What have you tried using?

[andyn]

There has been a lot of threads recently about "have you got any....?" or " I have some spare....Would you like me to post you some?!"

I think its very commendable sending out stuff to people and I have both sent and recieved a few packages myself. But just thought i would post this thought and question...

I have always thought that one of the fundamental abilites that we as humans have that have enable us to survive is the ability to adapt. I know that in most cases the "i would like some of this and its not around here" is for playing around and trial purposes.

But surely if you were out in the woods and are looking for something to achieve a task but couldn't find the item that someone had posted a thread about on here last week then you wouldn't wander back home ask if someone could send you some, wait for the snail mail to arrive and then wander back out in the woods and achieve the task...but instead you would use what is around you to do it.

For instance...if there is no flint to create an arrow head or sharp object but large quantities of quartz, chert or even dropped glass bottle....then use that. If there is no bull rush for fire lighting then use birch bark, clematis, honey suckle etc etc.

So my thought is, and this may help out those that are aimlessly wandering around looking for something where it just will never be found...

What natural materials have you found have worked in your local area where the more popular mentioned materials are not available?

 

[ScottC]

Well the lump of hawthorn I bought off ebay didn't arrive in time to make a spoon so I went out to Lidls and bought a bag of wood instead

 

[loz.]

Well the lump of hawthorn I bought off ebay didn't arrive in time to make a spoon so I went out to Lidls and bought a bag of wood instead

I knew my link would come in handy !

Lidl bundles !

 

[andyn]

Well the lump of hawthorn I bought off ebay didn't arrive in time to make a spoon so I went out to Lidls and bought a bag of wood instead

hmmm not quite what i meant.

 

[ScottC]

I see what you mean and I think the only thing I can think of that applies to me is tinder. If I couldn't find my favourite tinder for firelighting which is birch bark I have to look for something else that will burn easily such as clematis down in dried grass, buffed up honeysuckle etc. sometimes I haven't been able to find dry natural tinders so have had to use man made. (Thanks for that wetfire by the way)

 

[Wayland]

I've used pine pitch to glue a patch on an old torn jacket on one occasion.

I don't think it would have repelled water but it certainly kept the wind out for the rest of the trip.

I always carry a repair kit with me these days though.

 

[gregorach]

Well, I've never seen it recommended, but bog cotton is a very common plant in may parts of Scotland, and it makes for a good "fluff" tinder... And I've found the occassional rhombic quartz crystal with razor sharp edges - no good for knapping, but they work OK provided you're not too hard on 'em. I've heard of quartz being worked, but I can't see it myself... You've just gotta try and find a naturally sharp bit.

 

[Goose]

I think the trialing of different tinders,fungi etc makes it easier to find what works local to you. And, especially fungi, the stuff may be around but not immediately identifiable. For example I was shown some jews ear at a meet and had never seen(noticed!) it around before, now I see it fairly regularly because I had my hands on it and know for sure what it looks like.
I do get your point though, if you are carrying something to light an emergency fire you would be better with firelighters than a piece of exotic fungi from somewhere foreign.

 

[fred gordon]

hmmm not quite what i meant.

I'm not sure I agree here. Surely we all try to make use of all our local resources. However, we don't know, and cannot know, where or when we might find ourselves in an emergency situation. Also I would certainly like to try out new Bushcraft techniques using resources that don't exist in my area. In these cases it makes sense to me to ask if anyone out there can help me expand my Bushcraft knowledge by swapping/sending/selling me the resources so I can expand my horizons. One of the great delights of this site is the willingness of others to help me achieve this.

 

[ScottC]

Well the lump of hawthorn I bought off ebay didn't arrive in time to make a spoon so I went out to Lidls and bought a bag of wood instead

Just for the record guys this is a JOKE

 

[WhichDoctor]

I see what you mean andyn. I haven't got any experiences to share myself, but you shouldn't say "oh I can't do that there isn't any (x) in my area" you should try to find something that is in your area that does the same thing.

 

[BOD]

What natural materials have you found have worked in your local area where the more popular mentioned materials are not available?

Almost every natural material mentioned on this site is not available to me here and I just go by trial and error.

 

[falling rain]

I think getting used to using natural materials local to you rather than man made (tinders for example) is an important bushcraft skill. For me it's mainly what bushcraft is about and depending on my skills, knowledge and sometimes circumstances (EG I want a very quick fire because I'm extremely cold and am not going to start my fire by fire by friction I need a fire NOW) I will always try to use natural materials over man made any day. However I do agree with trading materials not local to you with people from other areas. Our ancestors would have traded all sorts of things with each other and maybe travelled to another community Say from south to north or Seashore to inland moorlands or forests with their local materials to swap/trade materials local to a different area. Dried/smoked Mackeral traded for red deer skins for example
Anyway, thanks to modern technology, like internet, telephones, postal system we're able to swap things with each other without the need for travelling. We can practice using non local materials after trading and if/when we find ourselves in an un-familiar environment we may get on better with what we find because we've had the chance to practice.

 

[weaver]

I don't find pounds locally but have made do with dollars. They don't buy as much but they are easier for me to get.

Most of the things you all speak of do not occur here. I would love to have Hazel to work with. Perhaps the closest thing here is Locust, but it has thorns and is not coppiced. I don't know of any coppice in the States. Perhaps I should start the trend?

Flint is not found in my area, at least not the high quality flint you have. I always read that England has the finest flint in the world. We have quartz the size of footballs in my yard, but it breaks in irregular veins and is otherwise difficult to work with. There is flint in the Americas. The natives used to trade for it, traders traveled long distances to get the best materials. So, trading is not unheard of in primitive times.

 

[British Red]

I agree trading is good. I also think that becoming familiar with what a resource loks like, how to prepare and handle it as well as recognise it is useful. I really struggled to recognise a horses hoof fungus amongst all the other bracket fungi until Toddy kindly send me one (ta Mary). Then it was "oh THAT one"! Lets face it, we do this stuff because we are interested, so if you haven't got a good flint source and you want to learn to knap - wheres the harm?

Red

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

A bit off thread but...

I often have to resort to using my bergen a shrine

Andy knows the gag

Phil.

 

[andyn]

A bit off thread but...

I often have to resort to using my bergen a shrine

Andy knows the gag

Phil.

Just make sure it points east next time!

 

[Greg]

As Gunny Sgt Highway would say You adapt! You over come!
Initiative is ,in my eyes, the core of survival and bushcraft. you use what you can find.

If I can't find my (everyones') favourite tinder,Birch Bark, I will look for an old birds nest that is in reach, failing that dry bracken or thistle heads. But hey you have to adapt to the situation, I was in my local woods a couple of weeks ago an stripped some rubber of some old dumped car tyres that I found, a bit smelly and smokey but it got the fire going and a hot brew in me!!

 

[Silverback]

Went squirreling during a particularly cold spell and had a fair few layers on as I intended sitting and waiting. I found my clothing so restrictive when taking shots with the rifle from a sitting position that I was forced to construct a make do bipod with a couple of hazel sticks bound together with the strap from my Trangia. It worked a treat and we ate the little buggers at one of our Bucks meets

 

[AndyW]

It's important to understand what you have locally as that's your main resource to work with. However, I think it's important to trade as you never know where you'll end up or what you might find next.

The woods I've spend most time at recently have had very little fungi around. A few Cramp Balls. I've started visiting some other woods recently and the quantity and variety of fungi couldn't be any more different. I've travelled about 3 miles and it's like another world. The two sets of woods are even connected, just

Now I've got to figure out what I've found if it's all any good