep the bow cord running centrally between top and bottom of
the rotating drill, and apply more tension to it, if needed, by pinching the
cord tighter against the bow with the fingers of your bowing hand. Use the full
length of the bow to give a maximum number of revolutions for your energy output.
You should see smoke and black char very soon. (If not, you may need to apply
more pressure to the bearing block or pick up the bowing pace.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UbVxR_1OP6J2rJduZPhwannI0NqjhRJMyDT9TvEbNxQMr16UTbKCdJpdyLG6QnAhm45511KodlMns1WFKvR85lw5roC8go9F8w2RIhyphenhyphen-S8_S0n83V6WKLe5_biXM9TMd2hTOjzWjFLo/s1600/IMG_9192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UbVxR_1OP6J2rJduZPhwannI0NqjhRJMyDT9TvEbNxQMr16UTbKCdJpdyLG6QnAhm45511KodlMns1WFKvR85lw5roC8go9F8w2RIhyphenhyphen-S8_S0n83V6WKLe5_biXM9TMd2hTOjzWjFLo/s320/IMG_9192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Spindle rotating, heat building, both wood surfaces consuming one another becoming charred particles gathering in the notch</em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAEvOVlZD7xkmnMQbhCrXVWYwD9NZhCjEf2BE7UXiP523TMBPLLPqvf8tf_EfW_p1O6GLDt9hR-hljCoVR-FB59nlLRkiGh4db4uM7r_5TNBHkpZt_w29420Yh2yXx6O_m4sHgqrEBUE/s1600/IMG_9207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAEvOVlZD7xkmnMQbhCrXVWYwD9NZhCjEf2BE7UXiP523TMBPLLPqvf8tf_EfW_p1O6GLDt9hR-hljCoVR-FB59nlLRkiGh4db4uM7r_5TNBHkpZt_w29420Yh2yXx6O_m4sHgqrEBUE/s320/IMG_9207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Notch filling with char, plenty of smoke, char starting to spill out around the spindle/socket</em></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most of the hot, black char should now be collecting on your
ember pan inside your notch cut. As the smoke increases and thickens, your
notch should completely fill with char. In damp conditions this could take a
while, but in good conditions with a perfect technique you should be at this
stage after about 30 seconds of quality bowing. Remember that there are 101
reasons why this technique might not have worked. If your ember attempt isn’t
immediately successful, work out what needs tweaking and keep at it. You may
need to reduce the friction where the drill sits inside the bearing block by
sharpening the point and adding another waxy leaf, or the cord may be slipping
and need to be re-tightened. However, if thick, acrid smoke is being produced
and your ember notch is spilling over with jet-black wood dust, dig in and
increase the pace considerably for a sprint finish. Thirty good fast strokes
should ensure that your little mound of hot powder grows hot enough to burn all by itself.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgi5K5yu818844LiSQN8efQjeON-1wPRFb5LSofT4vmdB2WLMG8avfOyJHW6BEgyuUL66_FUEfoF-GLk1KW4aIVrL8krnOgZ58Z55DX37sXw2Khi6PO1-TRbJLUoZgQOIPv5uj-yRT1A/s1600/IMG_9209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong>Top tips...</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
If you REALLY need this technique to work and there's more than just you in your group then it makes perfect sense to halve the work by 'buddying up' on the bow drill set. Two people or even more can work in unison to produce quicker results. Remember, t<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">here’s no ‘I’ in team but there’s
plenty in ‘I haven’t got my fire to light’. Don’t try and be a hero, many hands
make light work!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaLgHExsawcG0iIpQe_TF87DBG5cBpOeqBP5WTVF3c3oo5kXXp2RWY3cLFBhMmFme25SFShp0oW33VweOS_I_b6CH993F_ATD_WaCOK7KpOr_8ymKfh5asur77BK3stsG2ZLEhvELn0s/s1600/IMG_3888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaLgHExsawcG0iIpQe_TF87DBG5cBpOeqBP5WTVF3c3oo5kXXp2RWY3cLFBhMmFme25SFShp0oW33VweOS_I_b6CH993F_ATD_WaCOK7KpOr_8ymKfh5asur77BK3stsG2ZLEhvELn0s/s320/IMG_3888.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>'To me..to you' three die hards power away to create an ember</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Once
your notch is full of hot, smoking char, stop bowing and carefully roll the hearth board away to
leave your miniature volcano intact. It should continue to smoke if it’s hot
enough inside. You may even see a soft red glow from within.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx4n3IG3M2d_yNUTTzBNaZLSxSwi_6L-mBQs2yz47vsz1bANYAhpPaeiAC6LpDV5PvnpDtDAwiZW3-TlVe8nmYqY8tHxnl4IYwK2roLGq8R90VrjfPsBYyuEB1X7JCDG9jJT1mllKx7M/s1600/IMG_2628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimx4n3IG3M2d_yNUTTzBNaZLSxSwi_6L-mBQs2yz47vsz1bANYAhpPaeiAC6LpDV5PvnpDtDAwiZW3-TlVe8nmYqY8tHxnl4IYwK2roLGq8R90VrjfPsBYyuEB1X7JCDG9jJT1mllKx7M/s320/IMG_2628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Use a small twig to hold the fledgling ember in place as you roll away the hearth</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKI2EICen2mpn4WrJrRKecZS76aAFhFamPkBlytor5Ow_-SOwctra_LTiZeNYy_inbhtA4j3i_dEM4s6oLc2jWn64M_PjQ9TyJ4Um8y0RlIYuB31jSmSJ7KhlsPkVU4O6OqQpjByRFRM/s1600/IMG_9209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKI2EICen2mpn4WrJrRKecZS76aAFhFamPkBlytor5Ow_-SOwctra_LTiZeNYy_inbhtA4j3i_dEM4s6oLc2jWn64M_PjQ9TyJ4Um8y0RlIYuB31jSmSJ7KhlsPkVU4O6OqQpjByRFRM/s320/IMG_9209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While
protecting the fragile ember from any gusts of wind (and try not to sneeze or
cough), gently increase the flow of oxygen by slightly fanning with your hand,
and you will see it glow red as it gradually solidifies into a hot little coal.
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrxrcIpEgXPrijMZgZfzCMLybEm4tPw7j6ngFZTLw51673aZW5O51eA_Rfgpgt6P9xIgpp9z72iayLFtJJ6sQs7lagkOgrJ_Lh20Mh8LDvDGo4sFZ6kkSwR0U0zvOlMHOapHdm32gB4k/s1600/IMG_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrxrcIpEgXPrijMZgZfzCMLybEm4tPw7j6ngFZTLw51673aZW5O51eA_Rfgpgt6P9xIgpp9z72iayLFtJJ6sQs7lagkOgrJ_Lh20Mh8LDvDGo4sFZ6kkSwR0U0zvOlMHOapHdm32gB4k/s320/IMG_2631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Once it’s strong enough, tip it into the middle of your
tinder bundle and blow it into glorious flame as previously described. <br />
<br />
<strong>Now sit
back and enjoy the moment. Life will never be the same again!</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUyr9gtFKPyiBYMWmZ0JEa-PUCoViK0BpBdZYg3Ex7-bIoSsyRO-kI3tg-Z0Z4tmvHp_j1H_bCJgh01ptDyR-Of7UdSTB8Zf6D5jQMRpvhhEvyu4YTJLzRKDgwm3FgO8QM7mbKmAVP7A/s1600/IMG_3900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUyr9gtFKPyiBYMWmZ0JEa-PUCoViK0BpBdZYg3Ex7-bIoSsyRO-kI3tg-Z0Z4tmvHp_j1H_bCJgh01ptDyR-Of7UdSTB8Zf6D5jQMRpvhhEvyu4YTJLzRKDgwm3FgO8QM7mbKmAVP7A/s320/IMG_3900.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>A good ember is introduced to a tinder bundle of honeysuckle bark</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQeL11bNRKj5ScHV3gviTh8Uy6V6m-wx0lq5cMXOTqgWYJj3pB_RfBjxLh8paEuM8SonllJZX0XHk2qE1wchwYJVCdDHTlmpCXxd2Bv3GFOpvBWI3Bgz2DelHq3I1BqPwzXweM7oGe-U/s1600/IMG_7963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQeL11bNRKj5ScHV3gviTh8Uy6V6m-wx0lq5cMXOTqgWYJj3pB_RfBjxLh8paEuM8SonllJZX0XHk2qE1wchwYJVCdDHTlmpCXxd2Bv3GFOpvBWI3Bgz2DelHq3I1BqPwzXweM7oGe-U/s320/IMG_7963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Surround the ember with fuel and blow to increase oxygen flow through the heart of the tinder bundle</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQFalQJ_GhnvwAn4SNmah1C9TzPdrxqBoerN-4foCd-W23dII9kqf8hBvfXDchOnWS_OJmnzEzE5aGfd3wQtSbVmIWH-0tdYmrKM2IMSaBNeqBSIOuN6t8mHwsSaDKQ8ZXtYZqrbs12U/s1600/IMG_3909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQFalQJ_GhnvwAn4SNmah1C9TzPdrxqBoerN-4foCd-W23dII9kqf8hBvfXDchOnWS_OJmnzEzE5aGfd3wQtSbVmIWH-0tdYmrKM2IMSaBNeqBSIOuN6t8mHwsSaDKQ8ZXtYZqrbs12U/s320/IMG_3909.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Thick smoke is a sure sign that ignition is only seconds away</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuNHyFNcAir77xfPjqJTIEFHIBlCvfnzJ1g3P1lg9VN3auqWVna9oKvwyjJMzTu9EM270cx9F2s8xPP3-Df3XPje435Tz4VOEo79rUW_pLOpq7dt8lkhZTAcgnwbQpM1wYTsmrSgOiCM/s1600/IMG_0703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuNHyFNcAir77xfPjqJTIEFHIBlCvfnzJ1g3P1lg9VN3auqWVna9oKvwyjJMzTu9EM270cx9F2s8xPP3-Df3XPje435Tz4VOEo79rUW_pLOpq7dt8lkhZTAcgnwbQpM1wYTsmrSgOiCM/s320/IMG_0703.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>BINGO!!!</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-29651153188728313052013-07-02T18:49:00.000-07:002013-07-10T12:42:18.225-07:00Fire lighting - effective techniques for all weathers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGEBl9vvpMjx3CpeBORVNt3UZ3zyFCYz-AhZ3X02SFUEMyLIM3EZd2m35E8Gqk0ckhjOGN9Qz7T0PCUdmkDRKS8RMm3s5megKt8KrvWb7PiLJPtOYzj4UfN32Njk14RZBlFU6qxaRtWk/s1600/IMG_9014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGEBl9vvpMjx3CpeBORVNt3UZ3zyFCYz-AhZ3X02SFUEMyLIM3EZd2m35E8Gqk0ckhjOGN9Qz7T0PCUdmkDRKS8RMm3s5megKt8KrvWb7PiLJPtOYzj4UfN32Njk14RZBlFU6qxaRtWk/s320/IMG_9014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Your basic survival kit should be able to provide all the
essentials for survival, but what if you don’t have your survival kit with you?
