Spent the weekend before last down in Wiltshire renewing my acquaintance with Joe O'Leary and the Wilderness Survival Skills team and John and Val Lord at this years Primitive tools course ( http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/primitive-tools/ ). Id originally planned to attend the Hunter Gather course and had been assiduously crafting various items for inspection when Joe told me that due to cancellations the course had been postponed until next year. I had been looking forward to the course but one consolation was that Id be able to attend the Primitive Tools course the timing of which had otherwise clashed with the Hunter Gatherer course.
I have reviewed the Primitive Tools course before here on BCUK and generally sung its praises and this year it was as enjoyable as ever though clearly more popular. On the first course there were just four of us but this year nine people came to learn the rudiments of knapping at the feet of the master John Lord as well as the basics of cordage at the feet of the other master crafter there, Johns wife Val. Talking to the other students it was evident that a number were repeat visitors for WSS and I was pleased to see that the high quality of instruction and service Id enjoyed on my first visit was paying off.
After being stuck at Tisbury station on Friday evening for about 40 minutes enjoying its many and varied delights (my fault as Id got there very early and didnt have a contact telephone number for Joe on me) I was only too happy for my lift to arrive so I could be whisked away to the tranquillity of the woods. As ever there was a welcoming fire and kettle on the go and after the safety briefing which was comprehensive but thankfully brief I was able to go and set up my shelter before it got too dark.
Due to a mix-up my dear brother was in temporary (I hope) possession of my preferred outdoor equipment and Id been forced to grab whatever stuff I could which explains how I ended up with a sleeping bag that filled a surprisingly large proportion of my 80 litre rucksack, a self-inflating Thermarest that not only didnt self-inflate (not that they ever really do of course) but in fact had started deflating before Id had a chance to lay it on the ground, and instead of my nice big tarp a US army poncho which was a trifle small to adequately cover my recumbent body.
I had told Joe about the shortcomings of my equipment before setting up my camp and having been appraised of just how short the comings were hed offered me a larger basha. The weather forecast was for heavy rain at about 4am with additional periods of heavy rain at times over the entire weekend so naturally I refused his offer of a larger waterproof covering for me and my companion the worlds biggest sleeping bag.
My sleeping bag which Id not slept in before, a Ajungilak Tyin Elite of great age that I rescued from the clutches of a homeless person (literally), reputedly has a waterproof cover and sleeping under a tiny shelter in the pouring rain seemed like the ideal way to trial the bag. Probably not the most sensible thing to do but I thought that if I did start getting wet Id just hightail it to under the parachute which wasnt far. Anyway plenty of time for being sensible when Im at work and getting paid for it.
Having set up for the night I strolled back to the main area to drink coffee and get to know the other students before the evening meal. The food was as excellent and plentiful as ever so it was a well stuffed happy camper who turned in that night to await a possible early drenching.
Fortunately it barely spotted with rain overnight, just enough for the pitter patter of raindrops on the poncho overhead to wake me for a few moments. Whether it was due to the full belly, my sleeping bag or a combination of both I had a fantastic nights sleep. Despite the demise of my Thermarest I was perfectly warm and comfortable on the ground which was a blessing as my advanced age normally means that anything other than the memory foam mattress at home means fitful sleep and numerous aches and pains in the morning.
I was up and dressed by 7.30am (my usual weekend rising time) and faced with the choice of getting the main fire going and the kettle on or going for an explore I selfishly chose the latter. Having bimbled around for a while and having spotted numerous pheasants and two roe deer the idea for a small project came to mind. I found a lump of chalk about the size of a house brick and using a flint gouge I sat down to fashion a fat lamp. Once Id completed that I strolled back to camp for coffee and breakfast.
The weather forecast was for spells of heavy rain starting later in the day and then continuing in that vein for the rest of the weekend so Joe and his team had put up two massive tarps over the knapping floor. Unusually the forecast was pretty much correct so we were later glad of the shelter the tarps provided though it did get a bit cosy at times.
