American Bushman

Big Chris S90V Kephart

2011-12-11T06:47:00.002-06:00

I got a knife yesterday from knifemaker Chris Berry of Louisville, KY.

It's a Kephart pattern done up in S90V--a traditional pattern with space age materials. This is, in my opinion, an interesting idea and one that he's done before, (I've seen a Nessmuk in 3V that he did up,) and I think he should probably do again.

I will admit to being more unfamiliar with S90V than I'd like but I do know it's made by Crucible Steel, has 9% Vanadium, and is supposed to be very wear- and corrosion-resistant.

Specs:
.156" thick S90V
60 RC
4.5" blade
9" OAL
OD Green G10 handles over yellow liners
Stainless Pins and lanyard tube

This isn't, however, a post about S90V. It's about the knife (see those yellow liners?)

The Kephart is a pattern that I like because it's so darned useful, the handle is nice and comfy in the hand in a variety of grips, and it balances well. This one by Big Chris is no exception. It'll handle hunting duty, bushcrafting, kitchen work, and more without missing a hitch.

Fit and finish on this one is really good and there are no high or low spots that I can see or feel. It've very comfortable in the hand as I would expect a Kephart to be and the blade is squared where I want it squared and rounded where I want it rounded. Clearly, Big Chris and I are on the same page when it comes to this design.

Now I got this late yesterday so it didn't get put to work (plus I wanted to get some pictures BEFORE I started to get it dirty) but now it's going to have to earn a place on my belt and in my hand. The good news is there is PLENTY of knife work that needs to be done from processing a 12-pound pork belly to opening boxes to the mundane tasks of picking splinters, trimming nails, and opening envelopes.

The best part of the whole package? I think it could well be the fact that it was less than $200 to my door.

High end CPM steel, G10 handles, a hand-stitched leather sheath, and a timeless traditional design...I like it.

Thanks for reading,

B

Meat from the Fatman

2011-12-10T07:35:00.002-06:00

Staying on the subject of food, I received a package from Fatman's Beef Jerky yesterday. He uses 100% American beef in his jerky and offers 13 flavors from Lemon Pepper and Original all the way up to Smoky Chipotle and Habanero.

Being in the market for a steady supply of good beef jerky, I grabbed the "Try Them All" variety pack so I could get a taste of every flavor and what I received was 13 one-ounce bags of beefy goodness. I also snagged a bag of the Sweet & Spicy nuggets that barely made it out of the box.

Included Flavors:
Red Chile
Green Chile
Jalapeno Lime
Teriyaki
Lemon Pepper
Salt & Pepper
Cowboy Style
Original
Smoky Chiptole
Habanero
Barbecue
Cajun
Sweet & Spicy

I was actually emailing the Fatman while I was munching down the entire bag of nuggets and he was very responsive . He mentioned on the invoice that the nuggets were not shelf-stable as the jerky was and they should be refrigerated or consumed within 3 days. I assured him that wouldn't be a problem as they were nearly gone. LOL!

Today we'll dig into the jerky and I'll be eating with the kids so we can pick our favorite flavors for a future order.

I'm interested to see if I can line them up from mildest/sweetest to spiciest.

I'll let you know once we've had 'em all!

Thanks for reading,

B

Steve's Original

2011-12-09T07:21:00.002-06:00

I've been on a bit of a kick lately to change up what I'm eating, when, and how much and an easy way to make that change came about in the strangest way.

I was reading a post on Bladeforums about calorie dense foods and someone linked to Steve's Original and his Paleo MRE--jerky, nuts, and dried berries in a vacuum-sealed bag with a 2 year shelf life. It sounded right up my alley so I looked around his site further.

What I did was order some of everything (I think) and what I received was a large box of pre-portioned, nutritionally sound, long-term foods that give me plenty of protein and vitamins and few carbs--more like what our paleo ancestors would've eaten and it is YUMMY!

Everything is organic and you can even choose grass fed beef jerky. There is Apple Pie (until December 31,) Coconut, cereal, snack bars, jerky, snack sticks, dried fruit, and the Paleo MRE that originally brought me to the site.

On top of tasting good and making snacking easy, Steve's gives 15% of sales on PaleoKits and PaleoKrunch to Steve's Club which helps kids learn about fitness and nutrition.

Give 'em a look and a taste.

Thanks for reading,

B

Foolishness?

2011-11-17T08:09:00.002-06:00

I'm working on another project and, if time allows, will get pictures together for a DIY.

The reason I ask if it's foolishness is the complete lack of time I've had for ANYTHING let alone a silly side project...

The plan is to make a lightweight desalination still that can be used to make fresh water from salty and also from contaminated/polluted using a source of heat.

I'm going to modify one of my camping pots so the capacity will be somewhat limited but it'll be something I'll actually have with me when I go out.

The actual design work is what I'm doing right now and I have to decide whether to use all copper tubing (bulky but robust) or something like a high-temperature medical tubing (lighter but could melt or tear in use.) This will come in time.

The design would use a minimum of tools and be nearly fully reversible in order to use the pot as a pot.

If I do this, it'll be this weekend that I get it put together and tested. So, hopefully you'll see some pictures by Sunday/Monday. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

I Smell A Project

2011-10-28T08:02:00.003-05:00

I've played with the idea of making a custom machete for a couple of years now and it just never went anywhere. Then the market for custom machetes really took off and now you can spend as much as you'd like on them and get some real dandy pieces.

Well, I don't want to spend much and I already have several machetes so it's time to take one of them and do the work on it myself.

What I've got here (pardon the terrible, blurry picture) is an Ontario 12" Cutlass Machete that has been stripped (Bar Keeper's Friend and a Scotchbrite pad work wonders) and the handles have been removed. It has been sharpened over and over and there is a bit of a recurve at the plunge line but I'm going to see if I can't clean that up.

Now, as to what I'm going to do...

I don't know yet. I've got my Sharpie and I'm ready to start drawing.

I've got a piece of apple wood sitting here that may be destined for life as a handle. I'm looking at maybe a more traditional parang style handle if I can figure out how best to attach it to the existing tang.

I'll make sure you get a chance to see where I'm going with this one once it's underway.

Thanks for reading,

B

Breakfast

2011-10-27T07:42:00.002-05:00

Looking for an easy and healthy fireside breakfast?

How about a cup of good old oatmeal?

It's easy to prepare, travels well, can be made many different ways, and really sticks to your ribs.

I like to use Quaker Old Fashioned Oats over instant.

Here's the basic recipe:

1c Water
1/2c Old Fashioned Oats
Pinch of salt

Combine everything in your cup and bring it to a boil for 5 minutes.

Stir.

Eat.

See how easy that is?

If you want chewier oats, don't add them until the water is boiling and then follow the recipe.

Add dried fruit during cooking or fresh after for an additional nutritional boost. Add sugar or maple (or birch) syrup for added sweetness.

This morning I've added some dried blueberries to my oatmeal for their antioxidants and because they taste good. :)

With a 5 minute cook time, you can make these over the coals, a Trangia stove, any other fuel stove, or even the cooktop. You could even make up a cup before bed time to fire up the engine to help you sleep a bit warmer.

Now I burned a bit in the bottom of my canteen cup so I'll be scrubbing a bit more during the clean up but it's easily avoided so it won't ruin the taste of your breakfast. I should've stirred it more often but was getting one kid on the bus and another one ready to go so it didn't get my full attention today.

Bon Appetit!

Thanks for reading,

B

Press the "Reset" Button

2011-10-24T18:02:00.004-05:00

For a very long time, I've done less with more and it's time for a change.

I've been playing with some of my oldest gear in the past few days and I'm thinking about changing it up for the sake of change and to show that I can still do it with some minimal, inexpensive gear.

Will that draw me out? I don't know for sure but a change could have a positive impact while doing nothing surely will lead to more of the same...silence, the occasional post, and little else.

I need to hunt, I need to hike, and I need to camp.

I got a couple of wool blankets from Robert at The Canteen Shop today along with some other gear and it got me thinking about walking away from my synthetics and ultra-lightweight gear for a while just to prove something to myself.

My plan is to cut the cost of items to a minimum with a couple of notable exceptions--cutlery related.

Come along with me and let's see how it goes...

Thanks for reading,

B

Stinky Wool Blankets? A Tip!

2011-10-22T08:01:00.003-05:00

I got a couple of those Italian Military Surplus wool blankets off the Internet and, when they arrived, they smelled so bad that they made my eyes water before I even opened the box.

I aired them out on the front porch for a couple of days. Then I aired them out on the back porch for another couple of days. They still smelled pretty horrible.

Before I washed them and embedded that naptha smell into the washer and dryer for weeks, I tried one more trick I had read on the Internet and it seems like it's working.

I got a big trash bag and some dryer sheets and tossed the blankets in the bag, tossed in the dryer sheets, and then squeezed out the air, twisted the top up, and left the bag overnight.

I am happy to report that, so far, this morning there is no smell coming from the blankets.

I shook everything up and put them back in the bag and I'll pull them again a bit later today to make sure but it seems like it not only worked but worked quickly and effectively.

If any of you give this a try please report back and let me know how it went for you.

Thanks for reading,

B

Committed

2011-09-17T08:11:00.002-05:00

It's official.

I'm a BIG fan of the DMT stones and freehand sharpening.

As a matter of fact, I put away ALL of my other sharpening equipment this morning.

It's not going away but it's going to be out of sight and out of mind as I reach for a sharpener.

What I kept out includes my DMT DuoSharp 10X4" stone, a JRE strop, a red Sharpie, and two 11X2" DMT single grit stones (Coarse and Fine?)

I have been working with the DMT stones because the belt sander, my first choice for speed and ease of use, could stop working during a power outage and I like knowing that I have equipment that I've used and can use well versus having something that I'd need to learn under duress.

I don't really have a ton of free time these days but I find the time spent working over the stones to be very relaxing and it allows me to focus on one task for a short time. The mechanics are simple but they're also easy to screw up so doing this without distractions is, for me, fairly important.

Along with the stones and strop, I also keep a protractor handy to help me visualize angles to make adjustments to the knives in case I get an edge too thick or too thin.

At the end of the day, it's the speed with which the DMT stones work that makes me such a huge fan and the fact that it'll chew up S30V and 3V all day long while other stones may balk a bit at such hard steel.

The funniest part of this project this morning is the laundry basket full of sharpening gear that has migrated upstairs for tuning up the kitchen knives on a regular basis. I've got pieces of leather, mouse pads, a stack of sandpaper, ceramic sticks, a Sharpmaker, Home Depot paint sticks with various things glued to them, Norton Waterstones, oil stones, and even a smooth steel and the Fallkniven Diamond and Ceramic sticks.

I hope moving to the DMT stone doesn't cause excessive wear and tear on the stone. As I recall, it was expensive--but worth it.

Thanks for reading,

B

We're Back IN!

2011-08-29T09:16:00.002-05:00

After months of pressure, Jake finally caved and he has agreed to rejoin the Cub Scouts this fall.

Woo-Hoo! Now I can be a Den Leader again.

Yeah, one more thing on my plate but this is a great stage to teach the boys more valuable skills for the outdoors and life in general.

B

Frustrated!

2011-08-23T08:33:00.002-05:00

On the subject of Sharpening:

I've got a kitchen knife (an 8" slicer to be specific) that I have been trying to get sharp for 15 years. It's so problematic at least in part because of it's flexibility. It has been so tough to sharpen that I mostly left it alone in the block and my wife used it to open boxes.

Then, one day, with the help of my Radio Shack microscope, a strop, and some extra patience, I got that sucker screaming sharp. It would pop hairs with the lightest pass over my arm and went through food like a lightsaber. It kept that edge for a while until someone used it to cut on a plate, the granite countertop, or in a Pyrex dish. (It happens. After all, it was the box opener for the best part of 15 years.)

Now I can't get it sharp again.

Ugh!

I steeled it, stropped it, and even took it back to the stone but nothing seems to have done the trick. It's the same problem I had all those years too.

It's pretty sharp but there's a wire edge that won't come off. It's still sharper than most kitchen knives out there but it's not sharp (i.e. two bevels that meet at a point.)

I would think this all an exercise in futility if I hadn't managed to get it where it should have been once already.

Now I'm obsessed...unable to put the thing down...I keep working the edge over and over.

It still slices but it could slice better if I could just knock off this wire.

I'm thinking about cleaning my strop to "freshen" the compound so that it'll cut better and faster.

Obsessed!!!

LOL!

