DIY Bushcraft

[John Fenna]

Inspired over the weekend camp by Roly's Trug kitchen bags and Stewart's request for a cover for his Dutch Oven - Tah-Da
The Dutch Oven Trug!

This one is sized to take my Bakestone in the base and my middling sized Dutchy - or various other bits of Kitchenalia as needed....but theoretically they could be made any size! Carry it all in and then hang it on a tripod for ease of access for all your cooking kit
Made from scraps of 8oz canvas (from my 1955 soft pack project) and an old webbing belt.

 

[Woody girl]

Very neat solution. May have to get my sewing machine out again. You have inspired me too.

 

[Broch]

Oh I like that! As Woody Girl said, inspiring stuff

 

[John Fenna]

I am in the middle of making a smaller one - in camo - as a food bag ... I see the condiments and sauces fitting in the side pockets...

 

[John Fenna]

Made from n unused flying suit that I bought for the zips.... and an old belt bought for the buckles!
I may have to make another just for the beer though...

 

[Janne]

The headline on this thread is grossly misleading.
DIY?
No. Absolutely not!
Pro Grade. You must have been a seamstress ( Seamster?) in a previous life!

 

[Janne]

Have you ever worn out any of your handmade items of clothing?
To my eyes it seems to be made like in the past, rock solid.

 

[John Fenna]

Have you ever worn out any of your handmade items of clothing?
To my eyes it seems to be made like in the past, rock solid.

You know, I do not think I have worn out anything I have made...
I "out-grew" some kit as I got fat... and sold it on.
Then I "under-grew" some more as I lost an amazing amount of weight (190lbs/80 something kg) but some of my linen "Iron Age " re-enactment kit is wearing a bit thin.....
I have a Btec OND diploma in Fashion design (a bit more than an "A" level - a bit less than a degree) and designed for folk like "Craghoppers" for a while and I found out that one of my Grandfathers was a Master Shirt Cutter before 1914 - so it is in the blood!
I love making things

 

[Janne]

Most of us love making things, but you and a couple more here are extremely skilled.

Some people are blessed with a high degree of dexterity (manual skill).

 

[John Fenna]

I wish I was!
I have no Left/Right hand co-ordination ... I therefor cannot type two handed (two fingers at best!), cannot play a musical instrument nor juggle - all things I would love to do!
I also cannot get the art of sharpening spoon knives - the rolling action beats me - hand sew well nor pick up pins without stabbing myself!
I like to carve wood though...
Prehistoric Goddess figure

Figures based on Ancient (Mesolithic) carvings found on Orkney


"African Fertility figure" for a theatrical production


which is not exactly Bushcraft but fun!
And carving stone

 

[Janne]

Venus from Pembrokshire!!!!

Have they found any of these figurines in UK?

 

[John Fenna]

Venus from Pembrokshire!!!!

Have they found any of these figurines in UK?

The "Westray Wifey" is thought to be a Goddess figure and was found in one of the most Northerly of the Orkney Islands
Inspiration for my wood carvings...

 

[Woody girl]

Not up to John's fantastic standards but today I made a nice fat antler tine ferro rod to go into my home made kit rather than my bought kit. So now I have home made stove ferro rod spoon and Billy can. So that's the cooking sorted. I'm attempting to handle a blade with another tine but not having much luck at present making a long enough hole to fit the tang into. May bring it to the moot for expert help rather than mess it up. Then I'll need a sheath which I have the leather for but will wait untill knife is finished before I start on that.
I've also made my own version of a swandrI . Very basic! Love making things... however basic and badly. Your learn best by having a go I think.

 

[John Fenna]

That all sounds great!

 

[Janne]

The "Westray Wifey" is thought to be a Goddess figure and was found in one of the most Northerly of the Orkney Islands
View attachment 53345 View attachment 53346 Inspiration for my wood carvings...

I have to say that the Central European Godesses were more attractive!



Is it not weird that there must have been a very similar religion/belief all across Euroasia (and Africa?)
Indicates a healthy movement and interaction between the various people, tribes.

Did the Orkneys have a land connection to the rest of Europe?
If not - those people were advanced sea farers!

So little we know, so much has been lost!

 

[John Fenna]

Orkney was the center of the North Sea to Atlantic sea routes and visited by EVERYONE!
Center of Viking travels and before then Stoneage man had a huge Religious center there that influenced not only Britain but Europe as well.
A magic place!

 

[Janne]

Yes, but that is recent. Yesterday. What, 4-5 thousand years ago?

Those Goddesses are what, 25 000 years old?
The Venus from Dolni Vestonice is thought to be close to 30 000 old..

I plan to visit the various islands north of Scotland in a few years, plus Svalbard and some other north of Norway. That one next year is the plan.

 

[John Fenna]

A better photo of my Orkney carvings along with a carved bone pin with "Brodgar Butterfly " decoration ...

Carved on Orkney from driftwood found on Orkney...
The one at the back is meant to represent St Magnus - and the wood is riddled with ships worm holes ... while the front one is my take on the Westray Wifey....
Oh - and the decoration on thepin is not visible in this shot...

 

[Terry.m.]

Well - come on... lets see some other folks DIY bits

Hi John I would but I still have not finished my first ever spoon I started at the winter moot with Tony and you.
Lol

I am doing a course in couple of weeks with Paul K and Ray g, I hope to finish then should I get time.

Hope your feeling better.?!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John Fenna]

Have fun on the course - two really great teachers!
Ray was my Mentor for my 5star Open Canoe award and Paul taught me some tracking and foraging skills - amongst other things ... they might remember me, might not...
I am getting there with the health and hope to be back at work next month...