The knapping started around 9.30 am with a show and tell by John and Val of various artefacts both modern and original. As I mentioned above I have attended this course a few times before but there were new insights to be gained and new objects to drool over including a beautiful Solutrean type blade.
Then the knapping began with John taking us through the process of making a hand axe. The flint spall he chose had a number of hidden flaws and it was a joy to watch as he explained and showed how he would try to overcome them and how if things didnt go to plan he would change his end goal and make either a smaller version of the original planned item or perhaps another object entirely. Watching a master of his craft challenged by his materials was an education in itself not only because of the insight it gave we students into what problems to look out for and strategies for overcoming them but also to remind us that these objects are meant to be tools first and foremost. Its a bonus if theyre beautiful but in the end theyre made to be used. The cutting edge of Johns finished biface was flawed in one spot but it was still fully fit for purpose.
After that a quick coffee and under Johns watching eyes we students sat down to turn large lumps of flint into handcrafted sharp gravel. Time flew by and I managed to make two ugly if functional hand axes. My plan for the weekend was to get more practice with the soft hammer and to practise making blades since Ive got a good few handaxes at home but need to be able to produce blades of a reasonable length as theyre in some ways more useful. Being able to make bifaces suitable for a knife blade or a projectile point would be marvellous but in the end I need blades.
We were kept suitably provisioned throughout the day with boiling water and tea and coffee making materials being brought across at regular intervals as well as lots of fruit and scrummy biscuits. For lunch we made our own sandwiches from what was provided and everyone learnt it was probably not a good idea in future to let me slice the bread with a Laplander saw.
In the afternoon the knapping continued but as the students started to complete things there were lessons from Val in the craft of cordage and John continued to do his rounds helping where necessary. Im pleased to say that I was struggling with using the soft hammer to make a knife blade and John stepped in to turn a somewhat pointy object into a beautiful tool. My hand eye co-ordination and fine motor skills arent great at the best of times and the way I was carrying on it wouldnt have been long before my knife blade became at best a small arrow point. John also gave me invaluable assistance in improving my blade making. I was a bit naughty and used a couple of blades to make some reasonable burins which I then tested on his elk hammer so apologies for that John.
The rain when it came was pretty heavy and the dampness of the air was such that the antler hammers became too soft to use effectively. During one dry spell the students used flint flakes to skin and prepare a muntjac. As ever people were amazed by how effective a tool a simple flint flake could be. Me, I just kept bashing those rocks together.
The evening and night time were the usual mix of excellent food, plenty of hot drinks and a good old yarn round the fire. The cover of my sleeping bag had got wet in a few places during the day but seemingly no water had penetrated to the inside. During the evening I laid it out behind the various wooden stools and logs to try and dry it a little. The rain absolutely pelted down at times to the extent that the space inside of the parachute seemed to fill with a fine mist for short periods.
Knapping can be hard work and most people turned in early. Considering how hard it was raining at times it did cross my mind to bed down under the parachute but then stiffening my sinews I chose a break in the rainstorm and headed towards my campsite or in reality vaguely towards my campsite as I did get a bit lost. Once under cover I was quick to undress and get into my bag and face a second night in the woods with a risk of drowning. And yes it did tip down during the night and yes my sleeping bag did get wet in places but only on the outside with the inside staying as dry and cosy as ever. Truly the Tyin Elite is the worlds most wonderful sleeping bag which could only be improved by making it considerably smaller when in my rucksack and rather lighter in weight too.
Sunday was taken up with more knapping if you wished to with an emphasis on making an object to take home using primitive tools wherever possible. Of course we had the various flint objects wed made the day before and Joe provided feathers, sinew, birch tar, hemp cord, deer rawhide and a few other bits and bobs.