The ability to improvise using whatever resources are close to hand is a vital
skill that should be practiced and honed whenever you get the chance. In most cases shelter from the elements will be your primary consideration and it makes a lot of sense to initially search for some form of existing or natural shelter in the near vicinity. However, if natural cover isn't available, having a good understanding of the most fundamental shelter building principles , a working knowledge of natural materials and a simple but effective shelter option up your sleeve could save the day. So, even without our basic survival kit, effective protection from the
elements can still be achieved and the immediate threat to life dealt with. In
many cases, certainly in colder climates our next consideration must be to
provide warmth and without specialised gear such as a sleeping bag or cold
weather clothing, a warming camp fire may be the only option. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In survival terms a camp fire is so much more than just a
provider of warmth. It’s flames and smoke provide an age old signalling device
to alert rescuers, water can be made safe to drink by boiling, nuisance animals
and insects can be kept at bay, wet clothing can be dried, the toxins in
certain plant foods can be destroyed by heat making them safe to eat and food
stuffs can be dried and smoked to preserve them. Wooden tools and weapons can
be made more durable by baking them hard in the embers, in fact fire itself has
even been used as a tool in days gone by, both for hunting by attracting fish
to a flaming torch or driving animals from their hiding places and as a method
of felling trees, sectioning the trunk and hollowing out the wood to make containers
or even dug-out canoes. It’s pretty much wholly responsible for taking us out
of the stone-age and onwards towards the manufacture of metal tools, shiny trinkets
and the X box. In short, it really is such an essential element of our
existence that, quite frankly if you feel that you don’t possess the skills to
produce fire with or without modern equipment then you should probably question
your current position as a serving member of the human race!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t panic though, help is at hand. In this post I’ll
cover the basics of preparing and lighting a fire, stripping the skill right back to basics assuming minimal access to
modern gear. With this in mind, a keyword to remember above all else is
‘preparation’. If your only available method of ignition is an improvised one
(think Tom Hanks in ‘Castaway’) then all attempts to produce flames could end
in tears if you haven’t adequately prepared the materials necessary to turn
smoke into fire. Throw some less than perfect weather conditions, a sprinkling
of thirst and hunger plus a good dollop of tiredness into the mix and despite
being supreme ruler of the barbeque at home, failure could well be waiting to pull
the rug right out from under you.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong>Tinder:</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Without your survival kit to fall back on, your first
consideration must always be tinder. The definition of tinder is a material, so
fine, dry and combustible that it will ignite from the smallest flame or
coolest spark. Chances are, such a material will also be incredibly absorbent
to moisture so if relying on locally foraged tinder then unless it’s a bright
sunny day it’ll probably be anything from slightly damp to sodden. Collecting
tinder early gives you the chance to dry it out by putting a little bit in all of
your inside pockets and letting body-heat warm it through. Remember that to be
a successful survivor you must be an opportunist and gathering tinder materials
when you see them to squirrel away somewhere dry should be pretty high on the
priority list. You’ll ideally want a bundle of tinder around the size of a
grapefruit. In a typical European temperate environment look out for dead
bracken, wild clematis or honeysuckle bark, dead grass, dead pine needles, thistle
down and the lord of all tinders, birch bark. Birch trees naturally shed their
outer bark in wispy, papery peelings perfect for catching a spark but best of
all, this bark contains a natural tar substance that burns with a strong,
bright flame.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmswc8p6NgtOj58eMHizaOrzB8TpGWxLtPGYVgzZzkfC9wDZOdkcRcHwuLha4kQ1jN4zAkglwWNzWMpMRAW7PcytHC16mjX7J0ecQKUMc9h3CkHzyFpntmoGV-o_liY01SuXoG_YiZgM/s1600/IMG_7463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmswc8p6NgtOj58eMHizaOrzB8TpGWxLtPGYVgzZzkfC9wDZOdkcRcHwuLha4kQ1jN4zAkglwWNzWMpMRAW7PcytHC16mjX7J0ecQKUMc9h3CkHzyFpntmoGV-o_liY01SuXoG_YiZgM/s320/IMG_7463.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Wild Clematis vine bark peelings</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCto9fc1eyoi1tmCbIsaQO3aiASG3FjKGX8IsjwY3T1vwVq3BkEY0-XoqVSh1Tn1FMZjaH0g2QYJhsCUouPaMQ_7BUXc0dD0xeMgsg6nm1Yuv45epHdUbuFePeB_YkYMaqLNocFhhu8Uk/s1600/IMG_4642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCto9fc1eyoi1tmCbIsaQO3aiASG3FjKGX8IsjwY3T1vwVq3BkEY0-XoqVSh1Tn1FMZjaH0g2QYJhsCUouPaMQ_7BUXc0dD0xeMgsg6nm1Yuv45epHdUbuFePeB_YkYMaqLNocFhhu8Uk/s320/IMG_4642.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> 'Cramp Ball' or 'King Alfred's Cakes' a fungus which grows on dead ash</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYlWhUhg2lFoTtVndBsK91Opwy3IKAcELDpffCNuIHG5zq-CmjIMl7gex1pMB1HPta50JBxX6ic5u6-LYVH2tCZqi1A6RAApq-0biYJ23wffJL_csq1R16EIJpLJKmns58kH-KYRXGss/s1600/IMG_3900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYlWhUhg2lFoTtVndBsK91Opwy3IKAcELDpffCNuIHG5zq-CmjIMl7gex1pMB1HPta50JBxX6ic5u6-LYVH2tCZqi1A6RAApq-0biYJ23wffJL_csq1R16EIJpLJKmns58kH-KYRXGss/s320/IMG_3900.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Wild honeysuckle bark. Only remove the dead peelings</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zQxApVcIaiEcC-UNFSKfL7ivyQeRZyHkCPd_9gHEBlZmDczUdTjl9iiPYWAwFFVeqhoZssfe7J94B1WffWQV4TvhueaRIoErEs5hwb_D8_uzOZdXfidRFzN_CENTJQoEaHzOgGt_JM0/s1600/IMG_7774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zQxApVcIaiEcC-UNFSKfL7ivyQeRZyHkCPd_9gHEBlZmDczUdTjl9iiPYWAwFFVeqhoZssfe7J94B1WffWQV4TvhueaRIoErEs5hwb_D8_uzOZdXfidRFzN_CENTJQoEaHzOgGt_JM0/s320/IMG_7774.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Thistle down. Perfect for catching a spark and turning it into flame but it must be surrounded by a more substantial, coarse tinder</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div>
<br /></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong>Prepare the fire place:</strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, prepare your fireplace. For all it’s many good points,
a fire lit in the wrong place can have disastrous consequences so regardless of
your situation always be wary of the risk of your fire spreading and becoming
out of control. Choose an area well away from combustible materials and clear
all plant matter away for at least a metre all around the fireplace, paying
close attention to any overhanging foliage. If possible, clear it right back to
bare earth but even then be alert to the terrifying possibility that certain
soil types will burn and smoulder (peaty soil or soil with shallow,
interlocking root systems). Look for a sheltered place out of the wind or
create a barrier with local materials. Avoid surrounding the fire with rocks if
you can as the moisture inside will expand as they heat up, causing them to
crack open with a loud bang at best. At worst, they’ll explode sending red hot
shards of rock flying through the air! I’ve experienced this inside a natural shelter
and it made me squeal! Good job nobody else was there to witness such a
shameful spectacle. Instead, dig a shallow pit about the circumference and
depth of an upturned dustbin lid in which to start your fire off. This will
provide some shelter from the wind and keep it where you want it as it grows. Line
the base of the pit with dry sticks to provide a dry platform for your tinder
and allow plenty of air flow underneath. A wind barrier can be made using piles
of firewood with the added bonus of allowing the wood a chance to dry out. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQp4pJL5ZzBPc0stUGaJGrwBEGynUsUWNaUojsKnHgP_ePv-t6o9k_Mx4X5f7Vq2FdzLMgpS5qh5QV2QGcipgTmfuEWoE3HcBGnxsuJcXGWD8RYmoCQnqV9Qo9Ic7phGhl9aGFEITY3Ic/s1600/IMG_2625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQp4pJL5ZzBPc0stUGaJGrwBEGynUsUWNaUojsKnHgP_ePv-t6o9k_Mx4X5f7Vq2FdzLMgpS5qh5QV2QGcipgTmfuEWoE3HcBGnxsuJcXGWD8RYmoCQnqV9Qo9Ic7phGhl9aGFEITY3Ic/s320/IMG_2625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A well prepared fire site, instructor ready to attempt ignition</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7kbkQakBNDT-odT5aO6in6qbbF1ZCYDXs1PABlkfA9R_Ek5hig2nFQrh7Ce1RH0W3i0ickkqiFNSMrD6b6K3PbybDHMIMiM1ox4yrd7z6KG6kC2FX8CEDTrbhBQB-MBAr32c4H-jGO0/s1600/IMG_7783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7kbkQakBNDT-odT5aO6in6qbbF1ZCYDXs1PABlkfA9R_Ek5hig2nFQrh7Ce1RH0W3i0ickkqiFNSMrD6b6K3PbybDHMIMiM1ox4yrd7z6KG6kC2FX8CEDTrbhBQB-MBAr32c4H-jGO0/s320/IMG_7783.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Taking no chances! This fireplace in coniferous woodland has been excavated and filled with a clay base to prevent accidental ignition of underground root systems </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<strong>Kindling:</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A fire needs three elements to exist and grow – oxygen, heat
and fuel. Oxygen is obviously all around us but can be restricted if your fire
isn’t constructed so as to allow air flow easily through the fuel wood. It can
also be increased if needs be by blowing or fanning when the fire’s struggling
to get going. Heat relates to your chosen method of ignition and fuel, in most
instances will be wood (but might also be blubber, bones, dung or peat
depending on where in the world you happen to be). Fuel wood must be added to
the tinder starting with the thinnest, driest stuff first to allow it to grow
steadily. This important next stage in your fire’s development goes by the name
of ‘kindling’ and can be anything from match stick up to finger in thickness.
It should also be bone dry, gathered from dead tree trunks and suspended fallen
branches rather than from the damp forest floor. In wet weather, strip the
soggy bark away or better still, split down larger sections of dead, dry wood
into thin splints. This is a highly underrated fire lighting technique that is
well worth the investment in time and energy. In fact, in cold wet climates
you’ll struggle to achieve a fire without doing this. Even when all the tinder
and kindling in the wood is soaking wet, splitting open larger section dead wood
will provide both. By using a lump of heavy wood as a batten with a knife, axe
or even a piece of flint as a splitting wedge, even quite sizeable logs can be
halved, quartered and so on with relative ease. By carefully carving the dry
wood inside into paper thin shavings you have all the makings of a successful
fire even in wet weather. With practice, these ‘feather sticks’ can be carved
fine enough to light from a spark!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCLUnwKjIbQFdN5s4CzIpLehkXwDv3Aa-h4f_xV2HKdJa_j0HgqP1HvjlVY5oxSo_V1zL9lgqm42-DkLs8W-1UTxa9RJGUB7EdnGJZHAbRb7T6qHyVtbXRpa9Rad4UK9cTIIY3KzhzTs/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCLUnwKjIbQFdN5s4CzIpLehkXwDv3Aa-h4f_xV2HKdJa_j0HgqP1HvjlVY5oxSo_V1zL9lgqm42-DkLs8W-1UTxa9RJGUB7EdnGJZHAbRb7T6qHyVtbXRpa9Rad4UK9cTIIY3KzhzTs/s320/IMG_2648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
'Feathering' split dry standing deadwood to provide dry tinder in wet conditions</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3_z964xepP9pveFV2XZlau5rt9fXftipd3loeOKM4iyQd1NuVgWXjtlKM2etemImz5g81wPsfiWZr0vM9gjTUJydlD_8zP0RSMThBrfgEiYklpuHY4wvrC1VtYVgmS3nHBs0dCAY4kQ/s1600/IMG_0310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3_z964xepP9pveFV2XZlau5rt9fXftipd3loeOKM4iyQd1NuVgWXjtlKM2etemImz5g81wPsfiWZr0vM9gjTUJydlD_8zP0RSMThBrfgEiYklpuHY4wvrC1VtYVgmS3nHBs0dCAY4kQ/s320/IMG_0310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Building a jenga stack of split seasoned oak - maximum oxygen, fuel and heat for a hot ember bed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Fuel wood:</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fuel wood should only be added as the fire becomes
established and able to support itself. Start with the thinnest pieces first and
increase in size as the fire grows. Flinging a yule log on too early could
smother the fire and put you right back to square one. Fuel wood must also be
dead and well-seasoned, ranging from finger thick upwards depending on how much
of an inferno you’re hoping to achieve. Not all woods burn the same and
different species have different qualities. Oak and ash burn well providing
excellent cooking embers, hawthorn and beech burn bright and hot, pine will
provide plenty of light to work by after dark, fruit woods smell nice and sweet
chestnut spits sparks out onto your sleeping bag all night long. Gather a
sizeable stack while you still have daylight remaining, more than you think
you’ll need. There’s nothing more depressing than trudging round a cold dark forest
