Christening the billy can :D

[Will_]

A few months ago I bought a Zebra billy can, but I never had a chance to Christen it.
I had a few hours after work today, so I decided to head out into the forest and cook up some dinner over a camp fire

I found a beautiful spot. I've never seen anyone out here in 2 years of long hikes with the dog almost every other day.

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It was getting dark so I quickly cut some fallen branches to make a simple frame to suspend my billy can, cleared an area for a fire and gathered some good fire wood.

Everything was damp. I had a pocketful of curly grass drying, and I made myself some super hasty feather sticks. They're terrible - I know!

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I tried a new method - leaning over the stick, with one end of it in my chest, and one end on a rock on the ground.
It made feathersticking with a large knife (my MOD survival knife) way easier! Gonna try it again when I have time to make some proper feathersticks.

I took with me a dried cramp ball. I think maybe it got damp in the top of my pack, or that I split it too soon and let it get cold/damp because it wouldn't take a spark from my firesteel.

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I tried for about 10 minutes, then I called for Old Faithless
I know there were a lot of doubting Thomases when I posted that my dog's fur is an incredibly reliable tinder, but once again, even though she'd been jumping in a stream, I manged to get it to take a spark from my firesteel

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The next time I have someone with me I'll video it for all the unbelievers!

The terrible feathersticks did their job, and burned long enough to get a load of dead twigs and branches going.

Then I set up my frame and got cooking!
Noodles, left over chicken and lemon juice

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Washed it down with a drop of Jagermeister

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A great evening out!

I used to live for adventure and wilderness expeditions. I never get the chance any more - traded that life for my ultimate adventure - my wife and children
But it was nice to cook over a fire again, even if it was just for a few hours...
It's been too long.

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[Man of Tanith]

Looks and sounds great.


apart from the jaegermeister.......bad bad memories

 

[Clouston98]

Nice one mate!

Now off to borrow some of my dogs hair and see if she's any good (golden retriver) .

 

[Mick721]

Nice one. I've got a long haired GSD too and can't get her hair to light. But then again I've been known to struggle with birch bark so it's probably more an issue with my technique rather than my dogs flammability. Must try harder. Also good to see someone drinking Jaegermeister the way it's meant to be drunk. None of this red bull nonsense.

 

[Mesquite]

Looks like a great time out

 

[Will_]

Nice one. I've got a long haired GSD too and can't get her hair to light. But then again I've been known to struggle with birch bark so it's probably more an issue with my technique rather than my dogs flammability. Must try harder. Also good to see someone drinking Jaegermeister the way it's meant to be drunk. None of this red bull nonsense.

Jagermeister is a lovely tipple. Overdid it on my stag do though

Will's top tips for getting GSD fur to take a spark
I always pull out the tufts of fur that come out easily. (She's almost always malting!)
Get about a handful.
The trick to getting it to take a spark is to go ape sh#t with the firesteel I had to strike it maybe 15 times this evening.
Be prepared for the smell!
Don't try in indoors unless someone annoying is in the house and you want them to leave.

If no-one manages this then I can only conclude that I have a flammable dog, and I'm going to have to have her coated in flame retardant.

 

[ozzy1977]

Great stuff

 

[Mick721]

I'll have to try again. A mag block might help it along.