Alone TV Show - New Nessmuk trio?

[Minotaur]

Due to having met some of the people in this season of Alone, I have actually watched it.
This caused some research, which led me to a thought:
Is the new Nessmuk Trio - an axe, saw, and multi-tool?

 

[Springchicken]

Perhaps. But it does depend on where in the world you are. For the tropics or rain forest, I doubt that an axe would tick the box; if one was deep in a deciduous or boreal forest, a good number of the tools on a multitool might be utterly redundant. However, for a stay in the woods in the U.K., such a trio might well serve most purposes. Personally, I would be reluctant to swap my fixed blade knife for a multitool, though.

 

[Minotaur]

Perhaps. But it does depend on where in the world you are. For the tropics or rain forest, I doubt that an axe would tick the box; if one was deep in a deciduous or boreal forest, a good number of the tools on a multitool might be utterly redundant. However, for a stay in the woods in the U.K., such a trio might well serve most purposes. Personally, I would be reluctant to swap my fixed blade knife for a multitool, though.

I was kind of surprised by how many people did give up their knife.
I also wonder what would Nessmuk change? I may have to do some research on what he used that double headed axe and those knives.
I have always wondered why Leatherman does not offer a build your own or mod your multi-tool option as there a lot of tools that I would be tempted to replace.

 

[stonepark]

What you require for well provisioned camping is different than what you require for survival with very limited resources.

For Alone, especially when dealing with stainless steel snare wire a multi tool makes sense, especially with 1 or 2 blades (straight and serrated), mini saw, scissors, file\diamond sharpener, screwdriver\drill bit holder and various attachments you carry in the belt pouch.

Double bit felling axe and katanboy to round out the set.

 

[Billy-o]

Vape, phone and credit card. Times have changed

 

[Springchicken]

Vape, phone and credit card. Times have changed

A vape without refills? A 'phone without a charger? A credit card with a dangerously high limit? Yes, "times have changed"...!

 

[Minotaur]

What you require for well provisioned camping is different than what you require for survival with very limited resources.

One of my overriding thoughts was that the show was very much survival with moments of Bushcraft. Does not Bushcraft always have an idea of moving into the wilderness and building a cabin in the woods? Combined with an idea of moving through the environment like Ötzi or similar.

For Alone, especially when dealing with stainless steel snare wire a multi tool makes sense, especially with 1 or 2 blades (straight and serrated), mini saw, scissors, file\diamond sharpener, screwdriver\drill bit holder and various attachments you carry in the belt pouch.

You are allowed the pouch however, no accessories, so you only get the removable bits in the tool. That has to be half of the thing, along with the blade being a better animal processor.

Double bit felling axe and katanboy to round out the set.

I do not think anyone has brought a double-bit axe.

Something that occurred to me when writing this reply was that Nessmuk's trio is an Alone solution as he designed it for the same reasons in that it aimed mainly at animal processing.

 

[Broch]

Maybe some of you are unfamiliar with Nessmuk (George Washington Sears) so here is a link to an excellent overview of his life and links to his book and Forest and Stream letters. They all still make worthwhile reading especially for the canoeists amongst us.

On George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears | Northern Bush

northernbush.com

Woodcraft and Camping

The Adirondack Letters

 

[TLM]

While I do recognize that not very much progress has happened in outdoors tool field I still think that we might have invented something new and hopefully better in the last 150 years. Small folding saw is one thing that did not exist, as far as I can recall, in Nesmuk's time, in some cases it is usefully but in the general case of trekking not all that much, exception might be wintertime but then I would much prefer a larger more robust saw.

I guess we have a much larger variety of knives and hatchets to chose from now but no basic difference. So have we really advanced? One field where we definitely have is lighting a fire, lots of options there. Camping equipment are much lighter in weight. Clothing, well maybe but people did survive with woolen clothing fairly well. Some electronics certainly make life safer, GNSS is wonderful in thick fog and at night and in many cases in winter but one can get by with a map and compass - with some luck. Some years ago I did end up in a non-predetermined-place by sticking to map only (by a few clicks) but after a while I knew that because that mountain was in wrong direction, not possible in bad conditions.

In the past I have done trekking basically with Nesmuk gear but when getting older I do appreciate the lighter weigh and ease of use by some modern hardware.

 

[Minotaur]

Maybe some of you are unfamiliar with Nessmuk (George Washington Sears) so here is a link to an excellent overview of his life and links to his book and Forest and Stream letters. They all still make worthwhile reading especially for the canoeists amongst us.

On George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears | Northern Bush

northernbush.com

Woodcraft and Camping

The Adirondack Letters

There does seem to be an odd thing in the canoe world, in that he is a big deal, however his canoes seem to be ignored.

Anyone at the Wilderness Gathering, check out Fudge the boat builder as he is the closest I have seen for how they are described.

 

[Broch]

There are plenty of 'pack' canoes available - typically around 12 foot and weighing less than 20Kg, sometimes a lot less, and usually paddled with a double paddle. My son has one and you can pick it up and put it on your shoulder with one hand

 

[Billy-o]

Yes, Nessmuk's fixed blade knife in the trio is a slicer, not a wood processor. Bacon, bread, also skinning/butchering etc.

The hatchet and the moose slipjoint for the wood, I guess. That even ender Moose is no tiddler either. If the scale is accurate, it maybe up to 5" closed.

