Dave Cantebury discussing Dual survival

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presterjohn

Settler
Apr 13, 2011
727
1
United Kingdom
I thought that it was one of the Pathfinder school owners that dropped him in it over his service record? I know the Americans can be very unforgiving about that sort of thing. I can kind of understand it but can also imagine it is very tempting to embellish your history when a TV studio knocks on your door offering fame and fortune. I think he made a bad call and got caught out. No one said the guy was a genius after all.

I do also wonder if the balance was quite right on the show too. They were meant to be survival experts from opposite ends of the spectrum but the reality is they were fairly similar once you got to see them together. Dave was always much more of a backwoods man rather than a military man in his style (and now we perhaps know why). Maybe Discovery thought they complimented each other to well and they wanted to see more of a conflict of styles. The new guy seems much more the gung ho soldier boy that could provide that conflict which do doubt Discovery hope to make more entertaining viewing.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
....Dave was always much more of a backwoods man rather than a military man in his style (and now we perhaps know why).....

You say that as if they were mutually exclusive. Many of our enlisted military (particularly the special forces) are from backwoods backgrounds.
 

Buggane

Member
Jul 30, 2012
45
0
Isle of Mann/ Liverpool
Just noticed this on youtube on the video. Very stoked.


gotbletu 15 hours ago
everyone lies on their resume, times are tuff these days =D, but Dave is it true u and Mykel Hawke are going to team up in a new show?


wildernessoutfitters 5 hours ago
Yes
 

leon-1

Full Member
I liked dual survival, it was a very good series. I am ex forces and as one of the other guys on here mentioned we put a lot of stead in integrity and there are a lot of people who will jump on folk for not being what they say they are, I do admit it annoys me, but I was also taught "Say What You See".

What I saw on that programme was 2 very good instructors with 2 very different styles. Cody generally has a bit more of a relaxed demeanour and appears quite laid back whereas Dave is more pro-active. Both Dave and Cody gave credit where credit was due and they both worked well off each other. Generally they kept their sense of humour and they never underestimated the importance of either fire or water in a survival situation. There was quite a trust relationship that had been built between them as demonstrated when Dave cauterized his arm with black powder. There were definite times when Dave deferred to Cody and vice versa which also shows a level of respect.

If these guys have separated and gone their own ways it will probably be due to a violation of the trust relationship without which the mutual level of respect couldn't be maintained.

This I believe to be a shame as the shows they produced are well produced television, the information that was carried within the programmes being pretty good and the two main characters both working together and being very watchable.

Given a choice of which one in a survival situation, who cares, whether you like DC or not he definitely knows his stuff as does Cody. In a survival situation you wouldn't get a choice, but you would be lucky to get either one of them.
 

Corso

Full Member
Aug 13, 2007
5,249
449
none
it was me

my mistake was giving up on looking at his channel a while back. It's clear things have moved on from the pathfinder product reviews (quite how you review your own products is beyond me) and his obsesion with the 10' C's that choaked up his channel - I gave up looking after the service record fallout......
 

JJJ

Tenderfoot
Nov 22, 2008
53
0
cumbria
I gave up on Mr Canterbury years ago. I have no problem with Youtubers learning as they go but dislike instant google experts. There are some great guys out there but also many, many walts.. DC though, has always showed many walt flaws.To keep things simple I would say choose one of his videos with a subject you have experience in.The first one that glared at me was where he was surprised to be cold at night in the snow. I have been cold in the early hours for 50 years , expecting it I always had extra layers at hand. There will be a video which sends warning bells to you. It needn't be this walt telling you how to kill an intruder in you home.
If you can use a bow drill or are a photographer, look at the first video in the fire starting set that has been used to justify forgiving DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RwdM4EQiIqk

Firstly as a typical walt he has to claim to be superior and put down other you tubers. The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven. His claim to have Mountain leader qualifications demands trust until your mate or child gets into a life threatening situation in Snowdonia with someone pretending to understand the hills. DC has set up a youth wing, I hate regulation but these guys make me think twice about it..
Look at this video, or ask someone you know who can use a bow drill. I kept an open mind, thinking that maybe Dave had discovered that the traditional teachings were all wrong. But then more and more clues pointed to this video being complete bull****.I won't spoil it by naming them, but his failure to get an ember and then claims to have succeeded but then for embers not to be glowing are hilarious . The coup de grace , is that despite his failures he kept the camera rolling.( walter overconfidence) Until that final ember which didn't take so he has cut the film, somehow lit the ember and then faded back in.It's a shame criticism can be removed on you tube
So whats wrong with Canterbury's lies...why not forgive. Firstly can you trust him? Is it just theatre to bull**** in this bowdrill video? To run around on Discovery channel claiming that he will die if his torch runs out despite the camera crew following him. Is he qualified to take youngsters into a possibly life threatening situation?A river crossing for example!
They are all worries BUT it is the insult that he has gone to war and is who he is that grates on veterans nerves.War is hard. In the Falklands 255 servicemen and women died brutal deaths. Over twice that number have killed themselves since returning, unable to deal with the memories.. The present number and the expected number of vets returning from current conflicts with PSTD is even more frightening. Among SF one SF run charity is claiming 80%.of SAS troopers already suffer. Remember Canterbury didn't just lie on a CV to get a job. His early videos were dominated by references and film of Rangers in action to create the myth.
I was about to say more but this says it all

