Howdy folks!
I've seen a lot of possibles pouches around, and while I used to want one, I've since reconsidered - basically because I can think of too much junk I'd want on me "just in case". As such, I bought a shoulder bag for about a tenner off eBay. Kinda doubt it will stand the test of time, but I'm a cheapskate
Come to think of it, I wonder if it's a woman's bag.....
But that's by the way Here's the setup - not the swords
As you can see, my leuku and mora piggyback sheath (well, two sheaths lashed together) hang from the front strap. This is because I like baldric carry and like the option of wearing a longer jacket while still having knives accessable, but I wanted to limit the number of straps hanging from me. It's still easy enough to remove, so I can wear it on my belt if I prefer in a minute of fiddling.
Nice and simple, and a tight fit when hanging.
My axe fits through an antiqued-brass-lookalike (I think it's steel, actually) d-ring, and the carabiner-type-thing on the mask is also attached to the bag, to ensure that it doesn't fall while walking, running or climbing (the point of balance on the axe is towards the edge of the blade, rather than the centre of the eye so it doesn't hang straight), but the ring means that if the axe is seeing use I don't have to mess around with the mask every time I want to set it aside. I forgot to take a pic, but there's another d-ring hanging from the other side of the strap, and the carabiner-type-thing can hook onto the strap as well, so the bag can be opened freely while keeping the axe accessible.
Both the axe and the knives will fit inside the bag as well, so as not to scare the locals! And for the record, both d-rings were off a belt that came with a pair of jeans I got from Asda. The bag did have a plastic d-ring on the front already and I just swapped them out.
Right now the front pouch under the flap holds some of my knives, but I don't take them all out with me
In the main compartment is a small zipped pocket which holds the firelighting stuff:
The top tin was from Dax hair wax (I checked, it doesn't catch a flame ). I burned the paint off and smeared the inside with vaseline and around the lid to seal it and prevent it seizing on. Inside is cotton pads, some smeared with vaseline as well.
The bottom tin was a mint tin, also with the paint burnt off. Matches aren't waterproofed yet!
Firesteel hangs from the sheath!
In the pocket on the flap is a sharpening stone wrapped up in a non-slip mat. I hate it when sharpening stones slip!
So those are my constant "necessities" - I suppose they're not all 100% necessary but I would be exceedingly grumpy if I got stuck without them if I had taken the time to pack them in the first place! There's still plenty of room inside for clothes, extra socks (always pack extra socks!), grub, my laptop, and anything I gather while out and about, depending on what I'm out for.
I think I'm also going to sew some straps on the back so I can carry a rolled up tarp, groundsheet and wool blanket under it. I think with that, a rucksack could be excluded most of the time. I am thinking, though, of having a weird strap system that allows me to wear it as a rucksack if I so choose. I'm also considering replacing the strap with a clip on/clip off one so it could act as a baldric to carry the knives and axe on their own.
Suggestions would be welcome - hope someone found it vaguely interesting!
Pete
I've seen a lot of possibles pouches around, and while I used to want one, I've since reconsidered - basically because I can think of too much junk I'd want on me "just in case". As such, I bought a shoulder bag for about a tenner off eBay. Kinda doubt it will stand the test of time, but I'm a cheapskate
Come to think of it, I wonder if it's a woman's bag.....But that's by the way
Here's the setup - not the swords
As you can see, my leuku and mora piggyback sheath (well, two sheaths lashed together) hang from the front strap. This is because I like baldric carry and like the option of wearing a longer jacket while still having knives accessable, but I wanted to limit the number of straps hanging from me. It's still easy enough to remove, so I can wear it on my belt if I prefer in a minute of fiddling.
Nice and simple, and a tight fit when hanging.
My axe fits through an antiqued-brass-lookalike (I think it's steel, actually) d-ring, and the carabiner-type-thing on the mask is also attached to the bag, to ensure that it doesn't fall while walking, running or climbing (the point of balance on the axe is towards the edge of the blade, rather than the centre of the eye so it doesn't hang straight), but the ring means that if the axe is seeing use I don't have to mess around with the mask every time I want to set it aside. I forgot to take a pic, but there's another d-ring hanging from the other side of the strap, and the carabiner-type-thing can hook onto the strap as well, so the bag can be opened freely while keeping the axe accessible.
Both the axe and the knives will fit inside the bag as well, so as not to scare the locals! And for the record, both d-rings were off a belt that came with a pair of jeans I got from Asda. The bag did have a plastic d-ring on the front already and I just swapped them out.
Right now the front pouch under the flap holds some of my knives, but I don't take them all out with me
In the main compartment is a small zipped pocket which holds the firelighting stuff:
The top tin was from Dax hair wax (I checked, it doesn't catch a flame
). I burned the paint off and smeared the inside with vaseline and around the lid to seal it and prevent it seizing on. Inside is cotton pads, some smeared with vaseline as well.The bottom tin was a mint tin, also with the paint burnt off. Matches aren't waterproofed yet!
Firesteel hangs from the sheath!
In the pocket on the flap is a sharpening stone wrapped up in a non-slip mat. I hate it when sharpening stones slip!
So those are my constant "necessities" - I suppose they're not all 100% necessary but I would be exceedingly grumpy if I got stuck without them if I had taken the time to pack them in the first place! There's still plenty of room inside for clothes, extra socks (always pack extra socks!), grub, my laptop, and anything I gather while out and about, depending on what I'm out for.
I think I'm also going to sew some straps on the back so I can carry a rolled up tarp, groundsheet and wool blanket under it. I think with that, a rucksack could be excluded most of the time. I am thinking, though, of having a weird strap system that allows me to wear it as a rucksack if I so choose. I'm also considering replacing the strap with a clip on/clip off one so it could act as a baldric to carry the knives and axe on their own.
Suggestions would be welcome - hope someone found it vaguely interesting!
Pete
