What did you buy today?

  • BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
The author also has a very active Facebook page giving regular training photographs to study and learn from. He's very motivated to share his knowledge to the wider community for free..
I'll have a look at that. Not heard of him before, but just looked him up a bit and he seems like an interesting guy.

Having a look at another book of his, 'Visual Mantracking'.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TeeDee
Very nice.
Keep coming across the Wera tools but haven't pulled the trigger on any yet.
Does the quality match the price?
I reckon so. My travelling toolkit that’ll get most things done is a compact screwdriver and a Tool Check II. Adding the Bibury multitool with its 1/4” hex drive gives a bit of leverage on sockets too. Only thing it wouldn’t do is get a recessed screw out of my car door panel, I had to find a regular screwdriver for that.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0053.jpeg
    IMG_0053.jpeg
    650 KB · Views: 6
  • IMG_0051.jpeg
    IMG_0051.jpeg
    745.2 KB · Views: 6
A set of electric (battery) secateurs, semi professional quality.

I had recently tried a set at the willow place I get cuttings from. Convinced me they were worth getting (the willow place doesnt sell them, just let me try the ones they use).

My word, they are marvellous. Clean single cut up to 30mm diameter branch. Ideal for pruning my willows, currently thinning my biofuel beds and standing thick cuttings in water to keep them fresh, then I will strip the thick bits for bark (for weaving), and for the sticks. Thin pieces strip for white willow/thin bark for cordage or tinder.

Cutting through the thick stems had become very difficult even with good quality secateurs as I am developing arthritis in my hands, and long loppers are much less controllable to get the accurate clean cuts i wanted as well as being quite unwieldy. Never thought I would admit this as try to always use the least mechanised tool for the job, but the electric secateurs are a game changer, especially considering I have something like 650 biomass willows to deal with, they don't all need the same attention at the same time, but it's quite big numbers!

GC
 
A set of electric (battery) secateurs, semi professional quality.

I had recently tried a set at the willow place I get cuttings from. Convinced me they were worth getting (the willow place doesnt sell them, just let me try the ones they use).

My word, they are marvellous. Clean single cut up to 30mm diameter branch. Ideal for pruning my willows, currently thinning my biofuel beds and standing thick cuttings in water to keep them fresh, then I will strip the thick bits for bark (for weaving), and for the sticks. Thin pieces strip for white willow/thin bark for cordage or tinder.

Cutting through the thick stems had become very difficult even with good quality secateurs as I am developing arthritis in my hands, and long loppers are much less controllable to get the accurate clean cuts i wanted as well as being quite unwieldy. Never thought I would admit this as try to always use the least mechanised tool for the job, but the electric secateurs are a game changer, especially considering I have something like 650 biomass willows to deal with, they don't all need the same attention at the same time, but it's quite big numbers!

GC
What model did you get? I might be interested for my dad.
 
A set of electric (battery) secateurs, semi professional quality.

I had recently tried a set at the willow place I get cuttings from. Convinced me they were worth getting (the willow place doesnt sell them, just let me try the ones they use).

My word, they are marvellous. Clean single cut up to 30mm diameter branch. Ideal for pruning my willows, currently thinning my biofuel beds and standing thick cuttings in water to keep them fresh, then I will strip the thick bits for bark (for weaving), and for the sticks. Thin pieces strip for white willow/thin bark for cordage or tinder.

Cutting through the thick stems had become very difficult even with good quality secateurs as I am developing arthritis in my hands, and long loppers are much less controllable to get the accurate clean cuts i wanted as well as being quite unwieldy. Never thought I would admit this as try to always use the least mechanised tool for the job, but the electric secateurs are a game changer, especially considering I have something like 650 biomass willows to deal with, they don't all need the same attention at the same time, but it's quite big numbers!

GC
I watched this the other week and saw that style cutters - makes perfect sense!

 
I received one of these (SAF Farmer alox)today, bought after reading about it on the bargain thread, and I think I got it cheaper than the bargain thread @ 40eur. Seems some good bargains there to be found.
Am wandering round house slicing up bits of paper with new toy , very satisfying.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Given how essential access to clean potable water is I purchased another water filter, this time a Lifesaver Liberty 2 in 1 water purifier in glorious gleaming orange.

Another to add to my Sawyer Squeeze as I don't believe it is sensible to rely on the availability of but one safety device, I need a spare and the Squeeze is small and light enough to hide down the bottom of a bag and in addition can in a static location be set up as a gravity filter.

Ironically the Squeeze was purchased to back up an old MSR waterworks that I had grown suspicious of given reports of inexplicable ceramic element failure.

And the MSR if I recall was purchased years ago to replace an old Pre-Mac iodine laced pump water purifier I could no longer get the cartridges for and because of the iodine imparted a yukky water flavour necessitating the use of was it vitamin c to counteract, I can't remember.

The Lifesaver LIberty 2 in 1 was selected this time around because I needed the on the go less faff 2 in 1 facility and in addition I have been long impressed with Pritchards TED talk on the technology and ethos behind it's inspiration and finally it's British designed and made.

Of course there are limitations with the Lifesaver Liberty in that it can't be back flushed to necessitate the ready availability of replacement filter cartridges of which of course will be the next purchase, hence the back up of the Sawyer Squeeze that can be back flushed, to be believe I now have a fairly dependable system that doesn't involve straining and boiling of which can present even more faff.

Water is Life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HorseGuy
I wanted to replace the cheap polyester beanie hat I got from a charity shop several years ago and get a new better quality one but have ended up buying two instead. One is a Hoggs of Fife waterproof Thinsulate hat with a 'wicking microfleece lining and a waterproof breathable membrane'. The other is a more regular Jack Pyke Merino wool beanie hat.
hoggs-fife-waterproof-thinsulate-beanie-hat-olive-size-hats-941.webp

jack-pyke-merino-wool-beanie-brown-size-hats-355.webp
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: johnnytheboy
I wanted to replace the cheap polyester beanie hat I got from a charity shop several years ago and get new better quality one but have ended up buying two instead. One is a Hoggs of Fife waterproof Thinsulate hat with a 'wicking microfleece lining and a waterproof breathable membrane'. The other is a more regular Jack Pyke Merino wool beanie hat.
hoggs-fife-waterproof-thinsulate-beanie-hat-olive-size-hats-941.webp

jack-pyke-merino-wool-beanie-brown-size-hats-355.webp

That JP beanie is incredible value for a merino wool hat.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE