what did everyone think then?

[den]

Whey hey... I hope they continue to be as good as the one last night. I really enjoyed it.
It was good to see Ray fishing with hooks from natural materials. I’ve been using hooks made from natural materials off my boat and on the beach for a while now and was a bit surprised at the wilderness gathering when on the fishing lecture we was told to forget it.
I’m quite sure setting a tidal long line in a lot of places is illegal without a permit. Being dangerous to Joe public also wild birds who might take the bait. I’m sure I can remember something on the net by the environment agency asking people to report any sighing of tidal long lines. Does anybody know how we stand on setting them?

The bow making was great but I think Chris had a point, the string. I’ve made a few bows and arrows in the field (with modern tools) but I’ve never been able to make a string anywhere near the strength needed without making it rope size.

 

[Tony]

Bit light on the practicalities of primitive bushcraft but then it is aimed at the general public and not an instructional video for the bushcraft fan.

well put, I think that's spot on. It's easy for us to want more, a lot of people probably have enough to think about with what they got from the programme!

 

[falling rain]

It's amazing to me that after this programme SOME people are talking about Gore Tex jackets and kit again.!!!!!!!!!! :shock: Is that all you noticed from the programme ? I posted something on this a while back that there are more posts in the kit section than any others. It was a great programme and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bushcraft as it's supposed to be. Full marks to Ray and if it's an indicator for the rest of the series I can't wait for next week at 8pm. Some great little tips to try out. Excellent :super:

 

[TheViking]

I posted something on this a while back that there are more posts in the kit section than any others.

As somebody mentioned before on a thread about this: this is because there are many sub-forums under bushcraft. You know, Tips n' Tricks, woodland chatter, bushcraft nutter, resources etc... :biggthump

 

[Ed]

It's amazing to me that after this programme SOME people are talking about Gore Tex jackets and kit again.!!!!!!!!!! Is that all you noticed from the programme ?

You'll just have to face up to the fact that not everyone is the same as you..... some people here love their kit. Its a very subjective subject, ie there is no right or wrong answer and therefore generates alot of disscussion, as opposed to other forums where a question is asked and a answer is given.... not an opinion which then goes onto a 2 page thread with other peoples opinions.
As said above, if we split the kit forum into shelter, clothes, cooking equ etc.... then the post count would look alot smaller.... we've just lumped it all together except for knives.... and transport (for those landy lovers).


Ed

 

[falling rain]

Don't get me wrong, kit IS an interesting subject, and there's some great stuff out there to make our lives warmer, easier and more comfortable out there in the wilds, and I DO understand it's interesting to compare the pros and cons of whats available. But after such a fascinating programme on how our ancestors lived and made tools cooked painted and made hunting weapons, caught fish etc.. In a gore tex free age...It strikes me as .... Well kind of sad that all someone has to say about last nights programme is 'What Jacket did Ray have on, and where can I get one'. I'm not trying to upset anyone it was just an observation. Anyway I agree with the many that it was a good programme possibly the best I've seen yet from RM and captured perfectly the essence of the real meaning of Bushcraft and what we all love and hope to spend our lives practicing and becoming more proficient at. :wave:

 

[C_Claycomb]

Yes, just like Falling Rain said, down with modern kit, up with neolithic kit ):

Where do you think he got his bit of yew, do you think it was English, European or imported from the US, what differences does that make? Is the improved knapping performance of moose billets over those from red deer enough to justify trading with the Swedes? Are knapped flint hand axes better than those of abraided green-stone? Is there a significant difference between the warmth of hare undies compared to beaver? What is your favorite type of buckskin, brain tanned, or egg tanned? :rolmao:

If we were all working with stone age tools the fact that we are human would have us discussing kit just as much as we do now. The only people who do not talk about kit are those that have to live with what they've got, and have always lived like that.

Personnally I take the interest in Mr Mear's wardrobe as fairly amusing. In this case the humour is in his wearing goretex while talking stone age technology. :roll: In anycase, if it looked like good clothing, take the information where you find it.