I think I'll go back and strop it some more now...

Thanks for reading,

B

Let's Get Dirty

2011-08-21T08:39:00.002-05:00

I'm going to see if I can find enough time to get out and get dirty today.

Finding the time has been tough for quite a while but it's especially tough with a 2-week old and 3 other kids in the house. There's ALWAYS something going on and somebody needs to be somewhere or at least needs some attention. :)

It may be a backyard kind of activity but getting a little dirt under the fingernails and a ding or two on the hands is what it's all about sometimes...

I think doing a one-stick fire might be in the cards since I've got plenty of branches that blew down during our wave of big summer storms a few weeks ago and the firepit has been neglected for the best part of the summer because of the heat.

Today's cooler weather is more conducive to lighting one up.

Plus, we've got some Grandpa's Fire Forks that need to be broken in still and the kids are always in the mood for S'Mores! :)

So, come on along with me and let's build a one-stick fire!

Thanks for reading,

B

Spyderco Military

2011-08-19T07:51:00.002-05:00

The last knife I wrote about on here was the new Paramilitary 2 from Spyderco so I thought it fitting to bring up one of my all-time favorite folding knives this morning--the Military (also from Spyderco.)

I held one at a store probably 10 years ago and thought it too big to be of any real value. The blade was etched with logos and writing and made it look a little silly too. So, I passed.

Fast forward many moons and Spyderco releases a Sprint Run (usually 600 pieces) with blaze orange G10 handles and I decided to order one.

As soon as I got it, I dropped it in my pocket and decided to see what all the fuss was about as it has gotten high praise online since its introduction.

It was easily pocketed and carried but it was MASSIVE when opened (bigger than my Fallkniven F1) and is illegal to carry everywhere here in Illinois. How could this be a good thing and how could people love it so much?

Well, then I started to use it.

The long blade is thick enough to be robust and thin enough to slice like a kitchen knife. The S30V blade takes a wicked edge on my DMT stones and keeps it for a long, long time with little more than a stropping every now and then. It deploys super fast should I ever need it in a hurry and the lockup is nice and strong.

The big problem for me with it? I'm left-handed and the orange Military is a liner lock set up for righties.

But then they released a left-handed version and I jumped on it. It's in my pocket as I type this. :)

Then there was the Titanium/G10 version that came out with the M4 steel blade. I had to get it.

And the all Titanium model with the S30V blade. Well, I couldn't let that one go.

And then the brown G10 Sprint Run with the CTS-XHP blade...

You can see where this is going right?

So, a knife I once thought too big and impractical after putting it in my hand has become one of my favorite folding knives of all time and you can often find one in my pocket (except in certain locales or situations) and I've begun to amass a collection of them...

I use my Military in the kitchen all the time and have been thinking about getting one of the fancy fluted-Titanium versions to take with me when I travel to use as a folding kitchen knife.

There's just something about having a knife this big that can fold up in your pocket and can take an edge that swipes the hairs off your arm with little more than a thought...

Thanks for reading,

B

Katherine Diane

2011-08-18T07:24:00.002-05:00

Where has he gone? What is he up to?

Well, now you know and it's kept me so busy that it's been 13 days since she was born and I'm just getting around to announcing it here. :)

It's been quite a zoo getting everybody back into the swing of things plus now I've got to get the older kids ready to start school again next week.

And then...maybe a bit more time to update this blog on a regular basis.

I'm still working on my shooting, still working on my sharpening, doing a little carving as time allows, and I'm going to be working a little more closely with Abe Elias of Diving Sparrow Knife Works on a design or two as well as helping him jump into the online presence he needs to expose more people to his amazing work.

All in all, it's been hectic and sleep has been the biggest victim here but I'm really starting to thrive in this kind of pressure again and can't wait to start hitting the gym to burn of (if you can believe it) this excess energy--and excess waistline.

So, I'm off for a cup of coffee and I'll get breakfast for the three older kids ready. We're doing a lot with food around here lately and I think I'm going to be working a bit more on blogging that part of our day to day as I think it's important to eat naturally and avoid all the preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, and all that other crap that people have been putting in our food for the last few decades.

See you soon.

Thanks for reading,

B

Work is Payin' Off!

2011-08-04T21:06:00.004-05:00

I haven't been shooting that long with the bow but I have been working pretty consistently at being consistent and I'm trying my darnedest to avoid bad habits. Sure, the occasional string slap reminds me that I should get too cocky just yet. LOL!

So, I went to the range yesterday and spent an hour shooting at targets from 10 to 30 yards and managed to stick this deer decoy 3 times at 20 yards.

I laughed out loud when I saw where the arrows were and the range master came in to see what I was doing and he seemed genuinely impressed. He could tell I was a rookie by how I set my arrows on the floor RIGHT NEXT TO THE FLOOR STAND and how I put my bow back into the case when I went downrange even though there were hooks at eye level where I could hang the bow...

Still, I've gotta' crow a little about those shots.

I really was crushing pretty much everything at 10 and 20 yards and was hitting consistently at 30 yards but was missing the bullseye because I hadn't sighted in my bow for that distance yet. Then I realized that I hadn't brought any tools that would allow me to make adjustments while I was there...

Still the rookie but getting better...

Thanks for reading,

B

Gettin' Serious

2011-08-01T15:49:00.002-05:00

I've always had a problem with judging distances and that's never been a bigger problem than right now while I'm trying to sight in my bow and adjust the pins on the front sight.

So, today I did something about it. I picked up the 10,000' Rolatape RT312.

Now we can measure distances up to 10,000' at 1" increments accurately and quickly and, combined with the marking paint I picked up, I can measure off the back yard like a football field with lines at 5 or 10 yard increments so I can quickly and accurately move my target to varying distances to practice my shooting.

Seeing the distances makes it easier to judge them going forward because you've got a frame of reference and, right now, I don't have one.

While Sarah is having her nap, the other kids and I are going to go out and start walking off the yard to see where we can set the target at 10-yards, 20-, and 30-yards.

Greater accuracy here we come! :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Hand Sharpening

2011-07-29T10:36:00.002-05:00

Before heading out into the world today, I decided to work on the edge of my old red Victorinox Pioneer. It definitely needed some love before it was ready to cut again.

You can see everything I used to establish the edge and then bring it up to a nice polish (well, I'm really only half-way there so it's not even stropped yet.)

I use the Sharpie to color in the edge on the knife so I can tell where my abrasives are taking off steel. The little Photon Microlight is there to give me light right where I need it while looking for a burr. The pocket microscope from Radio Shack is for getting an up close look at the edge and any micro-burrs I may have. The stones are from DMT and are coarse (blue) and fine (red) and will work quickly for putting a new edge on the knife.

The knife started out the day sharper than most knives being carried by the "unwashed masses" out there but it wasn't sharp by my standards or, more than likely, your standards so it needed to go through the whole process.

After the blue DMT it's already pulling at the hair on my arms but it's not popping them off yet. I'll continue to work this edge for a short time and then move on to the red and repeat the process. It should shave hair at every stage of the process because you're setting the edge at the beginning and then simply refining it through the use of smaller and smaller abrasives as you go.

This one won't get the 100K-grit diamond spray because it just doesn't need it. The black magic compound will be more than enough to handle whatever I can throw at the SAK today. It'll be demanding work like cutting down boxes and cutting up sandwiches but I think the edge will be able to handle it. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Workin' for a Livin'

2011-07-28T16:59:00.002-05:00

I had an opportunity to spend the day working with Spen at JRE Industries today.

Spen walked me through the process of how they make their four-sided strop bats and let me make today's production run with some supervision so I had a better idea of what went into them.

Here's the first thing I can tell you:

They're not charging enough for these things considering how much work goes into them.

I got to cut out, glue up, finish, load, box, and ship them so if you get a bat in the next couple of days, there's a good chance I had a hand in the production of it. :)

While I was there, I got to see some of the things Spen is currently working on but I've promised not to say anything until products are on the website.

When I got home I found leather dust in my hair and stropping compound on my shorts but, given the opportunity, I'd be back there tomorrow to do it all again.

I really had a great time and heard about some of the things JRE Industries is doing to grow the business and it sounds pretty darned exciting.

Just remember, when it happens, you read about it here first.

Thanks for reading,

B

Diamond Spray

2011-07-27T07:35:00.003-05:00

I picked up some diamond spray from Graves Lapidary Supply a while back and have been using it for various sharpening/polishing projects around the house with some degree of success.

The grit selection was fantastic with everything from 600 up to 200,000 and many steps in between. I picked 600, 1200, 50K, 100K, and 200K as a sampling.

To use, you shake, shake, shake the bottle and then pump the sprayer while aiming at the surface you want to impregnate with diamonds. A few pumps is all you need.

I use the 600 sprayed on cardboard for a rough and ready strop and the 100K is what I've sprayed on a leather strop for my straight razor. My 1200 jams up on me so it's loaded on a piece of balsa and little else. The others are not being used as much but for what they cost will still find some use around here.

You can hear the 600 cutting and I can tell the 100K is working on polishing the edge because I'm shaving with that razor every day.

I've heard super fine diamonds loaded on leather sit too low to do any good but that's not been my experience so far.

The possibilities for using these diamonds seems as limitless as your imagination. Spray some on newspaper and use it like sandpaper for polishing. Instead of using sandpaper on a mouse pad, just spray the mouse pad.

One word of caution: Do NOT inhale the vapor as you're spraying the diamond suspension. Those superfine abrasives would mess you up if you got them in your lungs or even just in your nasal passages.

Thanks for reading,

B

Spyderco Para-Military 2

2011-07-07T08:05:00.002-05:00

I've been carrying this one on and off since I received it and it was intended as a replacement for the well-used Para-Military mainly to contrast the two versions and to judge, for myself, the improvements made.

Both feature S30V blades, black G10 handles, stainless liners, and the Compression Lock. The original (C81G) was 7 7/8" overall with a 3 3/32" blade length and weighed in at 3.75 oz. The new model (C81G2) is 8 9/32" overall with a 3 7/16" blade length and weighs the same 3.75 oz.

There were some additional refinements to the knife including the enlarged lanyard hole, the smoother transition from the hole to the pivot when the knife is closed, and the ability to move the clip for tip-up or tip-down carry. There is also a Bushing Pivot System to further smooth the action.

My only gripe about this knife or the Para-Military was the uneven edge grind. The C81G came with the edge ground too thin right at the plunge line and I've been trying to fix it ever since and the C81G2 has a wobbly grind on the right side.

Both of these issues will work themselves out in time but it's frustrating to purchase a new knife and have to immediately work on the edge to clean up a manufacturing issue.

I'm not sure I've even used the P-Mil2 enough to break it in yet but it's getting there. I just constantly grab the P-Mil because it's so comfortable in my hand and still gets the job done. It's also so smooth that the blade will fall open or closed when I press on the compression lock and the P-Mil2 isn't there yet.

Having them side by side, you can tell where the C81G2 comes from but I think of it as a distinct knife in the lineup instead of a re-release of an existing model. It's slightly longer blade, cleaned up transition from the hole to the pivot, and the refined blade shape make it an entirely different animal in my opinion.

Either way, it's still a heck of a knife made with some high-end materials and can be found online for around $100 when in-stock and that represents quite a value.

Thanks for reading,

B

Can You Bleach a Norton Waterstone?

2011-06-30T08:20:00.002-05:00

I'll let you know soon. :)

I have a 4000-grit Norton Waterstone that was once put away wet and the packing material in the case mildewed. Now the stone smells like mildew every time I use it.

I've had enough and, this morning, added a splash of bleach to the water it's soaking in.

Will it cause the stone to fall apart?

Will it remove the mildew smell?

Will it be replaced with a worse smell?

I have NO idea. It's bad enough to risk a $40 stone though...

Thanks for reading,

B

Technical Difficulties

2011-06-13T17:59:00.002-05:00

I've been working behind the scenes to bring you some additional functionality here and, in the process, have managed to create some real headaches for myself.

One thing that happened recently seems to have no effect on past posts but it sure has hosed me up...

I tried to update my Gallery software and, in the process, crashed the old version. The images are still there and are still showing up but the interface I use to upload, download, and modify is gone. Now I'm dancing around trying to figure out if I can revert settings behind the scenes to get the old version back online or if it's easier to grab my data from the old gallery and upload it to the newer version.

Not one to just leave well enough alone, I've seen hurdles before but time's a commodity I don't have in excess these days and spending the day chasing an ornery 2 year old and trying to track down problems with the site leave me wishing I hadn't given up caffeine. LOL!

