What bushcraft skills are you learning/practicing at the moment?

[Billy1]

I thought it might be a good idea if people posted about what skills they are learning/practicing at the moment so that others can get ideas for things to do. It reckon it could also help so people don't miss out on windows of opportunity to practice certain things... wild edibles, gathering resources, tapping birch sap etc.

I'm currently making an elder whistle (found the tutorial on jonsbushcraft.com), and trying out different woods with the bow drill to see what works well!

 

[atlatlman]

I have just finished making my first Atlatl and dart set. Boy was it hard to get all the dimensions right but I got there in the end. All the windy weather we have been having lately didn't help. lol.

 

[smojo]

Complete newbie here. Carving some spoons. Lesson learned - trim the handle down to size first before scooping the bowl. I did it the other way round and broke the end of the bowl off as I was hacking the handle down with an axe. The pressure on the end just knocked it off. Bought an old small drawknife on Ebay. Fantastic tool for quickly and smoothly shaping wood down. Made a couple of new ash handles for two lump hammers.

Making some tinder. I Made some char cloth. First attempts failed. I put them in a tin with a hole as advised and put it on our coal fire as it was dying down. Way too hot. Also the cotton denim I used didn't ignite very well. So then I used an old t shirt and waited till the fire was almost out and got good result. Also found some "King Alfred cakes" in the woods dried them out and tried igniting them. They glow great like charcoal. You need to get them at just the right stage though. If they are brown they aren't ready and some black ones just crumple as they are too gone. It's cool learning new stuff isn't it?

 

[atlatlman]

That feeling when you get it right is great. I remember when I got my first coal with the fire bow set after loads of failed attempts. The good thing about bushcraft is there's so much to learn.

 

[jandude]

Having a go at carving. Made a crook knife out of a cheap kitchen knife to start with then made my first spoon; very satisfying and learned a lot about working steel and wood. More detail in a thread I started last night here.

 

[smojo]

That feeling when you get it right is great. I remember when I got my first coal with the fire bow set after loads of failed attempts. The good thing about bushcraft is there's so much to learn.

And the other great thing which got me into bushcraft recently is the feeling of empowerment at making and doing things. To feel that we're not totally dependent on shops and supermarkets and manufactured goods, we can still do things for ourselves and that makes it all worthwhile. Other people might think we're a bit crazy or geekish or something but I don't care, I can d stuff that they can't.

 

[atlatlman]

Well said Smojo.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Skills wise... just keep learning, not one thing at a time,

And what with the Skill Share's we have at the Suffolk Montly Meets every month, the skills get passed on .

 

[Mesquite]

Tree and plant ident for me

 

[Melonfish]

i'm not sure i ever stop learning, but recently i've been re-learning my knots for my tarp setup, haven't used it in a while (i am shame)
also knife sharpening, i'm pretty terrible at it but recently something seemed to just click into place and away i went.

 

[leon-1]

I am away teaching this weekend so I am currently doing admin, I have just finished re-profiling 4 axes and a tomahawk, tomorrow will be knife sharpening and whistle making. Thursday will be sorting out fire, water, safe cutting tools for teaching and packing for Friday. I have just re-done my tarp setup with a new ridgeline and new dyneema prussik loops. I am also making a sheath for a client.

Beyond that I am not busy.

 

[John Fenna]

I just started working at a new (to me ) service for folk with learning disability and the ethos is all outdoor and crafts .
Spent the morning feeding animals, collecting eggs and re-bevelling and sharpening one of the service users pocket knives (and hoping to get in to sharpen the services billhooks...) while in the PM I was looking in charity shops (got a Slick 450g tripod - unused - for £2 ...great for the wifes birthday prezzie along with chocs etc. It is ideal for her spotting scope ) sewing a new pouch for Bodge.
Thurs and Fri I am on a REC 1st Aid course
Still drying my canvas tarp from my Fri/sat overnighter... the canvas is dry but the sisal guys are still a bit damp as they hung at the lowest point during drying...
Washing my wool thermals and Swanni.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Right now?
nowt.

However I've got a couple of nights coming up and to keep myself awake I will be.....
making nets.
researching how to refurb an antique air rifle.
looking up patterns for a rifle case.
designing a couple of sheaths for ideas bubbling in my head.

Brutally massacring my kit load out following a minimal kit course that made me realise I take too many toys/clothes/ everything.
then it'll be practising bow drill as I'm cack at it.
got some moccasins I need to get measured out and sewn.
got a couple more ideas for leather projects too

 

[CallsignSam]

Currently my tree identification is terrible, so I have just started to try and learn some more.

 

[atlatlman]

i'm not sure i ever stop learning, but recently i've been re-learning my knots for my tarp setup, haven't used it in a while (i am shame)
also knife sharpening, i'm pretty terrible at it but recently something seemed to just click into place and away i went.

Instinct. It's tucked away somewhere in all of us.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Being pretty much a beginner I've been learning lots of different things, but my wishlist for skills are:

- Green woodwork
- Net making
- Knot work

J

 

[whats wrong with you all]

Have made a little forge in my garden, and am now making my first knife blade. Annealed it yesterday, should cut it out and put a bevel on it this week before hardening.

 

[Macaroon]

I have tried to use the dreadful weather we've had this year to consolidate my fire and stove skills; I've found lots of different ways to improve theseskills, collecting wet tinder and fuel for my home made tlud stove without bringing anything with me. I eat and drink my breakfast in the woods and on the go almost every day of my life and thought I had it down pat, but once again I've been surprised by the amount there always is to learn................

I am now quite proficient at cooking something decent for my first meal within 90 minutes of leaving the house using all found tinder and fuel without much fuss and effort, and dealing comfortably with very heavy rain and wind, keeping all my kit clean and dry and ready for re-use if neccessary later in the day. I haven't gone without food and a brew even in the worst of the weather we've had and although I always have a back-up alcohol stove I haven't once had to use it.

It's been great to polish up skills in such adverse weather, and the whole thing goes (mostly) like clockwork.....This pleases me greatly

 

[Haggis]

I am currently, between snowshoeing treks in the bush, engaging in that oldest of bushcraft skills; I'm overhauling my kit.

 

[rg598]

I'm currently trying to learn how to place protection on rock and ice so I can do more challenging alpine routes.