whats your specialty
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I suppose my strong point would be tying bits of string, but I brought that to bushcrafting, via climbing and various things I have done in the past.
My best bushcraft skill is probably spotting kit I would like, and my worst is finding the money to buy it. :umbrella:
My best bushcraft skill is probably spotting kit I would like, and my worst is finding the money to buy it. :umbrella:
Hmmm, tying bits of string fits in nicely with shelter building. 
Aside from things like tracking, bloodtrailing, stalking and shooting, that are part of hunting, I guess my strongest point would be building shelters.
My weakest point is tying knots, but I got enough of them down to build shelters.
Aside from things like tracking, bloodtrailing, stalking and shooting, that are part of hunting, I guess my strongest point would be building shelters.
My weakest point is tying knots, but I got enough of them down to build shelters.
My weakest point would have to be carving, followed by my plant knowledge.
I have appalling minor motor skills and no talent as a craftsman, I can make things as functional as you like, but dont expect it to be pretty.
I also have a terrible memory for plants, I just cant seem to get the details to stick in my head, and I have great admiration for people who know the names and uses of almost every plant.
My strongest point I think would be traps (because I love the engineering aspect) and the science behind Bushcraft, such as understanding the factors which led the penan people to developing the blowpipe without ever considering the bow and discovering why a bushman will go out on a hunt if he has family to feed, but not when he is travelling on his own.
I have appalling minor motor skills and no talent as a craftsman, I can make things as functional as you like, but dont expect it to be pretty.
I also have a terrible memory for plants, I just cant seem to get the details to stick in my head, and I have great admiration for people who know the names and uses of almost every plant.
My strongest point I think would be traps (because I love the engineering aspect) and the science behind Bushcraft, such as understanding the factors which led the penan people to developing the blowpipe without ever considering the bow and discovering why a bushman will go out on a hunt if he has family to feed, but not when he is travelling on his own.
My strongest is tree knowledge,
I want to improve my skill in tracking and identifying small mammals, training to trap and monitor them now.
Worst putting up hammocks especially the knots always end up needing help with it. No matter how much practice others make it look easy.
I want to improve my skill in tracking and identifying small mammals, training to trap and monitor them now.
Worst putting up hammocks especially the knots always end up needing help with it. No matter how much practice others make it look easy.
Hmmm,gaz_miggy said:
Good question. What am I good at:
Forestry and timber work, fine at knots (sailing), good at fire lighting, very good at shooting and re-loading, enjoy soap making and brewing
Okay at tree recognition but rubbish at plants and fungi, not as good as I should be at tracking, not great at navigation (esp. stars etc. - can find the plough, orion and polaris but thats it), no good at all at carving and woodcraft
Red
I wouldn't say I've got a specialty. I'm into bushcraft, for about 2 years now - so that would be to early to call myself a specialist.
But I've got a firm interest in traps and (since I was a youngster) edible / medicinal plants. Don't know lots, but I'm working on it, and it's great fun.
Fire ... well, of course I love to start a fire (we all are small pyromaniacs, aren't we?) - but I really hate to make fire by friction (bow drill), to much hard work So I prefer my fire flash
Also hate tracking ... Had the basics covered in my Woodlore Fundamental course, and it was done a bit fast / hasty (sp?) - so that may be the cause ... But I do like to spot wildlife when I come across them (deer, squirrels, bunnies, birds, etc.)
And I'm interested in the antropological aspects of bushcraft / world's people (think that would be very similair to Stuart's interest): did you guys knew the boomerang (as used by the Aboriginals in Australia) is also used in Western Europe? One was found in an archeological excavation (earth layers 4000 years ago) in Vlaardingen (a town nearby). After reconstruction it worked perfectly!!
Love the stories different people tell: the Aboriginals and the people on Madagascar tell the same story about the Boabab tree, although they are thousands of miles apart.
Also love to learn flint knapping one day ...
But I've got a firm interest in traps and (since I was a youngster) edible / medicinal plants. Don't know lots, but I'm working on it, and it's great fun.
Fire ... well, of course I love to start a fire (we all are small pyromaniacs, aren't we?) - but I really hate to make fire by friction (bow drill), to much hard work
So I prefer my fire flash Also hate tracking ... Had the basics covered in my Woodlore Fundamental course, and it was done a bit fast / hasty (sp?) - so that may be the cause ... But I do like to spot wildlife when I come across them (deer, squirrels, bunnies, birds, etc.)
And I'm interested in the antropological aspects of bushcraft / world's people (think that would be very similair to Stuart's interest): did you guys knew the boomerang (as used by the Aboriginals in Australia) is also used in Western Europe? One was found in an archeological excavation (earth layers 4000 years ago) in Vlaardingen (a town nearby). After reconstruction it worked perfectly!!
Love the stories different people tell: the Aboriginals and the people on Madagascar tell the same story about the Boabab tree, although they are thousands of miles apart.
Also love to learn flint knapping one day ...
Being a jack of all trades I am sufficiently good at most things I need in bushcraft, but not really excellent in anything. If I am really good at anything it has to be recognition of plants and animals as well as axe and knife usage.
Torjus Gaaren
Torjus Gaaren
That's a good question.
I know my weak points very well, plant identification, woodworking stuff like that, but strong points are harder to see in ourselves.
The only thing I can think of might be firecraft.
That's not to say firelighting, there are many people better at that than me, but having worked around fires since I was a nipper and run field kitchens at more re-enactments than I care to remember, I think I'm starting to get the hang of using a fire for cooking and the like.
I know my weak points very well, plant identification, woodworking stuff like that, but strong points are harder to see in ourselves.
The only thing I can think of might be firecraft.
