While small branches might be broken by hand or braced perhaps against you knee, there comes a point where extra effort for stubborn or larger pieces is needed. Leverage is the key and a double trunk provides the means.

In a more domestic application, bent metal rods or pipes can be straightened. Years ago I did maintenance work at some apartments and occasionally a tenant would back into a chain link fence and bend the top pipe rail. I would remove it and use a double trunk tree on the premises to straighten it out before replacing it.

You may find multiple tree trunks instead of doubles that would be suitable and in some cases narrow “Y” shaped branches, but tree trunks are the strongest and doubles are the most efficient.

The purpose of fuzz sticks is to reduce kindling into tinder, from sticks into shavings for easier ignition by flame. This can make a significant difference when building a campfire.

A sharp knife is the key to success. There are basically two approaches… pushing the blade into the wood that we call “carving” – or – holding the blade in a fixed position while pulling the wood into the knife’s edge. Both methods have merit and basically boil down to which method gives you more control. Of course I recommend that the blade faces away from you.

Making fuzz sticks is a good skill to pursue and can be a critical element when resources are limited when creating a campfire. Feel free to share your experiences and advice for success.

Most folks are familiar with them from takeout meals or from restaurants and have acquired the skill for using them. For those who aren’t I would encourage them to become acquainted and develop the skill as they have been used for millennia in other cultures quite successfully. It only takes a little practice and can be held as shown in the photograph.

Those particular sticks were cut from Locust saplings and were straight and strong. Some folks may prefer to remove the bark but they work fine either way.

This is a bushcraft skill that not only uses local resources but also allows for ultralight backpacking. Next time you snack or cook a meal in the woods give it a try and experience the rewarding feeling of self-sufficiency and field expedient improvisation.

I was asked to try a fixed blade to see how I might like it as an alternative to my current knives and what would be the features that I would like to see. I said I would like a thick spine with a wide portion of blade for battoning/chopping, a full tang, a non slip grip , a socket in the handle for bow & spindle firecraft, a 90 degree edge for striking ferro rods, and the blade made of carbon steel for flint & steel fire making. The HWS fixed blade knife fulfilled my requirements and I began to put it to the test.

I had to get used to wearing the HWS as my other knives were carried differently. The HWS rides high on my belt but has the advantage of being easily concealed if needed. Because of the high mount I was able to be seated in a car seat or chair but I could also feel the handle against my ribs. The Kydex sheath is very durable but I might explore other options than the leather loops for attachment to my belt. It would also be nice if a ferro rod would be integrated. The Mycarta handle has positive grip even when wet. It also has a 1/2″ hole at the end of the handle that can be used to attach a lanyard but is large enough for straightening arrow shafts for primitive archery enthusiasts.

I began to use it for chopping wood but at 8 oz. I found it to be light in weight. Chopping wood using a 4 1/2″ blade with a total length of 8 3/8″ is asking a lot but with persistence it can be used on moderate to small branches and sticks. It works best to use a wide angle approach when chopping.

The hefty blade worked wonderfully when using baton sticks. It was limited only by it’s length but it is very sturdy. Once the wood had been split down I was able to make fuzz sticks by making successively higher cuts along the wood’s edge using the thumb of my opposing hand across the top of the blade to control each cut. I found that a thicker blade works a little differently but with a little adjustment it definitely works. I then wanted to use the HWS features for my firecraft endeavors.

I grabbed a piece of flint and some char cloth. I began to use the back side of the blade to strike the edge of the flint and the initial sparks looked promising but successive sparks were harder to achieve. I was able to catch sparks on the charcloth and join it to some tinder to make a fire. Although dedicated strikers make better sparks they weren’t made to do all that the HWS can do.

It seems that any manufactured edge needs to be ruffed up a bit to be effective. that also goes for a new ferro rod. The flint striking helped to make the top of the blade more aggressive for using with a ferro rod. After several strikes I could throw some sparks and I found the sweet spot for striking to be toward the tip on the backside that gave the easiest and best sparks.

I grabbed my bow & spindle kit and began to use the socket in the knife handle as a bearing block. When in use by the left hand the blade is positioned facing outward, away from the user. The socket is a little shallow compared to a regular bearing block but then the socket in the handle is a bonus feature and not a dedicated part of a specific bow & spindle kit.

The HWS is a very dependable fixed blade knife. It feels comfortable in the hand and can perform a multitude of bushcraft tasks. All told I was impressed with this knife and it’s craftsmanship by Kellershop Knives.

I live in the Northwest region of North Carolina where there are numerous groves of bamboo that have been referred to as a “primitive hardware store”. I feel truly blessed for this resource although some folks who are not into primitive skills and crafts find them annoying.

The other day I was traveling down a local road where there was a pile of bamboo poles left for disposal. I stopped by the property and asked the owner for permission to take some whereupon the owner gladly offered them and more to me. I made several trips to transport the poles home, the longest pole was thirty-seven feet!

I began to cut six foot lengths of equal circumference. I needed twelve to construct the basic framework. I cut six additional poles and split them lengthwise to lay out on the top of the frame to complete the platform.