at 3am looking for firewood in your boots and underpants. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lrUuD8_cEVvYhPGf8UMWHl0U_RbzJPC2tGigDjGZ2r3806vdZuJrxhQt3NVv452lRqsoayfrWeFp_zc-tBwoz3aQB3MnS1epOtqNWYgpCeYwxDr2wQFiwAZewGBOk1w69xMDHpgHlMw/s1600/IMG_9642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lrUuD8_cEVvYhPGf8UMWHl0U_RbzJPC2tGigDjGZ2r3806vdZuJrxhQt3NVv452lRqsoayfrWeFp_zc-tBwoz3aQB3MnS1epOtqNWYgpCeYwxDr2wQFiwAZewGBOk1w69xMDHpgHlMw/s320/IMG_9642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sawing fuel wood to length and splitting it with an axe will help a fire in it's early stages or cold, damp conditions</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboZJPPfB-Oewh4fgeTIuEYFnxbasaRsZXlJPc4SLa-ERqIxQITNBgxVVM8XUNGpBxMgIN5PZCYvQeNowdX89N1HqSARU2waxFM99i9f0GSteIwkUS1UNaywMt4X3E4I9EWmzjcYlJtl4/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboZJPPfB-Oewh4fgeTIuEYFnxbasaRsZXlJPc4SLa-ERqIxQITNBgxVVM8XUNGpBxMgIN5PZCYvQeNowdX89N1HqSARU2waxFM99i9f0GSteIwkUS1UNaywMt4X3E4I9EWmzjcYlJtl4/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqv0swYRNiwSE87HuYGkv3CXrzV0d5Kt8HBuS7x3_m2dmcyQQ4_-8JAs-rdhSZehVsl2-UkSvqHd1KjqPROkLadHdSAWx9LetzO9rttN4TR9bYY2QCtT8oABLRcEb6tS4l2qwdjCndpE/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Play it safe when splitting smaller pieces. The technique of bringing a small axe and small section of wood together onto a solid stump minimizes risk of a poorly placed chop </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHiCSjYhEkqT_Hg-KLRFMaJFfvfHcHT9o22N5hRf91DLXUlSeDI80nAcWxgVzYwbCMnrs4H518dZcakvC4-WMWIV57ghleskU1RG_5HVCzPzRR9Y6EYM-qma9DDShXkd4spNk5_oZXLI/s1600/IMG_7745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHiCSjYhEkqT_Hg-KLRFMaJFfvfHcHT9o22N5hRf91DLXUlSeDI80nAcWxgVzYwbCMnrs4H518dZcakvC4-WMWIV57ghleskU1RG_5HVCzPzRR9Y6EYM-qma9DDShXkd4spNk5_oZXLI/s320/IMG_7745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Once the fire is established, feed long lengths into the centre. Unnecessary processing wastes energy. Note the log wall fire reflector - this throws radiated heat back at the shelter occupant and shields the fire from the wind, conserving fuel </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Light it up!</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There
are many ways to arrange your kindling and fuel wood around your tinder before
introducing a method of ignition. A tepee arrangement starting with the
thinnest kindling first will catch the flames from your tinder bundle and
easily spread upwards and outwards to the thicker fuel wood, helped along by
it’s chimney like structure encouraging good ‘draw’. It’s a classic for bad
weather and damp materials. Around this build a kind of ‘log cabin’ alternating
stack of ever increasingly thicker fuel wood providing plenty of air flow,
combined with plenty of fuel and you’ll be guaranteed of a morale boosting
blaze extremely quick. Kindling can also be propped up over the tinder using a
thicker log, or even held above it using a little mini goalpost made from the
largest kindling sticks. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOZNUERgD0v1o1oOi53xOijUc9gPAwDaQCBRwuwl0VgXvxTNCiRiAibnEcICcxByIlx80eRW6c-Ax83TpuDnfzxqCCE8qNm_TjY-QB_gQ316xKNeWHQtHc1A99uFkj4ceZCCK_JvwbI0/s1600/P1010113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOZNUERgD0v1o1oOi53xOijUc9gPAwDaQCBRwuwl0VgXvxTNCiRiAibnEcICcxByIlx80eRW6c-Ax83TpuDnfzxqCCE8qNm_TjY-QB_gQ316xKNeWHQtHc1A99uFkj4ceZCCK_JvwbI0/s320/P1010113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
IGNITION!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMR0sgBV5oD8PCZjEOTB3sdUK9n88dcZgrHT755p5vPs5_92P7WF44CetBst3x58FyO4eDGMW6q4CFdS-6_S0PyVkVWhJEj5sxE3NeVoAO2OEWre_Z-3SZO4NnHvJiAnEGgw8u0Ft8kU/s1600/IMG_2640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMR0sgBV5oD8PCZjEOTB3sdUK9n88dcZgrHT755p5vPs5_92P7WF44CetBst3x58FyO4eDGMW6q4CFdS-6_S0PyVkVWhJEj5sxE3NeVoAO2OEWre_Z-3SZO4NnHvJiAnEGgw8u0Ft8kU/s320/IMG_2640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Providing a blast of oxygen right into the heart of the tinder bundle</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0Fg_HJENZUEnvLb2CqQiXpsJ8mbGlRDBnZK2aM4O0MVmH_7mcr3gAqkNaCMX2booYisU-plSM7AGbU58CrzUfu-4CnW0HK4E-OuhBPvMfqTTYYPWGbPUHLaazo_8291Me1u5Blm4Xbc/s1600/IMG_2641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0Fg_HJENZUEnvLb2CqQiXpsJ8mbGlRDBnZK2aM4O0MVmH_7mcr3gAqkNaCMX2booYisU-plSM7AGbU58CrzUfu-4CnW0HK4E-OuhBPvMfqTTYYPWGbPUHLaazo_8291Me1u5Blm4Xbc/s320/IMG_2641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Showing the bare minimum amount of ultra dry, match stick thin kindling you should gather</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidywanuK9UsyKzWxu162aPBz50FTlnBr9SX-NwbeRlOREPBNwmZ6GbeU1noOj423g7TU8gfJtFBK3QvijAVlQeLovQOANoH32QsoVaw_HoshWiLKNGgRtL3__8et48Cnh7wb8s0L4CJjI/s1600/IMG_2643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidywanuK9UsyKzWxu162aPBz50FTlnBr9SX-NwbeRlOREPBNwmZ6GbeU1noOj423g7TU8gfJtFBK3QvijAVlQeLovQOANoH32QsoVaw_HoshWiLKNGgRtL3__8et48Cnh7wb8s0L4CJjI/s320/IMG_2643.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Propping up the kindling to allow the fire to grow upwards without smothering the flame</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhWHff9V_3Hr_f_pWZ0gFARr5T-eifWFXv6OtmdSpCN5IBQ3MRbkYGBC2SrScQuSfpOXsnYl6koYN3eThU25f62_l3dmWA3ZfYCcewMn9bBQVdlDYpNSJwNzT9upnXQ4eD4xE52KTR5I/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhWHff9V_3Hr_f_pWZ0gFARr5T-eifWFXv6OtmdSpCN5IBQ3MRbkYGBC2SrScQuSfpOXsnYl6koYN3eThU25f62_l3dmWA3ZfYCcewMn9bBQVdlDYpNSJwNzT9upnXQ4eD4xE52KTR5I/s320/IMG_2645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Adding the thinnest fuel wood in an alternating matrix to create a hot 'heart' to the fire. Increasingly thicker fuel wood is added in the same way. Now put the kettle on and never let it go out...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Whichever arrangement you use remember that fire needs fuel
and oxygen as well as heat to grow and it naturally wants to spread upwards. If
something isn’t working as you’d hoped then come back to these basic principles
and re-arrange your materials accordingly. After sourcing suitable materials,
success is really just a matter of trouble shooting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’ve ever had to rely on fire as a tool
for survival through necessity or choice then I’m sure you’ll agree that once
those flames are dancing, suddenly everything else becomes possible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>But hang on. Before you reach for the marshmallows we need
to discuss a method of ignition. Again, assuming no survival kit we’ll take it
right back to basics and in the next post I’ll take a detailed look at the
bow and drill method of friction fire lighting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZml360Jqde5a4Px933ILZNCbmCHjW8c0f4lRdkFyPwZzCjGN-Qml67JSDUOlYxN39n-7l8PQnvSjUuweD5pBM1HtzaEj32FikVuPSM8OHA3w-gJjkkoM3uYbgN6FfF6F1NzFnqA-cg8/s1600/IMG_9160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZml360Jqde5a4Px933ILZNCbmCHjW8c0f4lRdkFyPwZzCjGN-Qml67JSDUOlYxN39n-7l8PQnvSjUuweD5pBM1HtzaEj32FikVuPSM8OHA3w-gJjkkoM3uYbgN6FfF6F1NzFnqA-cg8/s320/IMG_9160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<br />wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-75951157558518200882013-05-15T05:19:00.001-07:002013-05-15T05:55:07.247-07:00Moccasin boot hybrids - old meets new (traditional buckskin woodland footwear, with a modern twist..)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/buckskin-moccasin-workshop"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHiOy7IHlfO7VhOXoBzd7EXI7P4m1YffMymKnTe5QePBSIM5v3pwKO5MYloZ5mG1S0_nIhqreFTgQRm0IXVdS9Bupt45J-ULFvwdvbK0hXnhTs6mD6r7ouoE_655bALGXE7IHL8WeaSw/s320/IMG_4890.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This is an article I wrote for a magazine around this time last year, re-posted for those who haven't yet seen it, anyone who has expressed an interest in how they were made having seen them on a course or on my social media images and anyone who likes looking at bluebells!</em></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As an
amateur designer and maker of home-made clothing and equipment, my holy grail has
always been footwear. To look at a modern pair of training shoes for example,
with a view to replicating them befuddles my brain beyond belief. Even a
standard pair of leather boots seems to combine an unbelievable number of
highly developed skills to stitch, shape and join the leather, rubber and metal
in order to make something we all take for granted. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The humble pair of boots has to fulfil an extraordinary task for which they are not given enough credit. They must be light in weight to ease the load for your weary legs but at the same time, strong enough to support our feeble 21stcentury feet. They must also be flexible to allow the twenty six bones and one hundred or so muscles, ligaments and tendons in each foot and ankle to flex, contract and expand freely. They must have a flexible but hardwearing sole to cope with the incredibly tough and unforgiving modern surfaces we are all expected to walk around on. Not only that but we prefer them to have a certain amount of cushioning and often require some insulation, waterproofing and breathability too. In short, we’re all wearing a pair of little miracles on our feet! </div>
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Surely then,
to make one’s own footwear for the woods is a skill reserved for only an elite
minority, the chosen few, a special kind of craftsman? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Cobblers!”
I exclaimed and set about researching the subject (that joke surely deserves an
award of some kind…). I took my research right back to basics, to a time when
nobody even knew what a Vibram sole was and tools and materials could be made
rather than bought. After all, the sort of footwear I wanted to make would be
for using only in the woods. I wanted a degree of protection for walking
through spiky, stinging foliage and also from the elements. At the same time I
wanted them to be extremely light weight, flexible and noise free
underfoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I’m out in the woods on
my own I like to pad about as quietly and as stealthily as possible. It’s
amazing what you see and hear when you aren’t crashing through the undergrowth
in a pair of clumpy boots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I read
every piece of literature I could find on the subject of traditional footwear I
was astounded by the variation between cultures and environments. One quite
disappointing truth that cropped up repeatedly was that back in the day, in
relatively warm temperate environments most of us didn’t wear boots of any kind
for much of the time. Even where some kind of footwear should really have been necessary
due to the local flora and fauna, people just went without whenever they could.
We were obviously tougher back then (well our feet were anyway) and with traditional
materials wearing out pretty quick when worn as foot wear, to go barefoot was probably
the preferred option. For someone who can’t walk across a pebbly beach barefoot
without yelping and whining, this clearly wasn’t going to be an option. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While
reading (well, looking at the pictures…) one type of traditional footwear had
caught my eye more than once. The buckskin moccasin was, and still is renowned
the world over for quietness, flexibility and just feeling closer to nature. Ellsworth
Jaeger in his book ‘Wildwood Wisdom’ tells us that “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moccasins are the best natural footwear that has ever been devised. The
moccasined foot can feel it’s way along the trail and are light and warm at
night. Moccasined feet are like the pads of animals</i>”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jim Riggs author of the Blue Mountain
Buckskin manual says quite simply “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">buckskin
moccasins give you magic feet!</i>” and who are we to argue with that.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another
advantage of this wonder footwear is that the fabric used to make traditional
moccasins is born of the land itself. Buckskin is a material manufactured from
animal hides (mainly deer species) thereby making good use of a natural
resource and by-product of hunting for meat. To make buckskin is a fairly
lengthy process, a subject in it’s own right. In a nutshell, the hide must
first be scraped to remove any flesh, soaked in a lye solution of wood ash and
water for several days then scraped to remove the top layer of skin along with
the hair or fur. After a good rinsing the hide is scraped again to remove any
membrane still clinging onto the flesh side then a solution of brains and warm
water is massaged well into the fibres (whole eggs or pure soap and neat’s foot
oil will also do the job). This oily solution is left to penetrate the hide for
as long as possible, usually overnight, then firmly wrung out by twisting the
hide around a wooden pole until it feels clammy rather than wet. The skin is
then manipulated and stretched until dry, softened further by working the
fibres over a slightly abrasive surface. Finally the now soft buckskin is force
smoked over a punky fire to help preserve and keep it soft as well as colour it
to the desired shade from a light tan to a rich brown. This fantastic fabric is
virtually windproof and showerproof, retains some warmth when wet, is quiet in
use, comfortable to wear, tough (quite literally as old boots) and very easy to
make into clothing and equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were
many designs of moccasin depending on where in the world the wearer lived. Some
had hard soles made from thick rawhide to give a degree of protection from
thorns and others kept the hair on for insulation. For the most part a soft
sole seemed to be common place. As I had no desire to stay true to any
particular tribal group or historical period I was happy to ‘mix and match’
where possible, even incorporating some modern ideas to hopefully tailor an
existing design to my own British woodland environment. My first modern
improvement would be a sewn in tongue to prevent grit and other debris finding
it’s way inside through the laces. Also, the sole needed some attention for
several reasons. Firstly, the sole of a traditional moccasin has a very limited
lifespan, even when used only in the woods. Secondly, buckskin is also not
really designed to be waterproofed (it’s just too breathable and flexible) and
thirdly, in damp conditions buckskin can feel ‘slimy’ therefore making the
soles incredibly slick and likely to put you on your backside without warning.
