Night in the woods

[Terry.m.]

So I spent 2 months building a shelter/coral, for a couple of my young nephewsand their kids to spend a night in the woods.
They all had tents and I had a lean to setup,
Trying to start my fire using my Jacklore Knife and Rick Lyndsy ferro rod
Despite all the dry tinder and so on 20 mins. And just could not get it going so had to use matches, Gutted however food needed so needs must.
At my Old age this was a great night out in the woods everyone loved it my new tarp was terrific made by ,you know who in here great bit of kit.
So after clearing up more kit than anyone can ever need I noticed my knife was v dirty and marked up I tried to clean it and can't get it back to normal very strange.
I was tempted to use my mega exe ray meats knife but decided to use the Jacklore which performed really well.
Kept the fire going all night so not so much sleep one th img I am amazed how much wood we got through.
Lucky I own the woods.!
All my kit performed really well, I however need more practice, I can't believe how nice it was to sleep under the stars so to speak.
My bed was 8 ft logs covered in hay and ground sheet over that wool blanket over that and Swiss Army blanket over me.talk about a Sauna.
My next time I will hire Sherpas!,,,,
Cheers

 

[bopdude]

Sounds like a great night, shame about the tinder, next time try birch bark if you have it in your wood, if you scrape the surface of the bark gently you'll get a powder on the surface that takes a spark, just passing on something I was shown

 

[Fraxinus]

You don't state what the tinder was, so, some tinders need a bit of extra preparation to make them efficient. Dry wood if shaved to very fine feather sticks or scraped into furry bundles will take a ferro' spark but as bopdude said birch bark is an easier medium if you can get it as is resinous pine (fatwood) but both need some prep work to be almost foolproof, with youngsters in the group no one can sneer at your use of matches that's a good call in my book.
Hope all had an enjoyable trip out.

Rob.

 

[Terry.m.]

Thanks guys, I had already pre shaved some fat wood and also had dry tinder shavings.
I do have plenty of birchbark and should have sorted that earlier.
It was still fun just worried about the marks on my knife.!

 

[tsitenha]

Might try out jute twine that has been curried to a fluff. Also the old standby cotton balls and petroleum jelly.

 

[sunndog]

just worried about the marks on my knife.!

What about a polish with metal-glo or solvol autosol?

 

[Terry.m.]

I use metal glo
Will have another go today.!

 

[OneGear]

Pfft. Use marks on a knife are like a little dirt on your boots or some scars on your body - souvenirs!

Seriously, a shiny knife is nice but remembering the uses that put those marks on the knife is better. I clean off sap and dirt but dont worry about the stripes and small scratches from rough carving on camping trips. As long as I don't feel it affects use or carries risk of infection, I let them be. Kind of like a dirty sports car - yeah snobs might want it clean but I use the thing for what it's made to do. I remember the trip that put that green stripe on the handle, and know a year fom now that mark will be wore off from use.

A shiny safe queen is as much neglect as rust and a dull blade. In cars we call them trailer queens - well-built sports cars that have never exceeded the speed limit -if they ever even get to see a public road. Meticulously maintained to the point of being devoid of absorbed character from beloved use.

 

[Terry.m.]

Pfft. Use marks on a knife are like a little dirt on your boots or some scars on your body - souvenirs!

Seriously, a shiny knife is nice but remembering the uses that put those marks on the knife is better. I clean off sap and dirt but dont worry about the stripes and small scratches from rough carving on camping trips. As long as I don't feel it affects use or carries risk of infection, I let them be. Kind of like a dirty sports car - yeah snobs might want it clean but I use the thing for what it's made to do. I remember the trip that put that green stripe on the handle, and know a year fom now that mark will be wore off from use.

A shiny safe queen is as much neglect as rust and a dull blade. In cars we call them trailer queens - well-built sports cars that have never exceeded the speed limit -if they ever even get to see a public road. Meticulously maintained to the point of being devoid of absorbed character from beloved use.

i get that, and i am familiar with the terms,! however i don't like an expensive knife looking totally trashed, I am just a little surprised
it got like it just from one night, the ferro rod which i had made by Rick Lynsey in the the States whilst sent off some massive sparks also marked the knife quite a bit.No big deal i just dont like it soo much.

 

[mick91]

I use metal glo
Will have another go today.!

Tcut colour restore. Dab it onto a rag, let it dry and use that like an abrasive cloth. It'll bring it up nice and shiny

 

[Terry.m.]

many thanks

 

[Goatboy]

Sounds like a cracking night out for you and the ankle biters.

One the marks on the knife front I find ferro rods always to that, one of the reasons I rarely use a knife for the job and don't like a ferro rod attached to the sheath of my knife. I use the scraper that came with it for preference. Most metal polishes will get rid of the marks easily enough.

If using a ferro rod I have one that lives in it's own little dangler sheath with it's striker.

Getting fatwood shavings can be a chore sometimes, often need something finer to catch first then the fatwood acts as a fuel. Shave some to powder, use jute like said or charcloth and thistle down are my usual go to combos to get it all started.

Cheers for posting up, sounds a great place to have fun.

 

[David LaFerney]

I completely understand because I make knives and it hurts me to spoil the pristine mirrorlike finish that I worked so hard to create. A new knife goes through an awkward stage - like a teenager or new beard - before it matures and develops a patina of use and experience. You just have to push througn that.

There is a picture on here somewhere of British Red's knife - beautifully made and engraved, gorgeous knife - with a mature patina. Even more lovely to me - having proven it's worth as a tool. I would trade one of my shiny new ones for it any day - but I bet he wouldn't. And neither would his Son or Grandson.

 

[Terry.m.]

I have to say if I had used my Ray Mears Woodlore which I paid more than my first car , I would have used it to slit my wrists