"He claimed bona fides legitimately earned by friends I've buried. Screw him."


 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
24
69
south wales
I thought that it was one of the Pathfinder school owners that dropped him in it over his service record?.

IIRC, under the American Freedom of Information Act pretty much anyone can have access to an individuals military records so it could have been anyone.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
I gave up on Mr Canterbury years ago. I have no problem with Youtubers learning as they go but dislike instant google experts. There are some great guys out there but also many, many walts.. DC though, has always showed many walt flaws.To keep things simple I would say choose one of his videos with a subject you have experience in.The first one that glared at me was where he was surprised to be cold at night in the snow. I have been cold in the early hours for 50 years , expecting it I always had extra layers at hand. There will be a video which sends warning bells to you. It needn't be this walt telling you how to kill an intruder in you home.
If you can use a bow drill or are a photographer, look at the first video in the fire starting set that has been used to justify forgiving DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RwdM4EQiIqk

Firstly as a typical walt he has to claim to be superior and put down other you tubers. The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven. His claim to have Mountain leader qualifications demands trust until your mate or child gets into a life threatening situation in Snowdonia with someone pretending to understand the hills. DC has set up a youth wing, I hate regulation but these guys make me think twice about it..
Look at this video, or ask someone you know who can use a bow drill. I kept an open mind, thinking that maybe Dave had discovered that the traditional teachings were all wrong. But then more and more clues pointed to this video being complete bull****.I won't spoil it by naming them, but his failure to get an ember and then claims to have succeeded but then for embers not to be glowing are hilarious . The coup de grace , is that despite his failures he kept the camera rolling.( walter overconfidence) Until that final ember which didn't take so he has cut the film, somehow lit the ember and then faded back in.It's a shame criticism can be removed on you tube
So whats wrong with Canterbury's lies...why not forgive. Firstly can you trust him? Is it just theatre to bull**** in this bowdrill video? To run around on Discovery channel claiming that he will die if his torch runs out despite the camera crew following him. Is he qualified to take youngsters into a possibly life threatening situation?A river crossing for example!
They are all worries BUT it is the insult that he has gone to war and is who he is that grates on veterans nerves.War is hard. In the Falklands 255 servicemen and women died brutal deaths. Over twice that number have killed themselves since returning, unable to deal with the memories.. The present number and the expected number of vets returning from current conflicts with PSTD is even more frightening. Among SF one SF run charity is claiming 80%.of SAS troopers already suffer. Remember Canterbury didn't just lie on a CV to get a job. His early videos were dominated by references and film of Rangers in action to create the myth.
I was about to say more but this says it all

"He claimed bona fides legitimately earned by friends I've buried. Screw him."



I've said it before but I guess it must be repeated. Starting a fire with a bow drill is purely a bushcraft (read "for fun") undertaking. It has no bearing whatsoever on a survival situation. Use your matches or your lighter. It's that simple. If you don't have any with you, then you must be the walt (no really experienced person would dream of going without them)

Next I have to question what the reference to the Rangers has to do with Special Forces? The Rangers are an "elite" group; not a part of the "Special Forces."

As for DC embelishing his service history, I cain't say that I agree with him. I don't; it was wrong. That said it's hardly anything new. Veterans have been telling "war stories" since the first an army existed.
 
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monkey spanner

Forager
Jul 4, 2010
160
0
kent
Firstly as a typical walt he has to claim to be superior and put down other you tubers. The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven. His claim to have Mountain leader qualifications demands trust until your mate or child gets into a life threatening situation in Snowdonia with someone pretending to understand the hills.

Posted by JJJ

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE.

TROLL.

Mod's can you please look into this.
 
