My natural/traditional kit

[RonW]

I thought it might be a nice thning to show you my natural/traditional kit; what I have so far and what I am gathering.
I have some criteria for that;
1) It has to have a high level of biodegradability,
2) It still has to perform

It's purpose; to leave an ecofootprint as low as possible and still be practical/functional. Simply put; everything has to be made of natural materials; leather, wood, cotton, wool, canvas etc.
Re-using and/or recycling is part of that.

I have been asked why.
I can not pinpoint the exact reason. It comes from within. I truely enjoy handling, wearing and working with once living material. I want to feel the world around me without wrapping myself in plastics or artificial fibres.
The keyword is feeling. And not just with the known 5 sences, but on other levels, too......

So far I have surplus military clothing in cotton with some woolen pullovers.
This will decay over time when discarded, leaving only some aluminium fastenings.

My moccasins;

A carbon steel knife with leather sheath and handle.

My carbonsteel machete with wooden and leather scabbard.
Here too only some brass fastenings will remain.

Offcourse my Swiss backpack, made out of a wooden boxframe, horse skin/hair outside, leather straps and canvas liner.

This week I added;

A small all leather flask/canteen

completely degradable

Two small footpowdertins. I'll be using these for powdered milk and sugar.

These will rust away
And finally a small, older handy set of binoculars in a leather/cardboard casing.
The binoculars will remain. I have no alternative to that.... yet.

I also bought myself a WW2 British waterfilterbag for €10. You just can't beat that.
I think it is canvas.

 

[Corso]

Bit of a mixed bag of periods but I rearly like the boots and the pack

I've bee looking for a nice set of hunting boots for a while - where'd you get them

My moccasins;

 

[sandbender]

I love the pack.

 

[Beardy Adam]

I love the waterskin, very nice stitching and leatherwork on that one.

 

[John Fenna]

I like your philosophy!
That kind of thing works for me too - I much prefer to make things from natural materials, preferably recycled or definately "renewable"!
This extends to furnishing my home as well as my outdoor life but as some of my work involves reviewing outdoor gear I also use a lot of synthetics though I do try to get as much natural material kit or truely long lasting gear to review as possible.
The smaller our impact on the planet the longer folk will be able to enjoy getting out there...
I also like the boots and pack!

 

[Tengu]

You do realise this will leave very little for the archaelogists?

 

[RonW]

@ Corso; I don't really care much for periods. I am not a re-enactor. I use what I think is usefull.
The boots I made myself and i posted a thread here explaining how I did it. Search for moccasins...

@ Beardy Adam; the waterskin was bought, but handmade by Eric Methven, who is a member here, too. I want to make a leather bottle myself and this one will serve as a visual 3d reference.

@ John; I too have complete kit made of synthetics, apart for the webbing belt. I refer to that as my tactical kit, as it is entirely in greens. This also serves as a double for when the mss. decides to join me out there. In time that and that of the kids will be replaced too, but that is financially not possible right now.

@ Tengu; that's the general idea!!

 

[Corso]

@ Corso; I don't really care much for periods. I am not a re-enactor. I use what I think is usefull.
The boots I made myself and i posted a thread here explaining how I did it. Search for moccasins...
QUOTE]

Cheers mate - was just a bit of an observation - I myself like modern style handmade stuff in traditional materials wool, leather stag and canvas and particularly Brass

I realy like the boots but I dont think my skills are up to making a pair - not without alot of mistakes - if I find some cheap second hand leather I might give it a go but I do worry about wasting materal

 

[Dreadhead]

very jealous indeed of those boots and pack! brilliant craftsmanship and ethos

 

[RonW]

The boots were my first attempt, too.
It looks harder than it actually is. It's just a lot of work.

I will add more stuff later on.
I have an old WW2 style sleepingbagcover, which I got for free and which I am going to make (or at least try to make) waterrepellant with parafin and beeswax.
I also have a US style tenthalf, which I am going to waterproof with lineseedoil, turning it into an oilcloth shelter, basically.

There are some Swiss leather beltpouches on their way over here, as is a 1950's USSR leather mapcase.....

I'll keep you posted!

 

[Mastino]

Great stuff! I'm going the same direction. Lot's of canvas & leather. You may enjoy this: http://www.bol.com/nl/s/algemeen/zoekresultaten/Ntt/camping+old+style/Ntk/media_all/Nty/1/N/0/Ne/0/search/true/searchType/qck/index.html?_requestid=211505

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I like the mindset too & your gear (except the furry backpack) but as for reducing one's eco-footprint, difficult thing to do.
Unless you're using organic, cotton crops are extremely polluting, drenched in pesticides, poisoning both water sources & land ( the lake Baikal is a good example) & diverting rivers ( causing water shortages further down stream) to water the plants.
Leather tanning too is a very dirty buisness, not only using vast quantities of water but also releasing toxic chemicals directly into water courses.
If you add to that the transport & transformation of cotton into cloth the eco-footprint becomes a crater.
What ever we do, always has a negative impact on nature somewhere on this planet, ....but I always respect those that try to reduce it....bravo.
I must say I like the leather handle on your knife, I may copy that.

 

[Corso]

I like the mindset too & your gear (except the furry backpack) but as for reducing one's eco-footprint, difficult thing to do.
Unless you're using organic, cotton crops are extremely polluting, drenched in pesticides, poisoning both water sources & land ( the lake Baikal is a good example) & diverting rivers ( causing water shortages further down stream) to water the plants.
Leather tanning too is a very dirty buisness, not only using vast quantities of water but also releasing toxic chemicals directly into water courses.
If you add to that the transport & transformation of cotton into cloth the eco-footprint becomes a crater.
What ever we do, always has a negative impact on nature somewhere on this planet, ....but I always respect those that try to reduce it....bravo.
I must say I like the leather handle on your knife, I may copy that.