So, no pictures until I get this sorted out but know that I'm not gone all together.

Thanks for reading,

B

I Went Big

2011-05-26T08:14:00.002-05:00

"Go Big or Go Home" is a phrase I've heard and/or said from time to time.

Well, yesterday I went big with regard to machetes and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to go back.

For years I've been telling people that the ideal machete for my use is a cut down Ontario 18" Military Machete trimmed to about 16" and convexed with a squared spine.

I got a 22" Ontario from Machete Specialists and the extra reach and weight may push me from a shortener to a full-length-er.

As with any Ontario of recent production, it's going to need lots of TLC to bring it up to a useable state. This one has about 4" of unsharpened steel in front of the handle so I will round the spine, square the edge-side, and then square up the rest of the spine.

Actually, the first thing I'll do this morning is strip off the black coating with Bar Keeper's Friend. Then I'll probably tweak the handle to take away the gap between the scales. Once that's all done I can start on the steel modifications.

I'll try and take some measurements and weights before I start this project so I can give you a good comparison before and after.

Thanks for reading,

B

Movin' On Up

2011-05-22T07:57:00.002-05:00

I was recently appointed to the Park Board here in the village and we had our first "walkabout" meeting yesterday where we toured four of the local parks.

On my application, I talked about the need to educate local residents about what sort of amazing resources they have available and, believe it or not, that's the same thing a recent survey told them. So, I'm going to start working on cataloging the resources at each park and trying to build some sort of curriculum that I can use to teach kids and adults about the natural areas in their parks.

On top of that, we're responsible for things like repair and replacement of equipment and, unfortunately, cleaning up graffiti which was a big problem this weekend.

As always, my big push is to get people involved and invested and I'm going to continue to push that agenda because, frankly, having a small handful of people from throughout the village and the good folks at Public Works isn't enough.

Seeing the problems the village is facing from the Emerald Ash Borer to the continued invasion of buckthorn and garlic mustard shows just how short-handed we are. Widespread problems need to be addressed on a widespread scale and the residents are going to have to step up if we're going to remove these problems from our village.

Fun times ahead...

Thanks for reading,

B

Science Baby!

2011-05-09T09:50:00.002-05:00

I went out yesterday with the kids and bought a microscope.

The one we chose was the illuminated pocket microscope with magnification from 60X to 100X. It runs on 2 AAA batteries which power a small LED.

I got it to inspect my edges but the kids have already found it highly entertaining for everything from looking at the surface of my leather strop to the skin of an orange to the structure of a leaf. Imagine the shrieks when we catch our first bug!

For $12 US, it's a little fidgety but getting the controls sorted out was pretty easy and now I have it set up where I can just set it down on a blade, move the viewfinder toward the cutting edge, and see what I'm doing right and wrong.

I have been trying to sharpen a Sebenza for months (on and off) and never really got it where I was happy with it but couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. After a quick inspection this morning, I could see the ragged edge and made a few minor adjustments to my technique, a quick strop, and BOOM! now it's sharp--scary sharp.

I couldn't make out the difference in the quality of the edge at 20X with a loupe and the extra light really showed off the ridges still present in the surface of the steel.

Now the edge feels as sharp as I'd expect S30V to feel and it is sharp finally. Now let's see if it'll hold up as well as my Spyderco Paramilitary (also S30V) has.

Thanks for reading,

B

Weight Conscious

2011-04-24T08:34:00.002-05:00

I've never really been one to count ounces before.

When it came to gear selection, durability and functionality have always outweighed other factors. My thoughts never turned to the weight of an item as I could always shed more weight through diet than I could save by buying some lighter, and invariably more expensive, bit of kit.

Well, after lifting up my jacket for the umpteenth time yesterday and feeling the weight of the stuff packing my pockets I have decided that it might be time to think about lightening my load a bit.

It should be fairly easy to do.

Swap out the LMF Army Firesteel for something smaller like the bare rod, the Scout, or even the Boy Scout HotSpark. Trade in the SwissTool for one of the small Leatherman tools like the Micra or Squirt PS4. The flashlight I carry, the Streamlight MicroStream, is already pretty small but I could swap it out for the Photon MicroLight or something comparable at a pretty significant weight savings.

A big part of the problem is that I carry so much stuff every day that I must jingle when I walk. Just removing some of the gear will make a big difference.

Now taking this same approach with my pack could be fairly significant but there are just some things I don't want to change like my Fallkniven F1 or my Bahco folding saw. We have a history together and I know those bits of gear will work no matter what so I'm going to keep them around.

I could swap out my Zebra Billy Can for something in Titanium (you all know how I love Titanium) but I like how the Zebra cooks and I've learned where the hot spots are and how the pot behaves on various sources of heat.

Keep in mind, I've gone through a phase like this before and started stripping away all the stuff I wasn't using on a regular basis and then, over time, started adding back the things I wanted to carry for those "just in case" moments.

We'll see if this goes anywhere but, for now, I'm working on shaving those ounces from the stuff I EDC so my poor belt doesn't wear out prematurely.

Thanks for reading,

B

I'm Afraid!

2011-04-22T10:56:00.003-05:00

Yeah, it's new for me too...

I'm afraid, for the first time in my life, to carry a pocket knife.

Ugh.

I have a heavily modified knife that was in my pocket yesterday and reached into my pocket to find the tip had come out from the scales and buried itself deep into the tip of my middle finger.

I knew that was a potential problem with tip-up folders but I'd never experienced anything like it and, frankly, didn't expect it with this knife even though I knew the modifications (not done by me by the way) could have caused some functionality problems.

So, I'm going to see if the boys at JRE Industries will make me a belt sheath for this knife. It still cuts like a dream but I don't think I'm going to be able to drop it into my pocket again for a while.

Be careful out there...

B

In Training

2011-04-21T06:29:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since the last update...you know that right? :)

The kids and I have decided to run in the local 4th of July 5K this year and we started training last night.

Instead of starting with short runs and working our way up, we've decided to start with 3.1 mile hikes that will get faster and faster in pace.

Last night was the first of those hikes.

We headed out right after dinner and walked through the woods on the way out and down the streets on the way back. It was still pretty muddy (we're under a flood warning again) and we were out in prime critter movin' time at dusk but the kids were arguing enough to keep even the boldest of coyotes away.

Spring hasn't quite convinced itself that it's time to arrive yet so we're still seeing temperatures in the 40s during the day and the 30s at night. This made for a nice cool walk without the sweatiness we'll experience later on.

A winter of being stuck inside has led us all to massively decreased fitness and the kids came home and plopped down right on the floor and lay there until it was time for bed. Being the first hike, the soreness of repeated efforts hasn't set in yet but the real test of discipline will come in a few days when they're tired and sore--same goes for me.

Thanks for reading,

B

Videos

2011-04-14T16:34:00.003-05:00

I've got to get back to shooting some videos.

I have a list of products I'm going to be working up in the coming weeks and I just need to shoot, edit, and post those videos to YouTube.

Instead of the pictures you're used to seeing, you can all see my pretty face and hear the melody of my voice. LOL!

I'll continue with the skills and trip reports as they actually take me less time to do but the videos are going to become more and more prevalent here on the blog.

Stay tuned...

Thanks for reading,

B

Condor Kumunga

2011-04-13T16:59:00.002-05:00

Are you looking for a big knife at a small price?

The Condor Kumunga may be just the thing for you then.

I picked up one of these the other day from Going Gear and have been using the heck out of it for the past couple of days.

It has a 10 1/4" long blade of 3/16" thick 1075 and it's 15 1/2" overall.

Think of it as a short, thick machete capable of doing big and small work but doing it a little worse than a smaller utility knife or bigger chopper. As a Jack of All Trades, it's certainly up to the tasks set in front of it.

It's priced around $40 and comes with a leather sheath.

I find the polypropylene handle comfortable to hold and it has been comfortable during use so far. I haven't used it for hours on end yet but our time together is still short so I'll let you know once we've done some more work together.

This knife is seeing a long-term career as a fire pit knife and splitting down firewood and making fuzz sticks are things it does with delight.

Give 'em a look. I'm sure glad I took a chance on this one so far and I suspect you will be too.

Thanks for reading,

B

Morakniv 511

2011-04-12T16:25:00.002-05:00

The Mora 510s may be gone but the 511s are still going strong and you can see the similarity between the two models. My well-worn 510 is at the top and the new 511 is beneath.

The handle is more of a maroon color on the 511 and there is a finger guard but, otherwise, the knives are nearly identical.

I do detect a bit of difference in the thickness of the two handles with the thicker handle going to the 511 and I have noticed that a 510 will drop into the 511 sheath with rattle in every direction.

The markings are different but that reflects the merger more than anything else so I would suspect the 510 would be marked the same way if it had survived.

I picked up a handful of the 511s for the scouts to use as the finger guard gives an extra degree of safety while we're still working out the kinks on basic knife usage. The longer the Whittlin' Chip and First Aid badges remain separate the better. :)

Gratitude goes out to Ragnar at Ragweed Forge for his assistance.

Thanks for reading,

B

Got Out

2011-04-10T08:28:00.005-05:00

Jake and I got out yesterday to enjoy the weather and get a little exercise (swim suit season is coming up you know...) :)

Hiking is, for Jake, simply an excuse to eat snacks outdoors but I'll take whatever I can to spend some time with him so we loaded up the pack with box after box of chicken and tuna salad, some Nerds, and a few bottles of water and headed out.

I had a few additional items in my pack. LOL!

We hit the trailhead and immediately noticed that it's still really flooded everywhere and the trails are all muddy messes.

Boys like mud so Jake couldn't be bothered by the conditions and he was wearing his Bogs (like Muck boots) so he was good to go.

After a bit of hiking, we left the trail behind and followed a deer path through the woods to find a place to have snack #1. It was warm in the sun and cold in the shade so we tried to stay in the sunlight until we were overheated and then we found shade.

There was a pond that looked inviting so we pulled up a seat and grabbed the snacks. I had an ulterior motive so I pounded my water and was left with an empty bottle.

After the snack, I asked Jake if he wanted to drink from the pond and he looked at me with a scrunched up face and said, "No way!" after pointing out that there was goose poo right on the bank.

Undeterred, I found a spot where the water was flowing into a culvert and loaded up the empty bottle. The water was COLD and felt like it'd just come out of the refrigerator.

Then I pulled out my Steripen, fired it up, agitated the water for 90 seconds, and then took a big drink.

Jake was both impressed and horrified. :)

The water tasted fine, was nice and cold, and the Steripen had sterilized any nasty stuff--I hope. If I'm sick as a dog in a couple of weeks I'll let you know.

I've got some pictures that I'll get posted here in a bit. There's even a short video of me stirring the Steripen in the bottle but, believe me when I tell you, it's BORING. I'll post if for you if you want though.

Thanks for reading,

B

Spring Break

2011-04-01T16:28:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates folks.

The family is on Spring Break until early next week and then updates will begin again. :)

See you real soon,

B

Getting it Done

2011-03-25T07:02:00.003-05:00

I have inventoried my knife collection (well, the fixed blades anyway) and the results are a bit staggering. To have a collection of users ranging from the venerable Mora 510 all the way up to the Mears Woodlore seems par for the course.

After all the recent play with superglue, then the experiment with Bar Keeper's Friend, and the rest, I have found myself once again streamlining the gear I take by modifying the gear I like to better suit me.

I've spent the past few days dialing in my Ontario 12" Cutlass machete for field work and, last night, got a second one in from Machete Specialists to tune the same way should something go wrong with the first project. For $20, and with PWYP right around the corner, I need to make sure that things go successfully even if it means buying a backup machete. :)

Add in the Mora 510 and a Victorinox Farmer and you've got quite a lot of cutting tasks covered for not a lot of money.

Sure, I love expensive full-custom bushcraft knives and I love using them and putting character marks and patina on them but, at the end of the day, it's about having tools to get the job done and excellent tools that will cover 99% of your cutting needs can be had for around $50US.

Now, if I once thought my knife problem was bad, you should see my collection of aftermarket sheaths...

Thanks for reading,

B

A Neat Trick

2011-03-24T10:08:00.003-05:00

On the subject of modifying gear, I learned a new trick the other day by accident.

I was cleaning up an Ontario machete that I've used from time to time and had waxed and stored for the winter.

Instead of using warm soapy water as I normally would, I decided to try a little Bar Keeper's Friend and a green Scotchbrite sponge instead (I had been cleaning pans and had the stuff out already.)