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bigroomboy

Nomad
Jan 24, 2010
443
0
West Midlands
I gave up on Mr Canterbury years ago. I have no problem with Youtubers learning as they go but dislike instant google experts. There are some great guys out there but also many, many walts.. DC though, has always showed many walt flaws.To keep things simple I would say choose one of his videos with a subject you have experience in.The first one that glared at me was where he was surprised to be cold at night in the snow. I have been cold in the early hours for 50 years , expecting it I always had extra layers at hand. There will be a video which sends warning bells to you. It needn't be this walt telling you how to kill an intruder in you home.
If you can use a bow drill or are a photographer, look at the first video in the fire starting set that has been used to justify forgiving DC http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RwdM4EQiIqk

Firstly as a typical walt he has to claim to be superior and put down other you tubers. The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven. His claim to have Mountain leader qualifications demands trust until your mate or child gets into a life threatening situation in Snowdonia with someone pretending to understand the hills. DC has set up a youth wing, I hate regulation but these guys make me think twice about it..
Look at this video, or ask someone you know who can use a bow drill. I kept an open mind, thinking that maybe Dave had discovered that the traditional teachings were all wrong. But then more and more clues pointed to this video being complete bull****.I won't spoil it by naming them, but his failure to get an ember and then claims to have succeeded but then for embers not to be glowing are hilarious . The coup de grace , is that despite his failures he kept the camera rolling.( walter overconfidence) Until that final ember which didn't take so he has cut the film, somehow lit the ember and then faded back in.It's a shame criticism can be removed on you tube
So whats wrong with Canterbury's lies...why not forgive. Firstly can you trust him? Is it just theatre to bull**** in this bowdrill video? To run around on Discovery channel claiming that he will die if his torch runs out despite the camera crew following him. Is he qualified to take youngsters into a possibly life threatening situation?A river crossing for example!
They are all worries BUT it is the insult that he has gone to war and is who he is that grates on veterans nerves.War is hard. In the Falklands 255 servicemen and women died brutal deaths. Over twice that number have killed themselves since returning, unable to deal with the memories.. The present number and the expected number of vets returning from current conflicts with PSTD is even more frightening. Among SF one SF run charity is claiming 80%.of SAS troopers already suffer. Remember Canterbury didn't just lie on a CV to get a job. His early videos were dominated by references and film of Rangers in action to create the myth.
I was about to say more but this says it all

"He claimed bona fides legitimately earned by friends I've buried. Screw him."



I have no idea what a Walt is? I'm not saying what you are saying is right or wrong, I don't know, but how are you so sure you know the truth? Also I assume you are referring to my posts of his videos when you say "justify forgiving DC" that is not the case they were posted only to prove he may have some useful youtube videos.

I'll tell you my experience of the bow drill. I don't use it to start a fire I nearly always use a ferro rod for that, the bow drill is very hard especially if you have to find the parts outside with out prep. When I have made a coal (and only a few times as I only do it for fun) it has never been glowing it always starts as a white spot with a continual whisp of smoke that I can then blow into a bigger coal which glows as I blow on it.

I have watched a lot of his videos and seen him make lots of mistakes that he does not edit out of his videos which is a fact I like about his videos, everybody makes mistakes especially when trying to do something under the pressure of filming.

My view on the CV shinannigans whil be different to other because I have never served in any army, but my thoughts are. The US army is very large and like any army only a small fraction are front line troops. However ask any selection of ex army people and you will always get a far higher fraction of people with war stories of some kind.

The army is like any job especially when you have left it. What I do know is many people in the civilian world would happily embellish their CV or even go further. He had training, he said he had experience. Two very different things but not a large leap to make on a CV for anybody.

I respect him for his work on dual survival and his youtube videos, and don't think he did anything worse than millions of other people, thats enough for me.
 

presterjohn

Settler
Apr 13, 2011
727
1
United Kingdom
I
. The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven. His claim to have Mountain leader qualifications demands trust until your mate or child gets into a life threatening situation in Snowdonia with someone pretending to understand the hills. DC has set up a youth wing, I hate regulation but these guys make me think twice about it..



"He claimed bona fides legitimately earned by friends I've buried. Screw him."



So is Mike Dixon a fantasist too? That is news to me. I have no noticed him boasting about his military background other than to say he is ex-military.
 

Corso

Full Member
Aug 13, 2007
5,249
449
none
The English walt Mike Dixon ( wall2rockclimber) actually claimed to have taken over a patrol in Iraq from DC because he was incompetent . Dixon illustrates why walts should not be forgiven.

Evidence please
 

kawasemi

Full Member
May 27, 2009
1,687
66
Where the path takes me
...my two pennies if you please.

I'm not going to wrangle about the youtube vid or his army record, but this is the DC I have met online through the Pathfinder website/company.

