I went out early the other morning to take some photos for a project and then some for a website. Then...later on I took some personal shots while testing out some new gear. You'll have to over-look the lighting in some of the photos, it was well past the "golden hour" of photography at this point...hence the personal stuff while I waited out the sun. The gear I am testing out at the moment is a new Becker BK2 I got about a week ago, and a prototype tinder tube extension for the nanostriker that Rob sent me to check out. I spent a little time testing gear then went on a long walk munching on wild edibles.
Here are some photos from the day I got the BK2 a few day prior. I didn't get to do a whole lot with it that day really, just took out in the woods out back long enough to form some initial thoughts but so far I already love it and think it is an awesome tool.
For a 0.25" thick blade I am really impressed with how well it will whittle fuzzies.
The shape of the pommel works well for a rearward grip which lets the knife chop really well for such a short blade. Cutting shelter poles with it will be a cinch.
I love how it has a heavy blade that can take some abuse such as cross grain batonning.
And I was really happy to see that Ethan decided to share the tang extension I liked so much on the BK-7 with the new generation BK-2s. The tang extension on the BK line is one of, if not my absolute, favorite production tang extensions. Works great for using the knife in chisel fashion making notches. Combined with the heavy thick blade I think it will be awesome for digging into logs for punk or grubs, and great for busting into fatwood if needs be also.
I also played around with a little bamboo. The thick blade doesn't bite in as deep as a thin machete, but it still holds it's own for working with bamboo.I think it will be just fine for what I want. It will do well at making shelters, water filters, containers, utensils, or fire.
My initial impressions of the knife are that it will be a fantastic tool for my purposes. I love the grind which makes even the heavy blade very functional at cutting and whittling. I love the heavy blade that will take the abuse it will see in my hands. Good point for boring or sticking but still a strong durable point. The handle feels really comfortable though I will likely get the micarta scales soon just because I like micarta, I'm just hoping they don't effect the sheath retention as it is nice and strong just the way I like it, if so I will just stick with the stock handle scales. The sheath is fantastic for how I like to rig sheaths to suit me, and this beast will fit in my pocket easily for those days when I choose to carry it that way. At this point I am really happy with it and looking forward to getting it into the bush more.
One the morning out in the woods temps were really low up on the mountain. It never got above freezing in the shade, but luckily shade is something there isn't too much of on the top of the mountain now.
By the time 11:00 am rolled around I was ready for a fire and a warm up. It was a good time to test out the nano. Now...for some back ground on the nanostriker for anyone who isn't familiar with it. It is a small, ultra-lite ferro rod, handle, and striker all in one unit. You thread out the striker, unscrew the collar form the base, pull the ferro rod out, invert it, and thread it back together. Now you have a handled ferro rod and striker ready to use.
I loved it when it first came out, and I still do now. But I also mentioned to Rob then that a similar system that allowed for tinder storage would be even more awesome. He is working on that now but in the mean time he also came up with an accessory for the nano that allows for some tinder storage. It is a tinder-tube extension the goes between the handle base and collar and turns the base into a tinder storage area.
The nano works fine on its own with many natural tinders. but sometimes weather conditions here are such that natural tinders need a hand due to heavy moisture. You can see how this is steaming now...any wetter and it would have been difficult or impossible to ignite with a ferro rod.
To see how the fire straw would do I grabbed the stems of some dead woody vegetation, some dead brier tips, and some small twigs for initial fuel. Some pencil sized and larger twigs for a second stage fuel, and then split some larger limbs and got all prepped and ready.
While i was getting prepped these guys came flying over.
Then I prepped my tinder.
The PJCB took a spark quickly. and i laid the hollow stalks of the woody plants on first. and let that start to catch.
Then transferred the bark base to the fire pit area and started adding fuel. You can see the steam as the moisture burns off.
But soon I had a nice fire to warm up by.
After taking a little while to thaw my hands back out I went for a hike through the fields and woods in the area checking out the fauna and flora looking for photos for the web site.
Random plant top, possible tinder.
Jimson weed (a toxic nightshade) seep pods.
Lots of this type of nightshade (also toxic) in this area too, I even found some that was still green. Man the stalks and leaves on this stuff just scream "leave me alone".
While walking through one filed I finally walked right into something I have been looking for all year...a Mullein stalk.
Found a few Autumn Olives here and there. They are still sweet but a little soft now after the freeze.
Have no idea what these are yet
Found another thicket of Saw-tooth Oaks. Apparently the deer and squirrels really like these as I found lot of caps but only one or two acorns. Tasting these they do cause that dry feeling in the mouth but nowhere near as bitter as some acorns. May make a good flower I don't know.