The main idea is to use old surplus/recycled stuff - yes their will be some environmental imact in its manufacture but by using it again that impact is cut in half.
It's the only real option for the mayority of us.

The works of Nessmuk and kephart would suit this style of bushcraft - both have free ebooks avalible too

I'd also go take a look on bushcraftusa - particularly work done by SPORK - he reclaims all sorts of stuff and makes some ingenius kit

 

[John Fenna]

I like the mindset too & your gear (except the furry backpack) but as for reducing one's eco-footprint, difficult thing to do.
Unless you're using organic, cotton crops are extremely polluting, drenched in pesticides, poisoning both water sources & land ( the lake Baikal is a good example) & diverting rivers ( causing water shortages further down stream) to water the plants.
Leather tanning too is a very dirty buisness, not only using vast quantities of water but also releasing toxic chemicals directly into water courses.
If you add to that the transport & transformation of cotton into cloth the eco-footprint becomes a crater.
What ever we do, always has a negative impact on nature somewhere on this planet, ....but I always respect those that try to reduce it....bravo.
I must say I like the leather handle on your knife, I may copy that.

This is where recycling and repairing come in - keep things in use as long as possible to reduce demand for new products to be made and the items that you keep going (and keep out of landfill) effectively have a smaller footprint

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Couldn't agree with you more John & Corso, I'm all for recycling & reparing, The only new things I buy now are food,toilettries & stuff I need for my work. Everything else, second hand.
I only mentioned the pollution, to point out that natural doesn't necessarily mean eco- friendly.

 

[RonW]

You're absolutely right about the cottonbussiness Blacktimberwolf and I am fully aware of that. I avoid using cotton, chemically treated wool, leather, linen or canvas whenever possible and certainly never buy it new, if there is no absolute need for it! And when I buy things new, I always want to know where it came from, how it was manufactured and how it was treated or transported. I always try to weigh the pro's and cons of a purchase on several levels.
But you just saw/read how easy it is to reduce the ecofootprint; recycle and re-use. Nothing simpler than that. What is there, doesn't have to be produced anymore and there for does not need more resources plus it doesn't go to waste either. And fixing it if it breaks is easier and more fun/rewarding, too.
The surplusgear I buy will leave as little waste as possible in the long run. It may take 10, 20 or even 50 years befor it is gone, but after that there will be very little evidence that it was even there.

But there is another very important reason (for me) and that is the spirit/essence of the material. It feels warmer, friendlier, more pleasant, alive.... It has had a life and soul. And one can feel that.... For instance, it gives me great joy to treat old and beaten leather with a leatherwax, take care of wood by rubbing it with lineseedoil and feel it "come alive" again.
Do you know what I mean?

 

[John Fenna]

You're absolutely right about the cottonbussiness Blacktimberwolf and I am fully aware of that. I avoid using cotton, chemically treated wool, leather, linen or canvas whenever possible and certainly never buy it new, if there is no absolute need for it! And when I buy things new, I always want to know where it came from, how it was manufactured and how it was treated or transported. I always try to weigh the pro's and cons of a purchase on several levels.
But you just saw/read how easy it is to reduce the ecofootprint; recycle and re-use. Nothing simpler than that. What is there, doesn't have to be produced anymore and there for does not need more resources plus it doesn't go to waste either. And fixing it if it breaks is easier and more fun/rewarding, too.
The surplusgear I buy will leave as little waste as possible in the long run. It may take 10, 20 or even 50 years befor it is gone, but after that there will be very little evidence that it was even there.

But there is another very important reason (for me) and that is the spirit/essence of the material. It feels warmer, friendlier, more pleasant, alive.... It has had a life and soul. And one can feel that.... For instance, it gives me great joy to treat old and beaten leather with a leatherwax, take care of wood by rubbing it with lineseedoil and feel it "come alive" again.
Do you know what I mean?

I am with you on the naturals!
They live and breathe as well as perform

 

[blacktimberwolf]

You're absolutely right about the cottonbussiness Blacktimberwolf and I am fully aware of that. I avoid using cotton, chemically treated wool, leather, linen or canvas whenever possible and certainly never buy it new, if there is no absolute need for it! And when I buy things new, I always want to know where it came from, how it was manufactured and how it was treated or transported. I always try to weigh the pro's and cons of a purchase on several levels.
But you just saw/read how easy it is to reduce the ecofootprint; recycle and re-use. Nothing simpler than that. What is there, doesn't have to be produced anymore and there for does not need more resources plus it doesn't go to waste either. And fixing it if it breaks is easier and more fun/rewarding, too.
The surplusgear I buy will leave as little waste as possible in the long run. It may take 10, 20 or even 50 years befor it is gone, but after that there will be very little evidence that it was even there.

But there is another very important reason (for me) and that is the spirit/essence of the material. It feels warmer, friendlier, more pleasant, alive.... It has had a life and soul. And one can feel that.... For instance, it gives me great joy to treat old and beaten leather with a leatherwax, take care of wood by rubbing it with lineseedoil and feel it "come alive" again.
Do you know what I mean?

I certainly do Know what you mean about leather & wood & agree with most of what you said of course, though "what is already there does not have to be produced" leaves me in a bit of a quandary.

 

[Mastino]

and, also inspirational in this context: http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/697400/

 

[RonW]

I already knew that one... and the autumn-version is great too!
Can't wait to get up north again.... and stay there!