The majority of students made arrows, one made an adze and another hafted an axe blade hed made but I thought Id use the small biface from the day before and make myself a knife. Wherever possible I used primitive tools but I did cheat twice. I cut the sapling for the handle with a Laplander (I would have neatened up the remaining stump with a saw anyway and the fresh cut ends were not going to be part of the finished item so why not I thought) but I did shape the ends by use of the fire the butt end suggests an animal head to me so when Im feeling brave I may try and give it a bit more definition. I also used a modern knife to remove a section of wood from where the handle was split to remove the blade. I was trying to get the best fit I could and cheated. However I then decided to reshape the slot and shaved out the modern bit with a flint tool anyway which Im glad I did.
Having wrapped the handle and then the blade in cordage (with two thin strips of leather running along the edge of the blade at its base to protect the cordage) I covered the string in pitch. Then unhappy with how the hafting had come out I pulled all the pitch and cordage off and did the whole thing again. Im reasonably happy with how the finished item turned out though the wooden part of the handle could have been a bit thicker. The seemingly bulbous resin covered end actually makes for a good grip for my relatively large hands.
Lunch was venison burgers with yet more hot drinks and the rest of the day was spent doing a bit more knapping and trying to find suitable materials to make a sheath for my knife. I was hoping to use birch bark but there was nothing quite suitable though I did get plenty to take home for other projects. As well as the blades, the handaxes and the knife I also made a drill bit and one good blade to use as a striker in my marcasite and flint fire kit. One of the other students kindly gave me some amadou when he saw me having limited success using the kit. I didnt have any amadou and everything was a bit damp so it took a great many strikes before I got a spark to catch so a big thanks to him if he reads this.
Sadly the clock ticked ever onwards and all too soon we were helping John pack his kit away Then the last minute personal kit packing and after a pleasant tramp through the woods taking in the long term shelter on the way it was back to the cars and the modern world.
Highlights: watching John at work; the woods in the morning before anyone else wakes up; the times when a strike with the hammer stone hit exactly where I wanted and the flake came off exactly how I planned
Lowlights: the rubbish train service from Salisbury up to London on that day; the rubbish train service in general; and the many times that my hammer strike went wrong and what might have been a lovely flint tool became so much future landfill.
Oh and before I forget a big thank you to John and Val for sharing their knowledge and to Joe, Zoe, Ali and Scruff for catering so well to our every whim.
I have reviewed the Primitive Tools course before here on BCUK and generally sung its praises and this year it was as enjoyable as ever though clearly more popular. On the first course there were just four of us but this year nine people came to learn the rudiments of knapping at the feet of the master John Lord as well as the basics of cordage at the feet of the other master crafter there, Johns wife Val. Talking to the other students it was evident that a number were repeat visitors for WSS and I was pleased to see that the high quality of instruction and service Id enjoyed on my first visit was paying off.
After being stuck at Tisbury station on Friday evening for about 40 minutes enjoying its many and varied delights (my fault as Id got there very early and didnt have a contact telephone number for Joe on me) I was only too happy for my lift to arrive so I could be whisked away to the tranquillity of the woods. As ever there was a welcoming fire and kettle on the go and after the safety briefing which was comprehensive but thankfully brief I was able to go and set up my shelter before it got too dark.
Due to a mix-up my dear brother was in temporary (I hope) possession of my preferred outdoor equipment and Id been forced to grab whatever stuff I could which explains how I ended up with a sleeping bag that filled a surprisingly large proportion of my 80 litre rucksack, a self-inflating Thermarest that not only didnt self-inflate (not that they ever really do of course) but in fact had started deflating before Id had a chance to lay it on the ground, and instead of my nice big tarp a US army poncho which was a trifle small to adequately cover my recumbent body.
I had told Joe about the shortcomings of my equipment before setting up my camp and having been appraised of just how short the comings were hed offered me a larger basha. The weather forecast was for heavy rain at about 4am with additional periods of heavy rain at times over the entire weekend so naturally I refused his offer of a larger waterproof covering for me and my companion the worlds biggest sleeping bag.