My proposed solution was to add a thin, grippy rubber sole somehow. Lastly, many
traditional designs had a very simple lacing system, basically a length of
buckskin thonging to wrap around the lower leg several times and tie off. I wanted
proper parachute cord laces and lacing tabs to pull the moccasins in tight and
give me a better fit. With all this in mind I took some inspiration from
Ellsworth Jaeger’s book which has several excellent moccasin designs and plenty
of moccasin related information. The illustrations are quite cartoony and there
is one character who frequently pops up in full buckskin garb, wearing a natty
little pair of pucker toe moccasin/boot hybrids. His little cartoony feet
became the inspiration behind my new footwear.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRayF3uUoDoq5_91lr05q74xJ4vFR_sRvxJUsOk4PRcUVzyZaVHBwbfWK8x0ixeDI2Ryh2iS-80c6liv0bYiJlllsUzQa4ZVB4vt6slJwBUbknDmKlXUdWNnumnNho-6WwT4BaxnaeNw/s1600/IMG_4781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRayF3uUoDoq5_91lr05q74xJ4vFR_sRvxJUsOk4PRcUVzyZaVHBwbfWK8x0ixeDI2Ryh2iS-80c6liv0bYiJlllsUzQa4ZVB4vt6slJwBUbknDmKlXUdWNnumnNho-6WwT4BaxnaeNw/s320/IMG_4781.JPG" width="320" /></a><em></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Scissors, saddlers
needles, artificial sinew, awl, blunt pincers and rubber thimbles are all you
need</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTUQcgYsvVTKkVCgT-Hu79AJ81PDKkIAxv_4tbLta9zEeZ4p_iocO_wBAwYfruyhr0giN6MlsNIhEwP6Hq2W4OY4AdFHEu0sudI8boMIUZHJF4G0GDhg_bMg0AI5HxlniCCvH3sxPGpU/s1600/120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVTUQcgYsvVTKkVCgT-Hu79AJ81PDKkIAxv_4tbLta9zEeZ4p_iocO_wBAwYfruyhr0giN6MlsNIhEwP6Hq2W4OY4AdFHEu0sudI8boMIUZHJF4G0GDhg_bMg0AI5HxlniCCvH3sxPGpU/s320/120.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;"><strong></strong></span></em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;"></span></em></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;">The wonder fabric – buckskin</span></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An animal
hide, being a natural product has an inconsistent thickness. Some areas need to
be stronger such as the area around the neck, the haunches and along the ridge
of the back. The side flanks and underbelly are slightly thinner and therefore
softer. These different qualities can be used to our advantage and incorporated
into a clothing design. For example, moccasin soles need to be strong and thick
but the uppers and tongue are better made from the thinner areas. When marking
out a pattern it’s good to arrange the different pieces with all of this in
mind. Also, some hides are generally thicker than others. The difference in
thickness between a winter hide and a summer hide is notable but there is also
a thickness variation between male and female and even different deer species.
Roe deer will give the crafts person a thin and small hide, Muntjac is smaller
still but quite thick, Red deer although much larger has quite an obvious
thickness variation between the neck and flank area and also has a more open fibre
structure making it wear quicker. Across the pond, Moose is the preferred
choice of hide for making buckskin moccasins but we don’t have many in
Wiltshire! I have found that winter Fallow deer hide will give a good thickness
combined with a pretty good size, certainly suitable enough for making a pair
of moccasin boots.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9J18oV9Bz_ZKkmASFKWNWTQpNX1Mf84oZUOjDKoF_LXVykmPTjlMp3d4sQ_JVEBg9wzfPtee9qFha9Fq3A81cz3qTo9-EZHsM6i9qoe-2Id4pCQV15wZ4DGYlc952TTJZCZloqgDPrQ/s320/115a.jpg" width="320" /><strong><em></em></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><em></em></strong> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>A well smoked buckskin
showing the typical variation in thickness and strength</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I based the
bare bones of my design around the ‘pucker toe’ moccasin worn by the woodland
tribes of North America. There are other, simpler designs that I had made
before such as the side fold ‘mitten’ moccasin but I liked the way the
puckering lifted up any stitching to the top of the foot, well away from ground
level where it might leak or wear more quickly. I had also decided to use a
liquid rubber mixed with shredded sticky rubber granules to paint a hard
wearing, grippy sole onto the moccasins and I quite liked the idea of being
able to extend this waterproof surface up the sides slightly and seal the
stitching on the heel tab. Although in theory, buckskin costs nothing in
monetary terms, it is priceless to the person who has just made it so not
wanting to end up with a ruined buckskin, my initial attempt was to be made
using calico stitched together with wool and a darning needle. Using this
method, I could get the fit just right with the added advantage of being able
to take the prototype moccasin apart and use it as a working pattern. After
playing around with the puckering method and adding uppers and a sewn in ‘bellows’
tongue I felt confident enough to mark out my first moccasin on a nice, thick fallow
buckskin and cut out the five pieces that would form it’s basic structure.<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAUDSMWtLgcihUMz71_rPuIladl1f3RMZSmvKVS95XWegHIFnM0rASWo0wgJB753qvkCyCXM4sikJwNGEv4_a4HeBC9n3Ir3vPPG9XTD4V5TVpqhPmH94tP4jmUJVLoHNWXxkGnaQUNM/s1600/IMG_4777b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAUDSMWtLgcihUMz71_rPuIladl1f3RMZSmvKVS95XWegHIFnM0rASWo0wgJB753qvkCyCXM4sikJwNGEv4_a4HeBC9n3Ir3vPPG9XTD4V5TVpqhPmH94tP4jmUJVLoHNWXxkGnaQUNM/s320/IMG_4777b.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAUDSMWtLgcihUMz71_rPuIladl1f3RMZSmvKVS95XWegHIFnM0rASWo0wgJB753qvkCyCXM4sikJwNGEv4_a4HeBC9n3Ir3vPPG9XTD4V5TVpqhPmH94tP4jmUJVLoHNWXxkGnaQUNM/s1600/IMG_4777b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><br />
<em>Pucker toe moccasin pieces
showing foot placement. A-foot section. B – vamp tongue. C – upper. D – bellows
tongue wings<o:p></o:p></em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</span></span>
I<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">t probably
comes as no surprise to learn that there are also many methods of stitching
buckskin. For rough and ready garments, an oversized running stitch or whip
stitch using buckskin thonging is quick and effective. The fibres in buckskin
‘knit’ together quite nicely when joined in this way, with no need for hems. As
the material is so thick, each stitch hole must first be made using a sharp awl.
This isn’t as time consuming as it sounds once you get in a rhythm. The
buckskin thonging even becomes it’s own needle by twisting one end into a point
with licked fingers. Being a show off I decided to keep my stitching small and
neat for maximum weatherproofing opting for sinew as a thread and a modern size
18 saddlers needle rather than a traditional bone or antler version. Highly
weatherproof skin garments that were traditionally sewn using sinew are truly
amazing. Sinew, again being a natural product, has it’s limitations. Although
incredibly strong for it’s size, sinew only comes in short lengths so must be
joined or twisted into thin cordage. Luckily there is a modern alternative in
the form of synthetic sinew which comes on a huge roll. Hurrah!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEaqyDVjB3DIUFFr5DBoF89ezSB7mes4l2qjNFPseqOwRXkfO4p5mLvTJEmZpuxhyphenhyphenOgwlcbDbYLBr0tX-06gCep4vZeo1dMHuuhe2OLp5PMEA6xRtS7fIB6R5RdGsWz-cRa111Asy4MY/s320/IMG_4792a.jpg" width="320" /><span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;"><strong></strong></span></em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;"><strong></strong></span></em></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;">Running stitch using buckskin thonging</span></em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEaqyDVjB3DIUFFr5DBoF89ezSB7mes4l2qjNFPseqOwRXkfO4p5mLvTJEmZpuxhyphenhyphenOgwlcbDbYLBr0tX-06gCep4vZeo1dMHuuhe2OLp5PMEA6xRtS7fIB6R5RdGsWz-cRa111Asy4MY/s1600/IMG_4792a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjEI4CNpT8xpFrswFwR-93FgM1DJksVKMPkgGKZ1iqmRwB0t7PDOti4ueSXvCcP3GifuJMDowjZf2PBAYrUAVWJBvP6NvqleVUn1-88AZekg5KQHseJfUk0CIw5rlyN6VOa5BuCpNXhM/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjEI4CNpT8xpFrswFwR-93FgM1DJksVKMPkgGKZ1iqmRwB0t7PDOti4ueSXvCcP3GifuJMDowjZf2PBAYrUAVWJBvP6NvqleVUn1-88AZekg5KQHseJfUk0CIw5rlyN6VOa5BuCpNXhM/s320/IMG_4796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;">Whip stitch using buckskin thonging</span></em></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbSMk6m0c_yMA7jyIX0Av_o4LGP_K1efCU3SoVDMj7qEV2Fr56ETquRC-HH2_tH6-8t-WJIndjMoywXC0FAxMsaWQPH-hfqAfUAV66BMEFL1_Y0cZ540hrbgI8MXog36aoYgJ3C_B8O8/s1600/IMG_4798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbSMk6m0c_yMA7jyIX0Av_o4LGP_K1efCU3SoVDMj7qEV2Fr56ETquRC-HH2_tH6-8t-WJIndjMoywXC0FAxMsaWQPH-hfqAfUAV66BMEFL1_Y0cZ540hrbgI8MXog36aoYgJ3C_B8O8/s320/IMG_4798.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;">Punching holes through two thicknesses of
buckskin using an awl, for fine stitching using artificial sinew</span></em></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p_s37IwKc6hzAgvjTbCf689rf6a0x4HXQkr92MJtUAqnp925ydzhns4ooAe2tfS4Buy7PJED2xFaNLeF_Is9M2fT3YmUz7LRj0CwTO4j6fXxegpsoV1AFmEepxkQjshELVDMT6aknC8/s1600/IMG_4818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p_s37IwKc6hzAgvjTbCf689rf6a0x4HXQkr92MJtUAqnp925ydzhns4ooAe2tfS4Buy7PJED2xFaNLeF_Is9M2fT3YmUz7LRj0CwTO4j6fXxegpsoV1AFmEepxkQjshELVDMT6aknC8/s320/IMG_4818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black;">Using a pair of blunt pincers to help push and
pull the needle through</span></em></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My
attempts at neat puckering weren’t quite as good as planned. It’s a difficult
technique to master as you can see from the images, especially with thick
buckskin. Each stich on the tongue vamp (B) corresponds with a wider spaced
partner on the front foot section (A). As the stitching is pulled tight, the
foot section ’puckers’ up to make the toe box. At this stage the moccasins were
beginning to take shape but also looking worringly like a pair of granny
slippers! The vamp, now stitched in place extends to form the tongue and soft,
thin ‘wings’ (D) were sewn onto the sides of this for joining to the upper (C)
later, forming a ‘bellows’ tongue. It’s worth pointing out here that due to the
thickness of the fallow hide, I had soaked the buckskin to make it easier to
crimp and sew the puckering. Even with pre-made awl holes, the needle proved
difficult to push through two thicknesses of hide so a pair of blunt pincers
proved invaluable. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8v_pvqks28R-x3LPUP5QNadl4N2PK5ISilzZkZv4j20Vqt5LO0ohTeCC-yotcoPfgqyj5yu5eZvg8FK7sKkt0Zr7Sp_mz8u75GKnKG44-Kb8UtI_nXdSwVTQ1-GAB56HYHNMrZQPXGM/s1600/IMG_4820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8v_pvqks28R-x3LPUP5QNadl4N2PK5ISilzZkZv4j20Vqt5LO0ohTeCC-yotcoPfgqyj5yu5eZvg8FK7sKkt0Zr7Sp_mz8u75GKnKG44-Kb8UtI_nXdSwVTQ1-GAB56HYHNMrZQPXGM/s320/IMG_4820.JPG" width="320" /></a><em></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Pucker toe stitching technique<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/buckskin-moccasin-workshop"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-8o4V5C7yGtMIRl8Hzd1hN5FA6I7FxdszF_Y-l3_8gNMHsaeF3VZHi44m4-8wWkHTbfYHSRVDZZIDdvk_to4jXz7OaX4fsfo0m60VqC2MOM0F1Kje7U0W91CvK3jMTTuCY6KSTKjpQ8/s320/IMG_4822.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Toe section finished and 'puckered up'<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While the
foot section was still damp I pushed my foot inside to get a good fit before
marking the correct position of the heel tab and stitching it together.