Then after that I found another persimmon tree, which was really cool. They look a little rough but some were still good and really sweet.
All in all not a bad day. Brought home some tinders to have around, had a few wild edible snacks, and brought some persimmon seeds home too.
Here are some photos from the day I got the BK2 a few day prior. I didn't get to do a whole lot with it that day really, just took out in the woods out back long enough to form some initial thoughts but so far I already love it and think it is an awesome tool.
For a 0.25" thick blade I am really impressed with how well it will whittle fuzzies.
The shape of the pommel works well for a rearward grip which lets the knife chop really well for such a short blade. Cutting shelter poles with it will be a cinch.
I love how it has a heavy blade that can take some abuse such as cross grain batonning.
And I was really happy to see that Ethan decided to share the tang extension I liked so much on the BK-7 with the new generation BK-2s. The tang extension on the BK line is one of, if not my absolute, favorite production tang extensions. Works great for using the knife in chisel fashion making notches. Combined with the heavy thick blade I think it will be awesome for digging into logs for punk or grubs, and great for busting into fatwood if needs be also.
I also played around with a little bamboo. The thick blade doesn't bite in as deep as a thin machete, but it still holds it's own for working with bamboo.I think it will be just fine for what I want. It will do well at making shelters, water filters, containers, utensils, or fire.
My initial impressions of the knife are that it will be a fantastic tool for my purposes. I love the grind which makes even the heavy blade very functional at cutting and whittling. I love the heavy blade that will take the abuse it will see in my hands. Good point for boring or sticking but still a strong durable point. The handle feels really comfortable though I will likely get the micarta scales soon just because I like micarta, I'm just hoping they don't effect the sheath retention as it is nice and strong just the way I like it, if so I will just stick with the stock handle scales. The sheath is fantastic for how I like to rig sheaths to suit me, and this beast will fit in my pocket easily for those days when I choose to carry it that way. At this point I am really happy with it and looking forward to getting it into the bush more.
One the morning out in the woods temps were really low up on the mountain. It never got above freezing in the shade, but luckily shade is something there isn't too much of on the top of the mountain now.
By the time 11:00 am rolled around I was ready for a fire and a warm up. It was a good time to test out the nano. Now...for some back ground on the nanostriker for anyone who isn't familiar with it. It is a small, ultra-lite ferro rod, handle, and striker all in one unit. You thread out the striker, unscrew the collar form the base, pull the ferro rod out, invert it, and thread it back together. Now you have a handled ferro rod and striker ready to use.
I loved it when it first came out, and I still do now. But I also mentioned to Rob then that a similar system that allowed for tinder storage would be even more awesome. He is working on that now but in the mean time he also came up with an accessory for the nano that allows for some tinder storage. It is a tinder-tube extension the goes between the handle base and collar and turns the base into a tinder storage area.
The nano works fine on its own with many natural tinders. but sometimes weather conditions here are such that natural tinders need a hand due to heavy moisture. You can see how this is steaming now...any wetter and it would have been difficult or impossible to ignite with a ferro rod.
To see how the fire straw would do I grabbed the stems of some dead woody vegetation, some dead brier tips, and some small twigs for initial fuel. Some pencil sized and larger twigs for a second stage fuel, and then split some larger limbs and got all prepped and ready.
While i was getting prepped these guys came flying over.
Then I prepped my tinder.
The PJCB took a spark quickly. and i laid the hollow stalks of the woody plants on first. and let that start to catch.
Then transferred the bark base to the fire pit area and started adding fuel. You can see the steam as the moisture burns off.
But soon I had a nice fire to warm up by.
After taking a little while to thaw my hands back out I went for a hike through the fields and woods in the area checking out the fauna and flora looking for photos for the web site.
Random plant top, possible tinder.
Jimson weed (a toxic nightshade) seep pods.
Lots of this type of nightshade (also toxic) in this area too, I even found some that was still green. Man the stalks and leaves on this stuff just scream "leave me alone".
While walking through one filed I finally walked right into something I have been looking for all year...a Mullein stalk.
Found a few Autumn Olives here and there. They are still sweet but a little soft now after the freeze.
Have no idea what these are yet
Found another thicket of Saw-tooth Oaks. Apparently the deer and squirrels really like these as I found lot of caps but only one or two acorns. Tasting these they do cause that dry feeling in the mouth but nowhere near as bitter as some acorns. May make a good flower I don't know.
Then after that I found another persimmon tree, which was really cool. They look a little rough but some were still good and really sweet.
All in all not a bad day. Brought home some tinders to have around, had a few wild edible snacks, and brought some persimmon seeds home too.
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