frosts clipper info

[British Red]

Leon,

Spoons (good ones) are much harder. The feather stick is a fantastic tool though. Fine curls of wood are shaved down the stick (staying attached though) and you build up a mass of fine curls of wood attached to the stock. This should be done on a dry piece of wood. When added to the burning tinder you have lit with your fire steel etc. the thin curls catch quickly and then set fire to the larger stick. Even if the outside is damp, if its old, dead wood, the inner should be dry which is another plus.

Theres an art to doing them well - the finer the better, the curlier the better - theres a picture in your Mors Kochanski book. Its a real skill to be able to do them well. four of five good ones really get your fire going well. Even if you just have a few sticks to mess with in a small garden, its a good skill to learn. Stick a photo up when you have a really good one (you neve know it might be better than mine!)

Red

 

[leon-b]

ok as soon as i get my clipper i will get a couple of sticks and give it a go
i have seen ray mears make curves so fine that he can light them with a firesteel

 

[British Red]

yes i thought carving a featherstick would be easier is there a certain type of wood you recommend or can you use any

Whatevers dry and sticklike mate - I usually look for standing dry wood (a fallen caught up branch etc.), easy enough to lick up a stick or two on your travels - any dry stick will do.

You really should ask your mum / dad to help you practice firelighting in the garden. They (the fires) don't have to be big and can be contained in an old barbecue, roasting dish, flat bit of metal, old paving slab, anything fire proof really.

I know you don't need them to help (and if they say you can do it on your own, thats fine), but all adults are just big kids and we like to play too (and if we get enthusiastic about it, you get to do more stuff ).

Red

 

[British Red]

ok as soon as i get my clipper i will get a couple of sticks and give it a go
i have seen ray mears make curves so fine that he can light them with a firesteel

Thats a real art form mate - if you can light a feather stick from a firesteel, you win a bushcraft related prize (no guys not all of you, just Leon)!

Red

 

[leon-b]

yes my mum doesnt mind me cooking on an open fire when i am bushcrafting out in the forest so i dont think she will mind if i practise in the garden

 

[leon-b]

i know you must have to carve them well fine
ray has got alot of skil though

 

[British Red]

No skill + time + patience + practice = skill

Well fine is right - about as thick as a piece of cotton thread (or better yet finer)

Serious offer though - a prize when you can achieve it reliably - fair enough?

Red

 

[rapidboy]

I abuse a Frosts clipper every day.
As my rough working knife it's used for cutting ,scraping and reaming all sorts of materials.
I use it as a chisel and I often batton it through wood, light metal, plaster and cement.
It's often used as a lever and gets sharpened regularly.
Many lunchtimes it's also used as a throwing knife for a bit of fun.
Im sure a lifetime of bushcrafting would not be as hard as a couple of month's of daily use on a building site.
They really are very tough and normal use should never be a problem for these knives.

 

[wingstoo]

Thats a real art form mate - if you can light a feather stick from a firesteel, you win a bushcraft related prize (no guys not all of you, just Leon)!

Red

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Sorry Red...couldn't restrain my self...

LS

So very good questions Leon, but books are one thing...doing it is quite different.

 

[leon-b]

ok red if your serious i better get practising
i have never done it in my life so how hard is it

 

[leon-b]

i will take a photo of it when i have done it

 

[British Red]

ok red if your serious i better get practising
i have never done it in my life so how hard is it

How hard? Making a basic feather stick takes a good few practice sessions. Making one thats fine enough to light (and stay alight) with a single match - quite a few more. Making one you can light with a fire steel - how would I know? I've tried it a few times - can't get the trick of it at all! I know it can be done cos others have achieved it, me - not managed it yet. Fire steel - no probs with other tinder. Flint and steel - yep. Fire piston - no problem. Solar, yep several different ways, electrical - easy, chemical - yep, fire by friction, natuarally - firesteel and featherstick - AAAARGHHHHH nope. You get a prize, cos I expect you explain to me how you got it to work, what technique you used etc.

Red

 

[leon-b]

ok i will practise and practise and hopefully i will get it
if i do it shall i just send you a couple of pics

 

[Cormac]

ive been doing some looking

you can get carbon / stainless
silid green handle/2 tone plastic /birch

and you can get one with a finger guard

which would /have ye chosen and why

 

[BOD]

Leon -b,

Just thought you might be interested in seeing what can be done with the feather stick art.

It is used to leave messages (left on a tree by a trail) by the natives here and also for religious ceremonies.

They can turn a stick into a volleyball sized ball of fuzz in less than a minute.

Being someone who cuts off more curls than he leaves on the stick, I seldom unsheath a knife when these guys are around!

I'm sure you will do far better.

 

[leon-b]

sorry cormac i dnt quite understand

 

[Cormac]

what options would you get on the knife

type of blade ,lenth,type of handle

 

[rapidboy]

I use a stainless version for my rough work knife as it's a softer steel than the carbon version.
The stainles blade doesn't take as good an edge as the carbon blade but is very resistant to chipping and i use mine daily as lever without damage.
For bushcraft i'd use the carbon version as they take a much better edge.

 

[leon-b]

well it a bit late now as i have just bought the stainless version for bushcraft
oh well

 

[BOD]

Its still an excellent knife for most people beginner or otherwise.

Remember that rapidboy is far more skilled than most and can get more out of the blade than us.

It' s like learning to play a violin, there is no point having a Stradivarius.