Posts tagged bushcraft

Seeland. Top-notch hunting gear.

Lord knows, I try to buy British, especially when it comes to outdoor gear. But my experiences over the last few years have not been good with the ‘traditional brands’. Which is why I’m recommending Denmark’s excellent Seeland, who make great technical outdoor gear. Probably because they’re from a part of the world where 1. They hunt; 2. The weather’s shit.

Here’s a quick synopsis of why I’m switching suppliers:

Barbour: their gear is now utterly shit. It’s all gone fashion, and a lot of the stuff is now badly made in China. My next waxed jacket will be from another manufacturer. (My 20+ year-old wax jacket is from Blacks - and it’s made in the UK. The ‘new’ Barbour one lasted about 2 years before the lining fell apart.)

Hunter boots: now owned by Reebok, and made in China. Badly. Had a pair of Argylls that lasted a year, before leaks sprung. Unacceptable.

Chapman: I like a sturdy canvas bag as much as the next guy. But Chapman bags are now fashion items, and cost stupid money. Hateful.

At the same time, there are also some great UK outdoor brands such as Endura, Brasher, Mountain King, OMM and Kreiga who’re making great product (albeit sometimes in China).

My favourite EDC knives (from top): UKPK - for carry during the week, when I’m in London. Legal, non-locking, the CTS-BD1 blade is quality (the steel’s and the fact that it’s made in the USA are the things that separates it from the Byrd Tern, though I’d go for the Byrd if the decision was a financial one, as that’s an awesome legal folder for the money). The design prevents the blade folding back on my hand. Clever. Tenacious - the ‘budget’ Spydey - chunky, with a lovely action and liner-lock and 8Cr13Mov blade. Really robust, and lovely detailing, like the copper washers on the blade-hinge to assist smooth opening.  Pacific Salt - my survival-kit Spyderco. H1 stainless steel from Japan, and a brilliant, robust tool that goes with me on kayaking trips. They’re not beautiful, but they’re just about the best folders I’ve ever owned and used. And I’ve owned and used a lot of knives over the years. If you haven’t tried one, I urge you to. They’re superb.

My favourite EDC knives (from top):

  • UKPK - for carry during the week, when I’m in London. Legal, non-locking, the CTS-BD1 blade is quality (the steel’s and the fact that it’s made in the USA are the things that separates it from the Byrd Tern, though I’d go for the Byrd if the decision was a financial one, as that’s an awesome legal folder for the money). The design prevents the blade folding back on my hand. Clever.
  • Tenacious - the ‘budget’ Spydey - chunky, with a lovely action and liner-lock and 8Cr13Mov blade. Really robust, and lovely detailing, like the copper washers on the blade-hinge to assist smooth opening. 
  • Pacific Salt - my survival-kit Spyderco. H1 stainless steel from Japan, and a brilliant, robust tool that goes with me on kayaking trips.

They’re not beautiful, but they’re just about the best folders I’ve ever owned and used. And I’ve owned and used a lot of knives over the years. If you haven’t tried one, I urge you to. They’re superb.

gracejunkie: Sharpened and oiled #axe #bushcraft (Taken with instagram)

gracejunkie:

Sharpened and oiled #axe #bushcraft (Taken with instagram)

gracejunkie

The Spyderco UKPK. CTS BD1 steel from Carpenter Technology. UK legal, light and built like a Spyderco. A lovely EDC tool that should keep me on the right side of the law. Just got to remember not to leave it in my pocket when travelling on the Eurostar…

The Spyderco UKPK. CTS BD1 steel from Carpenter Technology.

UK legal, light and built like a Spyderco. A lovely EDC tool that should keep me on the right side of the law. Just got to remember not to leave it in my pocket when travelling on the Eurostar…

nevrfail: PowerPot uses cooking heat to power campers’ devices Thermoelectric materials are able to generate an electrical current, via a temperature gradient within themselves. If thermoelectric fabric were used to make a jacket, for instance, the temperature difference between that garment’s cool exterior and warm interior might be enough to charge devices carried in its pockets. A current could also be generated by a vehicle’s thermoelectric exhaust pipe, due to its hot interior and the cool air surrounding it. Now, entrepreneurs David Toledo and Paul Slusser have developed a line of thermoelectric cooking pots, that use the heat of a fire to generate electricity when camping. Read More www.neverfail.co

nevrfail:

