I wasn't at work today, so I decided to go for a ride.
The main thing was to try out the hatchet I got at a boot fair last sunday. I spent the day cleaning i up and sharpening it and stuff and was keen to see how it worked. So I made myself a tuna, sweetcorn and mayonaise sarnie, filled a bottle up with water, packed my knives and bits and took off out into the countryside in finest Enid Blyton fashion.
I was heading for a solitary tree that sits in the middle of a farmer's field. It's a favourite spot of mine because there's never anyone around. Here's a picture of the view:
The trees way off in the distance (about a mile and a half away) are my normal haunt, and they surround Leeds Castle.
Here's a piccie of all my bits and pieces, ready for carving:
I roughed-out a spoon with the axe. I was really pleased with it - nice and sharp and a perfect size for carving with:
Then I did most of the shaping with a knife:
Then I realised something. I forgot to bring the spoon knife. Doh! So I'll have to finish it off at home, which isn't quite as bucolic as sitting beneath a tree carving away. There was a large piece of off-cut wood which I thought would make an ideal spatula, so I did that as well:
It really surprises me how quick I've got at doing these things. To carve both the spoon and spatula took no more than half hour or so. Once they're dried I'll sand them down and they will go into my canteen.
During the ride home I passed a clump of silver birch trees, all with flaky bark, which I peeled off and stuffed in my pockets to be added to my tinder pouch.
All in all, it's been a jolly lovely day. Maybe not bushcraft in its purest sense (I suppose I should have walked and cooked up when I got there rather than take a packed lunch), but a lovely day to be out, listening to the birds and the farmer's tractor with not a single sod about. Just kicking myself that I forgot to pack my spoon knife and take a few quid with me to stop off at the pub on the way home. Such is life.
The main thing was to try out the hatchet I got at a boot fair last sunday. I spent the day cleaning i up and sharpening it and stuff and was keen to see how it worked. So I made myself a tuna, sweetcorn and mayonaise sarnie, filled a bottle up with water, packed my knives and bits and took off out into the countryside in finest Enid Blyton fashion.
I was heading for a solitary tree that sits in the middle of a farmer's field. It's a favourite spot of mine because there's never anyone around. Here's a picture of the view:
The trees way off in the distance (about a mile and a half away) are my normal haunt, and they surround Leeds Castle.
Here's a piccie of all my bits and pieces, ready for carving:
I roughed-out a spoon with the axe. I was really pleased with it - nice and sharp and a perfect size for carving with:
Then I did most of the shaping with a knife:
Then I realised something. I forgot to bring the spoon knife. Doh! So I'll have to finish it off at home, which isn't quite as bucolic as sitting beneath a tree carving away. There was a large piece of off-cut wood which I thought would make an ideal spatula, so I did that as well:
It really surprises me how quick I've got at doing these things. To carve both the spoon and spatula took no more than half hour or so. Once they're dried I'll sand them down and they will go into my canteen.
During the ride home I passed a clump of silver birch trees, all with flaky bark, which I peeled off and stuffed in my pockets to be added to my tinder pouch.
All in all, it's been a jolly lovely day. Maybe not bushcraft in its purest sense (I suppose I should have walked and cooked up when I got there rather than take a packed lunch), but a lovely day to be out, listening to the birds and the farmer's tractor with not a single sod about. Just kicking myself that I forgot to pack my spoon knife and take a few quid with me to stop off at the pub on the way home. Such is life.
chainsaws are fun but i dont think it would be quite as satisfying as felling them with an axe
