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I cannot speak for courses endorsed by the IOL but those associated with the NCFE do have a degree of rigour attached to them. To have a course validated by the NCFE, the provider has to produce a detailed curriculum and assessment criteria that are scrutinised by the college; then, there is...

While out this morning, walking my dogs, I came to the conclusion that pretty much every skills-based profession - law, medicine, mountain guiding, accountancy, architecture and teaching to name but a few - requires that certificate. After that, it is down to the individual to develop, refine...

I'll grant you that the concept of a 'bushcraft instructor' does present challenges but I have at least offered an imperfect solution that might ameliorate the situation. What would you suggest? It is easy to damn things as they stand but perhaps it might be more constructive to suggest a way to...

It is pretty obvious that experience is the key element to becoming a 'bushcraft instructor'; it is a truth that extends to nearly every area of work. The challenge, then, is to provide a more meaningful qualification system that places greater reliance on accumulated experience over a 'bit of...

I try and have a mix of mown and untouched: I try and keep what I grandly call 'the lawn' under my enormous walnut tree short-ish, leaving the little clump of cowslips well alone; elsewhere, I mow paths until the flowers have done their thing. It's not ideal but I reckon the bees can get their...

Well, you never know...! I was intrigued by Greg's fulsome essay and felt that that, at least, deserved a response, hence my contribution to what is an age-old but nevertheless interesting discussion.

While I would agree with a lot that Greg has said, the 'bit of paper' is only a marker on your journey to proven mastery of the skills required in bushcraft. That 'bit of paper' indicates to potential clients that you have undergone some formalised, (one would hope) rigorous training and passed...

I can see that it's an easy(-ish) set-up and that it would shed rain and wind effectively but there are two things that trouble me: first, condensation could well be a problem and second, I'm not sure how easy it would be to untangle the folded entrance in the middle of the night when...

Looks interesting but changing the blades could be a pain. It seems as though you have to use a spanner-type thing to ensure that the chosen blade stays in place - not so great for a quick switch around.

It's pretty straightforward to pitch your tarp using trekking poles but it's an utter pain if it's windy and/or if you have a 3mx3m tarp. I've used Uncle Ray's Aussie hootchie very successfully in the Cairngorms but have found that the best arrangement is a bivvy bag and tarp. That way you can...

I've just started "Craft Land" by James Fox. It tells the story of Britain's vanishing trades, from dry stone walling to watchmaking; I heard it serialised on the radio and eally enjoyed that abridged version, so I took the plunge. It is beautifully written, very informative and makes me want to...

I have found that, when demonstrating various techniques to the pupils I taught, I had to utilise a Mora - that same knife that they were using - otherwise they'd complain that I could do it because I had a 'better knife'. So, I went to great lengths to show them that I could do everything I...

And they smell very pungent! Back on to the main thrust of the thread, I have to admit that I don't like chest rigs. I tried one set-up so that I had easy access to my essentials while wearing a pack. I found them unnecessarily close and sweaty and positioned at just the wrong height to make...

I like the Baltany watch, third from the top. It looks like an updated homage to the watches commissioned from 'The Dirty Dozen' watchmakers for issue to service personnel from about 1944.

This is the 110, I believe. So, unless you want a spare, there seems little point in doubling up!

The blade is 11cm or just over 4" long; the whole knife is 24cm or just under 9.5" long.

I am afraid that I have to be away from Tuesday until Friday next week. If anyone is interested in the remaining knives, we can do 'the deal' but I won't be able to get them into the post until Saturday, 21st February at the earliest. Many apologies for the delay!

It is with something of a heavy heart that I feel the need to bid farewell to these cutting tools. However, they are not being used and I hope that they will be in their new homes. As previously, there are a few guidelines: - I am not interested in exchanges. - Price includes postage to U.K...

I'm sorry to say that the review wasn't Tony's - it was mine! Needless to say, I am still hugely impressed with the M23; it is the cutting tool that I always have with me.

Ben's Campcraft or Pixie would be great choices for a whittling knife. If you're after something a little less pricey, though, the Peltonen M23 is very hard to beat.