I find myself sceptical that anyone who can speak of wearing Arc’teryx to fancy restaurants will ever find themselves in such a situation to unravel a precious belt to make 80 metres of rope. I have needed rope to lower a pack down a small cliff…10m was plenty and was easily carried in said pack as ridge line for the tarp.
When you want rope, you want to be able to use it to tie things. Dyneema does not hold knots.
Fun fact. Dyneema, while available in all kinds of colours, does not hold dye well. The cord is treated with waxy coloured material, in part to lubricate it as rope. This will wear off, quite a lot transferring to the trousers you wear it with.
To be a suitable material for a steel striker for real flint, it mustn’t just be high carbon, but low alloy too. O-1 tool steel does not make a good striker. Left bare, such steels rust at the first hint of moisture. Adding protective coatings will just make one less inclined to use to make fire.
A person is a well funded experienced outdoorsman, capable of lighting a fire in a dire survival situation with a bit of flint they find on the ground and their special belt buckle. How many places where you might need fire have flint lying around? Not in the Highlands. So, carry flint with you, and what about the dry char cloth tinder? Carry that too, be prepared….so why not actually be smart and carry a peanut lighter or Nano Strike ferro rod? I think that any well funded outdoorsman will carry practical fire lighting kit when they think they might need it. At which point the super special rusty belt buckle is naught but an affectation, a talisman at best.
Save time, effort and money. Carry a coil of cord in a back pocket. Buy some pretty Exotac fire lighter thing (I have one, it’s nice) and a titanium peanut lighter. Will look great with the Arc’teryx look, won’t stain them, and will be much more likely to be practically useful when you need it.
I think your skepticism is antiquated, Mr. Mod.
That I don’t represent the norm is a given and perhaps the prospect of mentioned duality stirs something within you but that is, as they say, yours, not mine.
I backpacked an accumulated duration of roughly seven years out of my life.
I feel confident in saying very few people who have a successful YouTube channel and feel they can share their opinions with authority have that experience.
In 2009 alone I slept ten months of that year in a tent. Took me three weeks just to get used to a bed again.
On the other hand I also worked in decent jobs and own several suits, some of which were made in Savile Row and wore shoes bought at Crockett & Jones.
A person need not be just one thing and it’s OK to have several priorities.
I feel we all have different sides and those deserve to have an outlet as opposed to representing a status we shouldn’t venture beyond.
That said, I’m a beginner when it comes to Bushcrafting.
The idea for the belt had little to do with your reasoning.
I fully agree with the logic and have often expressed similar opinions.
I’ve had many private conversations with Dave Canterbury (probably 10-15 private conversations) and I too had the opinion that in reality I see no sensical likelihood of ever finding myself without a lighter: I usually have 5 mini bic lighters. Some in my pockets (trousers and jacket) some in the top of my bag. Some in my cook kit. Etc.
If I travel with my wife or a friend I will make sure they too have at least two. So in what world will I ever find myself without at least one of them?
With that in mind, why practice a bow drill?
Suffice it to say, not all of our attractions and needs can be satisfied by logic.
A person does not stop wanting chocolate or whisky by logically deducing that it’s unhealthy. You can overcome the desire but you can’t stop the desire.
I want to make a braided belt because I want to make a braided belt.
Also, by the way, Dyneema can very much hold a knot. Perhaps not as well and perhaps not as a thick rope but 2mm or 3mm can hold a knot.
I have two Hilleberg tents - the Staika and the Anaris. Both arrived with Dyneema guylines and both can be tied no problem at all.
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