What happened came as a bit of a shock but the results were pretty cool.

As I lightly scrubbed the flats on the machete, the black coating began to come off. I didn't notice at first but when I squeezed the sponge, the water that came out was black and there were bare metal spots on the machete that weren't there before.

Bar Keeper's Friend causes a chemical reaction that aids the cleaning process and that reaction apparently helps to remove the black coating that Ontario uses.

I thought it might be a fluke so tried it on another machete later the same day and actually got better results with it.

Both of these machetes had a highly polished edge and the BKF seems to have not only removed the coating but also put a patina on the steel.

Now I just need to polish up the edges again and then start working them to see if the patina is enough to protect the blade.

By the way, the reaction STINKS so be near a window if you can.

Thanks for reading,

B

Scrambling--PWYP

2011-03-22T08:34:00.003-05:00

I had a wild idea yesterday and now I'm scrambling to see if I can pull it off.

Practice What You Preach (PWYP) is an annual event in North Carolina hosted by photographer and outdoorsman Terrill Hoffman and the last time I attended was four or five years ago. The original event was put together as a sort of "put up or shut up" for a handful of members on one of the discussion forums (Knifeforums maybe?) and has since grown into a rather grand affair.

It's a "survival" weekend where you are allowed to bring as little, or as much, gear as you think you'll need and you can test yourself and your skills or you can go whole hog and bring the camp kitchen, tents, cots, and a camper.

There will be knife guys, gun guys, survival guys, edible plant guys, campers, survivalists, and outdoorsmen settling in for a weekend of fun and good conversation with new friends and old. (By the way, when I say "guys" I do mean men and women.)

There are some logistical issues to tackle but I've managed to clear a path so those few hurdles, once cleared, are the only things potentially stopping me.

I'm going to meet with Spen from JRE today and we'll figure out how to make things work as his travel schedule and mine don't line up exactly.

I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Adjustable Pot Stand

2011-03-21T08:39:00.002-05:00

I saw this video this morning on YouTube:

and thought it a very clever project idea.

I think I'll dig out my Graves book and find the details to put one together.

The style of adjustable pot hanger I make has always been more like this. It uses a rock or heavy log to hold down the long stick and then one more "Y" branch to support it.

The one in the video (by the way, great job with the video wgfarmer if you're reading this) is more easily adjusted if not slightly more work to construct.

Since I tend to use the Zebra Billy Can, hanging is probably the best method but I often find myself setting the pot in the coals as it's faster and easier. It is not, however, as simple to control the heat that way.

The whole construct looks like it uses three parts. An upright, a forked stick to wrap behind the upright, and a longer double-forked stick to hold the pot that attaches to the first forked stick.

Once I dig out Graves, I'll see if there are illustrations and try to get something put together.

Thanks for reading,

B

Burnout

2011-03-18T07:15:00.002-05:00

It seems like knives and gear have been coming in the door at a break-neck pace lately.

Despite that, it seems like I'm having a very difficult time finding the knife I want to drop into my pocket for the day or the gear I want to load into my pack for a day hike. It's like being very hungry in the grocery store but not finding anything you want to eat...

I'm frustrated.

If the Victorinox Pioneer does everything I need in a knife then why do I have so many much more expensive alternatives? If the Tramontina machete I just started working on will do everything I need in a chopper, why are there so many big choppers? Does the Snowpeak Mini-Solo do more than the Swedish Army Trangia or the White Box stove do more than the brass Trangia burner?

I'm burned out on knives and gear...

I think what precipitated this was an influx of new stuff combined with a lack of adventure and the recent discovery that a little superglue and a little sandpaper could really help me to fix or modify gear to better suit my needs. Heck, I fixed the torn Thermorun handle on my old F1 yesterday using this trick and now it looks better than it has in months.

I hiked last weekend, I hiked the weekend before that, but these little hops through the woods aren't getting it done. I need something more.

Maybe this weekend I'll get out somewhere and stare into a campfire for a while and see if I can sort this out.

Thanks for reading,

B

Superglue and Sawdust--the Pictures

2011-03-17T08:41:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned, I've been spending some time dialing in my gear lately and this superglue and sawdust trick is the newest, and most addictive, technique. I'm finding myself actually looking for things to repair.

The thinnest CA glue is the stuff you want to use because it can actually penetrate the pores of the wood to create a sort of micarta-type material that is part natural and part synthetic.

(Click for larger image)

The last picture is the handle on my Tramontina machete. The scales were a bit proud of the tang and normally I'd sand down the wood to make everything flush to prevent a "pinch channel" that could cause hot spots on my hand during use. This time I decided to see if I could fill the gap with superglue and sawdust and it worked flawlessly. The back is now so smooth that you can't tell there was a "fix" of any kind.

I'm fairly sure this technique would work with other materials as well and know that modelers use baking soda and superglue to build up parts of polystyrene.

Just remember to be careful. Superglue this thin runs like mad and I could see how easy it would be to get some on your fingers or on the floor. I worked outside and kept my hands well clear of the glue for the few seconds it took it to set up.

The machete project, from start to finish, must have taken me only a few minutes. I let the glue cure for 24 hours before wiping down with oil but that's just a precaution I've been taking with no particular reason. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Valuable Tip

2011-03-15T13:59:00.002-05:00

While I visited with Mike Billman this weekend, he taught me a special trick that repaired a chip in my axe handle.

Today, I used the same method to repair the cracked handle on my Spyderco Bushcraft.

It's easy, fast, and inexpensive.

You'll need thin superglue (CA glue) and some sandpaper.

Sand the wood, apply a few drops of glue, wait for a few seconds while it cures, then repeat. Do that until you've smoothed the crack, chip, or dent and then sand smooth.

This technique has been used by woodworkers for some time but it was new to me. My first attempt isn't nearly as nice as Mike's was but it'll come with time and experience.

Once fully cured, I'll brush the scales with Linseed Oil to bring it back to a finish more like the factory one.

It's drying now and I should have a picture or two for you tomorrow.

Thanks for reading,

B

Great Video

2011-03-14T13:13:00.003-05:00

While surfing around YouTube, I found this Cody Lundin video interview for Newsweek and really thought it had lots of good points.

The main point, I think, is to have a preparedness mindset and take personal responsibility but don't let it consume you.

Enjoy,

B

Been Away

2011-03-13T07:11:00.002-05:00

I brought the kids down to the lake this weekend for a much needed change of scenery.

It's still grey and cold outside but the lake is opening up and it is starting to look and sound like Spring is right around the corner.

I had a chance to spend the day yesterday with Mike Billman at Grindstone Cutlery and spent some time behind the counter doing my best to stay out of the way when I could and answer questions when I couldn't. :)

I dropped off a few knives, picked up a few knives, handled a TON of knives that I don't already own, and even got a customized Byrd that Mike dialed in for me.

I should have some pictures for you this week.

Thanks for reading,

B

Gear Tweaking

2011-03-06T14:18:00.003-06:00

I've been busy lately with modifying my gear.

After yesterday's hike, I came home and stripped my Swedish Army Trangia cookset. The paint was clumpy and worn so I coated it with paint stripper, waited, and then scraped and sanded until I was down to shiny stainless steel.

It's smooth now but there are dents all around. If I decide to repaint, it'll go on much smoother than the pink set I made for Laura but I've got some other ideas.

First, I'm going to use it as-is just to see if I mind the shiny stainless tins.

It's funny how making a change to existing gear, much like receiving a knife from the sheathmaker, seems like a new bit of kit but it's actually not.

Seems like an economical way to get something "new"...

Thanks for reading,

B

In the Woods

2011-03-05T11:26:00.002-06:00

Brought NOTHING but the clothes on my back, the iPhone, and the Hampton Back-Pocket.

Cold, wet, and tired...

I'm hunkered down behind a tree to stay out of the wind.

Slipped on some ice and nearly went down...

Not too far from home so this is all just an exercise...

With the iPhone, I can post to the blog, call for help if needed, and even locate myself using GPS and satellite maps.

I only have one bar here but that should be enough to get this posted. :)

Technology, when used wisely, certainly has a place in my pack when I go out.

Thanks for reading,

B

The Crooked Knife

2011-03-04T07:29:00.003-06:00

I've had this idea for a long time and just never got around to doing it. I wanted to take a hoof knife and turn it into a more traditional crooked knife.

The crooked knife was widely used and it's strength as a one-handed draw knife shows why. These blades are typically gripped in the fist and used with the edge toward the user. The bent blade is handy for carving bowls, spoons, paddles, and poles. The flat portion can also be used as a plane to smooth down flat surfaces.

There is no single design for a crooked knife as the knives were typically made to suit the maker and/or user. This one, however, is made from the Mora 180-LH as an introductory project before I go to work on the blade I received from Abe Elias of Diving Sparrow Knife Works.

(Click for larger image)

	A page from Ellsworth Jaeger's "Wildwood Wisdom"
	First, I drew a line where my thumb would most naturally want to rest.
	Then I carved down to that line and continued to round and refine the shape by simply gripping the knife and determining where wood needed to be removed.
	An in-hand shot

Up next, I'm going to continue to sand the handle and then steep it in some strong tea to see if I can't darken up the handle a bit. Once I'm done with that, I'll burnish the handle with steel wool and then see where I stand.

I'm playing with the idea to rub some coffee grounds into the wood to give it an older look but that'll have no impact on utility.

Lastly, I need to get this edge sharp and then start putting it to work.

Thanks for reading,

B

Kerry Hampton Back-Pocket

2011-03-03T06:26:00.003-06:00

I got myself involved with a pass-around on Bladeforums and received this knife on Monday afternoon.

It's by Kerry Hampton and has an A2 blade and black canvas micarta handle slabs.

(Click for larger image)

I've been using it every day as my only cutter so it's seen a variety of uses from peeling fruit to opening envelopes. I even used it for a bit on Tuesday to work on carving a spoon from some well-seasoned Birch.

It's comfortable in the hand, stays sharp, and has nice snap at the half-stop and full-open position.

As it's not my knife, I'm still babying it a little but I've tried to use it as I would one of my own and I've also tried to mix up the things I cut so I can really give it a good test.

I'll have some final thoughts on Sunday when I box it up to send on to the next recipient.

Thanks for reading,

B

Trail Closed

2011-02-28T17:49:00.000-06:00

The kids and I got out on Sunday with some friends for a hike.

After all the rain and snow of the past few weeks, the river was high and had actually flooded over parts of the trail.

Some of that flooding was over the trail we were trying to hike so we turned around and headed in the opposite direction down a trail I'd never taken before.

I've got more pictures coming but need to jump right now to take care of things around the house. Busy, busy, busy...it never ends does it? :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Got Me an Idea...

2011-02-27T08:08:00.002-06:00

I was reading the Church and Sons Blog this morning and had an idea for a project.

I've done the rawhide-wrapped handle in the past but it was over some burlap micarta and so the period look and feel was lost along with any point in using the rawhide in the first place. Now, however, I have a knife that could stand to be repaired and could benefit from doing things "the old way."

I really, really like the look of the butcher in that post and may just give the maker a shout but the post is a month old and that knife is likely long gone.

Either way, the project will move forward at a snail's pace (just like everything else around here that isn't a part of real life...)

I'll do my best to build up a whole work in progress (WIP) post so you can see what I did and how I did it.

For now, I'll be intentionally vague on the parameters as they may (and often do) change due to any number of factors. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Skyhorse Publishing (Initial Impressions)

2011-02-22T09:10:00.004-06:00

I received two books from Skyhorse Publishing over the weekend. The two titles were "Homesteading" and "Self-Sufficiency."

Both books are hard cover and measure 8.5" X 11" and have 464 pages. They are also both edited by Abigail R. Gehring.

I said this would be my initial impressions as I haven't had the time to read both books thoroughly but the kids and I have gone through both volumes looking for project ideas throughout the weekend.

With that in mind, here's my initial thoughts on these two books:

The books are made with a high-quality paper and include lots of great illustrations and photographs. The bindings are nice and tight and the cover is designed in such as way that it will lay flat when you open up the book. (This is an important feature in a book that has instructions that you may want to revisit while doing a project.)

The information within the books is presented clearly and concisely and the pictures and illustrations do a great job of advancing the subject while also showing some photographic artistry.

Both books have listed resources for further research whether you're looking for food co-ops or a place to buy chickens and turkeys.

