what tools do i need to be able to make anything out of nature while not carrying more then necessary
what tools do i need to do everything
- Thread starter George Atkinson
- Start date
That would depend upon what you know.
"The more you know, the less you carry." Mors Kochanski.
Paul Kirtley has an article on this on his web site paulkirtley.co.uk which will fully answer you question.
"The more you know, the less you carry." Mors Kochanski.
Paul Kirtley has an article on this on his web site paulkirtley.co.uk which will fully answer you question.
Let me rephrase, I only have experience with a Kukri and a small knife. What other small light weight tools would you recommend to add to my scout bag to effect greater craft-ability
“Necessary” is dependent on need and ability. Do you have a specific scenario in mind? Some people build mini log castles, cabins, log shelters.... other people carry hammocks, tents, Lavvus, sleeping bags, bivvi bags and don’t need to build shelters....
I can't think of one knife or one "edge" that can do it all.
I'll guess just a few. One for robust, hacking tasks and others for
more delicate work (wood carving/shaping, food prep things.)
Paleo/Neolithic people moved from winter camps to summer camps/fishing camps every year.
While you might not recall any of this, we do because it happens here every year.
Activities change. "Bushcraft" becomes meaningless. Different tasks with the seasons.
My winter camp, my house, is full of tool making and wood carving. Those things are bushcraft.
New blades, repaired blades, dishes and story poles. Others do the baskets and weaving.
I cook and eat my stockpiles of food.
Paleo history is story telling, Heiltsuk stories are accurate to 14,000 years that we now know as fact.
Summer is harvest. The daily quest for stockpiles of materials for next winter.
Fruit, fish, wood, metals, minerals & stones, meats to be preserved.
July to September is a very busy time of year.
Quite simple, really.
Maybe 2 knives. An adze. Several sharpening river stones. Bone-busting hammer stones.
I'll guess just a few. One for robust, hacking tasks and others for
more delicate work (wood carving/shaping, food prep things.)
Paleo/Neolithic people moved from winter camps to summer camps/fishing camps every year.
While you might not recall any of this, we do because it happens here every year.
Activities change. "Bushcraft" becomes meaningless. Different tasks with the seasons.
My winter camp, my house, is full of tool making and wood carving. Those things are bushcraft.
New blades, repaired blades, dishes and story poles. Others do the baskets and weaving.
I cook and eat my stockpiles of food.
Paleo history is story telling, Heiltsuk stories are accurate to 14,000 years that we now know as fact.
Summer is harvest. The daily quest for stockpiles of materials for next winter.
Fruit, fish, wood, metals, minerals & stones, meats to be preserved.
July to September is a very busy time of year.
Quite simple, really.
Maybe 2 knives. An adze. Several sharpening river stones. Bone-busting hammer stones.
Depends on the craft.
Camp building, shelter and furniture you probably need a saw, an axe (or similar) and an auger.
For bowls, cups and spoons you probably want a crook knife. But some use gouges.
For whittling you probably just need a small pocket knife or something like a mora 120.
An awl is probably a good idea too.
A draw knife and adze could be very useful but probably unneeded.
The more tools you take the easier and quicker tasks become and some tasks like drilling holes are only possible with certain tools so it will be a personal balance.
Camp building, shelter and furniture you probably need a saw, an axe (or similar) and an auger.
For bowls, cups and spoons you probably want a crook knife. But some use gouges.
For whittling you probably just need a small pocket knife or something like a mora 120.
An awl is probably a good idea too.
A draw knife and adze could be very useful but probably unneeded.
The more tools you take the easier and quicker tasks become and some tasks like drilling holes are only possible with certain tools so it will be a personal balance.
A Land Rover and trailer to cart it all around in. (Once you've got it). 
The Haida people build two house frames, one for each camp.
They take all the house boards in their canoes when they shift camps.
a) there are no roads, all by sea.
b) the "canoes" are all hand carved, 40' - 60' in length.
Those are the First Nations LandRovers! Good down to Chile and back.
Biggest measured house? 40' wide and 100' long.
Biggest house board? 14' tall x 3/4" thick and 36" wide (hand split.)
They take all the house boards in their canoes when they shift camps.
a) there are no roads, all by sea.
b) the "canoes" are all hand carved, 40' - 60' in length.
Those are the First Nations LandRovers! Good down to Chile and back.
Biggest measured house? 40' wide and 100' long.
Biggest house board? 14' tall x 3/4" thick and 36" wide (hand split.)
A spoon knife and perhaps a crook knife would be good.
Count this another vote for a Leatherman (or Swiss Army) multi-tool.
If you are really clever you could make up a collapsible frame saw and set it up to use both 12" hacksaw blades, and cut lengths of bandsaw blade (holes drilled with small carbide "universal" drill). Another option would be a padsaw handle and a selection of jigsaw blades, some work better than others.
While I like the idea of something to make holes, not sure I would settle for an old fashioned auger. I have often wondered whether something could be fashioned to use modern auger bits, or some of the flat spade bits. Make it so you can swap sizes as needed.
Count this another vote for a Leatherman (or Swiss Army) multi-tool.
If you are really clever you could make up a collapsible frame saw and set it up to use both 12" hacksaw blades, and cut lengths of bandsaw blade (holes drilled with small carbide "universal" drill). Another option would be a padsaw handle and a selection of jigsaw blades, some work better than others.
While I like the idea of something to make holes, not sure I would settle for an old fashioned auger. I have often wondered whether something could be fashioned to use modern auger bits, or some of the flat spade bits. Make it so you can swap sizes as needed.
I practice the minimalist side if i can go without i do but i might look at that crooked knife, i use fire to make containers and cups will a crooked knife be faster or easier well enough to make it worth taking?
Something for roughing out, for felling, for stripping branches off trunks and for splitting: an axe or a hatchet.
Something for finer carving: a knife.
Something for making deep holes: an auger.
That, I think, is the bare minimum.
You can use the axe to make gluts (wooden wedges) to help splitting; you can use the knife to round off split squares to make pegs, then use the pegs in holes made by the auger to assemble pieces together to make structures (frames, stools).
If you want to make spoons and bowls, then a spoon knife, hook knife or an curved gouge is very useful.
Something for finer carving: a knife.
Something for making deep holes: an auger.
That, I think, is the bare minimum.
You can use the axe to make gluts (wooden wedges) to help splitting; you can use the knife to round off split squares to make pegs, then use the pegs in holes made by the auger to assemble pieces together to make structures (frames, stools).
If you want to make spoons and bowls, then a spoon knife, hook knife or an curved gouge is very useful.
A welder to fix the Land Rover??A Land Rover and trailer to cart it all around in. (Once you've got it).
better include a generator as well then, 4" + 9" grinders plus assorted discs ,extension leads.
seriously, as already mentioned, the better you get, the less you need, it's all part of learning. I notice after a quick search, there is mention of the ever handy (and invaluable) piece of broken glass for wood shaving activities.
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