That's not to say firelighting, there are many people better at that than me, but having worked around fires since I was a nipper and run field kitchens at more re-enactments than I care to remember, I think I'm starting to get the hang of using a fire for cooking and the like.
I like to think I'm pretty good at making natural cordage (willow/lime bark etc.) but I'm sure there are MANY on here that could wipe the floor with me. My edible plant knowledge is pretty good, and I can identify nearly all of the edible fungi found in this country (and some of the hallucinogenic ones )
I am, however, absolutely pants at carving- my spoons are ok, but I can only just about manage that. My pot hangers are, however, excellent . And I know next to nothing about shelter building, or tracking, which is a shame, because they are the skills I would most like to have!!!
(and some of the hallucinogenic ones )I am, however, absolutely pants at carving- my spoons are ok, but I can only just about manage that. My pot hangers are, however, excellent
. And I know next to nothing about shelter building, or tracking, which is a shame, because they are the skills I would most like to have!!! 
I am not sure if this would count but my ability to work with leather is probably my best skill.
Unfortunatly I have never had the opportunity to work with fresh skins in order to get my leather in the first place.
I would really love to give this a go though.
Apart from that, my imagination is probably second to few.
Who else here sat over a fire and worked out how to turn the stuck sausages exactly 90 degrees to get better cooking control....
Mind you I also sat holding a glowing stick over my toast to toast it, instead of making a holder for it...oh well.
SO yeah maybe my cooking skills are more than adequate. Ask dave...
My cordage making is pretty fine, though I am not very fast at it.
I am getting there with fire bow, but a ong way to go yet......
I can break rocks and get a blade, and thats about as fine as my flint knapping goes.......
My blade control is pretty good.....
Thats all I can think off right now....
Edited to add, my whistles are pretty functional, though not pretty.
Unfortunatly I have never had the opportunity to work with fresh skins in order to get my leather in the first place.
I would really love to give this a go though.
Apart from that, my imagination is probably second to few.
Who else here sat over a fire and worked out how to turn the stuck sausages exactly 90 degrees to get better cooking control....
Mind you I also sat holding a glowing stick over my toast to toast it, instead of making a holder for it...oh well.
SO yeah maybe my cooking skills are more than adequate. Ask dave...
My cordage making is pretty fine, though I am not very fast at it.
I am getting there with fire bow, but a ong way to go yet......
I can break rocks and get a blade, and thats about as fine as my flint knapping goes.......
My blade control is pretty good.....
Thats all I can think off right now....
Edited to add, my whistles are pretty functional, though not pretty.
I am really bad at getting myself into a fundamental Bushcraft course!
I am quite ok in learning things by reading (this forum is great help) and trying myself in the shed. I can work with ropes from my sailing background.
So far I have succeeded in making cordage (nettle, willow bark), fire (bow-drill, fire stick), woodcarving and wearing a ranger shirt!
I am quite ok in learning things by reading (this forum is great help) and trying myself in the shed. I can work with ropes from my sailing background.
So far I have succeeded in making cordage (nettle, willow bark), fire (bow-drill, fire stick), woodcarving and wearing a ranger shirt!
Most handcraft skills I'm fine on, cordage is good, relatively fast and sound. Basketry and hurdle making is okay, fibre crafts are very good.
Axe work is atrociously bad these days and carving is becoming too sore to do for long too. Shelter building is okay, digging in can be an ache now. Good months, bad weeks these days
Butchery is neat, and I can process skins effectively.
Camp cooking is inclined to be okay on a fire but limited on a stove, Wayland beats me hands down around a fire. I can make fire using flint and steel, firebow and occasionally by firedrill.
Plants; I'm very comfortable with those I see in my own environment and a few more that I barter for, it's an ever growing thing though
Fungi I don't know enough about......I recognise the ones I use but I really need to spend time with some folks who know an awful lot more for identification and uses.
Lotions and potions, soaps, creams, ointments, tinctures, herbal uses of plants I'm fine on, again though there's always more to learn.
Tracking.....anything but kids I'm very slow at
and my sense of direction is inclined to be convoluted
Need to work at: tree identification in winter, fungi, firedrill, knots (how many do you really need???)
Good thread, makes you think about what you think you know.
Cheers,
Toddy
Basketry and hurdle making is okay, fibre crafts are very good.Axe work is atrociously bad these days and carving is becoming too sore to do for long too. Shelter building is okay, digging in can be an ache now. Good months, bad weeks these days
Butchery is neat, and I can process skins effectively.
Camp cooking is inclined to be okay on a fire but limited on a stove, Wayland beats me hands down around a fire. I can make fire using flint and steel, firebow and occasionally by firedrill.
Plants; I'm very comfortable with those I see in my own environment and a few more that I barter for, it's an ever growing thing though
Fungi I don't know enough about......I recognise the ones I use but I really need to spend time with some folks who know an awful lot more for identification and uses.
Lotions and potions, soaps, creams, ointments, tinctures, herbal uses of plants I'm fine on, again though there's always more to learn.
Tracking.....anything but kids I'm very slow at
and my sense of direction is inclined to be convoluted Need to work at: tree identification in winter, fungi, firedrill, knots (how many do you really need???)
Good thread, makes you think about what you think you know.
Cheers,
Toddy
Ahjno said:
Hi Johan
Re medicinal plants - what would be your top plant for medicinal properties, is there one that does lots? (sorry i sound v ignorant but think is v interesting)
Cheers
Bushcraft is such a wide ranging subject area I'm hoping I never become good at anything! It's so much more fun learning new things. I hope to keep this interest for the rest of my life.
I can sit happily by a fire carving...but don't expect there to be a good supply of food and water or any decent kind of shelter!