 

[SquirrelBoy]

Perhaps Ray should of presented the program in a pair of Beaver Undies :rolmao:

 

[mr dazzler]

You make an excellent point Claycomb about it just being in our nature to talk about kit, whatever technological era we happen to be born into. For sure our ancient ancestors for whom tools and tool technology were so central and fundemental "kit talk" must have been an important way to learn and pass on skills and knowledge (no books cds schools compooters tvs ect) Is it stretching the imagination a bit to picture our ancestors from different places or regions meeting up and comparing spear points, axe & arrow head shapes, etc. (or squabbling over which was't best!! :roll I know someone else said 'twas a bit boring that woman talking etc, but I for one needed to be reminded our ancestors were just like us. We've had too many modern humanists telling us our ancestors were heathen savages, and we're now better cos we have opera, art galleries, string quartets, novels, sociology, education etc
On a slightly different tack, I am fairly sure that the inuit have about 17 or 18 words for "snow" depending on its density, texture etc, wheras us sophisticated westerners have just one. Like Mr Mears said about the artists who drew the animals - they'd butchered them 100's of times and knew the anatomy very closely, there knowlege was direct not abstract or superficial.
I would have thought Ray would have used a deer shoulder blade to shovel't sand, mind.

 

[JakeR]

(bear in mind i'm wirting this after 5 castlemains, and i'm the worst lightwei ght you've ever seen) Kit is great!! I love it, there is nothing better than having a knock at the door and it being a postman delivering your latest item! Crikey, i'm never gonna dirnk again :roll:

JAKe

 

[Burnt Ash]

so then. did it live up to expectations?

I really enjoyed the first programme. Fascinating stuff and beautifully produced IMO.

Some comments on a few of the remarks made in this thread:

I've personally never felt compelled to knit my own fish hooks. Good luck to those who wish to, BTW. If it makes you feel better people, then fire ahead.

Certainly, a nice fresh flake of flint can provide a very effective cutting edge. That's fine, if you have it available! The sad fact is that the greater part of the earth's surface geology will yield nothing even remotely suitable for making decent cutting tools. Best take a knife along ...just in case, eh?

BTW, this from the Woodlore web site: "A book and DVDs to accompany the series will now be available Spring 2005".

I wonder what the book is going to be called - 'Bushcraft', perhaps?

Burnt Ash

 

[Mikey P]

I recognized much of what was in the program from rays no longer published "survival handbook" which makes me hope that it (or something similar) will be republished, it is without a doubt his best book but could benefit from the level of illustration found in his more resent titles

Very much enjoyed it. I agree with the comment about it seeming to be based more on the skills expounded in his first book. Nice to see no emphasis on guns, knives (it's always bloody knives!), clothing, kit, etc. Great back to basics stuff which shows that:

a. It can be done

b. It doesn't have to cost anything (much)

Don't get me wrong, I love new kit as much as the next man but what these programmes is about is the raw and pure skills.

Rock on the next episode.

Just found out he's going to do more lectures next year at Tunbridge Wells. I went to his lecture at Eastbourne and the one at Tunbridge Wells last year and they're well worth it. I'm supposed to be going away to Lanzarote on a training camp in April and I've got a horrible feeling that it's over these dates - aaaarrrgghhh! :yikes:

 

[Stuart]

how did you watch yours??

the best way to watch ray

 

[ScottC]

you and your gadgets :roll:

 

[Adi007]

It's the CCTV that he has in the hammock to allow him to take a photo of himself that is really impressive!

 

[Simon]

that ... and the infrared cameras he has set up in a half mile radius

 

[gb]

for anybody who missed it (like me) it will probably be repeated on sign zone sometime soon. keep your eyes on the tv guide.

 

[JakeR]

Whats sign zone?

 

[BorderReiver]

There are very few occasions when I regret not having a telly--and this is one of them.

I do hope this series comes out on DVD. :shock:

 

[Frogo]

Well,
Has Ray finally lost the plot, did he have to include that very bad impression of Ken Hom, and to top it all looking like Hannibal the cannibal. I think he has finally lost sight of reality.

Frogo