Australian Traditional Bush Crafts by Ron Edwards.

[demographic]

Whilst in my local secondhand bookstore today my wife spotted this book and handed it to me, its 143 pages long (A4 size) and contails some pretty interesting information covering...

Making gates and fences.
Dam building and tank sinking.
Making simple buildings and rough shelters.
Log cabins.
Aboriginal huts.
Adobe buildings.
Making furnature.
Cooking tripods, billy holders.
Waterwheels, windlasses.
Bush water heaters.
Leatherwork, tanning, sadde/bridle making, making punches for leather.
Making whips (steady there at the back).
Knife/compass/water container pouches.
Care of hourses.
Knots and splices.
Netmaking.
Hammockmaking.
Casting nets.
Fishing and fish traps.
Gold prospecting.

Its an interesting read and the emphasis is on the Crafts part, theres lots of projects to keep someone interested and all in all its worth every penny of the six quid we paid for it.
HERES a link to on on Amazon.
Would I pay the Amazon price for it? Hell yes, its a good book.

 

[BOD]

Thanks for the heads up.

I see there is no review as yet on Amazon.

Why not have a go?

 

[John Fenna]

I have the sequal - "Skills of the Australian Bushman" - another great book!

 

[bothyman]

Why is it that the old books are usually a lot better than the new ones ??

mickT

 

[demographic]

Theres a very interesting bush shower heater thats sort of the fore runner to a Kelly Kettle I suppose, made from drain pipes of two different diameters soldered together.

The leatherwork chapter is especially long and to my eyes anyway very practical.

I will look out for the Sequal, thanks Jonn

 

[tombear]

These are fanastic books, I have the firsts 7 in the series and they are worth every penny. Theres a large chunk of social history in most of them, which makes them all the more interesting. Theres 10 in the complete set and I'm going to get one more as the other(2) are on a subject that doesn't apeal to me like leather whip making or some such!

http://www.ramsskullpress.com/crafts.html


Apart from maybe Northern Bushcraft these are my very favourite outdoors/bushcraft books!

ATB

Tom

Infact I'll grovel to herself to get me No. 10 as I've just had my back pay.

 

[tombear]

Well, I must have grovelled most prettily as herself has ordered a copy of No. 10 from a shop in Oz. The only downer is that the postage cost as much as the book but never mind.

No. 10 has a full index for the whole series. Saddly Ron Edwards died at the start of last year, which I hadn't realised, so thats your lot.

ATB

Tom

 

[demographic]

These are fanastic books, I have the firsts 7 in the series and they are worth every penny. Theres a large chunk of social history in most of them, which makes them all the more interesting. Theres 10 in the complete set and I'm going to get one more as the other(2) are on a subject that doesn't apeal to me like leather whip making or some such!

http://www.ramsskullpress.com/crafts.html


Apart from maybe Northern Bushcraft these are my very favourite outdoors/bushcraft books!

ATB

Tom

Infact I'll grovel to herself to get me No. 10 as I've just had my back pay.

Thanks for posting that, I might have to get some more.

Its all done in a very practical way no wishy washy stuff, just good information well presented.

 

[tombear]

No. 10 should arrive in a little over a week according to the seller. When it arrives would you like me to copy you the series index.

ATB

Tom

 

[demographic]

No. 10 should arrive in a little over a week according to the seller. When it arrives would you like me to copy you the series index.

ATB

Tom

That would be much appreciated, cheers.

 

[tombear]

No. 10 arrived today and its as good as the rest of the series. I'm going to veg out with it tonight. Lots on fencing and gates, patterns for oilskins and sou'wester, rope work, lots on leatherwork, saddlery and horses, which will please herself,,, too much to describe and beautifully rendered.

The series Index runs to 25 odd A4 sides so I'll get it scanned when I can and get it e'ed to you.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

Hi Demographic
the scanners on the blink so I took the index to work and photocopied it all. If you still want it PM me a address to send it to and I'll get it off.

I really love these books, theres just so many little projects to do, mainly with scrap thats laying about. It would seam most of Australia used to be made from jam or parafin tins and held together with fencing wire!

ATB

Tom

 

[demographic]

Just got my copy of the full book (all of them) index that Tombear very kindly sent me.

After looking through the book I already have as well as the index that shows what the other books have I'm quite surprised that these books are not more popular over here as they are a huge resource about traditional crafts, hunting and fishing, shelter making and so on.

You know, all the things that we buy books from (the also good admittedly) Mr Mears for.
Like I said before its all presented in a very down to earth manner with no yoghurt weaving involved

Just good information, well presented.

 

[Boucaneer]

I'm just ordered a copy of this book, it's the condensed version, I think that means using fewer words and not leaving anything out. I hope it will help with my bushcraft in India, I hope so.

It would be great to download these online and print them out. My baggage allowance with my kit restricts me to 46 kilos, so to read or download online would be great for the entire set of publications.

Still the authors family need the money for the books but it would be great to pay for the download.

Looking forward to a good read on the plane.

 

[forrestdweller]

read part one @ my friends place on THE kangaroo island and later found part ten in a second-hand-bookshop -- wish my lifestyle would have allowed me buying it (living out of a backpack for years).....

 

[Stevie777]

Why is it that the old books are usually a lot better than the new ones ??

mickT

Maybe because the old ones were written by people who have years and years of bushcraft experience as apposed to a couple of years TV experience. too many wannabe action men out their nowadays. in fact, it's gotten to the point that it's becoming dangerous. See Bear Grylls wedging a rope into a crevasse on a slippery slope on Skye using a Deer Antler as an prime example.