If you are outdoors and doing no harm, it's all good.
Two of my favorite authors, John & Geri McPherson, discuss this issue in their book "Naked into the Wilderness - 2" in chapter 6, Primative, Primative. What I love about them is the total honesty and lack of pretentiousness. Not only do they "practice" primitive living, they live it. But by the same token, they recognize that they are not the purists that some primitive tribes might be (or might have been.)
John wrote the following: "Abstract: Theoretical rather than practical. As discussed earlier, a pretty good description to what we're into. I mean, I don't know of and have not heard of anyone in this day and age who lives and breathes primitive, primitive 100%. The very closest would have to be aborigines isolated from most day to day contact with the outside world. And they have and use steel tools. This ain't no game for them. It's one heck of a lot easier to dig out a log for a canoe using steel tools rather than stone (something we know of from experience). Can you picture some aboriginal anywhere in the world shopping for a stone axe or adze to refine his canoe to make it pure. Face it Steel is easier."
I often see Graves' book "Bushcraft" being touted for being "purist," whatever that means, but I've read the book at least a half dozen times over the past 30 some years and I'm not seeing it.
For instance:
We can start with clothing. On p. 9 I see some pretty fancy boots, shorts, belts, and a nifty hat. I doubt they were homespun.
On p. 64, Graves talks about making forms that are "bolted together." I'm guessing he got the bolts at a local hardware. He mentions shovels too. Hand carved? I doubt it.
He talks about building a log cabin and cutting logs but makes no mention of how he cut the logs nor how they are notched. Based on the drawings, my guess is he used a modern saw and axe.
He talks about billys and shows lots of drawings of them. Again, not crafted from the wilderness.
He never discusses knives directly but talks about splitting matches with the point of a sharp knife (p. 82, p. 149.) I wonder where he got the matches? And there's the "small, screw-top, plastic container" that he keeps them in...
On p. 82 he talks about using a kerosene-soaked bandage for a fire starter. I don't think even my old scout master would approve of that.
On pp. 95- 96. he uses "bags" to make a camp bed.
He does mention "knife, machete, or tomahawk" on p. 147 but I can find no mention of how he derived these from the bush. Axe talk pops up on p. 155.
Fire making includes the use of things like "sugar and permanganate of potash (Condy's crystals), " magnifying glass, saltpetre, cotton and linen, synthetic flint, and "perspex." Kerosene pops up again on p. 171.
There's more interesting stuff in Graves' book but these examples illustrate that Graves left a lot "unsaid" and he was not the "purist" he is often portrayed as.
I have zero problems with Graves' book. In fact, I love it and always have. But it's not an abo bible.
So, it's all about drawing lines. We all depend on modern technology of one form or another and I've yet to see a real purist. John and Geri don't consider themselves purists and they are about as close as it gets, not just in practicing bushcraft but in how they live their lives.
So, draw your lines but don't be telling me I crossed a line. Like I said, it's all good. Let's enjoy it instead of pissing in each other's billy can..or birch bark container. Whatever.
:twak: 