For the cover price of $24.95, I'd say these books represented a good value and I'd wager you could find them for even less online if you looked around making them an even better value.

The kids and I will be using the books as a resource as we do some of the projects within in the coming weeks and months. The first one we're going to try, I think, is making a hydroponic "garden."

Thanks for reading,

B

Shudder

2011-02-19T07:00:00.002-06:00

I've been sharpening with stones now for several months and have had a great deal of success with the DMT plates. They are hard enough to cut all steels but really shine when used on 3V and S30V.

I can get knives sharp enough to pop hairs and then strop to refine the edge for a little more durability (a smoother edge should break down a little slower.)

Yesterday I took my Spyderco Paramilitary (the first knife I got to pop hairs with the DMT plates) and just touched up the edge with a piece of 320-grit sandpaper on top of my leather strop using an edge-trailing motion (like stropping) and did 10 passes per side followed by 20 strokes on the strop for each side.

The very slight "give" in the leather has put a very slight convex edge on the knife and it's so sharp that my brain screams out, "STOP!" when I rest my finger tips on the edge to test it. It makes a cold chill run up and down my spine as though I'm about to separate flesh with just the lightest touch.

I haven't felt sharp like that in a long time.

I'm going to have to work with the knife for several days to see if it's really as sharp as it feels and just how long I can keep it that sharp.

There's certainly something to be said for the ease and efficiency of putting convex edges on steel. With JRE's handheld system, I can show a complete newbie how to put a razor edge on a knife in minutes without going in to the discussion about building your own sharpening block. The motions take seconds to learn and the details take much longer but just getting the motion nailed down is enough to sharpen.

I still like my water stones, DMTs, DC4s and DC3s, and my ceramics and will continue to use them but the ease of maintenance on a convex edge is pretty hard to deny.

Thanks for reading,

B

Swamp Rat Rodent Solution

2011-02-18T09:31:00.003-06:00

I got this knife in from Swamp Rat the other day and have been using it quite a bit around the house. They don't ship with a sheath so this one's only being protected by a cardboard sleeve and will be off to see the sheathmaker in due time.

Up first, some specs:
Steel: SR101
Handle: Tan Canvas Micarta
blade length: 3 5/8" (tip to front of handle scale)
Overall length: 8 1/4"
Thickness: 3/16"
Weight: 6.45 oz.

The handle scales are subtly textured so the knife remains grippy when wet but not so much that it needs sanding to prevent blisters and hot spots.

The knife rests comfortably in my hand and the rounded butt-end makes moving the handle around easy and comfortable.

Now, kitchen duty isn't really a full-on test of a knife like this so it'll have to get outdoors before getting the final stamp of approval but, for what it's done so far, it has done everything very well, the edge has held up to a week of light use, and I still look forward to using it so it certainly has some things going for it.

A big part of this test will be knocking the edge off and putting a new one on. Everything I've heard about SR101 (modified 52100?) is that it's HARD. If it takes and holds an edge nearly forever, that means that putting a new edge on will be a bit of work. Fortunately it shipped very sharp and I'm happy to use it as-is for a while before worrying about sharpening.

I've got more cell phone pictures that I'll get uploaded for you as soon as I get them off my phone. These include in-hand shots, a spine shot, and more.

Thanks for reading,

B

An Admission

2011-02-16T10:31:00.002-06:00

Yes, I'm a knife-carrier and knife-user.

As a matter of fact,the ONLY time you'll find me without a knife in my pocket or on my belt is when I'm traveling through an airport.

Here's one more thing you should know about me:

I'm not sorry.
I will not stop carrying it because it makes some folks uncomfortable.
I will not cover up the use of my knife because it scares you.

How did we get here?

A man who carries a pocket knife is a DOer. He can tackle those simple chores like cutting loose threads, trim his nails, open the mail and packages, and even open those snack bags with the "tear here" notch that never tears.

Some carry a Swiss Army Knife (SAK) that may have screwdrivers, can openers, cap lifters, and even saws and magnifying glasses. Those folks can do even more mundane work.

My kids know that a knife is a tool and that carrying one doesn't make one a serial killer or whack-job. So, why do some adults show such mental deficiency? Are those people also afraid of hammers, drills, staple guns, and saws? How about baseball bats, kitchen cutlery, or even spoons?

The problem, as I see it, is that some of those scared adults make policy and could make emotional responses instead of rational ones. Fear is, after all, an emotional response.

What I'm doing today, and would encourage you to do as well, is heading over to Knife Rights and joining to make sure that my rights are being protected by like-minded folks.

I'll continue to carry, use, and refuse to apologize for doing so but I'll also continue to try and educate and do my best to be a positive role-model.

Thanks for reading,

B

Skyhorse Publishing

2011-02-15T07:10:00.002-06:00

I got an email yesterday from a Managing Editor of Skyhorse Publications (they published Richard and Linda Jamison's "Primitive Skills and Crafts," one of Geoffrey Budworth's knot books, and Ernest Thompson Seton's "Woodcraft and Indian Lore") about reviewing a few of their books and I, happily, agreed.

So, three books are headed my way and I'll be reading them and giving you a review in the next couple of weeks.

I'm sure it was just a coincidence but I actually own several of their books already and find them to be well produced and full of useful information.

Once I receive the books I'll let you know the titles and give you some pictures and first impressions. Then we'll dig into them.

By the way, those three books I listed above are NOT the three they're sending but I'd encourage you to take a look at any or all of them.

Thanks for reading,

B

The NWA American Bushman Knife

2011-02-12T06:36:00.003-06:00

Here she is, the Nick Allen (NWA Knives) American Bushman Knife.

Some specs for you:

1/8" thick A2 with Nick's belt finish
Green Canvas micarta scales
10" OAL
5" blade
5" handle

(Click for larger image)

You may notice, he's cut in the thumb scallops I've really come to like for extra comfort in the chest-lever grip and I'll try and shoot a video later to give as much detail to that as possible.

The spine is squared very nicely and the extra thumb jimping on the spine will throw some massive sparks from a firesteel.

This knife is built from a drawing I worked up quite a while back. I sent the drawing to Nick and he stepped up and offered to make it. He has built a reputation on making some very hard working knives and his handle ergonomics are fantastic.

There's so much to say about this knife and what went into making it a reality but I'm really too excited to keep typing and want to get out and get this knife dirty. So, I guess you're going to have to keep coming back to see some pictures of the knife in it's natural habitat and in use.

I've already asked Nick to make me another just like it in 5/32" thickness so I can compare the two. I doubt I'm going to lose much cutting efficiency to the extra thickness but the toughness, or robustness, of the knife should go up quite a bit--NOT that I have any concerns about the toughness of this knife as is. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

It's HERE!!!! IT'S HERE!!!

2011-02-11T18:03:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's here.

Tomorrow you'll see it first.

THEN I can reveal it to the rest of the world.

My full custom from Nick Allen (NWA Knives) is here. This is my design executed perfectly by Nick.

B

Working (Tech Stuff)

2011-02-11T14:05:00.002-06:00

Once upon a time I was a computer geek...

Then the bubble burst and I was left without a job.

And then kid 2, and eventually kid 3, came along and I stayed at home.

Well, for the past few days I've been working under the hood at a new site and it's been a blast! I had forgotten how much fun it was to flip a switch and see a change on a page. Then there was modification of the code...

Glorious stuff.

Anyway, I think some of what I did can apply here so I'm going to start looking at the template and whatever other code Google Blogger will allow me to see/modify and maybe we can dial this site in a little more.

Heck, it's all technology anyway. Maybe I can bring some more tools to the party.

B

Priorities: The Colossal Blizzard

2011-02-10T08:49:00.003-06:00

"The Storm of the Century" they called it...

"The Colossal Blizzard" was the name The Weather Channel gave it.

What we really experienced was blowing winds, lots of snow, and drifts of several feet. It closed the roads and left people homebound without power.

In this situation, being stuck outdoors could be a death sentence. The gear I carry in my pockets or my car wouldn't be much help unless I got extremely lucky.

Shelter would be the first priority (assuming you were uninjured) and finding a solid shelter would be essential. The space blanket I have would have been torn to shreds by the wind before I could even get it pitched. I'd have to find a cave, a large hollow tree, or even an abandoned car if I was going to last more than an hour or so. There wasn't enough snow on the ground to dig into either so snow trenches, quinzes, and the like were out of the question.

The other difficulty with shelter selection was the change in direction of the wind and drifting from hour to hour. It was blowing one way early in the storm and shifted to the opposite direction later on so a shelter that was facing away from the wind early would be facing directly into it and the snow later on.

If I were lucky enough to get out of the wind, the next thing I'd need is heat. Without the wind it was still in the 20's or 'teens. I don't want a fire inside a car and finding enough usable fuel, kindling, and tinder in that storm would have been very difficult.

Even if I could build a fire, the shifting winds would have been problematic as they would blow flames and sparks into the shelter later in the night potentially burning down your shelter.

You can see how difficult this particular scenario would have been. My first two priorities, shelter and fire, would both require a great deal of luck just to pull off in the first place.

Fortunately, if I were trapped, I'd more than likely be in my car. I have food, water, heat, blankets, etc. in the back because I can. I'd be out of the wind and even though I'd more than likely be miserable, I would dramatically improve my odds of making it through the night.

So, that'd be Man 0 - Wild 1 if left to what I carry with me...

Thanks for reading,

B

It's All About Priorities

2011-02-09T08:01:00.007-06:00

I'm not talking about making the blog a priority here though, I'm talking about those essential priorities that will keep us alive when faced with a survival-type situation. They are:

Shelter

Water

Food

Fire

Signaling

When I say "Air," that includes all essential first aid. It's often overlooked but injury can accompany a survival situation and if you don't stop excessive bleeding the shelter isn't going to help you much. If you're buried under the snow, building a fire isn't the first thing you need.

Now, the list of priorities is always changing based on location, seasonality, personality, weather, and setting. For that reason, there's no one list that beats all others.

I'll be looking at various scenarios and settings over the next several weeks and talking about how I would prioritize and I'd like you to think about the same.

There will be a minimal kit that will remain the same through all the scenarios because we've all heard the mantra "Your survival knife is the knife you have on you in a survival situation" and sometimes the knife you like to carry isn't ideal for every task. Plus, there are certain bits of kit I carry every day anyway and it'll be a good mental exercise to see if I'm carrying the right stuff to get me through...

So, let's get started shall we?

Tomorrow: The Colossal Blizzard Scenario...

Thanks for reading,

B

Bushcraft and Survival Volume 9

2011-02-08T07:22:00.004-06:00

Peter and Julie Gawleta of Birchtree Productions have released another volume in their "Bushcraft and Survival" series.

Volume 9 finds them traveling to Scotland to be blown by the wind, eaten alive by midges and mossies, and still seemingly having a good time.

I placed an order with them last week and got the DVD yesterday and have watched it one time. As with all of their videos, I'll watch it multiple times because the level of distraction around here is at an all time high. :)

Like the previous eight volumes, this one has plenty of skills, education, humor, and this one even has a musical number. (If you've seen it you'll know what I mean.)

I'd encourage you to give them a look. They have some samples on their YouTube channel if you want to take a peek before placing an order.

Thanks for reading,

B

MORE Snow?!

2011-02-07T16:43:00.003-06:00

That's right, we're getting more snow.

I am really getting tired of moving it from one spot to another.

My back hurts, my arms hurt, and my legs hurt.

How's Florida this time of year? :)

On the up side, we've had fires in the fire pit for the past few days that were lit using nothing more than a firesteel, a knife, and found wood. Always practice your skills before you might need them for real...

We had a tree fall on the fence behind the house and I've been cutting it up and trying to move the trunk before it snaps the split rail it's laying on.

The igloo hasn't moved forward because the kids now want it to remain a fort. However, with the new snow, we may have a go at making a quinze.

Anyway, I'm off to shovel some more. I'll see you back here soon.

Thanks for reading,

B

Behold! The Igloo (Sort of...)

2011-02-06T09:19:00.002-06:00

We spent yesterday building an igloo with the Girl Scouts.

We only had 90 minutes and suffered a few setbacks along the way but I think they all had fun and our "fort" is still able to be converted into an igloo with a bit of work.

We had a couple of workers stumble through the walls and the quality of the snow wasn't quite where we would have wanted it for the ideal igloo but 90 minutes of work netted us a very windproof shelter that we could cover with a tarp.

Also, it's big.