Buckskin will stretch when damp so make your moccasins slightly small while the
individual pieces are still dry. Once the moccasins are completely stitched
soak them in water for a short while, plunge your feet within, lace them up and
wear them until they dry again. In theory, they will stretch and mould to your
exact foot shape!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxguYi-5OQziq_MOCMvBRjdNJFmSKpHQVeyviqYa7mR7-h0NfdkuSoorvjf_u9vyB4imiZgvNiwYAetK8XgcneMNFDPYhiUy3pqLyR-wRSHDniL_e4TCA-VQkv3Mjmpth3KkO2HxgapQ/s320/IMG_4804a.jpg" width="320" /><em></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Heel tab completed and uppers stitched into position</em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHeG1dOq5DrEZF4H7chIVp9OVgjBUb68HjeSCueXCy0HyehlN9NtZfpoQ9PEQyhyphenhyphenwaG4SrX4vq0tmGhASvsKHQzXmcnTNIbqmtEFGAC8jhK7RphSrgLQe1-O1F-jZjPfS243q7BgxnyA/s320/IMG_4811.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Upper added with bellows
tongue and lace tabs<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">With the
heel tab stitched in position the upper was then joined to the foot section
with an overlapping seam and running stitch. Lastly, the tongue wings were
stitched to the upper incorporating looped tabs for threading the parachute cord
laces through. Both moccasins were soaked, stretched and worn until dry as
previously mentioned. Magic feet here we come!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">After a
couple of experiments with ‘shoe goo’ and rubber flakes painted onto buckskin
scraps, I felt confident enough to begin waving the paintbrush around threateningly
near my precious new footwear. To help the rubber goo adhere to the buckskin
surface I ‘roughed’ up the soles with coarse sandpaper and slapped the mixture on
while it was still malleable and tacky. The goo starts to solidify quickly so
the rubber flakes were patted into the pungent coating as soon as it was in
position immediately giving a matt, textured finish. Warning – liquid rubber
has pretty toxic fumes. Don’t do this with the shed windows shut or you’ll
start to see pixies dancing around the room, possibly being encouraged by a singing
unicorn wearing a fez!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweozLglZv_f1fZdQcYCbGccZZWQ0JoJxbAJwfez1U2nMWLX8uFH61ggG_q1YIR2sNCYilVOI9JXCMjBl8EJSl_FomRJwlm2ZYJVINM2K0A1vCRsheMf6m1E8N7DapgI_ujaS5zQ3hJRA/s1600/IMG_4841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweozLglZv_f1fZdQcYCbGccZZWQ0JoJxbAJwfez1U2nMWLX8uFH61ggG_q1YIR2sNCYilVOI9JXCMjBl8EJSl_FomRJwlm2ZYJVINM2K0A1vCRsheMf6m1E8N7DapgI_ujaS5zQ3hJRA/s320/IMG_4841.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Rubber paint, rubber flakes and roughened sole</em></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFUpg6xrPeJuwYB_kRlOoAoapWolums_aVtGxTlWcrX9XSZOyPyASSUKjlVwvLux3Q6rvZD7S7Zo9yOqtwUPmwQrzQZW2gruYq4CfHBYwD01MYZBiBzvmIRBY6NiK3v542um63T7ysq4/s1600/IMG_4843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFUpg6xrPeJuwYB_kRlOoAoapWolums_aVtGxTlWcrX9XSZOyPyASSUKjlVwvLux3Q6rvZD7S7Zo9yOqtwUPmwQrzQZW2gruYq4CfHBYwD01MYZBiBzvmIRBY6NiK3v542um63T7ysq4/s320/IMG_4843.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Applying liquid rubber and
rubber flakes in the workshop<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAXKppM77-ccBDCQl092zBk5V2s2A1KsbjStmkvAFM6b24Mn8ibcgMhGNkAtqrcsuK_pvWVj3plUdOTh9u_n7JUThPQnYuI-kWSnSqLzj1NlrU46jgbnRXTHWN-QEBoSXJQv0xHk1jWs/s320/IMG_4848.JPG" width="320" /></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em></em> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The finished rubber sole - grippy and waterproof</em></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Having worn
my woodland moccasin/boot hybrids several times in the last twelve months I must say that they
certainly bring you closer to nature. The detail of the woodland floor can be
felt with every step! The small packable size makes them perfect as back up
footwear or for silently padding around camp. I’ve been using a selection of
home-made buckskin equipment for several years now, knife sheaths, pouches and
various bags and looking down at my moccasined feet I’m starting to think the
fashion might be spreading. Will I get away with the trousers too? I think I just
might…</span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglupmnUDSODm0K6d_Qmn1GtgugOodCNPdZSU4F5W76X1gM49o72R7plxRve0_Pvp7gne7bXal8kSXQqV-F1vUraDjadV2DEbVr6AFiLIXB-1nTIfCS8pmR-fPapcXtVRDeWdEkb1syBTI/s320/IMG_7703.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Completed moccasin/boot hybrids airing in the wood smoke of a
campfire<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com89tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-82823192823935017242013-03-26T15:33:00.002-07:002013-03-26T16:40:49.756-07:00A Suitably Snowy Test for a Super Sleeping Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZE0NPgufXzluBT1dZ_YOK6NLhkjQDeukNpy0exPCjrqsiEbMmP2tsSYopgpzyVxG6UGpmCZrH3tHxck8GHJTbg4NR8OpY0uXMcRm25-hkBSNZmwXomBdArUzKOjrg9GuEokCsBfW31r4/s1600/IMG_9220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZE0NPgufXzluBT1dZ_YOK6NLhkjQDeukNpy0exPCjrqsiEbMmP2tsSYopgpzyVxG6UGpmCZrH3tHxck8GHJTbg4NR8OpY0uXMcRm25-hkBSNZmwXomBdArUzKOjrg9GuEokCsBfW31r4/s320/IMG_9220.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.alpkit.com/">Alpkit</a> is a
company I’ve been aware of for a good few years, initially through their
fantastic lightweight drybag/daysack hybrids. Their well-designed products
dovetail perfectly with my ethos of travelling as light as possible whilst also
being as well equipped as I can be (an endless struggle of conflicting
concepts, clashing horns to the extent where my kit is arranged and re-arranged
to death umpteen times before I can leave the house). In the colder months of
the year, a depressingly large amount of available packing space is occupied by
my winter sleeping bag leaving me with very few options other than to load up
the BIG rucksack. This old dinosaur, a battered Berghaus Vulcan from my days in
the forces, weighs half a tonne even before I put anything in it but I
absolutely refuse to buy a new, lightweight expedition sack as to do so feels
like surrendering to the suppressed kit junky in me. Also, I like it’s worn
appearance and hastily repaired straps, non-matching buckles and the
elasticated lid that isn’t elasticated anymore, flapping about in the wind like
the roof of a ram-shackle tin shed. Having spent many a cold, winters night
outdoors without a sufficiently warm sleeping bag in days of yore, I never
skimp on my sleeping gear nowadays. My sleeping system is a haven of
tranquillity, a cosy, dry place that I can look forward to however grim the
weather during the day. So, the big warm sleeping bag takes prime position,
above the spare clothing but below the inflatable sleep mat and waterproof
tarp. Despite the cavernous size of my Berghaus Vulcan rucksack, this seems to
leave me with just enough room for a single Rizla paper and a waffer thin mint.
In my minds eye, I imagine the highly unprofessional image of me stooping under
the bulk of a massive rucksack festooned with all manner of camping gear, pots
and pans clanking about on the outside as I trudge through the wilderness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
seasonal dilemma has been a familiar one for so long that I’ve come to accept
it, however I have made some progress. My first winter sleeping bag was an old
58 pattern army bag with a heavy pvc built in base and a filling of down. I
haven’t a clue what grade of down was used but I’m sure I could feel a few feet
and beaks in there! Not only that but no matter how well you looked after the
old army down bags they still exuded a dank odour of cabbage. With all this and
the fact that it weighed quite a bit when damp I think I must’ve made up my
mind to avoid down bags fairly early on in my outdoor career. The many sleeping
bags that followed in subsequent years were all synthetic fill ranging from fairly
small and lightweight right up to the size of a small bungalow. I thought I’d
cracked it last winter with a nice, small synthetic bag boasting a decent
comfort rating in the minus’s….but (fanfare) then came the Skyehigh 800 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>four season bag from Alpkit!</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhngRa8NXdIZ0rRtlqxiJQltG5lGvjXlNY0zrIikz_sBoknPUjcz-vMgVUrb7lZhlMCGm3BBynglekA048Y4clIl2TWV7Jv-AL7SsRUt57tdK-8_W9WYVjVFCrvDJNVt_aCLKdT1gBZU/s1600/Alpkit+SH+range.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhngRa8NXdIZ0rRtlqxiJQltG5lGvjXlNY0zrIikz_sBoknPUjcz-vMgVUrb7lZhlMCGm3BBynglekA048Y4clIl2TWV7Jv-AL7SsRUt57tdK-8_W9WYVjVFCrvDJNVt_aCLKdT1gBZU/s320/Alpkit+SH+range.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>The Skyehigh range of sleeping bags compressed</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It started like
this…in recent years, spending increasingly longer periods living outdoors I
decided to invest in a good quality down jacket. The antics I get up to
outdoors require reasonably bomb proof work clothes combined with effective
weather resistance properties. More often than not these tend to be thick heavy
wool, tough weatherproof cotton outers (yes, I know cotton’s a killer but it’s
hard wearing and won’t melt next to a campfire...) and a spattering of modern,
technical fibres. While they perform well when worn in the woods these clothes
don’t suit the role of being carried around as a spare or emergency warm layer.
Basically they fill a daysack and weigh as much as a small pony. My new <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16936&category_id=298">down jacket</a> was a revelation, squishing down to almost nothing in my pack but
keeping me as toasty warm as two or three heavy wool shirts. Admittedly, it was
slightly less robust but this was a garment reserved for evenings, early frosty
mornings or really, awfully cold weather when I’d be unlikely to be doing too
much manual labour. If I absolutely needed to start man-handling logs or
rolling around in the mud then my bomb proof cotton outer layer could give a degree of
protection when worn over the top (my cotton smock is single layer Ventile; a
high performance, weatherproof fabric…he said smugly). My down jacket gave me
peace of mind. It’s pack ability meant that I could always take it along
without getting in a flap about an unnecessarily warm layer taking up too much
room. If the temperature dropped – BOOM, the jacket exploded into action from
it’s tiny stuff sack and warmth and happiness prevailed. The ultimate security
blanket!</span></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Looking at
the diminutive little package in the bottom of my daysack, knowing how the
jacket within harboured such mystical and heroic qualities, I started to
consider the benefits of a down filled sleeping bag. I knew the potential
problems with down in the wet but it had been a long time since I had to worry
about being unable to effectively dry a sleeping bag due to the tactical
restrictions of not building an enormous campfire and breaking out the marshmallows.