My sleeping bag which Id not slept in before, a Ajungilak Tyin Elite of great age that I rescued from the clutches of a homeless person (literally), reputedly has a waterproof cover and sleeping under a tiny shelter in the pouring rain seemed like the ideal way to trial the bag. Probably not the most sensible thing to do but I thought that if I did start getting wet Id just hightail it to under the parachute which wasnt far. Anyway plenty of time for being sensible when Im at work and getting paid for it.
Having set up for the night I strolled back to the main area to drink coffee and get to know the other students before the evening meal. The food was as excellent and plentiful as ever so it was a well stuffed happy camper who turned in that night to await a possible early drenching.
Fortunately it barely spotted with rain overnight, just enough for the pitter patter of raindrops on the poncho overhead to wake me for a few moments. Whether it was due to the full belly, my sleeping bag or a combination of both I had a fantastic nights sleep. Despite the demise of my Thermarest I was perfectly warm and comfortable on the ground which was a blessing as my advanced age normally means that anything other than the memory foam mattress at home means fitful sleep and numerous aches and pains in the morning.
I was up and dressed by 7.30am (my usual weekend rising time) and faced with the choice of getting the main fire going and the kettle on or going for an explore I selfishly chose the latter. Having bimbled around for a while and having spotted numerous pheasants and two roe deer the idea for a small project came to mind. I found a lump of chalk about the size of a house brick and using a flint gouge I sat down to fashion a fat lamp. Once Id completed that I strolled back to camp for coffee and breakfast.
The weather forecast was for spells of heavy rain starting later in the day and then continuing in that vein for the rest of the weekend so Joe and his team had put up two massive tarps over the knapping floor. Unusually the forecast was pretty much correct so we were later glad of the shelter the tarps provided though it did get a bit cosy at times.
The knapping started around 9.30 am with a show and tell by John and Val of various artefacts both modern and original. As I mentioned above I have attended this course a few times before but there were new insights to be gained and new objects to drool over including a beautiful Solutrean type blade.
Then the knapping began with John taking us through the process of making a hand axe. The flint spall he chose had a number of hidden flaws and it was a joy to watch as he explained and showed how he would try to overcome them and how if things didnt go to plan he would change his end goal and make either a smaller version of the original planned item or perhaps another object entirely. Watching a master of his craft challenged by his materials was an education in itself not only because of the insight it gave we students into what problems to look out for and strategies for overcoming them but also to remind us that these objects are meant to be tools first and foremost. Its a bonus if theyre beautiful but in the end theyre made to be used. The cutting edge of Johns finished biface was flawed in one spot but it was still fully fit for purpose.
After that a quick coffee and under Johns watching eyes we students sat down to turn large lumps of flint into handcrafted sharp gravel. Time flew by and I managed to make two ugly if functional hand axes. My plan for the weekend was to get more practice with the soft hammer and to practise making blades since Ive got a good few handaxes at home but need to be able to produce blades of a reasonable length as theyre in some ways more useful. Being able to make bifaces suitable for a knife blade or a projectile point would be marvellous but in the end I need blades.
We were kept suitably provisioned throughout the day with boiling water and tea and coffee making materials being brought across at regular intervals as well as lots of fruit and scrummy biscuits. For lunch we made our own sandwiches from what was provided and everyone learnt it was probably not a good idea in future to let me slice the bread with a Laplander saw.
In the afternoon the knapping continued but as the students started to complete things there were lessons from Val in the craft of cordage and John continued to do his rounds helping where necessary. Im pleased to say that I was struggling with using the soft hammer to make a knife blade and John stepped in to turn a somewhat pointy object into a beautiful tool. My hand eye co-ordination and fine motor skills arent great at the best of times and the way I was carrying on it wouldnt have been long before my knife blade became at best a small arrow point. John also gave me invaluable assistance in improving my blade making. I was a bit naughty and used a couple of blades to make some reasonable burins which I then tested on his elk hammer so apologies for that John.