I asked two girls to lay down in the snow and the rest of the troop to walk around them to define the size of shelter needed and somehow the diameter grew and grew until it would comfortably fit 8 kids...

The kids and I sat down this morning and I suggested that we could take it down, recut the blocks, and rebuild a smaller shelter complete with a dome and they really just want to use it as a fort so we'll have to leave it as is for now.

We're getting some nice snow this morning that should help to fill in the cracks and hold everything together too.

Thanks for reading,

B

Prehistoric Indian Blazes

2011-02-04T07:24:00.002-06:00

As I was reading through "Wildwood Wisdom" again last night, I saw an illustration labeled "Prehistoric Indian Blazes" and noted that one of them was also tagged as being not too far from here. Then I remembered the picture I have of a very similar tree.

Reading through the text, there's a trail from Lake Michigan through 5 miles of wilderness to a former Indian village. Well, that trail has long since been reduced to housing, forest preserves, and highway.

BUT, at least one tree still stands marking that ancient pathway and now I aim to see if I can find any more.

Any good blaze is within sight distance of the next so there's a chance that another one is out there and I just haven't seen it because I wasn't looking carefully enough.

This is how the adventure begins...

Thanks for reading,

B

Snow Day!

2011-02-03T14:42:00.003-06:00

Another day with a house full of kids.

School's closed for the second day in a row after the snow storm which didn't turn out to be quite as ferocious as expected but still a big one.

We ran an errand this morning if for no other reason than to get out of the house for a bit and the streets were mostly empty.

Once we got home, the kids geared up and headed for the yard to start digging some snow tunnels.

We also started planning an outing for the weekend (after some MORE predicted snowfall) where we'll build at least one igloo and possibly more for the Girl Scouts.

Being the slave driver I am, I made the kids take their spelling tests before they were allowed to go outside. They did poorly so I gave them another 5 minutes to study before the retest.

Second time's the charm I guess and they both improved dramatically so now they're out getting snowy. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Some Storm

2011-02-02T08:10:00.003-06:00

Well, this has been some storm so far.

We lost power (then got it back about 90 minutes later,) wind gusts up to 60mph, more than 12" of snow down with lots more in the air, I've been out pushing snow every couple of hours to stay ahead of it, and overnight the snowfall negated any work that I had done to that point.

The blowing snow was much worse than the falling snow yesterday. We'll see if the same holds true today.

I should have some pictures for you a bit later.

For now, I've got some snow to move. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

EDIT: Pics as promised...

COLOSSAL BLIZZARD IS COMING!!!

2011-02-01T09:25:00.002-06:00

Yep, if the Weather Channel is to be believed, we're about to get pounded.

If this blog goes quiet for a day or two, we may be without power (or I may be preoccupied with shoveling every hour or so.)

I suspect, however, that it'll be bad but nowhere near worthy of all the press this storm's been getting.

Growing up dealing with Lake Effect Snow, I can't be terribly worked up about the doom and gloom forecasts. Well, I can be but I'm not...

If I'm wrong...well, then we're still well-prepared. We can just sit tight and ride out the storm.

See you on the other side...

B

Two Blanket Bed

2011-02-01T08:11:00.000-06:00

When colder weather approaches, a second blanket is in order.

You could just double the layers as in yesterday's tutorial but Jaeger has a special method for two blankets that gives you a warm and less-bulky solution.

Again, this would be ideal with wool blankets but we're going to mix it up to make it easier to see what's going on in each step.

First, you're going to need two blankets. Here I'm using the German Army and Israeli Army surplus wool blankets.
Step 1: Lay one blanket out flat and the other folded lengthwise putting the fold on the edge of the first like so.
Step 2: Fold under the excess of the top blanket.
Step 3: Bring the extra from the bottom blanket back across the top of the top (German) blanket.
Step 4: Tuck the bottom under your feet and sleep snugly all night.
The two-blanket method gives you two layers underneath, two layers above, and four layers under your feet.

If your blankets are big enough and you can fold them in thirds like the one-blanket method, you can really stay warm on those cold nights. Just keep the open sides opposite one another and you'll keep out the cold.

One more tip: If you're going to use a ground pad, I'd suggest putting it on the bottom blanket just before laying down the top (German) blanket in Step 1. That way it'll stay securely within your "cocoon" while offering you protection from the cold, hard ground.

Thanks for reading,

B

One Blanket Bed

2011-01-31T07:53:00.002-06:00

Some folks prefer to sleep with a blanket or two instead of a sleeping bag because they're less confining and more flexible but they also have a bad habit of creeping up and/or uncovering body parts as well as allowing in cold air.

This tutorial is from a tile in Jaeger's "Wildwood Wisdom" and Jake is my sleeper.

	The first thing you'll need is your blanket. For this tutorial, I chose my Wiggy's Poncho Liner as it was both nearby and approximately the right size for Jake.
	Step 1: Lay out your blanket the wide way and lay down on the rightmost or leftmost 1/3.
	Step 2: Bring the remaining width over and back across your body.
	Step 3: Tuck the remaining 1/3 under your body making a double layer beneath.
	Step 4: Tuck the bottom under your feet and sleep snugly all night.

Tomorrow, the two-blanket bed...

Thanks for reading,

B

The Other Mears Knife

2011-01-30T10:25:00.003-06:00

For those of you who want to get your hands on a Ray Mears knife but don't want to wait, there's the new green handled Mora 510 (one of my favorite knives) complete with the Mears logo.

The knife is scandi ground carbon steel that will take and hold a wicked edge. The green handle is barrel shaped and comfortable to use for hours without causing fatigue.

I really, really like my 510s and wish they hadn't been discontinued.

Unfortunately, they were. But now you can get them again from Ray Mears.

There's a bit of a premium to be paid for the logo and the green handle but there's also no other option and, compared to the Woodlore, it's a steal. :)

If I've piqued your interest, you can check out the knife here: Mears 510.

Like the Woodlore, this one will not get socked away. It'll be put to use just like the red handled 510s have.

Thanks for reading,

B

Woodlore

2011-01-29T08:35:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is...the official Ray Mears Woodlore.

I really don't know what to say about it that isn't already known but there is definitely something special about this knife and I can certainly see why so many makers are doing "tribute" pieces.

The blade to handle ratio is just right.

The thickness is just right.

The handle shape is just right.

The overall length is just right. The blade length is just right.

It's comfortable in every grip (every one I use anyway...)

(Click for larger image)

Frankly, the only thing I might change about this knife is the handle material. As you may be able to make out in the pictures, the tang is slightly proud now that the scales have shrunk from the dry winter air. A synthetic like micarta or G10 wouldn't do that but they also don't have the same look and feel of old wood.

I'll tell you this much, dear readers, this knife won't look quite so pretty the next time you see it.

I have resisted cutting anything since it arrived because I had never gotten pictures of it fresh from the box. Now I've got 'em...

So, I've got my grail knife. It doesn't get any better than that does it?

Well, there may be another trick or two up my sleeve...including a knife I drew from scratch that should be out of heat treat and ready for finishing as you're reading this.

You know it's going to be good if a guy who has a BRAND NEW WOODLORE is anxiously awaiting its arrival. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

An Open Letter to Anonymous

2011-01-28T15:29:00.003-06:00

Dear Anonymous:

Yesterday you wrote:

alas our fearless leader has left us,,,,,thanks for all the good reads,,ive learned a lot from you cheers

in the comment section of a post.

That little bit of authorship seems to have given me the kick in the pants I needed to get moving forward again.

I have spent the entire day shooting pictures and putting things together for this blog and you'll begin seeing them tomorrow.

So I'd just like to say Thank You for the motivation to get back to doing what I've so enjoyed doing for almost 4 years now.

Now, on to the posting...

Thanks again,

B

Have You Ever Worn Out a Book?

2011-01-28T07:35:00.002-06:00

I have.

It was Ellsworth Jaeger's "Wildwood Wisdom" and I just got a replacement copy from Amazon a few days ago.

The combination of information, easy to read illustrations, and price make it an unbeatable companion for anybody that loves the outdoors and the skills of bushcraft.

The book has been a source of information for projects from making Jake's Native American diorama (teepee layout) to the crooked knife handle and blade making instructions.

This is one of those books that is often overlooked in favor of Kochanski, Mears, Kephart, Sears, and others but it's certainly every bit as helpful and entertaining.

If you don't have a copy, get one. I think my replacement was about $9 from Amazon and it's brand new.

Thanks for reading,

B

Winter

2011-01-27T14:10:00.003-06:00

This winter, more than any in recent memory, I've been sorely tempted to both get outdoors and enjoy the air and the cold and curl up inside and enjoy the warmth and comfort of the house.

I have been dramatically short on time (notice the 10-day lag since the last post?) and just can't seem to find the time to write up what I've been doing.

There hasn't been enough snow so far to do much shelter construction but the brutal cold has made it very difficult to allow the kids out for more than a few minutes at a time.

My cameras sit idle because my hands do not. Doing always conflicts with reporting which I discovered while doing "52 Weeks" so many years ago.

I find my days filled more with the mundane tasks of laundry, cooking, and picking up after the kids than I do with dreams of cold adventure...for now.

One day soon I will sit down and write up some of those adventures I have been able to have for you.

If only I could squeeze a few more hours into every day...

Thanks for reading,

B

A Discovery

2011-01-17T07:49:00.003-06:00

This is probably old news to many of you but I just figured it out today.

You know how those stainless/aluminum/Titanium pots, cups, etc. come with stickers on them and sometimes those stickers don't come off very easily?

Well, this morning I was taking a sticker off my new 6-cup percolator from GSI and had lots of gummy residue and part of the sticker stuck on the side.

Burning in a new pot will often leave burned adhesive on the pot that still doesn't come off, using Goo Gone or one of the other citrus-based cleaners will work but requires a bit of scraping, and going to a Scotchbrite pad tends to leave the side of that brand new piece of gear with scratches.

But, if you can find the BLUE Scotchbrite pads, they will remove that adhesive without leaving the faintest mark on your new bit of kit. They appear to be tough enough to remove the crud that can often get left behind while being gentle enough to let me do the marring of the finish through use rather than over-aggressive scrubbing.

Now I have a 6-cup percolator that looks brand new, has no stickers on it, and has been cleaned and is finally ready to brew up that first cup of camp coffee.

Thanks for reading,

B

Traditional or Technical

2011-01-15T08:52:00.002-06:00

This is a quandry many of us face.

Laura and I are going skiing today and I find myself faced with the question of traditional wool clothing versus technical Gore-Tex, wicking materials, and more.

I lean toward wool just because I like the way it works, how it looks, and even how it smells (or doesn't smell once you've been working.)

Not surprisingly, I have enough kit to go in either direction and will probably not make a final decision until we're running out the door.

I'll have pictures and a write-up when we get home.

Thanks for reading,

B

Kudos to Crane's Country Store!

2011-01-14T14:22:00.003-06:00

It's cold.

When it gets like this, I get in the mood for wool--Filson wool usually.

I went on a search for a new hat (Filson 025 Wool Packer Hat) and found Crane's Country Store and gave them a call.

While chatting with them, the discussion turned to the 10046 Yukon Cape Coat (a lighter version of the Mackinaw wool coat I have) and I gave them a look.

Sure enough, the price couldn't be beat, but the inventory was out of stock. Bummer.

No problem, they assured me. They'd place an order.

Here we are two weeks later and the package arrived a short while ago. Everything was perfect and I got just what I wanted and not what they had left on the shelf.

So, if you're out and about this weekend and see a dapper guy wearing a charcoal wool hat and slate plaid coat, it might just be me. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

EDIT: One more thing, both items are Made in the USA.

Simple Pleasures

2011-01-04T15:44:00.003-06:00

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Yeah, I've been gone again for a while. Sorry.

Where the time goes is still a mystery. It's not like I've got anything to show for my absence...

Anyway, I was just sharpening a pencil and realized that it's been years since I used a pencil sharpener other than the knife I had in my pocket.

It's a real pleasure to get a nice even cone using nothing but the eye, a sharp blade, and experience (muscle memory.)

With three kids under 10, I can tell you that I sharpen a lot of pencils. Thank goodness they haven't really wanted to move on to pens just yet.

If you're not currently sharpening with a pocket knife, give it a whirl. You may find it as enjoyable as I do.

Thanks for reading,

B

Homework

2010-12-17T13:04:00.003-06:00

You've just been given some homework. It's due by Christmas Day.

Play if you want to play; just give a read if you don't.

