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I recently got a Victorinox Forester, because I quite like the handle shape of the 111mm SAKs, and I thought the larger blade and saw would make for a useful "mucking around with bits of wood" knife. However, I had real problems with getting the awl out (thumbnail breaking stiff), so I...

I've just got myself a Victorinox Forester knife, and whilst I am generally happy with it I am having some problems getting the awl out of it. My thumbnail just isn't strong enough to lift it out of the slot on the back of the knife. If I use a screwdriver I can get the awl out, and once out it...

The little vinyl pouch that came with my tick tweezers has seen better days. The hooked ends of the tweezers would poke out of the bottom of the case, and this didn't make for the most comfortable pocket carry. So with some scraps of veg tan leather I made a new pouch. Not the biggest or most...

It's not very bushcrafty I know, but I use a craft knife quite a bit, for leather cutting, as well as model making, which I have been doing a lot of during lockdown. My preferred knife is the Swann-Morton orange plastic craft tool handle, with a number 1 blade. Unfortunately mine has developed...

As well as the odd bit of green woodwork, I like to do a bit of more accurate woodwork. Better accuracy comes from better marking out, with knife scribed lines, rather than pencil. I also have a traditional marking gauge, but the pin doesn't leave the best line, and is inclined to wander...

Today I finished making this rustic stool. Rustic stool by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr Rustic stool 2 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr The legs are ash - these I turned on the pole lathe some time ago, when I had some straight grained logs, with a view to making a stool one day. I was hoping to get...

I recently got myself a Lauri blade blank, quite a small one, only 63mm blade, and I fancy having a go at a stacked leather handle for it. So I thought I would come on my favourite forum to ask for some advice, as follows: 1. What leather to use. I have plenty of veg tan - will this be...

It's getting close to Christmas (as if you needed reminding), and as we are entertaining my sister and her family on the big day, my thoughts turned to crackers. It doesn't seem to matter how much you spend, it seems that all crackers contain, basically, a load of tat. So I managed to get a...

My latest work on the pole lathe - something a bit different, and not at all bushcrafty, a turned wood penguin. Penguin1 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr Penguin2 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr I saw a YouTube video of a chap turning wooden penguins on a power lathe, using an offset turning method...

Goblets by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr Goblets2 by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr I was lucky enough to get some decent sycamore logs recently, so I have been doing a little bit of turning on my pole lathe. Rather than my usual spoons and spurtles, I thought I would have a go at some rustic goblets...

Just a quick heads up - British Red, who hasn't been active on here for a while, has started a new YouTube channel, with his wife, on various aspects of homesteading, chicken keeping and so on. I thought it might be of interest to some of you. The channel name is English Country Life, and...

I haven't made anything wooden or bushcrafty for ages, so I thought I would rectify this, by setting up my pole lathe, and making some cooking spoons. I had a couple of small diameter Cherry logs at the back of the garage, which had been there for possibly fifteen years, and were therefore well...

Cheese candle by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr No, it's not made of cheese, but rather the large quantity of wax that I collected after Christmas. As many will know, on the approach to Christmas, at various markets will be found diverse artisanal cheese sellers, all selling various cheeses encased...

I have just finished making these leather notebook covers, which will be Christmas presents for my favourite aunts, who now look forward to receiving something handmade from me. So instead of something wooden, I thought I would do something a bit different, and having been inspired by the...

I've recently had a few weeks holiday in Bonny Scotland, and before I went away I asked my two nephews if there was anything they would like me to bring back for them. One of them asked for a spoon, as he has stated his intention to collect a spoon from every European country. The other one...

I like to dabble in what I call "proper" woodwork, as opposed to green woodwork, and although I would not class myself as any good at it, I have aspirations in that direction. Part of the learning curve was discovering that great accuracy comes from a knife marked line, rather than a pencil...

I have a Sigg fuel bottle that I use for meths. It is now about twenty years old, and I must admit it hasn't been used very much in recent years. Sigg bottle by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr Just recently I got the bottle out to use it, and found that the meths that I thought was in it had turned...

I've been using up some small offcuts of sycamore. These were bits cut off when preparing blanks for the pole lathe, which were too small to be turning blanks themselves (I don't do finesse on my lathe) As it happens, I was needing a lightweight teaspoon for a brew kit I am putting together...

Here are my two shaving horses. At the back, my old one (made by my dad), and at the front, my new folding horse that I have just made. Two horses by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr First the old horse, made from a hefty chunk of Ash. Notable is the bent arm, which means the pivot can be nearer...

I recently acquired this old Kent pattern axe. New axe by Alan Muddypaws, on Flickr A bit rusty, and the handle was very loose. In fact, the wedge was missing, but someone had helpfully driven a couple of nails into the end as a rather unsuccessful substitute. It was easy work to knock the...