The rain when it came was pretty heavy and the dampness of the air was such that the antler hammers became too soft to use effectively. During one dry spell the students used flint flakes to skin and prepare a muntjac. As ever people were amazed by how effective a tool a simple flint flake could be. Me, I just kept bashing those rocks together.
The evening and night time were the usual mix of excellent food, plenty of hot drinks and a good old yarn round the fire. The cover of my sleeping bag had got wet in a few places during the day but seemingly no water had penetrated to the inside. During the evening I laid it out behind the various wooden stools and logs to try and dry it a little. The rain absolutely pelted down at times to the extent that the space inside of the parachute seemed to fill with a fine mist for short periods.
Knapping can be hard work and most people turned in early. Considering how hard it was raining at times it did cross my mind to bed down under the parachute but then stiffening my sinews I chose a break in the rainstorm and headed towards my campsite or in reality vaguely towards my campsite as I did get a bit lost. Once under cover I was quick to undress and get into my bag and face a second night in the woods with a risk of drowning. And yes it did tip down during the night and yes my sleeping bag did get wet in places but only on the outside with the inside staying as dry and cosy as ever. Truly the Tyin Elite is the worlds most wonderful sleeping bag which could only be improved by making it considerably smaller when in my rucksack and rather lighter in weight too.
Sunday was taken up with more knapping if you wished to with an emphasis on making an object to take home using primitive tools wherever possible. Of course we had the various flint objects wed made the day before and Joe provided feathers, sinew, birch tar, hemp cord, deer rawhide and a few other bits and bobs.
The majority of students made arrows, one made an adze and another hafted an axe blade hed made but I thought Id use the small biface from the day before and make myself a knife. Wherever possible I used primitive tools but I did cheat twice. I cut the sapling for the handle with a Laplander (I would have neatened up the remaining stump with a saw anyway and the fresh cut ends were not going to be part of the finished item so why not I thought) but I did shape the ends by use of the fire the butt end suggests an animal head to me so when Im feeling brave I may try and give it a bit more definition. I also used a modern knife to remove a section of wood from where the handle was split to remove the blade. I was trying to get the best fit I could and cheated. However I then decided to reshape the slot and shaved out the modern bit with a flint tool anyway which Im glad I did.
Having wrapped the handle and then the blade in cordage (with two thin strips of leather running along the edge of the blade at its base to protect the cordage) I covered the string in pitch. Then unhappy with how the hafting had come out I pulled all the pitch and cordage off and did the whole thing again. Im reasonably happy with how the finished item turned out though the wooden part of the handle could have been a bit thicker. The seemingly bulbous resin covered end actually makes for a good grip for my relatively large hands.
Lunch was venison burgers with yet more hot drinks and the rest of the day was spent doing a bit more knapping and trying to find suitable materials to make a sheath for my knife. I was hoping to use birch bark but there was nothing quite suitable though I did get plenty to take home for other projects. As well as the blades, the handaxes and the knife I also made a drill bit and one good blade to use as a striker in my marcasite and flint fire kit. One of the other students kindly gave me some amadou when he saw me having limited success using the kit. I didnt have any amadou and everything was a bit damp so it took a great many strikes before I got a spark to catch so a big thanks to him if he reads this.
Sadly the clock ticked ever onwards and all too soon we were helping John pack his kit away Then the last minute personal kit packing and after a pleasant tramp through the woods taking in the long term shelter on the way it was back to the cars and the modern world.
Highlights: watching John at work; the woods in the morning before anyone else wakes up; the times when a strike with the hammer stone hit exactly where I wanted and the flake came off exactly how I planned
Lowlights: the rubbish train service from Salisbury up to London on that day; the rubbish train service in general; and the many times that my hammer strike went wrong and what might have been a lovely flint tool became so much future landfill.
Oh and before I forget a big thank you to John and Val for sharing their knowledge and to Joe, Zoe, Ali and Scruff for catering so well to our every whim.
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