Axe and Camp skills with Paul Kirtley - very pic heavy

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Imagedude

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 24, 2011
2,004
46
Gwynedd
no idea what you class as proper sized (really big or really small, how do you like your choppers?), but either way, yes would be the answer. between us we'd got everything from pocket sized to full-on felling axes, and i think pretty much all of them got used over the course of the weekend goodjob

cheers

stuart

Any axe that can't comfortably be used with one hand should be at least 26" long and have a 2lb head. I'm not a fan of the so called jack-of-all-trades axes e.g. the SFA.
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,960
2,994
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~Hemel Hempstead~
Any axe that can't comfortably be used with one hand should be at least 26" long and have a 2lb head. I'm not a fan of the so called jack-of-all-trades axes e.g. the SFA.

Yup, they were there... there's even a picture of one next to Teepee. As well as all the axes the participants had with them Paul brought a selection of axes with him

P1030064.jpg
 

shaggystu

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2003
4,345
33
Derbyshire
Good grief! There's a fellow in that picture without facial hair! Who let him in? It's outrageous!

:lmao: fantastic, there were actually two other clean shaven oddities on site over the weekend but at that particular moment one of them was behind the camera and the other was probably asleep by the fire :pokenest:

cheers

stuart
 

Elines

Full Member
Oct 4, 2008
1,590
1
Leicestershire
(For the record .....) I am trying to create a new post with pictures but google has done something with picasa and at the moment I can't find my albums with the pictures in that I have uploaded and which I need to find I need to use for that IMG thingymejig
 

Elines

Full Member
Oct 4, 2008
1,590
1
Leicestershire
(Managed to find the pictures.)

The existing pictures cover most things, but I will try to add a few more to fill some gaps. One major gap I can't fill is any pictures of Wayland's turkey and ham thingy, or his gin gan goo. The turkey and ham was my favourite but both were great - really tasty (and not a curry in sight).

First - some pictures of the site. You can already see what it is like from the background in pictures above but here are a few more:
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The final approach to the actual camp site:
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CIMG8123.JPG


It's a beautiful place, especially when the sun is low:
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CIMG8119.JPG

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There were loads of fungi (in addition to the 'fun guys' - well Decorum couldn't be there so you may need a fix). For example
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CIMG8191.JPG

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CIMG8164.JPG

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Last time I was there there was an equivalent abundance of slugs - much prefer the fungi!!
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Even though we seemed to do a lot there was still chill out time:
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CIMG8193.JPG

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Here is a picture of the other side of the long pot hanger pictured above in another post (post 6 - second picture)
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CIMG8337.JPG

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An underlying general theme of the weekend was that it is possible to live in the woods and be comfortable there with the minimum of bespoke equipment. (Please note I am NOT saying we DID live on the minimum of equipment).

The tools you would need to make the stuff we made are:
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. knife
. saws - bow saw - and if you had the blade you could make the frame - and folding saw as a minimum
. scotch auger (not sure of correct name) or other type of drill (for the legs to the benches/stools)
. metal container (to boil the willow in)
. EDIT AXE (how could I forget that!!!)
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For example, all the binding used in the cooking set up was made on site - either withies or willow cordage.

An exception to this was the demo Paul gave us of how to set up a large tarp, such that it shed water easily.
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(See my next post)
 
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Elines

Full Member
Oct 4, 2008
1,590
1
Leicestershire
(This post is about hanging a large tarp)
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The key to this comprises three main factors:

(1) a taut ridge line
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(2) two corners on opposite sides being lower than the other corner on that side
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(3) the 'long' side being taut
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(1)TAUT RIDGELINE
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The first end uses a loggers (doo-dah - can't remember correct name). This is the first time I have seen this very easy way to secure the 'first' end of a ridgeline, without fear of it being difficult to undo. The knot of choice for this - for me - has previously been the evenk thingy - but I will be using this in future until I get a good reason to change my mind:
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CIMG8318.JPG

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Doing the other side is a bit more complicated but the big advantage is that the knot frees up easily when you are taking down. As Steve said above it is - in summary - a half sheepshank and a carabiner, and is a variation of the trucker's hitch.
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The final knot looks like this (a bit unfortunate that I cut off Paul's head but - "You know it makes sense":
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CIMG8306.JPG

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You get there by:
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Starting as if you were going to make a sheepshank (I knew about a sheepshank but didn't know how to make one and this is something I need to practise)
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CIMG8310.JPG

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Then you put a stick through the 'half-sheepshank' that you have created (to stop it coming undone):
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After that you put a carabiner through the un-sheep-shanked end. The following is an action picture so the carabiner is a bit blurred:
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CIMG8316.JPG

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Next you put the end of the rope that is round the tree (being the end without the logger's thingy knot) through the carabiner. A big advantage over the trucker's hitch is that you don't have to thread a load of rope through
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CIMG8317.JPG

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And so when you pull the vertical rope to the left (in this example), and tie it off, you get:
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CIMG8306.JPG

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The technical bit is (I think - but stand to be corrected) is that you have created a pulley (as with trucker's hitch) but the existence of the carabiner means that there is less friction and so the mechanical advantage (still with me? - I'm not - or should that be 'knot'?) of 3:1 is more easily achieved.
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A big plus point over the normal trucker's hitch is that the knot is very easy to undo with no jamming. I use a DD tarp tape for my ridgeline and I generally find it easy to undo but even that can be a bit awkward when the knot is tight and wet (ooh -err) but this method removes that problem.
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I think that the rope Paul used was 11mm static (ie does not stretch) kernmantle rope. I am advised that 9mm would be ok.
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So that approach gives you a taut ridgeline.
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Next is .......
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(2) THE TWO CORNERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES BEING LOWER THAN THE OTHER CORNER ON THAT SIDE
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This is very simple to do - you just have to remember to do it
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CIMG8329.JPG

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In this picture you can only see three corners but it should be enough for you to get the idea.
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The final bit is ....
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(3) THE LONG SIDE BEING TAUT
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This is achieved simply by making sure that the four corner posts are angled outwards when you tighten the guy ropes:
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CIMG8325.JPG

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Paul showed us this special technique for when the posts aren't angled outwards enough - you just stare at them in a weird way.
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To help adjust the position of the post you use this simple 'knot':
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CIMG8327.JPG

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(Apologies for it being a bit blurred - but that's how it looked to me after the previous night's 'refreshments'.)
 

Imagedude

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 24, 2011
2,004
46
Gwynedd
The tools you would need to make the stuff we made are:
.
. knife
. saws - bow saw - and if you had the blade you could make the frame - and folding saw as a minimum
. scotch auger (not sure of correct name) or other type of drill (for the legs to the benches/stools)
. metal container (to boil the willow in)
.

And a chainsaw :lmao:
 

Imagedude

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 24, 2011
2,004
46
Gwynedd
Nope... Pete's chainsaw died on him... I blame the Garlic and Pepper oil he used as a chain oil... :rolleyes::rofl:

Perhaps, but every photo of a log shows square ends, the bowsaw and pioneer saw must have been put to good use then...
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,960
2,994
63
~Hemel Hempstead~
Perhaps, but every photo of a log shows square ends, the bowsaw and pioneer saw must have been put to good use then...

I'm sure if you used a bow saw you'll be pleased to know that they can cut logs with square ends :rolleyes:

All of the trunk in the picture apart from the first log that's being used to prop the main log was cut either by hand using a saw or an axe...

156441_10151079854966398_674212536_n.jpg


Picture by Paul Kirtley
 

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