Recent content by MalIrl

Check out Jon's Bushcraft How to page for bramble basket making. Very good tutorial, our Venture scouts tried it this Summer (with mixed results :-)), and I just had a go last weekend (with slightly better results).

Hi Matt, It all depends on how long you expect to carry the pack. For Scouts the standard recommendation for expeditions (all day carry) is 25% of body weight, all in. (There is also a top limit for those younger than 16yrs but I cannot remember it offhand) Personally I find that 25% is a bit...

Hi Ed, As others have pointed out, it's not the type of steel, it's the profile. Fast solution to this issue is to square the back of your Mora blade with a file. I've had to do this with carbon Moras too, where the back of the blade was a little rounded. Slán, Mal

I've done Fig 4 deadfall and Fig 4 Paiute with them, they all thought it was great. Worked them in teams so each scout had a part of the trap to make. Did the F4 deadfall in the den first, and then again on a woods day where they also learned that you can make the F4 Paiute without needing a...

Co. Galway, over in the Wesht! Have a tiny "wood" on family land, which I am supplementing (planted 80 trees so far this year), but spend more time there growing the woodland than playing in it. It's good enough for a one night bivvy from time to time. Also just go to the local Co. Council...

Hi Mang, If you can get hold of the new Scouting Ireland Adventure Skills material it will give you just tons of ideas (more like 25x25!). The new curriculum has nine Adventure skills. Three are considered core scout skills: Camping Pioneering Backwoods (=bushcraft) Then there are six...

Hi folks, anyone have an opion on ivy for cooking over? Not strictly a "wood" but a very fast burning for getting a fire going. Mal

Thanks gents. That's quite an impressive spread there, MartinK9!

Hi All, Does anyone have a contact/link for where you can get campfire blankets (sometimes called badge blankets)? I'm looking for the woolen ones, have found a few places selling fleece but that just won't do. Our very new scouts won the County Shield two weeks ago and we'd like to...

I was given a Nying about 25 years ago, and it's a little beauty. Even after such a long time it is in great condition, although I find having such a short blade makes it a pain to sharpen (mostly it's curve!). The Nying is too little to be used as a serious bushcraft knife, but if the rest of...

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I have started with the file to get the grind even on both sides, then I'll move on to the stones and wet&dry to build a convex edge. And no, I won't be going for a full spine-edge convex profile! Slán, Mal

Thanks Spamel. For my knives I usually use a whetstone and the mouse-mat-&-wetndry-paper methods. Is there an advantage with reprofiling it to a convex grind? Mal

Hi All, Apologies if this has already been covered in another thread, but I din't find anything through the search. I've recently aquired a Martinadale No. 2 'Golok' machete to assist with the interminable task of clearing thickets and general hedging. It arrives with no edge to speak of...

Yup, got my delayed Swannie yesterday. Appears things are on the move at ODC, good news! Mal

Andrew called yesterday, seems that Royal Mail/An Post have managed NOT to deliver the package, and it can't be tracked from the RM side because it is overseas!:o Andrew is re-sending the order, I'll be following up on the original on this side. All going well I'll have the Swannie in...