Your assignment is to make a pocketable fishing kit built around a wine cork. Make it as simple or as complex as you like but remember it's got to be something you can throw in a coat or vest pocket AND use with included or scrounged bait to land a fish.

Remember, the cork can be used as a bobber or even a top water lure if you want to get fancy.

Feel free to comment if you want to play and I'll put together a gallery of entries as they're submitted.

I'm playing too and have only the cork so far so you're not too far behind (you may even be ahead if you've thought of this before...)

Good luck and remember, Due 12/25/2010.

Thanks for reading,

B

OUCH!

2010-12-08T15:11:00.003-06:00

So, I've had some foot problems recently and it turns out that I have plantar fasciitis which is basically tendonitis in the bottom of the foot.

I have pain when I put my feet down after a night's sleep or even after sitting for just a few minutes.

Was this partially caused or exacerbated by the new shoes? Maybe.

What I'll tell you is this:

Avoid it if you can. Take care of your feet.

B

What a Weekend!

2010-12-07T08:53:00.002-06:00

Between the running around and the snow it has taken me until this morning to officially dig out from under the work. I'm still finishing the laundry but am otherwise all caught up. Finally!

This weekend the kids had a book fair at the local Barnes & Noble and I found this book on the shelf and decided to bring it home.

I haven't had much of a chance to read it but I have scanned over several pages and read the front and back covers.

The gist of the book is that kids who spend time outdoors are better behaved, better adjusted, and less likely to be obese or depressed.

Richard Louv, the author, (Website here), won the 2008 Audubon Medal and is the Chairman of the Children & Nature Network.

As I get into this further I'll be doing a full review.

Thanks for reading,

B

Shakedown!

2010-12-04T09:01:00.002-06:00

I don't know about a White Christmas but we're surely having a White Weekend.

The snow started falling overnight. We've got about 3" on the ground already and it's supposed to continue falling all day and into the night. We're blessed (or cursed) with Lake Effect snow so any little storm could turn into a big deal but it seems hit or miss so it's hard to judge when to be more concerned with the snowfall.

Following on yesterday's post about gear, we now know that Jake is missing his boots and his gloves are too small. Sarah has nothing to wear to go play in the snow (poor kid.)

The kids were out rolling around in the new white stuff before 7:00 and Laura asked me if she was the first kid out. I told her to stop chatting for a minute and just have a look and listen. I think we were the only two souls up and about at that hour. We hadn't even seen the snow plows yet.

I pushed a shovel around enough to see how deep the snow was while Laura tried making a few snowballs to check the consistency of the snow. It was too little and too powdery to really do much with it yet.

If we get pounded sometime this winter, we're going to make a quinze. Two years ago it was an igloo and this year we're going to do something different. We can also do the quinze without the hard blocks you need to make a good igloo.

Well, I think it's time for a cup of coffee for me and time to fire up the cast iron pans to make the kids a nice hearty breakfast to warm them up from their time in the snow.

I hope they left some for me out there. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Gearing Them Up

2010-12-03T07:43:00.004-06:00

I have always gotten "real" gear for the kids and we get sizes that'll last two years so the expense hurts a little less.

Well, it's that every other year again...

I find it strange that manufacturers make stuff for kids but some stores, both online and brick and mortar, just don't seem to carry it.

Last year was the soft shells and fleece for both kids. This year it's snow pants, long johns, and socks.

The great thing about outfitting the kids is how brutal they are on anything you put on them. We have found "waterproof" gloves that weren't. The kids have learned the value of layering and wicking materials--means more time in the snow before getting too cold.

It's the time in the field that really helps you to dial in what you want and what you need and that helps you to really focus on the bits of kit you select and spend your hard-earned money for. I found it with "52 Weeks" and the kids have found it during our hikes and during time spent "playing" outside during rain, heat, snow, and wind.

The first real snowfall of the year is in the forecast today so we'll see how much of last year's snow gear still fits and/or works by the time the sun goes down.

Thanks for reading,

B

Jake's Ready For Adventure

2010-12-02T08:14:00.001-06:00

I had written a rant against the Boy Scouts of America today but think I'll sit on it for a while and cool off. Instead, let's look at something a little more positive.

Jake has been my adventure buddy for three or four years already and he's only 7. If I throw some candy in my pack he's game to go pretty much anywhere.

He's got his normal load pretty well dialed in already and knows his pre-hike routine well. (It's funny that he is still working out the kinks on getting ready for school--something he does five days a week.)

In his pack, he has a fresh bladder of water, his kid PSK I put together, snacks, gloves, and that orange hat. He has his own cool orange hat but he chooses to wear the one I used when deer hunting.

Then there is his knife. Since he doesn't wear anything but sweatpants, he doesn't normally have pockets. He doesn't like carrying a knife around his neck either. That means he has a lanyard wrapped around the sheath and then he stuffs the whole thing in his pack. It's got a Fox 40 Micro and BSA Hotspark on the lanyard so he's got signaling and fire.

Today his bracelet from Joben should be in the mail and he's so excited to start wearing it. He asked me five minutes after we put in the order if it was coming that day and then again yesterday and this morning. That'll provide him with an additional source of cordage should he need it.

This may not be the most flattering picture of him but I think it does capture a moment from a hike that we'll remember for a while. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Paracord Bracelets by Joben

2010-12-01T06:08:00.002-06:00

Paracord bracelets are all the rage right now and I found a member on Bladeforums who is making them with small buckles sized to order. He's turning them out inexpensively and fast and I've got three already with five more on the way (the kids wanted them.)

Jonathan (Joben) takes a measurement of your wrist, makes the necessary adjustments, and braids up the bracelet before sending off some pictures and sticking them in the mail. I had my first order two days after I sent payment and I've been wearing one of them every day since.

The buckle is a really nice addition as I can put it on and take it off in a blink or I can just wear it 24/7 as the buckle and all components are waterproof or at least unaffected by water.

He does the cobra stitch and a few other stitches as well as using some jute twine and other types of cordage.

In a pinch, I can turn the bracelet into paracord and the inner strands with a quick flick of the knife. I think there is something like 5-6' of paracord in a bracelet.

We like them so much that I'm going to be using Jonathan to source the materials to make bracelets with the Cub Scouts next month. He'll supply pararcord, buckles, and some instructions to make tying the Cobra Stitch a bit easier.

If you want to get in touch with him to discuss your own paracord bracelet needs, drop him a note here:
Joben
and I'm sure he'll be back to you in short order.

Thanks for reading,

B

Laura's Izula

2010-11-30T11:02:00.002-06:00

Laura has been getting a lot of use out of her pink Izula lately. It's been hers for more than a year but has never seen much attention despite the fact she earned her Whittlin' Chip just like her brother. The opportunity has been there but the desire has been missing.

Now she seems to have turned the corner. She comes home from school and asks what needs cutting around the house and wants to know when we're next headed into the woods.

She practiced making cuts on various sticks she'd find on the ground this weekend and even went so far as to baton her Izula with her walking stick to get nice clean cut ends.

We've talked about the various grips and their uses but she's still in the early phase of being able to handle a knife. With some more work I think she'll be ready for some easy carving.

Plus, now that she's finally using the Izula, we can talk about how to maintain the edge and keep it nice and sharp.

Thanks for reading,

B

Another Day, Another Hike

2010-11-29T08:54:00.005-06:00

On Sunday, the kids and I headed out for the second day in a row looking for some adventure and a whole lot of fun.

The weather was a bit warmer and the sun was out so it was a perfect day to get out.

We loaded our packs and headed up to a place we'd hiked once before but we'd only gone in far enough to have a little picnic. This time we were going to hike the whole trail.

Along the way, Jake asked to stop for a snack a half-dozen times. What amazed me was the simple fact that he'd eat every time we did stop. Tuna salad, chicken salad, granola bars, Spam Singles, Snickers, GORP, and more became fuel for Jake's fire.

We saw a track trap on the trail which stood out because it was a large slightly-wetter section of the path and the gravel/dirt were just the right consistency to see raccoon, coyote, human, bicycle, opossum, and more. The colder weather probably helped as it "set" the soil to some degree as the moisture froze.

Laura worked with her pink ESEE Izula and did a quick video for me on the goldenrod gall. Jake spent that time eating...

We're working on a points system now that each kid can earn points for their insights, skills, and knowledge. Those points will be redeemable down the road for goodies they want or trips they want to take. They're both competitive so this should really help them to soak up as much information as I can throw at them.

We talked about stride length and how to use your walking stick as a ruler to help you find more obscure tracks on a path. A young deer helped us out by crossing the path sometime prior to our arrival. The tracks were very clear and helped to establish a direction of travel but half-way across the path they were much harder to see (probably due to the foot traffic.) The stick and a quick measurement of stride length showed us where to start looking for the first "missing" track and it was right where it should have been but very hard to make out at first glance.

Laura (9) is certainly more attentive during these lessons but I'm happy just to have both kids out with me.

An important lesson the kids took away from the day was that they should do some of their own "homework" when picking a trail because I managed to get us on the loop that was actually a point-to-point trail some 2.4 miles long. Oops. We were out about 2.2 miles when I realized that we were still heading away from the trailhead and I pulled up a satellite image on my phone to see that we were near the end of the path but would come out far, far away from the car. So, we turned around and hiked back the way we came in.

Jake started talking about how everything was going to be alright because we had enough food to sleep out overnight and Laura got a bit upset because the hiking had worn her out and she just wanted to be at home on the couch.

We sat down for a minute, had a snack, drank some water, talked about where we were and what we were going to do next, and then packed everything up, put on some more layers because the sun was going down, and moved out toward the car.

After all the drama and the laying on benches as we found them, the kids both ran to the playground near the car and asked if they could play for 15 minutes before we left. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to fire up the stove and have some hot tea so I said they could.

On the way home we started talking about my adventures and the "52 Weeks" thread we wrote over at Knifeforums and I suggested that we could do the same thing. They both jumped on the opportunity so we should be starting that at the first of the year. 52 hikes with the kids should be a lot of fun.

So, anybody else want to sign on?

Thanks for reading,

B

Creatures in the Woods

2010-11-28T07:28:00.010-06:00

If you go into the woods today, you're in for a big surprise...

There are creatures beyond your imagination lurking...

Scary three-eyed creatures and large purple bunnies...

They'll eat all of your food, drink all of your drinks, and then play until the sun goes down.

Oh, and one more thing, they have knives.

We got the chance to go out yesterday for a few hours despite the temperatures in the low 30s so we went. We layered up, loaded our packs, and picked which tasks we were going to attempt and which gear we were going to test.

The mission of the day: Find pinecones to turn into bird feeders.

We also planned on some hot cocoa and maybe a cup of soup to warm our insides so I brought my Swedish Army Trangia Stove and some fuel.

We knew the natural occurrences of conifers in our area was very, very low but we also wanted to get out and explore a bit so we chose a different area for our excursion. I think it was a good call. There were no evergreens but there was plenty to see and the kids had a great time just being out.

And eating snacks...we can't forget the value of bringing enough food for Jake.

We actually did quite a hike considering the kids are 7 and 9 years old. It was 0.4 miles to the trail, a 2.7 mile loop, and then 0.2 miles from the loop to the playground where they hunkered down, ate, and then played and played until the hot cocoa was ready. Once the hot cocoa was finished, they went right back to playing and snacking until the sun went behind the trees.

While they were distracted, I cleaned up the mess I made when I let the hot cocoa boil over. Then I snapped some more pictures that really represent what we were experiencing. I've been here in the Fall, Summer, Spring, and Winter and this transition period, between bare trees and frozen lakes but before the snow falls, is pretty bleak. There's just no color out there and so little animal activity that you'd think they were all hibernating. We were out for a few hours and we saw just one squirrel and a handful of birds flying overhead.

The temperatures today should be about 10° warmer and the skies are still clear. The kids had enough fun yesterday that they're already up and making plans for today's hike so that's a good sign that we're going to get dirty again today...

Thanks for reading,

B

Swedish Army Trangia Tip

2010-11-28T07:27:00.000-06:00

If you're using one of the Swedish Army surplus cooksets and have the brass stove, you need to consider putting a needle or a piece of snare wire in with your kit.

I can't tell you how many times the snare wire has saved my bacon when I was out and my burner was having trouble lighting.

You can take the wire and poke it down into the burner holes to clear them of debris so the burner can bloom. It may take a few pokes so the advantage goes to the longer snare wire over the fixed-length needle.

We had a boil-over with some hot cocoa yesterday and I'm cleaning the burner this morning and some of the charred sugar is giving me problems but being able to clear the jets helps a lot.

