What's your favourite trick, cheat or adaptation?

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lostagain

Need to contact Admin...
Jun 27, 2008
195
0
52
Windermere
When not using my normal stove I take a small plastic spray bottle (from Boots - intended for perfume, about 5cm high) with some panel wipe in it (same fuel as I use in the stove).

Couple of sprays on to some twigs and my fire is roaring faster than RM can knock up a log cabin with a leatherman :lmao:
 

Gailainne

Life Member
Good thread, here's a couple of mine;

Find a source for cheap button led lights, attach one to every jacket, bag, tarp, hammock, tent, bivi etc. You will never be left in the dark again :D.

Buy multipacks of bic lighters, do the same with them as the lights, add one to every jacket, bag, rucksack, etc.

I have a led light and a lighter in my first aid kit.

BTW rather than have 1 large first aid kit, make up small kits that are easy to carry, and again stick them in every jacket, rucksack, bag you own. Always have one large wound dressing on you. If your not carrying a sharp, some numpty is, :rolleyes: without a FAK.

Cotton wool balls are your friend, you can pack an amazing amount of them into a film canister, soak them in vaseline beforehand, instant tinder.

Film canisters, any supermarket who develops films are more than happy to give you bags of them, just go in and ask. They are waterproof to a degree, and can be utilised for many things.

Always pack a small sewing kit with you, you'll need it.

If your not allergic to nuts, snickers are a great energy pick me up, I always have a "few" in pockets, bags etc.

Duct tape (gaffer) is another friend, always carry some.

Heavy duty aluminium cooking foil is another friend, it packs small and can be used for a multitude of tasks.

I'm crap at remembering cooking recipes and knots, so what I do is type them up (recipes), copy the photos (knots) and stick as many as I can on a a4 sheet, double sided, print it off and laminate it, cut it up, it takes up little room and I have a handy reminder if I get confused.

NB This could be done with first aid pointers as well as other tasks, good tinders, time of year foraging, loads of things.

Always carry a multitool, whether a SAK or leatherman, doesn't matter, carry one.

Cheers

Stephen
 

Hoodoo

Full Member
Nov 17, 2003
5,302
13
Michigan, USA
If you need to pitch a tarp or tighten a fly, you can make an impromptu tarp clip from a split twig, a matchstick and a bit of string. Works best if the clamping part is long enough to go over the folded edge of the tarp, especially if you are using sil nylon which is slippery.

tarpclip9c.jpg


tarpclip10b.jpg


tarpclip11b.jpg
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,807
2,893
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
If you need to pitch a tarp or tighten a fly, you can make an impromtu tarp clip from a split twig, a matchstick and a bit of string. Works best if the clamping part is long enough to go over the folded edge of the tarp, especially if you are using silnylon which is slippery.

That's a real neat idea Hoodoo.... I shall be playing about with that one :)

My tip, (as supplied to me by Chris Claycombe :) ) is to carry a bit of sleep mat to use as a kneeling pad, sitting on etc.
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
59
Bristol
My tip is when making feather sticks use your knife to scrape a whole bunch of really fine shavings by holding it at 90 degrees to the wood, and scraping toward the curls that you have cut. This will allow the feather stick to be lit from a ferro rod

 

Grooveski

Native
Aug 9, 2005
1,707
10
53
Glasgow
I gather firewood from pine plantations and burn it on the shore quite often. Choose the right deadstanders, rip off the branches and you can whack them down over a foot-high boulder and snap them down to length in seconds.
Thud, thud, thud..... and you have a pile of logs. All too often though the last attempt will be just a little too solid, you smack it down and it doesn't break. Instead it sends a vibration through your hands and into your arms like an electric shock.:eek:

Leather scraps inside jubilee clips tightened round a punting pole, little gap in the leather behind the body of the clamp that you can slip a wee bit of 4-5mm cord through. With the body being thick and rounded the rope is safe from the sharper edges.
When I botched up a rig for the canoe like that it was only going to be to try things out but that was months ago and I've had no problems from it so I guess it'll be staying that way for good. You only have to loosen four bolts(for the main head, jib head, boom attachment and up/downhaul pulley) and it all slips apart and you have your pole back.
 
I take two lengths of para cord, about double the length of my leg from the top of my pelvis to my ankle. I tie them to a belt loop, one on each side and hang them down inside my trousers. Out of the way, yet easily accesible lengths of cord. They’ll be about 6 feet each on average, a decent amount for many tasks.

I always have a rat tail file with me, the end sharpened to a good point. Awl, file, expedient spear point, striker, etc.
 

torc

Settler
Nov 23, 2005
603
0
54
left coast, ireland
Carnation Condensed Milk decanted into medium size plastic squeezy bottle.
Much nicer than whitener or powdered milk and safer than carrying fresh milk.
It's good for a couple of days if you clean and sterilise the container like a baby's bottle.
Strong, sweet milky tea, yum yum.
Also gaffers tape, great stuff.
Happy trail...torc.
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
My tip is when making feather sticks use your knife to scrape a whole bunch of really fine shavings by holding it at 90 degrees to the wood, and scraping toward the curls that you have cut. This will allow the feather stick to be lit from a ferro rod

That trick works well on birch bark too, but I dislike using it on a regular basis since it it hard on the dge of the knife. My trick for feather sticks is to use a "push-cut", i.e. slicing off the feather. Good to have in reserve for when it does not come easy.
 

BOD

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Never done it when out camping but once when I still smoked and my lighter died on me at work I put a piece of dowel into my battery drill to get some glowing embers to light my cigarette

Now that's what I call a fire drill! :You_Rock_



As for 'tricks cheats and adaptations', knowing your knots blindfolded and having cordage handy eliminates a host of other items especially if you also carry a 1sq yard/metre piece of strong cloth.
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
Carnation Condensed Milk decanted into medium size plastic squeezy bottle.
Much nicer than whitener or powdered milk and safer than carrying fresh milk.
It's good for a couple of days if you clean and sterilise the container like a baby's bottle.
Strong, sweet milky tea, yum yum.
Also gaffers tape, great stuff.
Happy trail...torc.

I just buy the sweetened condensed milk in tubes from Tecso, 69p.
 

torc

Settler
Nov 23, 2005
603
0
54
left coast, ireland
rik_uk3 wrote,
"I just buy the sweetened condensed milk in tubes from Tecso, 69p"
Not available in Ireland unfortunately, I've searched high and low, it would solve a whole lot of problems.
Thanks for your suggestion though rik, you can't beat Carnation.
Happy trails...torc.
 

Wilderbeast

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 9, 2008
2,036
9
32
Essex-Cardiff
My favourite bushcraft cheat is starting fires with those cheap tea lights- it's just so easy, and it makes your life alot easier if you're wet and cold etc!
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
rik_uk3 wrote,
"I just buy the sweetened condensed milk in tubes from Tecso, 69p"
Not available in Ireland unfortunately, I've searched high and low, it would solve a whole lot of problems.
Thanks for your suggestion though rik, you can't beat Carnation.
Happy trails...torc.

Sad mate, I've got some spare coghlan's squeeze tubes I can send you a couple if you PM me your addy.

These
http://www.rei.com/product/696007
 

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