PowerPot uses cooking heat to power campers’ devices

Thermoelectric materials are able to generate an electrical current, via a temperature gradient within themselves. If thermoelectric fabric were used to make a jacket, for instance, the temperature difference between that garment’s cool exterior and warm interior might be enough to charge devices carried in its pockets. A current could also be generated by a vehicle’s thermoelectric exhaust pipe, due to its hot interior and the cool air surrounding it. Now, entrepreneurs David Toledo and Paul Slusser have developed a line of thermoelectric cooking pots, that use the heat of a fire to generate electricity when camping. Read More www.neverfail.co

nevrfail

Evernew Ti Alcohol Stove: Much as I loved my Trangia, I find it hard to beat this for efficiency. Weighing in at 34g, and blooming in under 10 seconds, this little stove just does the business. Not only that, it’ll heat a small pot placed directly onto it, thanks to the way the jet-holes are configured. 70ml of meths give about 20-24mins of burn - plenty for basic cooking. Obviously, as it’s an Evernew, it all fits nicely with the DX multifuel stove and trivet, giving me lots of flexibility with minimal weight. My only gripe is that it doesn’t come with a screw-cap/simmer-ring/snuffer like a Trangia. Which would make it utterly perfect. Supplied by http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk who are splendid folk to do business with.

Evernew Ti Alcohol Stove:

Much as I loved my Trangia, I find it hard to beat this for efficiency. Weighing in at 34g, and blooming in under 10 seconds, this little stove just does the business. Not only that, it’ll heat a small pot placed directly onto it, thanks to the way the jet-holes are configured.

70ml of meths give about 20-24mins of burn - plenty for basic cooking.

Obviously, as it’s an Evernew, it all fits nicely with the DX multifuel stove and trivet, giving me lots of flexibility with minimal weight.

My only gripe is that it doesn’t come with a screw-cap/simmer-ring/snuffer like a Trangia. Which would make it utterly perfect.

Supplied by http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk who are splendid folk to do business with.

Getting there… I’m going to notch the spine for easier firesteel-sparking. The walnut for the scales arrived, so I’m happy about that. Now to find the time to spend in the shed to finish the job. Have yet to decide to build a pommel. Just not sure.

Getting there…

I’m going to notch the spine for easier firesteel-sparking. The walnut for the scales arrived, so I’m happy about that. Now to find the time to spend in the shed to finish the job.

Have yet to decide to build a pommel. Just not sure.

allthingssurvival: Beautiful bushcraft set. source Old school. Damascus and carbon steel.

allthingssurvival:

Beautiful bushcraft set.

source

Old school. Damascus and carbon steel.

allthingssurvival

Got one of these today for me and Solly. Now we can explore the Mole, and the Teign Estuary with Sam and Bill. I also got my BCU membership and certificates reissued. Happy.

Got one of these today for me and Solly. Now we can explore the Mole, and the Teign Estuary with Sam and Bill. I also got my BCU membership and certificates reissued. Happy.

Damascus blade, shaped and ready to take scales and an edge…

Damascus blade, shaped and ready to take scales and an edge…

This is what I carry at the weekends, when I’m out or on the motorbike. In the pockets: Keyring with torch and handy survival-kit iPhone in Magpul case Civilian Labs Slim Kevlar wallet on a chain Gerber money-clip with box-cutter blade Spyderco Persistence (Byrd Tern on weekdays) Gerber money-clip with box-cutter blade In the Kriega pouch on my belt: 550 Paracord and cable-ties Basic FAK - plasters, alcohol-wipes & paracetamol Leatherman Wave with bit-extender and bit-set Wenger SAK (secondary tools on that are useful supplements to the Leatherman) Fallkniven diamond sharpener in leather slip-case Black Diamond carabiner Overkill? Maybe. But I use all the tools quite regularly.

This is what I carry at the weekends, when I’m out or on the motorbike.

