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Finally got a chance to christen my Ronnie Sunshine's Dutch Oven this evening - rather than start off gently I decided to throw caution to the wind and cook a proper family meal. Part of the reason I bought a 12" oven was so I could cook roasts etc rather than just stews (which work just as well...

I'm about to order a dutch oven from Ronnie Sunshines... probably the 8 ltr version so we can cater for cub camp if needed. Has anyone bought the carry bag for their oven? Is it worth it? I figure I should be cleaning the oven after each camp, so it ought not to go in the car with ash all over...

Hello chaps, I need to replace the battery in my Seiko but I'd like to ensure it stays waterproof. Timpson's have offered to do it for £15 whereas everyone else is charging £50 plus sending it away, so will avoid them I think! Does anyone know of a reliable and reputable watch repair service...

Anyone able to recommend a good wind-up torch? I want something to keep in the car where I don't have to worry about batteries running down. Needs to be bright enough to find loose change that's rolled down the side of the seats, or check the straps on a cycle carrier (rather than illuminate...

Over in this thread from 2007 a couple of people mention a great book called "The Boy Mechanic". Originally this was a series of books published by Popular Mechanics magazine between about 1900 and 1920. There are 100s of great things to build - proper old school hands-on projects. They are...

This was made by an artist called Alastair Heseltine - pretty groovy way to arrange a woodpile:

Keeping "emergency" baby food in a sub-zero car We're doing a lot of travelling over xmas (North Wales, Midlands and East Anglia especially) and the recent snowstorms have made me think I ought to keep a...

These are growing in my parents' garden (East Anglia) under a large pine tree. The closest I've found is Helvella Crispa, but the brown tops are making me wonder...

Went for a walk in our local woodland (south warwickshire) this lunchtime - I'm not the greatest mushroom-spotter but I was pleased at the number of varieties we found. It's remarkable what you can find in just one smallish area once you start looking! I'm not confident enough to collect any...

Anyone know of a UK supplier for this type of lantern holder? I could probably make one myself but would like to buy a few!

This might be of interest to a few people - audio interview with one of the last traditional Fenland eel catchers on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11037790 I love the Fenland landscape - it gets a bit overlooked sometimes in favour of the National Parks - but I think...

Interesting concept! A "skeleton" camping mat with cutouts around a main frame. Weighs a shade over 9oz and packs down very small. Hard to say whether it'd be warm - on the one hand the cut-out spaces will allow sleeping bags to loft, but you may also get air movement underneath which could...

This might be of interest - a short online history of the well-known Leatherman multitool: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/gonzo/the-invention-of-the-leatherman

The Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (Malacosoma disstria) is notorious in parts of North America for chewing through vast acres of foliage as they advance like an army (hence the name "army worms"). There's a tradition of using the caterpillars for making wine - this site describes one chap's...

This has puzzled me for ages - sure there's a simple explanation though! On the SAK the bottle opener has a "halfway stop" when opening - ie. it'll click into position at right angles to the handle. You don't get the same on the can opener though. Anyone know what this feature's...

Hello chaps, I'm thinking of getting a Victorinox Camper to replace one I lost years ago. Does anyone have a similar model (Camper, Huntsman, Handyman, Ranger etc) to confirm the blade lengths? British Red's indicated that the main blade is less than 3in, but I'd like to confirm the...

I've been offered 8 legs of venison for £150... personally I think it's too dear. And remember kids... never light a fire in your canoe, as the saying goes "you can't have your kayak and heat it".

Have been after a new pair of trainers for a while and spotted that Go Outdoors have a pair of North Face Hedgehogs on their website for £55 (£60 once delivery's added). The normal retail is about £80, and with the Go Outdoors discount card they are £72 instore so that's not a bad deal. I...

Nice discounts on Alpkit sleeping mats at the moment... I've just ordered the Fat Airic for £35 delivered, usual price is £45 I think so it's a decent discount. Their regular version is at £25 this week which is a real bargain. The prices go up each Monday in October, so get in early if...