After all, knowing just how brilliant my down jacket was, I always looked after
it well and had never got it wet to the point where it became ineffective. Life
is a compromise and the small size and tiny weight penalty of a modern down bag
seemed to outweigh any of the old problems I had experienced years before. With
outdoor kit technology constantly moving forward I was sure a modern down bag
would have a lightweight, weatherproof outer, special compartments for the
filling, a waterproof coating perhaps? I still couldn’t help wondering if it
would smell of old cabbages.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gihDobQHNJMOupea9ZjpFwjjNeGlzaiWrYtffTjtYPWe7kqUlfAX3kHaeP_52wmUWJbdANjpBTk9zHQluDO5w5DFYN-Wo8oHE-8RDLimm82TtSxRTExUZ-Dr7Loq7oIWkx0HeB5gsJI/s1600/IMG_9204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gihDobQHNJMOupea9ZjpFwjjNeGlzaiWrYtffTjtYPWe7kqUlfAX3kHaeP_52wmUWJbdANjpBTk9zHQluDO5w5DFYN-Wo8oHE-8RDLimm82TtSxRTExUZ-Dr7Loq7oIWkx0HeB5gsJI/s320/IMG_9204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Showing excellent 'loft' even when pulled straight out of the bag</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And so, a short while later a suspiciously sleeping bag shaped parcel with a pleasant little note from Alpkit arrived at Wilderness Survival Skills HQ. The Skyehigh 800 is a four season sleeping bag from a range that also includes the three season 600 model and a five season beast, the 1000. Somewhat confused by the weight to size ratio (the bag was at it’s biggest and loftiest in the long term storage bag supplied but felt as though someone had slipped a helium filled balloon in there for a joke) I pulled out the bag and gave it a shake to ‘puff it up’ to the max. Within seconds I was in it, zip pulled up to the neck baffle, prostrate on the living room floor watching CBeebies upside down. Even with a three year old jumping up and down on the huge blue worm that had appeared in the middle of the room, I felt immediately warm, comfortable and ever so sleeeeppppyyy…..</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmam-pHnkBNQ-kZ62WiUmOSki3Wl15zSZDhfA3yy25v-f9NkpptwOBnzloUBYaf1O9riFe39VMLVG97smRhhZ1rwT-myaQ-IktxBd0nEiSFaCywf4jW_OKbw1S0Al5ZRU-ucisJp3930/s1600/IMG_9206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmam-pHnkBNQ-kZ62WiUmOSki3Wl15zSZDhfA3yy25v-f9NkpptwOBnzloUBYaf1O9riFe39VMLVG97smRhhZ1rwT-myaQ-IktxBd0nEiSFaCywf4jW_OKbw1S0Al5ZRU-ucisJp3930/s320/IMG_9206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Micro ripstop DWR nylon outer</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After an
unexpected micro snooze I blearily clambered back out for a better look at the
bag. As I’d come to expect from Alpkit, my first impressions of the bag were
of a subtle, no nonsense, fine standard of quality workmanship.</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The outer material (micro ripstop DWR nylon) looked as
though it would easily shrug off any tent condensation or wind-blown rain coming
in under a tarp. The next and most obvious thing that stood out was the bag’s
‘lofting’ properties. Those down filled chambers plumped up immediately and
stayed plump, trapping oodles of insulating air among the soft feathers to keep
me warm at night, (incidentally the filling in this bag is super warm 90/10
goose down, 650+ fill power EU, whereas the next batch are due to use premium
duck down making it one of the best value, high performance down bags on the
market). The cowl hood looked more than capable of holding enough spare clothing
to make a comfy pillow but still had enough depth to ensure my head would be
surrounded by cosiness when scooped up into a cowl shape using the draw strings
and snow locks. A good sized neck baffle would easily stop my valuable body
heat from leaking out of the bag through the neck. Likewise the substantial zip
baffle would prevent heat loss through the zip too. Fine touches around this
area included the use of a reassuringly heavy duty YKK zip for a bag that
squashes down so small and a length of heavier duty fabric sewn in place along
the zip side of the baffle to reduce the chance of getting the zipper all
snarled up when you desperately need to get out for a pee in the night.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq_P1GvDqBYDkaqzzEtAE68eJUUxfadYiK79P_B2leVwv-hXsTjOxP7SLS-rSerab2iwdyty9qPNAl7dx4aM1gJB2yoqYZNhuZElAfiuCBM8EnWlNgboSBKpqJo2UVJ8lYPPnCkSdjUA/s1600/IMG_9208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq_P1GvDqBYDkaqzzEtAE68eJUUxfadYiK79P_B2leVwv-hXsTjOxP7SLS-rSerab2iwdyty9qPNAl7dx4aM1gJB2yoqYZNhuZElAfiuCBM8EnWlNgboSBKpqJo2UVJ8lYPPnCkSdjUA/s320/IMG_9208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Tactel nylon lining with good cowl hood and neck baffle</em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Positioned
around the upper chest area was a handy little internal zip up pocket, ideal
for keeping mobile phones warm and safe at night. The 300l Tactel nylon lining
looked invitingly soft and the fit suited me just fine (regular length suits
folks up to 6ft 1” but there are longer and shorter versions available). I’m
what many might consider to be a chunky monkey but there was just enough room
around the shoulders so as not to induce a ‘being buried alive’ panic attack in
the early hours. I’ve slept in bags before that should have really included a
butler or at least a trained mammal of some kind to assist in undoing the zip
because the fit has been too slim to allow enough arm movement to operate the
zip on your own. Not without dislocating a shoulder anyway. The foot section was
also well sculpted and felt in no way restrictive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
compression sack provided looked lightweight, well made…and possibly a little
too small at first glance. All the same, the sleeping bag disappeared inside
easily, no problems at all. The top closure consists of a simple drawstring and then
the whole caboodle can be cinched down by what seems to be another 50% using
the strong webbing straps and tensioning buckles. This gives you a neat little
bundle only slightly bigger than a football. All that warmth in such a tiny
package! I literally couldn’t wait to pack my kit for the weekend. With all the
usual suspects lined up and ready to go (spare clothing, thermal mat, hunka
bivi bag, rig 7 tarp, warm top, water, cooking kit, waterproofs and other
assorted dry bags containing various useful bits and bobs) I dropped my new,
fully compressed sleeping bag into the cavernous depths of my big rucksack.
There was a barely audible and muffled ‘thud’ as it hit the bottom about twenty
seconds later (ok, a bit of an exaggeration but it was certainly rattling
around in the bottom somewhere). All the other essentials followed after and
for the first time in a long time I was able to cinch the hood straps right
down; virtually unheard of when packing kit for a couple of days winter
camping. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcXWKaGLp0VnfPiM7_f-CeuaE8jcFOOyhd34U_8Y9L_zAgsHAJWDM0za8_xSVU_3FwfHMUJ9FCfSF9cl9_vhGLUlzGggKs2-8XWdXAq_MfHkBVF1FVAVtQSxgoxxRzsKdVNkujO4T_QE/s1600/IMG_9213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcXWKaGLp0VnfPiM7_f-CeuaE8jcFOOyhd34U_8Y9L_zAgsHAJWDM0za8_xSVU_3FwfHMUJ9FCfSF9cl9_vhGLUlzGggKs2-8XWdXAq_MfHkBVF1FVAVtQSxgoxxRzsKdVNkujO4T_QE/s320/IMG_9213.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Surprisingly heavy duty zip and crafty low snag zip baffle</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The real
test was yet to come, a dramatic drop in temperature over the weekend and snow
forecast for the Saturday night and throughout Sunday. My weekend away in the
woods was destined to be a cold and busy one; pre-season training for the keen team of
Wilderness Survival Skills instructors and assistants. I’d definitely be in
need of a good nights kip. Luckily, our base camp in the woods is reachable by
4x4 and as we had a fair bit to unload, we drove right on in. This came with
the added bonus of being able to carry my US army cot bed the short distance to
my usual tarp spot, not really an option when hiking but a very welcome
addition when vehicle mounted. As the sleet was already hanging in the air I
slung the Rig 7 tarp up first, between two trees in an open fronted lean to
plus porch configuration to provide a dry working space underneath. This little
spot is my leafy bedsit for at least a couple of nights every week from spring
through until autumn and occasionally much longer when courses run back to
back. Having a proper bed is essential for remaining on top form when teaching
day after day but I do sometimes miss the simplicity of rolling out my thermal
mat straight on the deck and bedding down amongst the leaves. This chilly
weekend was definitely not one of those times! As part of my tarp based
sleeping system, I usually carry an extra large ‘hunka’ breathable bivi bag to protect
my sleeping bag when sleeping on the forest floor or if the weather is
particularly cold and wet. This extra protection from the wind chill and additional
layer to trap warm air normally increases the comfort temperature rating of any
sleeping bag so to give the Skyehigh a proper test, I decided not to use it. As
always, I prepared my sleeping kit but left it packed in it’s stuff sack until
bedtime to avoid it absorbing any moisture from the damp evening air.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uMno1oQNgi0QEg1us2GrZqVFHLnyXghjURNOB6F_d7Lc9P3-uJxahSxQck7iglF9W38lPMN8bP8pDhqo6ee91nXZrOKpJl2z8ub5Ce4jBNfBuXK51ZIWTZoWogP9QWI6sfFCYpzmzp4/s1600/IMG_9230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uMno1oQNgi0QEg1us2GrZqVFHLnyXghjURNOB6F_d7Lc9P3-uJxahSxQck7iglF9W38lPMN8bP8pDhqo6ee91nXZrOKpJl2z8ub5Ce4jBNfBuXK51ZIWTZoWogP9QWI6sfFCYpzmzp4/s320/IMG_9230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>It was a very cold night, but not for me!!</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Weirdly I
was really getting quite excited about hitting the sack that night. As the rest
of the team gradually started to flake, I banked the fire up for the night,
switched out the lantern and slunk away through the frosty leaves by the light
of my head torch until the beam picked up my reflective guy lines through the
trees. The Skyehigh bag lofted up nicely with a few wafts, just as it had done at
home. I took a deep breath and stripped down to thermals; my mid layers making a
warm pillow, trousers tucked away in the sleeping bag compression sack and boots
arranged one inside the other, to keep out the creepy crawlies. Despite it
being bloomin’ freezing I warmed up extremely quick once zipped up inside the
bag, much quicker than my other synthetic fill bags. I just about had time to
switch off my head torch before dropping off to sleep, cosier than I’d been for
a long time. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So how did
the Skyehigh 800 four season bag perform on it’s first winter trip out to the
woods? The proof is most definitely in the pudding as they say and I think the
fact that I slept right through until morning (and nearly missed a cooked breakfast) despite the temperature dropping further in the
night and snow arriving with a vengeance in the early hours, goes to show that
this is an extremely warm and comfortable sleeping bag. In fact, without a
shadow of doubt, I would say that for it’s size and weight when packed, this is
easily the warmest, most comfortable sleeping bag I’ve had so far. I would
imagine, the Skyehigh 600, being a three season bag would cope with the majority
of weather conditions encountered by the average outdoors person camping from
spring through to late autumn and with the addition of a hunka bivi bag would
make a very small, lightweight but warm sleeping system for all but the coldest
UK weather if you like travelling light. Also, not mentioned yet but definitely
of importance to most people looking to buy a good sleeping bag, the price is
outstanding for a bag of this quality. But best of all…not a single hint of
cabbage!</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTXNpctIwrhrB-d4MAIyjLGpejr2XD1SotCuB3goIOtvt1rj788L71zhLpAgpBWoXmlRJc2hqKNWeCVIx8X8E8bU0YnJeijST-POLodjPwgLppfwiVINsqb1z0b_d15iRAvfOSojMfEA/s1600/Alpkit+skyehighs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTXNpctIwrhrB-d4MAIyjLGpejr2XD1SotCuB3goIOtvt1rj788L71zhLpAgpBWoXmlRJc2hqKNWeCVIx8X8E8bU0YnJeijST-POLodjPwgLppfwiVINsqb1z0b_d15iRAvfOSojMfEA/s320/Alpkit+skyehighs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For more
details of the superb range of Skyehigh sleeping bags and all other Alpkit
products just click on <a href="http://www.alpkit.com/">this link</a></span></span></div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-34717849955301987982013-03-19T11:28:00.000-07:002013-09-11T02:14:45.688-07:00A Week in the Wilds part 1<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This article was originally intended for
a magazine but when I started writing about my experiences of living wild for a
week with extremely limited equipment, I realised it was going to be a lengthy
tome. Too big for the magazine (apparently...) I've decided to publish the first
part here so that the all important fine detail can remain intact.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you enjoy spending time outdoors
practicing bushcraft skills (and let's face it, why would you be reading this
blog if you didn't..) then I hope you find it useful, perhaps even entertaining.
Pull up a log, here we go:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnwUrQFeEEhBzt4-kDOFKMFf96XgsNKCvaH6VsoLshYPPSEz_N-W9zgnabclXtm5VUbIs-XP8s2dgErioPUYaZyBV45BhFXcmXZptcynzwiCMbyh1JK0GT-kqDdvPns5B7h5MiVsGcJ0/s1600/IMG_7630c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnwUrQFeEEhBzt4-kDOFKMFf96XgsNKCvaH6VsoLshYPPSEz_N-W9zgnabclXtm5VUbIs-XP8s2dgErioPUYaZyBV45BhFXcmXZptcynzwiCMbyh1JK0GT-kqDdvPns5B7h5MiVsGcJ0/s320/IMG_7630c.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The first time I felt the need to
test my skill in the art of survival I was a feisty teenager of around fifteen.
Having already spent a couple of years of camping out and practicing jungle
survival techniques in the Sussex countryside I decided one frosty February
weekend to spend two days and a night in the woods with just what I could fit in
my pockets. With the help of a fortuitous natural shelter, a small campfire, a
foil blanket and a reputation to uphold I shivered the night away whilst
watching my best mate (the self-appointed safety officer) snoring loudly in his
sleeping bag just a few feet from me. That chilly night, I learnt a lot about
the realities of struggling through just one difficult and ill-equipped night
outdoors, but also a whole load more about myself and my own abilities. I used
that experience as a bench mark for a long time after. It gave me a point of
reference on several occasions in subsequent years where I found myself outdoors
all night in the dead of winter, with no sleeping bag and no option but to dig
into my reserves and make the best of my situation until morning. Without that
point of reference I could easily have let panic overwhelm me but being able to
draw on such a valuable life experience gave me confidence and a presence of
mind that would otherwise have been difficult to attain.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Self-imposed challenges such as this
are useful to gauge progress, test theories and ‘top up’ the self-confidence
fuel tanks every once and a while. However, it’s important to point out here
that most challenges involving survival training come with a high potential of
risk and injury. You MUST take steps to minimize this potential and learn your
valuable life lessons without risking the life you are ultimately trying to
preserve. Take along a fully equipped snoring friend just in case! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Skip forward twenty five years to an
autumnal week last year and the latest in a long line of progress gauging
challenges. Myself and several like-minded students of the craft stood in a
Dorset woodland ready to spend a week alone, in the woods with very little
equipment and no resources other than those which could be gleaned from the
wild. Shelter, warmth, water and food, all essential to life, were to be
produced almost entirely (with the exception of meat, more on this later) from
natural resources found at our location. Additionally, we were to carry out
these ambitious requirements with relative ease, so as to allow us time to begin
improving our situation by making primitive hunting weapons, working on
traditional crafts and processing wild foods. Working as a group, this would’ve
been hard enough but through some bizarre and twisted logic we chose to go it
alone. Not only would this increase the physical workload but for some, would
prove to be a sizeable mental barrier to work through.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We chose a mixed woodland for the
challenge. Moss covered uneven ground played host to a plantation of spruce,
interspersed with hardwoods such as the occasional oak, hazel, birch or holly.