B

REI Storm Matches

2010-11-27T11:32:00.005-06:00

Have you ever seen something that you just HAD to post?

Well, here's one of those things. This video shows how it's nearly impossible to put out REI's storm matches:

Get 'em HERE!

Thanks for reading,

B

Funny!

2010-11-27T09:44:00.002-06:00

Last night I watched Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" and all the talk about the Vorpal Sword reminded me about the blade of the same name the folks at BRK&T did several years ago.

As is often the case, I got to searching on Google a little bit and found one.

What I find so funny is that it's on the same page I mentioned here a week or so ago:

Vorpal Sword

and it's right at the top of the page. :)

Who knew?!

B

Energy Up!

2010-11-27T08:50:00.002-06:00

It's that time of year...

I'm really spending a great deal of time working on skills, reading up on new ideas, and getting the gear tested and evaluated for future use.

I've been working the firepit every day with only what I've got in my pockets but the onset of colder weather means I've got a TON of stuff in my pockets because each pocket contains some bit of outdoorsy joy. :)

I'm carving my next spoon. I have a small piece of birch here and it's got a nice grain to it so I'm motivated to carve.

I split it with my 510, then split one half into smaller and smaller pieces and made some fuzz sticks, and the other piece I began to carve by taking off slivers from the future handle. Those slivers were thin enough and dry enough to take a spark from my firesteel and thus began my fire yesterday.

I've been reading Baden-Powell's "Scouting for Boys" since the DC Trip and will be using much of the material with Jake's Scout Den. As a matter of fact, he's just been tasked this morning with picking one chapter from the book that we'll begin working as soon as this afternoon.

I think today might have a hike in store for us. The kids want to get out, I want to get out, and the weather looks like it's going to be clear and cold so it'll be a good opportunity to test coats, boots, wool socks, and gloves to make sure they're still fitting well and are suited to windy dry cold as they were originally intended.

I always have a bag of goodies I carry so if the kids get too cold there's a warm blanket, some hot chocolate, and other stuff that'll get their spirits back up long enough to get us to the car or the house.

Camera batteries are charging so I hope you'll have something more to read and see tomorrow.

See you then!

Thanks for reading,

B

Maintenance and Tuning

2010-11-24T10:47:00.002-06:00

Have you ever really thought about how much time we put into our gear to really dial it in?

I'm sitting here this morning stropping the edge on my Mora 510 and taking a look at the squared spine and I think about the hours and hours I've spent maintaining and fine-tuning the knife to suit my uses.

Out of the box, the 510 was an inexpensive knife capable of a great deal of work. It came sharp, would hold an edge for a long time, had a serviceable sheath, and a comfortable handle.

With a little bit of work, the knife can really become a high-performance tool. Flatten the bevels and make it a true Scandi grind (no micro-bevel,) square up the spine, and then use the heck out of it to give it a nice patina and you'll be cutting with it for a long time with little further maintenance.

If, however, you're like me, you can't help but continually mess with the knife. I like to work the edge back and forth on the strop to really bring out the polish. It's part of my morning routine and goes really well with a hot cup of coffee.

Thanks for reading,

B

A Renewed Focus

2010-11-21T08:29:00.003-06:00

The big push these past few weeks has been on getting outdoors.

In order to get the "time off" to do that, I have been involving not only my own kids but any other kids that want to tag along.

I have focused on kid-specific skills and gear in the past but I'm going to be focusing more and more on how to get kids into the woods and back home safely while teaching them important skills and knowledge about the natural, sometimes unforgiving, world around them.

I have built small kits for the kids which I wrote about here, I'm going got revisit that. I worked with Jake yesterday on how to make the simplest of shelters using a space blanket and zipties. I'll make it a photo tutorial. We talk about what to do when the kid becomes separated from the adult--hug a tree, blow your whistle, and be patient.

Some of the writing here is going to be aimed at the lowest common denominator and may seem elementary for some of you but if you have kids and you want to take them outdoors and get 'em dirty you can read along with them as I get my own kids even more comfortable with the concepts of spending an unplanned night out and, eventually, taking that trip.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend of mine yesterday about the state of the modern outdoorsman and I'm afraid that he's right that we're going the way of the dinosaurs. People (here at least) like their woods to be clean and safe and that's what they've been given. We're not allowed off the beaten path and it's making us more and more incapable of handling the dirt, the heat, the bugs, and all the wonderful pains and annoyances that can come with being "out there."

I'm going to see if I can't turn some of these kids into muddy, knife-carrying, fire-building, plant and tree identifiers who WANT to get dirtier every week and who want to learn what a roasted acorn tastes like and how to skin a squirrel with a pocket knife.

Who wouldn't want that?

Thanks for reading,

B

To the Woods!

2010-11-20T16:01:00.003-06:00

Today started the first of many monthly Scout Hikes to come. I didn't get many takers but the weather was cool, the sky was clear, and a slight breeze kept things moving.

Winter is clearly around the corner but it's not here yet.

Jake was my only woods pal today but I was more than happy to have him along. The promises of snacks and time away from the television were enough to draw him out.

He loaded his own pack this morning with snacks, drinks, and other "essential" gear for any 7 year old boy and I put enough emergency gear in my own pack to handle any potential problems encountered with up to 100 kids in the woods. The list included space blankets, water, firestarting gear, zip ties, cordage, a first aid kit, a Wiggy's poncho liner, and additional snacks.

Strangely, when it came to cutlery, I seem to have left my knives and other pocket gear at home. What I did have in my pocket was the Fallkniven U2 which proved more than capable of what we would encounter in our "wilderness" adventure. As a matter of fact, the most difficult task we faced was the whittling of a stick during our snack. For that, the SGPS performed wonderfully.

Jake and I talked about the importance of the space blanket and zip ties when you're out and I explained how he could quickly erect a shelter using one of the bent trees and his supplies. We didn't have an opportunity to really practice the skill today but we will in the coming weeks and months. The benefit of the zip ties is the ability to work quickly without a knowledge of tying knots. (He's seven, he'll learn enough knot tying as we do this but zip tie knowledge is available right now.)

We were only out for a couple of hours but when your kid, a television zombie, tells you how much fun he's having in the woods you really embrace it and try to stay out just as long as possible.

Unfortunately, the cool air got to him and we had to head for home to look for a good pair of lightweight gloves for our next outing.

Thanks for reading,

B

Some Post-Camping Thoughts

2010-11-15T09:57:00.003-06:00

I spent Saturday night out camping with Laura and a dozen other Girl Scouts.

We spent some time talking about making fire and then, using the information they'd learned, we built and started the fire.

Once we had a good flame going, we fed the fire and built it up and fed it the small stack of wood I'd split earlier. We also talked about how to start small and grow the size of the fuel as the size of the fire grew.

One thing I thought about afterward was the benefit in bringing an axe. Yes, this is the axe versus big chopper debate...

In my case, a practiced hand with an axe can still beat a practiced hand with a large chopper when it comes to processing wood for a fire. The wood we had stored near the fire ring was too big to split with the knife without using a baton. The axe, however, would blow it apart with well placed blows.

The mystery is why someone who knows the value of an axe and can use it for a variety of tasks through experience (me) would continue to lust after and purchase one big chopper after another...

I love the look and feel of the big choppers and actually brought one with me but the axe is still my go-to wood processor.

We cooked burgers and potatoes over the coals and were even going to attempt a dutch oven cake but the loaner ovens from the campsite were in need of seasoning so the troop leaders decided to just make the cakes inside in the oven. The burgers were delicious and the fries could have been wrapped up a little better. I must've dropped three foil envelopes in the fire during cooking. Fortunately, there was so much food that nobody noticed the missing fries. :)

Today is supposed to be for gear cleaning but Sarah has other ideas and she clearly missed her daddy while he was gone with big sister. I can't say I blame her, I'm one heck of a fun guy. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Mears Bushcraft Knife

2010-11-10T14:40:00.002-06:00

I finally got one!

Now we'll see just how it stacks up to the others...

Today might be the day it arrives. If not, I'll be a little bummed out but as long as it's here before the weekend campout I'll be happy. :)

Expect LOTS of pictures...

Thanks for reading,

B

Getting Sentimental

2010-11-09T12:13:00.003-06:00

Remember the simpler times? You know, back when I was writing every day...

:)

The activities have continued to ramp up and my involvement with the kids' stuff continues to grow and my time is getting harder and harder to find.

We just completed a trip to DC, I've got a campout with Laura this weekend, and I've got a campout meeting with the Cub Scouts tonight.

I was discussing this with Dan and Spen of JRE Industries a few weeks ago and the discussion turned to what got us together in the first place and, other than similar hobbies, the common thread was Bark River knives. Many of you know that I've divested myself of most of my Bark River stuff in the quest for that next "best" piece of gear.

Dan and Spen, however, have been building up quite a collection and they're getting ready to move on as well. (This is the curse of the knife collector and user...)

Check here:

http://www.jreindustries.com/Bark_River.htm

They're building the page while I'm typing this so expect some updates.

Here's the kicker, they're offering these knives at better prices than they used to be when I considered them such an excellent value. The steel, heat treat, and geometry are still the same, the fit and finish is still the same, and the warranty is still the same. The only difference is the lower prices.

Heck, I'm seeing pieces I've never seen before like that coffin-handled Kephart and the full custom Jim Stewart piece.

Go pretend for a minute that it's 2006 instead of most of the way through 2010 and check out what they've got available. You may find something new in your never-ending quest for the "best" piece of steel. :)

Thanks for reading,

B

Kuksa, Noggin, Canoe Cup

2010-10-21T09:06:00.003-05:00

Today we're headed to the local Woodcraft store to see if they've got a good block of material for carving a cup.

They're called kuksa, noggins, and canoe cups (among other things) and I'd really like one but don't really want to pay big money to get one when I am confident that I can make one that suits me so long as there is suitable material.

I might just make a matching spoon while I'm at it.

I'll be detailing the process from drawing out my idea on the block, rough shaping, carving in the bowl, finishing, and as many steps in between as I can capture.

I need to get my supplies in order today so I can get this started ASAP in order to have something to show off at the next campout.

Thanks for reading,

B

Just Havin' a Little Breakfast

2010-10-20T08:44:00.002-05:00

Sitting here this morning eating some left-over bannock from last night and sipping on my umpteenth cup of coffee while catching up on everything that happened last night.

I'm not a huge fan of bannock and find it a bit too biscuit-like for it to NOT be a biscuit. The kids, however, LOVE it and eat it up with peanut butter, honey, jelly, or sausages. I'd prefer some kneaded dough so I'll be trying something different with the next batch.

Oh, I think today is Les Stroud's birthday for those of you who have followed him through books and television. Happy Birthday Les!

Thanks for reading,

B

Take Care of Your Feet

2010-10-19T19:19:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you've heard and read it hundreds of times but it's no joke. Take care of your feet.

You'll be pretty bad off without them...

I recently had my stride analyzed after having some problems with my ankles and it turns out my left foot is "sloppy" and required some correction. Some expensive tennis shoes later, I'm working on fixing my stride and taking some of the stress off of my ankles.

Unfortunately, it makes my feet HURT! The shoes feel like they're bruising the soles of my feet and every morning it pains me to walk down the stairs for that first cup of coffee.

Add to that the fact that I either wear Teva sandals or go barefoot during soccer practice and the inevitable cleat stomp on my toes makes the TOPS of my feet hurt.

I hobble around here day after day wishing that things would progress a bit more quickly but I am comforted by the knowledge that the temporary soft-tissue pain in my feet is a sign that the shoes are doing something to help me from having problems with the bones and connective tissue in my ankles down the road.

Thanks for reading,

B

New One from NWA Knives

2010-10-16T06:12:00.002-05:00

This one just arrived yesterday from Nick and I'm really excited to get this one out and get it dirty--hopefully today between soccer and a dinner reservation.

The knife is a combination of his LEK design in the same size as the Sierra Scout (Bladeforums Forum Knife.)

It comes with a hand-stitched leather dangler sheath with a firesteel loop that'll hold a Light My Fire Army model firesteel.

Specs:
5" of cutting edge
5" from front of handle to tip
10" OAL
5/32" thick A2
Green Canvas Micarta Scales with Red Liners
Thumb cutouts on the front of both scales for better purchase in chest-lever grip

I'll try and get some more pictures that better show Nick's attention to detail when I get out with it.

Thanks for reading,

B