 

[Minotaur]

There are plenty of 'pack' canoes available - typically around 12 foot and weighing less than 20Kg, sometimes a lot less, and usually paddled with a double paddle. My son has one and you can pick it up and put it on your shoulder with one hand

Nessmuk's canoes compete with modern kevlar/carbon fibre ones weight wise.

Yes, Nessmuk's fixed blade knife in the trio is a slicer, not a wood processor. Bacon, bread, also skinning/butchering etc.

It does seem to be designed for animal processing.

The hatchet and the moose slipjoint for the wood, I guess. That even ender Moose is no tiddler either. If the scale is accurate, it maybe up to 5" closed.

Slipjoint was the cooking and carving knife. The double-bladed axe was for wood and bone.

 

[Broch]

Yes, Nessmuk's fixed blade knife in the trio is a slicer, not a wood processor. Bacon, bread, also skinning/butchering etc.

The hatchet and the moose slipjoint for the wood, I guess. That even ender Moose is no tiddler either. If the scale is accurate, it maybe up to 5" closed.

I would disagree, although the blade is relatively thin, so you probably wouldn't want to treat it too harshly, the copy I made was very good at processing small section timber. Holding it in the hand, it just felt right 'chopping'. Of course, if you had his double-bit axe, you would probably choose to use that.

 

[shaggystu]

Vape, phone and credit card. Times have changed

If you put your cards on your phone you could carry an emergency powerbank as well, nothing worse than a vape with no battery.

 

[GreyCat]

There are plenty of 'pack' canoes available - typically around 12 foot and weighing less than 20Kg, sometimes a lot less, and usually paddled with a double paddle. My son has one and you can pick it up and put it on your shoulder with one hand

How about a Coracle.....?

GC

 

[Broch]

How about a Coracle.....?

GC

I have made a coracle - great for fishing from, but I wouldn't want to 'journey' in one

 

[stonepark]

One of my overriding thoughts was that the show was very much survival with moments of Bushcraft. Does not Bushcraft always have an idea of moving into the wilderness and building a cabin in the woods? Combined with an idea of moving through the environment like Ötzi or similar.


You are allowed the pouch however, no accessories, so you only get the removable bits in the tool. That has to be half of the thing, along with the blade being a better animal processor.


I do not think anyone has brought a double-bit axe.

Something that occurred to me when writing this reply was that Nessmuk's trio is an Alone solution as he designed it for the same reasons in that it aimed mainly at animal processing.

Unlike the earlier visions of Ötzi as a tribal chief or similar on some great journey, what is more likely is he was one of the local tribal hunters (i.e. common man), out for 2-5 days from the village on a hunt, possibly with others, and whom appears to have had a fatal altercation and then been left behind. The evidence of cereals and dicots (think herbs and early brassicas such as mustard) as well as pemmican (though termed meat and fat) in his stomach and possessions as well as goatskins, and other both domesticated and wild, well stitched and designed pelts as his clothing, suggests a tribal agrarian lifestyle supplemented with hunting, as do his tools/weapons and backpack?

Bronze age man was a lot more intelligent and ingenious than historians, even today’s historians (still caught up with the Victorian sense of modern superiority) give them credit for.

Didn't know that accessories that came with the tool were not permitted in the pouch.

I am surprised no one has brought a double bit axe to date, in the past they were always the more expensive option but were more efficient at felling and limbing but less efficient at splitting than single bitted axes.

What many miss is that Nessmuk also carried a firearm for game hunting and as such could obtain a ready supply of small to large game to process and eat, which contestants in Alone are denied for more primitive hunting equipment, but which obviously affected Nessmuks choice in knives.

 

[forrestdweller]

What you require for well provisioned camping is different than what you require for survival with very limited resources.

For Alone, especially when dealing with stainless steel snare wire a multi tool makes sense, especially with 1 or 2 blades (straight and serrated), mini saw, scissors, file\diamond sharpener, screwdriver\drill bit holder and various attachments you carry in the belt pouch.

Double bit felling axe and katanboy to round out the set.

let's also not forget that the participants are limited to ten items (from a list decided by the producers) and also have to follow local legal regulations (f.i. some areas didn't allow fishing hooks with barbs)...

 

[Broch]

Unlike the earlier visions of Ötzi as a tribal chief or similar on some great journey, what is more likely is he was one of the local tribal hunters (i.e. common man), out for 2-5 days from the village on a hunt, possibly with others, and whom appears to have had a fatal altercation and then been left behind. The evidence of cereals and dicots (think herbs and early brassicas such as mustard) as well as pemmican (though termed meat and fat) in his stomach and possessions as well as goatskins, and other both domesticated and wild, well stitched and designed pelts as his clothing, suggests a tribal agrarian lifestyle supplemented with hunting, as do his tools/weapons and backpack?

Bronze age man was a lot more intelligent and ingenious than historians, even today’s historians (still caught up with the Victorian sense of modern superiority) give them credit for.

Didn't know that accessories that came with the tool were not permitted in the pouch.

I am surprised no one has brought a double bit axe to date, in the past they were always the more expensive option but were more efficient at felling and limbing but less efficient at splitting than single bitted axes.

What many miss is that Nessmuk also carried a firearm for game hunting and as such could obtain a ready supply of small to large game to process and eat, which contestants in Alone are denied for more primitive hunting equipment, but which obviously affected Nessmuks choice in knives.

If you read his letters, Nessmuk often trekked without hunting at all though.