As the land sloped gradually down-hill, obvious patches of potentially damp
ground were indicated by the presence of pendulous sedge and thick moss.
Eventually this led into a small stream which snaked along the woodland margin.
Patchy hazel coppice sprung from the stream bank with occasional much larger
alder trees stretching out their gnarly toes into the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further back into the woods an area of steep
ground rose out from the trees to form a plateau covered in young ash and birch.
The surrounding countryside was comprised of previously grazed and fallow fields
hiding a series of small ponds with cattail and goat willow bordering the muddy
waters edge.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyafaHCEfHfCvPL63P5-y_DRcydopnAW6qOA7nC06eqCkPitdbkugeLyPlgDy7u2Ai-QIT-cq-5_BfqnOrG_9U0afUrpfME7dIRahz48CVKk3LPAGgKY77vecOpQlMIVxZWujF8Bm-_o/s1600/IMG_7533a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyafaHCEfHfCvPL63P5-y_DRcydopnAW6qOA7nC06eqCkPitdbkugeLyPlgDy7u2Ai-QIT-cq-5_BfqnOrG_9U0afUrpfME7dIRahz48CVKk3LPAGgKY77vecOpQlMIVxZWujF8Bm-_o/s320/IMG_7533a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our well stocked pond larder</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our kit list for the week was to be
minimal; each person took only a small belt knife, folding pruning type saw, one
stainless steel cooking pot, a tightly woven cloth bag to filter water, three
metres of parachute cord and six brass wire snares. Due to the solo nature of
our challenge, we also took a few safety items each; a small first aid kit, a
head torch, a whistle and a reliable method of communication (mobile phone, not
to be used for ordering up pizza!). Cameras and journals were taken to record
events although these items, along with our safety kit were not allowed to be
used to assist our self-imposed plight (so no battery and wire wool fires or
tinder bundles made from the pages of our journals). Clothing worn had to be
natural fibres, wool, cotton and even animal hides in one case. Goretex
waterproofs and insulated down jackets were to be left back at camp for
emergencies only. The reasoning behind this decision was that without high-tech
modern weatherproof clothing systems we would HAVE to make a fire to keep warm
at night and our beds and shelters would NEED to be effective by last light of
our first day in the field. When fully encased in Goretex and goose down it’s
perfectly possible to curl up under a bush and shiver away the night time hours
until first light appears; not really the object of the exercise, which was to
utilise natural resources for shelter, warmth and comfort. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil06niF8FAnnTjL_J2dSV-A0z52d4EBMhGKWOWNPRKbOxC9UbcayCxa1Ck_HiwPcsqZyB0S3t3vaWisR1aoFPgN39KIgn-rDUNahJfAtCE62jMbfBhlEqTxYoWHF40AWkpB78q830Jq9Q/s1600/IMG_7453b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil06niF8FAnnTjL_J2dSV-A0z52d4EBMhGKWOWNPRKbOxC9UbcayCxa1Ck_HiwPcsqZyB0S3t3vaWisR1aoFPgN39KIgn-rDUNahJfAtCE62jMbfBhlEqTxYoWHF40AWkpB78q830Jq9Q/s320/IMG_7453b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The only kit taken: knife, folding saw, 3m cord, billycan, filter bag, snares</span></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The last item we would take out into
the field was a modest quantity of wild game, our only food for the week. Whilst
it may seem a bit of a ‘cheat’ to include a quantity of wild game meat on the
packing list for a minimalist week in the woods, it’s worth remembering that
this was intended to be a ‘wilderness living’ exercise, not a ‘survival
exercise’. The theory being that, to truly live wild from the land requires, in
most cases the trapping and hunting of wild game and/or the catching of fish.
Exceptions to this rule would depend on specific environments and seasonality.
The need for wild meat isn’t just about nutrition and maintaining a balanced
diet (as I’m sure many people will argue that at the right time of year and in
the right location suitable plant proteins and fats can be found) but about
daily calorie expenditure when living and working hard outdoors and the
effective replacement of those calories from the wild. It’s also important to
remember the valuable resources that wild game provides the ‘hunter gatherer’
such as furs, hides, bones, antlers, sinew, feathers and the effectiveness of a
plant based alternative in comparison. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So what about setting out traps or
hunting during our week in the wild? In my own experience, survival type courses
that involve trapping, fishing or hunting for food in the UK are always hampered
by the legality of using improvised or primitive techniques to procure wild
game. These laws are quite rightly put in place to protect our wildlife from
inefficient, potentially cruel and even sometimes over effective methods of
capture, especially by those who may not fully understand or respect the moral,
ethical or long term implications of their actions. Obviously, because we are
taking part in a training exercise and not a life or death situation, we must
abide by the law and so the scenario, whilst still a useful experience, becomes
a bit unrealistic in many cases. Basically for long term wilderness living, if
we were surrounded by deer and could equip ourselves with the hunting gear
required to take them, we would definitely have been eating venison! Don’t get
me wrong, I fully understand that in a real ‘living from the land’ situation
pretty much everything that flies, crawls or swims is fair game no matter how
small or skinny but one important aim of this experiment was to prioritize
efficiency with a view to long term survival. Additionally, we weren’t hiding from an
imaginary enemy, having to fight our way back to civilisation or spending the
whole time attempting to get rescued. This was just us, an extremely limited
amount of tools and equipment and a week living in the woods to test our
knowledge of natural resources, bush craft and how best to apply them to provide
a comfortable and fulfilling existence. Think Robinson Crusoe rather than Bravo
Two Zero! We did, however take a handful of brass wire rabbit snares which are perfectly legal to use with the landowners permission. These allowed us the chance to top up on our wild protein supply without breaking any laws.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">To further justify the wild meat head
start, every person agreed to meet up at a pre-arranged location on the third
day, with a primitive projectile weapon they had made from scratch that week.
Not only that but they would have to prove they could hit a target from a
suitable stalking distance using their hand-made hunting weapon. This would go
some way to ticking the box concerning one viable method of obtaining wild meat
without breaking any laws or unnecessarily injuring the local wildlife.
Admittedly, hunting large game with flint tipped museum pieces successfully
would almost definitely require an additional investment of energy and polished
hunting, stalking and tracking skills as well as the ability to create an
effective hunting weapon and a good aim but by having the last two covered, we
felt like we had reached an acceptable compromise. With venison being such a
lean meat, gathering and processing energy rich foods from the wild would still
be an essential part of the challenge if we were to prove we could live
comfortably rather than just sit it out waiting to be rescued.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So, sparsely kitted out but fully
equipped with knowledge and brimming over with ideas we set off at the crack of
dawn to find a place to call home for the week. I settled on a sheltered
location surrounded by immature spruce, much of it dead standing. The living
trees provided some overhead cover and sturdy, conveniently spaced upright posts
for my shelter. The standing dead wood became building materials, kindling and
fire wood. The ground was level in places and soft with existing ditches to act
as drainage channels if it rained hard. I was also within five minutes walk of
the stream and had clocked a large, fallen oak tree close by which would give me
excellent slow burning fuel wood to keep me warm through the night. I couldn’t
see any of the others from my spot, or even hear them; there was a mild sense of
loneliness mixed with total, uninterrupted focus on myself and my own plans. The
latter was such a rare luxury that I didn’t mind at all about the lonely bit. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyBgdYBsR0SC-A5KCzE6axktdIuIxLOf8AbeSUnP9gqG00qmkMwW3sN5fesqzMdUKRfgVO5Srw0AKiO2li_6gr5-8GTlnmimB8e8GrLVbctzxb3TeNaltea9Kub_5NIyH8TwWUTEAan4/s1600/IMG_7450a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyBgdYBsR0SC-A5KCzE6axktdIuIxLOf8AbeSUnP9gqG00qmkMwW3sN5fesqzMdUKRfgVO5Srw0AKiO2li_6gr5-8GTlnmimB8e8GrLVbctzxb3TeNaltea9Kub_5NIyH8TwWUTEAan4/s320/IMG_7450a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">The proposed shelter site and gathered fire making sticks</span></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My advice to anyone in most
hypothetical survival type situations in a temperate climate such as ours here
in the UK (after removing yourself from immediate danger, composing yourself and
hatching a sensible plan) is to invest your energies initially in finding or
providing shelter, protection from the elements. An unexpected situation such as
the one imagined would more than likely carry with it several limiting factors
such as a possible sustained injury or an injured member of the party. Also,
nightfall would probably be fast approaching (who realises they’re going to be
stuck out in the open all night at nine o clock in the morning?), stress levels
most likely very high, resources would be limited and weather potentially
inclement. For those who haven’t had extensive practice, lighting a fire in
these conditions might be virtually impossible so providing effective shelter
would often be the most achievable aid to survival. Reducing heat loss and
minimizing exposure to the elements would increase your chances of surviving the
night and hopefully enable you to continue improving your situation or call for
help the following day. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our self-imposed situation was a
little different. We were in good health and had the whole day ahead of us. The
challenge lay in not just surviving the night but being pretty comfortable and
re-charging our batteries for the week ahead despite the lack of a sleeping bag,
mattress and tent. From hard won experience, I knew how much effort would be
needed to produce fire from the natural environment with nothing but a knife,
folding saw and a three metre length of cord. I also knew how that extreme
effort compared to the energy expended in getting a quick and effective shelter
up, especially having deliberately chosen a site with most of my building
materials close to hand and easy to harvest. So for this particular exercise, I
prioritised the lighting of a fire ahead of building my shelter. You can make do
with a slightly rubbish shelter but fire is either achieved…or it isn’t. I just
didn’t fancy building my shelter first only to find that I was too low on energy
to create fire. That would mean a cold, sleepless night with no sustaining food
and no safe drinking water. After that medley of misery, the chances of then
being able to achieve fire the next day would be slim to say the least. A week
in the woods in autumn without warm kit, sleeping equipment AND no fire would
not just be a thoroughly miserable experience but potentially life threatening
too.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nXs1OTscK3NP0uEP1Bl6EFwcKJPHcrOgHaIA6dnJQGI7X72fboXcuMxqHlzIpsfd1-Ge-p8vIHuCkgVM6QxCxs6XEupklPhbXAtUhmv9-_muFkdbIvei8EwF665i8UihiBsoDkRtxOM/s1600/IMG_7457a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nXs1OTscK3NP0uEP1Bl6EFwcKJPHcrOgHaIA6dnJQGI7X72fboXcuMxqHlzIpsfd1-Ge-p8vIHuCkgVM6QxCxs6XEupklPhbXAtUhmv9-_muFkdbIvei8EwF665i8UihiBsoDkRtxOM/s320/IMG_7457a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><em>Carved bow drill components, gathered and made on site</em></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"></span></em></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISL7GY1a7L-GSK52oo9BqVCuAX0T6OD7oJf56wZFeZrtS5TLUwvBTzF3MEEackzpDKog3fTo5MWS09Q9z4sqD0dT5FmGz9G5HqeS7LduKnY-kcC5zat_Mw0zREN3IZKxoj_IkOSjIgEw/s1600/IMG_7463a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISL7GY1a7L-GSK52oo9BqVCuAX0T6OD7oJf56wZFeZrtS5TLUwvBTzF3MEEackzpDKog3fTo5MWS09Q9z4sqD0dT5FmGz9G5HqeS7LduKnY-kcC5zat_Mw0zREN3IZKxoj_IkOSjIgEw/s320/IMG_7463a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: black;">Clematis
bark tinder bundle and prepared kindling<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When faced with a situation such as
this, the tiniest detail becomes vitally important. You must also put maximum
effort into every task. Cutting corners could mean having to start again at the
beginning and all the while precious energy is wasted. So, I opted for the bow
drill as my most achievable fire lighting option (I could’ve tried striking
sharp flint against the spine of my carbon steel knife to create sparks but such
a method requires carefully prepared, absolutely bone dry, fine tinder and the
rainy build up had dampened much of the fine tinder in the woods). A nice
section of dry, dead wood ivy would become my hearth, a dead hazel stem would
make a perfect drill while green hazel would be fine for my bow and hard ash for
my bearing block. The hanging, shredded bark from a wild clematis vine became my
tinder bundle and although ever so slightly damp, dried out sufficiently as I
roughly scrunched it to soften the fibres. A ‘fluffier’ tinder bundle would
accept the heat from my ember more readily. Birch and spruce twigs in big
bundles made fantastic kindling and all my fuel wood, gradually increasing in