In the pockets:

  • Keyring with torch and handy survival-kit
  • iPhone in Magpul case
  • Civilian Labs Slim Kevlar wallet on a chain
  • Gerber money-clip with box-cutter blade
  • Spyderco Persistence (Byrd Tern on weekdays)
  • Gerber money-clip with box-cutter blade
In the Kriega pouch on my belt:
  • 550 Paracord and cable-ties
  • Basic FAK - plasters, alcohol-wipes & paracetamol
  • Leatherman Wave with bit-extender and bit-set
  • Wenger SAK (secondary tools on that are useful supplements to the Leatherman)
  • Fallkniven diamond sharpener in leather slip-case
  • Black Diamond carabiner

Overkill? Maybe. But I use all the tools quite regularly.

It’s that time of the year. Reed flowers are edible and tasty. Here’s the basics. The pollen can also be collected and used as a flour, and the root and stems are also edible as a vegetable.

The fluff from the seed heads make good kindling, or the whole head can be used to carry an ember for ages. 

The reeds also act as an effective filter for a standing-water ecosystem.

It’s a bloody useful plant.

Fällkniven D3 pocket-sized diamond whetstone: I like this a lot. It’s 3” long and just under 1” wide, on a brass-plate. Comes in a neat leather sheath. I carry this in my Leatherman belt-pouch. It’s perfect for putting an edge back on a blade while I’m out.

Fällkniven D3 pocket-sized diamond whetstone:

I like this a lot. It’s 3” long and just under 1” wide, on a brass-plate. Comes in a neat leather sheath. I carry this in my Leatherman belt-pouch. It’s perfect for putting an edge back on a blade while I’m out.

Byrd Tern: Spyderco’s budget Byrd Tern is a UK legal knife that’s designed by Spyderco, and made in China. As such, Byrds are part of Spyderco’s budget line of knives. As a UK-legal, it measures 3.75” closed, and has a 2.8”,  2.5 mm thick, plain edge, 8CR13MoV stainless steel, flat grind, non-locking leaf shape blade - classic Spyderco, but the finish isn’t as good as on the Tenacious, Persistence, etc line of Spyderco-branded budget knives. The G-10 scales, finger choil jimping, thumb ramp jimping are all ergonomic as expected (and help compensate for the lack of a lock), but it needed a little adjustment to get the ‘feel’ right, despite the Slipit 2-stage opening feeling reassuringly solid. The steel seems decent enough for everyday use, and I’d carry it in preference to the SAK for a main-blade, any day. (But I’d back it up with a Leatherman Wave to have a full range of options.) That said, it’s a good distance quality-wise from its Spyderco-branded siblings, but for the price, it’s still a good distance ahead of its rivals. I can see why Spyderco brought out the Byrd line of knives as a separate brand to create an entry-level into quality-knife ownership. I just wish they’d made a non-locking version of the Persistence - that’d make the perfect affordable little UK-legal folder over the UKPK. Can’t have it all, I suppose…

Byrd Tern:

Spyderco’s budget Byrd Tern is a UK legal knife that’s designed by Spyderco, and made in China. As such, Byrds are part of Spyderco’s budget line of knives.

As a UK-legal, it measures 3.75” closed, and has a 2.8”,  2.5 mm thick, plain edge, 8CR13MoV stainless steel, flat grind, non-locking leaf shape blade - classic Spyderco, but the finish isn’t as good as on the Tenacious, Persistence, etc line of Spyderco-branded budget knives.

The G-10 scales, finger choil jimping, thumb ramp jimping are all ergonomic as expected (and help compensate for the lack of a lock), but it needed a little adjustment to get the ‘feel’ right, despite the Slipit 2-stage opening feeling reassuringly solid. The steel seems decent enough for everyday use, and I’d carry it in preference to the SAK for a main-blade, any day. (But I’d back it up with a Leatherman Wave to have a full range of options.)

That said, it’s a good distance quality-wise from its Spyderco-branded siblings, but for the price, it’s still a good distance ahead of its rivals. I can see why Spyderco brought out the Byrd line of knives as a separate brand to create an entry-level into quality-knife ownership. I just wish they’d made a non-locking version of the Persistence - that’d make the perfect affordable little UK-legal folder over the UKPK.

Can’t have it all, I suppose…

My backup compass, from Suunto. Not as quick as my Silva orienteering compass, but pretty decent, and certainly a good quality backup. Fits on a 22mm NATO strap that’s on my G-Shock.

My backup compass, from Suunto. Not as quick as my Silva orienteering compass, but pretty decent, and certainly a good quality backup. Fits on a 22mm NATO strap that’s on my G-Shock.