Interesting thread...
Being a military type - and therefore obsessed with kit, I lurked and then joined to see what other, more experienced types were using (the contract for military kit tends to go to the lowest bidder - although, it has to be said, that there has been some improvement, especially in the personal dessie kit issued - apart from the boots of course - so what's new!)
I have learned a huge amount and have found some gems from makers on here - ranging from a JoJo Nessmuk (my every day user - from skinning rabbits, to my crude attempts at carving) to Warthog's Crusader cup lids (my vote for best value item found so far).
I, initially went with the flow and bought some items that, now, rarely see the light of day - namely: Zebra Billy's (all of them!) - great for boil in the bag or brews, but - my skills in cooking over a fire - led to burnt bottoms and cold tops; so now I favour the Tatonka range with their wider bases (1.6L is perfect for 1-2 people and the lid doubles as a wok/ plate). I still use Wayland's 10cm/ Morrisson Hobo outfit for brews on a day out though.
As far as cutters go, I initially went for a Stewart Marsh Bushcrafter on Ebay and whilst it is beautifully made, I eventually found it too thick for it's length and now favour JoJo's Nessmuk. I never bought a GB SFA as I wanted my axe, primarily for splitting (for the home woodburner) so my axe is a Roselli - which I'm in the process of pimping (I've polished the head and the handle has just started a three week soak in linseed - watch this space). I've also experimented with a Leuku/ Pukko combo which has been excellent in pine/ softwood forest - I am currently looking for a similar combo to be used in the mixed forests of Britain.
So, in summary, I'm a huge admirer of educators - like RM, Mors and more than a few people on here, but...kit is always about horses for courses. You've got to start somewhere and eventually you get to what suits you.
Being a military type - and therefore obsessed with kit, I lurked and then joined to see what other, more experienced types were using (the contract for military kit tends to go to the lowest bidder - although, it has to be said, that there has been some improvement, especially in the personal dessie kit issued - apart from the boots of course - so what's new!)
I have learned a huge amount and have found some gems from makers on here - ranging from a JoJo Nessmuk (my every day user - from skinning rabbits, to my crude attempts at carving) to Warthog's Crusader cup lids (my vote for best value item found so far).
I, initially went with the flow and bought some items that, now, rarely see the light of day - namely: Zebra Billy's (all of them!) - great for boil in the bag or brews, but - my skills in cooking over a fire - led to burnt bottoms and cold tops; so now I favour the Tatonka range with their wider bases (1.6L is perfect for 1-2 people and the lid doubles as a wok/ plate). I still use Wayland's 10cm/ Morrisson Hobo outfit for brews on a day out though.
As far as cutters go, I initially went for a Stewart Marsh Bushcrafter on Ebay and whilst it is beautifully made, I eventually found it too thick for it's length and now favour JoJo's Nessmuk. I never bought a GB SFA as I wanted my axe, primarily for splitting (for the home woodburner) so my axe is a Roselli - which I'm in the process of pimping (I've polished the head and the handle has just started a three week soak in linseed - watch this space). I've also experimented with a Leuku/ Pukko combo which has been excellent in pine/ softwood forest - I am currently looking for a similar combo to be used in the mixed forests of Britain.
So, in summary, I'm a huge admirer of educators - like RM, Mors and more than a few people on here, but...kit is always about horses for courses. You've got to start somewhere and eventually you get to what suits you.