French Windlass

[Wayland]

This is an idea I've been trying out recently and it works really well so I thought I'd share it.

I've called it the “French” windlass because I first came across it in a book called “North” by French adventurer Nicolas Vanier and I thought if the French were ever to invent a windlass it would have something to do with cooking.


The idea is a simple way of holding a pot over a fire with a cord wrapped around a bar supported by two forked sticks.


The clever bit is the shaping of the ends into a triangular prism which stops the bar from rotating when a load is put on the cord.


A gentle lift of the bar allows you to rotate the bar and unwind the cord but when the bar is dropped back into the forks it remains secure and holds the pot at the height you have set.

 

[Scout]

Nice setup. The hook looks great as well.


Nathan

 

[addo]

What a great and simple idea!

 

[shaggystu]

i saw this done at a cub camp back when i was in short trousers but i'd forgotten all about it, thanks for the reminder wayland, i shall have a play with one of those the next time i'm out.

stuart

 

[Wayland]

I have to admit I was impressed.

I hadn't seen it before either which is unusual for me. I read around a lot, both bushcrafty and historical sources, but I think the Vanier book was the first time I'd ever seen this.

As you say, it's so simple but I couldn't help thinking why hadn't I thought of that before...

 

[RonW]

Nice going, Wayland!
The only thing I tried from this book are the mocassins, but I keep looking into that book over and over again....
There's just so much I want to try.....

 

[Wayland]

I'm not one to let a good idea go to waste.

 

[Man of Tanith]

nice one!
i shall try that next time i get a chance to go out for the night
thanks muchly

 

[Wayland]

No problem.

Over on BcUSA someone made a good point that it would probably still work with flats on one end only which would allow it to be adjusted by lifting just that end.

Might be worth a try.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Nice find Gary! would a branch stub left on the end with the flats help with turning, though I guess it wouldn't have a lot of weight on, less your cooking for a group maybe,

 

[BOD]

Amazing.

Strange that Mors doesn't mention it in his book when there are so many other methods

 

[shaggystu]

Nice find Gary! would a branch stub left on the end with the flats help with turning, though I guess it wouldn't have a lot of weight on, less your cooking for a group maybe,

if you used a branch stub on the horizontal part and a loop of cordage around the upright part at the same end you could do away with the need to carve flats at all, just wind to the required height, slip the loop of cord over your branch stub and bob's your uncle.

does that make sense?

stuart

 

[IanM]

We used to do this in the Scouts some fifty years ago. I though everyone knew it!

What else has been lost?

 

[Wayland]

Like many things, skills get forgotten as different ideas become fashionable.

I'm quite sure this is an old method, it's just not one I've seen in any of the recent books or even the older ones I've seen.

Worth bringing up though.

 

[mrcairney]

It's so simple too. Should I ever need to cook that way, I'm pulling this one out of the bag. Thanks Gary.

 

[mountainm]

If only I had some sort of button to recommend this thread ;-)

 

[MartinK9]

Like many things, skills get forgotten as different ideas become fashionable.

I'm quite sure this is an old method, it's just not one I've seen in any of the recent books or even the older ones I've seen.

Worth bringing up though.

Very Much so.

I saw this in action at Rough Close, fantastic.

 

[GordonM]

I'll definitely give the French Windlass a go. Thanks for sharing it!

Gordy

 

[Harvestman]

That's a nice setup. I could see myself using that idea. Thanks.

 

[jdlenton]

thats very cool thanks wayland I'll give it a go when i next get out