thickness, lay poised and ready for action. With the various components carved,
gathered and prepared I took a deep breath and started bowing, slowly at first
to increase the heat where the drill met the hearth. As the resulting smoke
thickened and an encouraging pile of blackened wood dust filled the notch, I
picked up the pace until I felt certain the wood dust had begun to smoulder. It
had, but only just. The worlds tiniest ember was tipped into my carefully
prepared tinder and coaxed into life with a few gentle puffs.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQqkdh7aGcyrOxWZjukaq4uULwdEpp7ChbowKlVpAFxgxkFpk8k8TAJwQ9Of3CwtTJU6CTWXG7YU3voCyRiLTw-_dWkUZT0PsoQRkTuB0OS1-kHTuChYHzA5GGlG5yn4BLDnxdwkvYIQ/s1600/IMG_7464a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQqkdh7aGcyrOxWZjukaq4uULwdEpp7ChbowKlVpAFxgxkFpk8k8TAJwQ9Of3CwtTJU6CTWXG7YU3voCyRiLTw-_dWkUZT0PsoQRkTuB0OS1-kHTuChYHzA5GGlG5yn4BLDnxdwkvYIQ/s320/IMG_7464a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: black;">A
not particularly big bow drill ember<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Disaster! The ember vanished leaving
a slightly warm tinder bundle and nothing else. At this point it would be very
easy to feel beaten or start to doubt your own credentials but at the point of
apparent failure, the value of practice and the self-confidence gained through
previous successes provides a much needed kick up the bum. I calmly re-adjusted
the set, finely tuned the areas where I thought I might’ve made mistakes (I had
cut my notch too soon and as a result the drill had wandered slightly off centre
allowing the wood dust or ‘char’ to cool), had a breather and got back on the
horse. This time it was all or nothing! I span the hazel drill back and forth
with increasing intensity until my muscles succumbed to lactic acid build up and
stopped working effectively. The fine tuning and extra effort did the trick and
I shakily tipped the much larger glowing ember into my pre-heated tinder,
carefully blowing to introduce more oxygen into the mix. Smoke became flame and
flame became fire and my warmth and comfort was guaranteed…as long as I kept the
fire going all week.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuCiIEUbQI2N64a1GfSMyd5hfBbWWBNekC68uaivFlWyk30755itscDAWF2avVD1vk6ciJRxpUSuj6QtPWmp07dESzLN7lbluWNyuwRjEZWFJSguta4QWFZT_ATbC36yiEpG25xKAG_E/s1600/IMG_7465a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuCiIEUbQI2N64a1GfSMyd5hfBbWWBNekC68uaivFlWyk30755itscDAWF2avVD1vk6ciJRxpUSuj6QtPWmp07dESzLN7lbluWNyuwRjEZWFJSguta4QWFZT_ATbC36yiEpG25xKAG_E/s320/IMG_7465a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Flame at last! Warmth and comfort guaranteed</em></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;">By now, I was just on the precipice
of low energy levels due to having worked hard to achieve fire while taking on
no food and water. I made a quick trip to the stream to collect water for a
drink. Good old fashioned water would help stave hunger pangs, ensure I stayed
hydrated and help metabolize any stored energy in my body. To ensure I didn’t
take on any unseen nasties I first ran the water through my filter bag and then
suspended it over the fire</span> <span style="line-height: 16pt;">in my billycan
to boil. While mooching around down at the stream, due to the low water levels I
noticed that the bank was pretty much all clay and just the right consistency to
be very easily scooped up as a tacky great lump and carried back to camp for
some mid-week wild pottery antics. An old half brick found en route might serve
as temper if crushed up so I also grabbed a harder looking rock to act as a
suitable hammer stone. With the theme of the week being all about coping just
fine with very little I was constantly mindful of how relatively fortunate we
were to have items such as a metal pot for cooking food and boiling water, so
with this in mind I considered my options if, even these few essential tools
weren’t available. Clay could easily become any number of useful cooking pots
and eating utensils given enough time and the right skill set. We were extremely
lucky hunter gatherers! </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoiVDv-F4LC75jCq4SSXo6JfFQbHVIOc4JtglasGpRRuVzICcEyt5ALrMWHPWzXziGeXiDWwrO6jx_Jl5n3QT6QXcX_1xU_iUACTGWvR9fwpGJJkjtCnqQuR_TbIQYUZk_P0o-uQacUQ/s1600/IMG_7466a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoiVDv-F4LC75jCq4SSXo6JfFQbHVIOc4JtglasGpRRuVzICcEyt5ALrMWHPWzXziGeXiDWwrO6jx_Jl5n3QT6QXcX_1xU_iUACTGWvR9fwpGJJkjtCnqQuR_TbIQYUZk_P0o-uQacUQ/s320/IMG_7466a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: black;">Filtering
stream water through a Milbank bag<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I now had what remained of the
daylight (around five hours) to build shelter, make a bed for the night, gather
a tonne of fuel wood and butcher my muntjac deer into jerky. When looking into
solo natural shelter designs, especially with limited tools and equipment, it’s
important to run through a mental check list before you begin building. What
building materials are realistically available? What am I sheltering from? How
long have I got before nightfall? Am I in perfect health and fully fit? How long
am I likely to be here? Do I need a fire for warmth? Am I capable of lighting a
fire (last two boxes ticked – yeeha!). To build a fully enclosed, all singing,
all dancing cabin with fire included would be too time and resource consuming
for me on my own. I settled on a Lean To design, a classic survival cold weather
shelter. Although very open at the front and seemingly chilly, a Lean To allows
the use of a whopping great monster fire in front of it to warm the occupant.
It’s extremely quick to build, relatively easy to waterproof due to it’s steep
roof pitch and can be added to and improved as the days go on without having to
strip it out and start again. I had a good idea of which direction the
prevailing wind came from by observing the smoke rising from my campfire and
also taking an average of which direction any downed trees were pointing along
with the natural lean of any exposed vegetation. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDxmz3Bg0vLbT-dRXszXcFdkX2UfKfQBgWbse7o4ZKc6TycR8ykfp43tL2AnweE20kDxTJpL58POppCChpwqmbplpUFzyiwS0nBpQywmOyPwwwB_6jLQzs-YKo5Y-M_wnhaXM3SMf5lU/s1600/IMG_7473a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDxmz3Bg0vLbT-dRXszXcFdkX2UfKfQBgWbse7o4ZKc6TycR8ykfp43tL2AnweE20kDxTJpL58POppCChpwqmbplpUFzyiwS0nBpQywmOyPwwwB_6jLQzs-YKo5Y-M_wnhaXM3SMf5lU/s320/IMG_7473a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><em>Lean to shelter ridge and rafters fixed in place</em></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After carefully choosing two
conveniently spaced, strong trees aligned so that the prevailing wind would hit
the back of my Lean to (although also slightly side on to carry billowing smoke
away) I wedged a strong ridge pole in place and lashed it firmly with twisted
green hazel withy’s. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The copious amounts
of young, dead standing trees quickly became rafters after I did my best angry
bear impression to push them over. Twiggy brash wood followed to close the gaps
and as the evening drew in, piles of leaf mulch from the surrounding ditches and
hollows were added to become a thick thatch. I saved the green hazel brash from
any green rods cut to provide a thickness of leaves over the moss which was to
be my bed. With my homemade wool hoody laid down on top it looked inviting
enough to down tools and catch some Z’s right there and then. My thoughts turned
to the rapidly dropping evening temperatures and while I still had daylight to
play with, I gathered as much solid, seasoned oak firewood as I could to see me
through the night. In failing light and with a slight cold breeze picking up, I
hastily propped up a log pile wall on the far side of the fire place to cut down
wind and bounce radiating heat right back at me. As a last minute insurance
policy I grabbed armfuls of dry kindling and tucked them away under the lee of
my shelter just in case the fire died down to embers in the night…which of
course it did. As night fell and my world was reduced to the circumference of
the campfire’s glow, I set about butchering my venison as best I could. The
tender fillets were sliced thinly and pushed onto green hazel skewers along with
any good rib meat (most of the front end was lost due to the stalker seemingly
using a rocket propelled grenade to cull my muntjac). Some fillet kebabs found
their way onto the fire to be barbequed for dinner. The haunches and jerked
fillet meat skewers were all suspended high over the campfire to dry slowly and
benefit from the preservative and insect repelling qualities of the oaky smoke.
I sat back on my mossy bed, the walls of my shelter illuminated softly by the
fire and a warm sense of satisfaction of a job well done. With a barbequed meal
of venison warming me from the inside I prepared for sleep and as I took one
last sip of stinking boiled stream water I vowed that my first job in the
morning would be to find some mint leaves to make tea with.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUbnaXWmJq1o8Eyc4tFX6Zs5PW2vs63vh3H1K5bpHwXvA3JNzHONswQ393SQTT7urRLp-ck4rNawRMh9aC3feKI2iz4QDmvfLuw-xJhff5819JFade0WVzO6mpK_w2hOs-7BwkKZlFGo/s1600/IMG_7477a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwUbnaXWmJq1o8Eyc4tFX6Zs5PW2vs63vh3H1K5bpHwXvA3JNzHONswQ393SQTT7urRLp-ck4rNawRMh9aC3feKI2iz4QDmvfLuw-xJhff5819JFade0WVzO6mpK_w2hOs-7BwkKZlFGo/s320/IMG_7477a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><em>Laying on a brash wood matrix to close up the gaps</em></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My first night went relatively well.
I slept in cycles where I fell asleep, lovely and warm to the glow of a
well-stocked fire and awoke cold after around three hours, looking through
bleary eyes at nothing but glowing embers and charred log ends surrounding the
fire place. I would plonk a good handful of dry kindling on the embers,
re-shuffle the charred logs to form a jenga style stack above the kindling and
finish off with a couple of new logs on top. Bingo! The fire would roar back to
life almost immediately and within a couple of minutes I’d be cosy enough to
drift off again. This routine continued all week with the only change being a
gradual lengthening of my sleep cycles; a good thing because I ultimately got a
bit more sleep but a bad thing because the fire died right down a couple of
times, requiring some frantic tinder gathering and much blowing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If improvisation has been the only available
fire lighting option available then you NEVER let the fire go
out.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXBowy-jpcteJ-DJ9D7eBA48jwilaHsTBGdqO6br3B17YkzfjrVtTz1f6Z9phYDeeJ6uMFpi2jWXviaEZ0UoFMMsdgO73tC5qq49NYJt_nA7zL-rXqVHgCJksCgWJ86uwPIKWrDpoHU0/s1600/IMG_7485a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXBowy-jpcteJ-DJ9D7eBA48jwilaHsTBGdqO6br3B17YkzfjrVtTz1f6Z9phYDeeJ6uMFpi2jWXviaEZ0UoFMMsdgO73tC5qq49NYJt_nA7zL-rXqVHgCJksCgWJ86uwPIKWrDpoHU0/s320/IMG_7485a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: red; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><span style="color: black;">The
following morning and breakfast on the go<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dawn arrived and with it came an
immense feeling of satisfaction at having not only survived the experience but
having been relatively comfortable too. I had a quick breakfast of skewered
venison and some nearby blackberries washed down with a glug of boiled stream
water (really did need that mint!) and gathered my kit to go foraging. With all
my immediate survival essentials taken care of I had the rest of the week to
experiment with wild foods, make a deadly hunting weapon and craft myself some
bushcrafty house warming gifts.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In part two I’ll talk through each of
the above in detail but in the meantime, get out there and practice! </span></span><br />
<br />
For part 2 click <a href="http://joeoleary1.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/a-week-in-wilds-part-2-living-from-land_29.html">here</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQr7yEnNZ5lW5jjnJ29pLBLkr8I9ufKqOQaz_j58AuIWozMSeEeZUdqa1Dcbn55GPwy6ZJDzdNRU5Y-6IA_gHOGHMKJfzbD5Ru4_j5MNZwZfTu_JztNsrtZcTq196eo6Vf8j4LpGEKnAE/s1600/IMG_7672a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQr7yEnNZ5lW5jjnJ29pLBLkr8I9ufKqOQaz_j58AuIWozMSeEeZUdqa1Dcbn55GPwy6ZJDzdNRU5Y-6IA_gHOGHMKJfzbD5Ru4_j5MNZwZfTu_JztNsrtZcTq196eo6Vf8j4LpGEKnAE/s320/IMG_7672a.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
</span></span></span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="line-height: 16pt;"></span> </div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px;">
</div>
wilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161441920492923251.post-37015067542444768662013-03-19T08:59:00.000-07:002013-03-19T08:59:05.444-07:00HelloWell, I've finally got round to starting a blog. Not sure how often I'll update it but hopefully as frequently as I possibly can. With a busy year looming at Wilderness Survival Skills and lots of plans in the pipeline there'll always be something to write about that's for sure! However, as you'd expect I do spend a lot of time in the woods teaching and practicing skills, doing my best to hide from the world of computer screens and squeeky office chairs.....it'll be an interesting juggling act.<br />
<br />
So, if you like to read about personal experimentation in all aspects of bushcraft and wilderness survival from an instructors viewpoint, outdoor kit reviews and regular course updates then please check back in as often as you can.<br />
<br />
Take care and speak soon<br />
<br />
Joewilderness survival skills - Joe O'Learyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09188583446136184262noreply@blogger.com0