In a nutshell - I placed an order for some gear/clothing. Arrived promptly but some of the gear was not what was ordered. After a quick email exchange, the right stuff was shipped and the incorrect gear was donated to the work I do with the local Scouts...for the use of.

Good guy, good company as far as I am concerned.

kawasemi
 
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JJJ

Tenderfoot
Nov 22, 2008
53
0
cumbria
Oh sorry folks, I know there was a Mike Dixon thread on this forum. at the time I avoided it as my feelings were still a bit raw, but I assumed it was general knowledge.I know what a shock the truth can be .I didn't out him, it was numerous guys at http://www.arrse.co.uk/waltenkommando-192
Firstly DC. I light a fire once or twice a day. I teach my kids the " use one match " boy scout approach. The bowdrill is not a daily routine, but I know guys who have it pat.The point that I was making, with that the bowdrill video, was that it was held up as evidence to DC's skills . Yet it is blatant that he lied and faked it. Why?

Unfortunately within military circles we use the word walt. When a civilian looks at the word he might see " lied on his cv" The reality is that we should us the word "conman" to help others understand. I must say that the vast majority of ex-servicemen that I know do NOT lie about their service. It is an insult to say it is common.
Anyway Dixon. I phoned him because he had claimed to have had special training in the use of the MOD knife whilst surviving for 6 weeks with just a survival tin in the Belize jungle.He did not give one straight answer but did tell me that he worked with the SBS, SAS and the support groups in Iraq.( plus removed DC from commanding a patrol) He also said that he had seen too much and was suffering from PSTD. I have had it bad for 30 odd years but like a lot of friends continued to return to situations that compounded it.I have also been involved in counselling troops since the Gulf war. Unfortunately I gave Dixon loads of support. Imported items from the states because he didn't have a credit card, manufactured dozens of stoves for his store and provided him with loads of ideas based on decades of surviving the hard way in over a hundred countries. Trust me guys he was supported as one of us by a number of friends because of lies.As a typical conman he owes a lot of money. The Snowdon story is just as true. He was trusted but found lacking the hard way. A friend thought he would die when the weather turned and they did not have the right equipment,He had to bug out his way.
When I saw the TROLL comment I wondered whether to let things lie. I have not touched on things like whether he was one of Ray Mears's original instructors.He claimed to be testing kit for BCB. Once made up a story of firing various weapons with distinction on the BCB firing range. The reality was that Stuart from World Of Survival supplied the kit **** knows if there is a range.. As soon as he realised he had been caught out, he removed all videos incriminating him, just as Canterbury has.They both made loads of bull**** claims.It has been recorded though! Dixon claimed to be in dozens of wars, Canterbury bull****ted too!
Still doubt? Dixon found me at the first Bushcraft and Survival Show at Windermere. Despite booking he did not make the next one or even the far better Wilderness Gatherings that he had booked for.Why? More broken promises and funnily maybe he has learnt some survival skills.
I have spoken to a lot of folk who have been around the block( sorry my 14 yr old likes rap) For myself, knifemakers,Special Forces and other guys who have used long lost skills to survive,to one thing we all think in common is that you bushcrafters seem to be the nicest guys on the planet.Those of us who work at bushcraft shows all remark that they are the shows with the nicest people. For that reason be careful of bull****ters., Your openness is a potential flaw. Mike was a storeman who never went to Iraq, Afgan, Belize, Bosnia etc as claimed.
Finally if you know anyone with PTSD and they are getting no where with CBT. Get in touch. 30 odd years of 4 types of flashback and I am cured. Looking back the treatment was obvious. Rock on EMDR!


CONMEN ARE CONMEN I could say much more!
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
....Firstly DC. I light a fire once or twice a day. I teach my kids the " use one match " boy scout approach. The bowdrill is not a daily routine, but I know guys who have it pat......

....Anyway Dixon. I phoned him because he had claimed to have had special training in the use of the MOD knife whilst surviving for 6 weeks with just a survival tin in the Belize jungle.He did not give one straight answer but did tell me that he worked with the SBS, SAS and the support groups in Iraq.( plus removed DC from commanding a patrol).....

The Boy Scouts teach starting a fire with no more than TWO matches. Not one.

Dave Cantebury was an enlisted man; enlisted do not "command" anything. That's an officer's job.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
.....I have spoken to a lot of folk who have been around the block( sorry my 14 yr old likes rap) For myself, knifemakers,Special Forces and other guys who have used long lost skills to survive.....

I guess I'll just have to go on beating this dead horse. SF do not concentate especially hard on survival skills. They're where they are to perform a mission. They don't have time to forage nor the option of lighting a fire that would betray their position. They infiltrate, operate, and extricate.
 
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