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Hi all, Has anyone seen the new book on Fire by Dan hume? I got a copy for myself around christmas and I've been flicking through it. I should say Ive known him for years so I'm a bit biased :) but you lot will like it: It has instructions for loads of techniques from ferro rod and matches to...

If youre interested in different methods of lighting as well as general management there is a selection of Ray mears books i could reccommend, but also suggest you look up Fire by Dan Hume. Its fascinating. Theres a technique from the far east where you whack a certain type of bamboo with a bit...

Check out Dan Humes new book on fire, it mentions it in there. It was used for making fire, mostly by the inuit due to lack of easily available wood. Theres an illustration of one from a museum, the toggles are made of seal teeth! I think there was something about it being easier for beginners...

RE. Fire saw, I'd take a look at Dan humes book, ( think he has a website but its on amazon too) its got fairly detailed instructions on a whole load of fire techniques. It hasnt been out long but I've enjoyed leafing through it. The percussion technique with bamboo is incredible.... i honestly...

Depends a lot on what you want it for- if you just need a general 'piece of paper' type qualification which covers basics, then a first aid at work one would be ok but if you want to really get into it and go off bushcrafting all over the place its worth looking at a wilderness course of some...

I spent 3 months in algonquin in 2005 working at camp wapomeo on canoe lake. loved it- had huge muscles by the end from all the canoeing. I had to help paddle between the two islands used by the camp in a huge 9 man aluminium monstrosity full of 7 year old girls a few times a day- they...

you could skin the head too- i've never actually done it, but i have seen it done-you could have the head on the lid of the pouch like a sporran. they used to use full( inc. head ) rabbit pelts to make blankets- as i understand it, the back feet of one pelt were threaded through the eye...

that guys coat looks like heavily fulled wool- theat is basically felted woven wool- i dont know how they do it now but in times gone by, some poor sod had to tread the cloth around in a big bucket of stale urine.. nice! there is a meadow near us called fullers meadow- i guess their trade was...

this thread is just what i was looking for- i have just been given 3 cured reindeer skins.( a shed clearout- friends dad bought them 30 years or so ago) they are still in good nick. They vary in size, there is a small soft one, a less soft but bigger one, and a big and fairly coarse one. I was...

that cordage is great- especially for a first attempt. when ive done nettle/ bramble cordage ive done it like this: 1. pick the nettles/ bramble runners( as long, straight and thick as possible), strip the branches/ leaves/ thorns off) 2. one at a time, beat the stems with a wooden...

I think that learning to do things the old way can be much more satisfying than using modern tools. But on the other hand, making (for example) a bone arrowhead using only stone tools is a difficult skill to learn and for the sake of understanding the basics it is easier to use a hacksaw...

if you cut yourself, chuck some powdered dried yarrow leaf on it then cover with a plaster- heals really quick even for anoying grass /paper cuts. if its a bad cutm it also slows the bleeding. however, it can be dangerous for pregnant women(or so ive heard) and should't be applied to already...

flint knapping is great, but if you cant get hold of flint, try knapping glass. use beer pottles and a nail or mini screwdriver- cover your hand with a piece of seriously thick leather or neck rawhide and have a play (its a good idea to wear goggles when glass knapping coz the bits are soo...

yes this has happened to me too. i was using pine for all components through lack of alternatives. i think the bearing block was just drier and softer than the hearth. though curiously when i tried turning it around, and using the hearth as the bearing block and vice versa with the drill...

i went on a natural pathways flintknapping course a couple of years ago . I've practiced a fair bit since then but am still having trouble with pressure flaking. I can detatch small flakes easily enough but can anyone give me any tips on how to progress to detatching those really long flakes. is...

try identifying trees from a car or train- the actual overall shape of a tree and teh colour of the bark are surprisingly distictive and you get good at telling at a glance

try saying the names of trees as you go past tham in the car or train- you get used to recognising the shapes and the bark at a glance.

they are great to watch, ive seen one in the peaks on a climbing trip. ive also got a lovely pelt from one that we found on the road

hi i went on a flint knapping course with natural pathways a couple of years ago- it was wicked. a bit of advice- if you're having problems producing flakes suitable for arrowheads during the course, go and scavenge some of will lords debitage and make sure you keep and any possible arrowhead...