I bought two fifty-foot tie-down cordage bundles for lashing. I had to supplement them with more cordage to tie the bottom legs and an additional step (for Grandkids and neighbor’s children). I was conservative on cordage for lashing but a more permanent structure should have twice as much… but for now it works and I will be sleeping on it tonight!

 
It was a cold night (36°) but I stayed warm in my down sleeping bag nestled inside a bivy bag. In lieu of traditional foliage as padding, I used a ground mat on top to sleep on. A pillow would have been nice! There was a full moon last night so I never used a flashlight. The flat/hard platform reminded me why I have switched to hammocking. In the end it was a great experience sleeping on a very solid bushcraft structure.

Today I set out to collect poles for my teepee for an up-coming event. Although the majority of trees are deciduous here there are also some pine trees which I prefer for their straight lines and light weight. As I was walking through the woods I spotted a pole that had a grape vine entangled around it. I had to cut the vine in order to free the pole and I decided that this would be a great time to see if it indeed would yield water.

Like so many containers of liquids, having only one open end is not efficient in dispensing it’s contents, especially if the opening is small. The way to expedite the flow of liquid is to make another opening to break the vacuum within the container and allow air to flow inside. You can see this provision on gasoline cans with an extra opening available on the opposite side of the spout. In like manner, if you cut a vine through at one end you need to cut the vine higher up to release the water inside.

You can see in the photo how the vine was cut to a point that helps direct the seeping water which I caught straight into my mouth. It came in drips but I imagine that the volume and flow would vary according to the size of the vine and perhaps the season. In any case it actually worked! And I was delighted. I will look forward to testing this with larger vines in the future.

I contacted a friend to share my discovery and we conspired to find the best source to combine our orders for purchase. Our search led us to Ebay that offered multiple models of varying sizes and styles. They come in 10, 8, and 6 opening sizes and some are double-deckers. They can be used for catching smelt, eel crab, lobster, minnow, shrimp, crawfish, etc. Our thoughts were to acquire one that was small enough to carry in a pack for hiking and so settled on a simple 6 opening design.

We took it to a pond and baited it with refrigerator leftovers, some bread and bits of sausage. I tied on a line and lowered it into the water and waited for about a half hour not knowing what would appear at it’s retrieval. When I pulled it up it contained bass small fry that wriggled all over the bottom. Depending on what is caught the contents could be used as bait or if large enough for eating.

I look forward to placing this portable folding net trap in various locations to see what exists and of course to enhance my fishing capabilities. Further research revealed comments from other users who mentioned that the side zipper, while sewn onto the net, had to first be unzipped to allow cutting open the mesh behind it to allow access into the trap. Also, some folks added some weights to allow the net to sink faster into the water as well as providing a better anchor in moving water. I found that once the trap got wet it went down okay for me and I want to keep it light for packing.

I recommend this for any fisherman or even for use by home-schoolers to discover what lies beneath the waters surface. It is simple and easy to use and I look forward to the next outing to employ it.

Some of the activities included blacksmithing, buggy rides, chicken processing, fire by friction, knife sharpening, spoon carving, salt making, shingle riving, all of which comprised only a fraction of the educational classes offered.

As usual, I provided demonstrations of primitive and survival skills. Many of these demos centered around the use of available resources that can turn typical “trash” into survival tools. I turned a coffee can into a suspended cooking pot, a soda bottle cap into a whistle, a soda can into a hobo fishing rig, a broken headlight into a fire starter, a hacksaw blade into a flint & steel striker, and bottle bottoms into a cutting blade and an arrowhead. I also demonstrated the traditional bow & spindle fire by friction method and shadow-stick directional navigation.

Turtle Island Preserve is a great environment to experience heritage skills and self-sustainable living skills. You can learn more about TIP at their website and keep up with their activities on their FaceBook page.

The interview covered a number of topics but initially I introduced myself, recounted my pursuit of bushcraft and survival skills and how I got started with Survivaltek. There were also practical questions such as “why did you want to teach people how to survive?”, “give us an idea of an emergency situation (and) what things around the house (could) you use to help us survive?” and “If you’re going out camping… what are some basic items that you feel people should take with them?”.

In addition, I was able to mention the classes that I offer which you can view on my classes page. My current plans are to hold classes the third Saturday of the month or by appointment. Those who are interested in taking a class should register ahead of time to guarantee their place in the class with associated materials.

You can view the video on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4LVLUAtGAs. I was very pleased with the interview and appreciated the great interaction with Drew and Alex.

Start this project by selecting the largest clean leaf and pluck it off where the stem meets the branch. On the stem, estimate a distance of about 2 inches away from the leaf and break off the end. To accomplish this I pinch the stem with my fingernails while rotating my hands in opposite directions. Some folks may prefer to cut it off with a knife or scissor accessory blade. Then break the remaining stem into 2 – 1 inch pieces. This creates 2 pins that will be used to hold the folded leaf parts together and can be temporarily held between your lips in ready position for installing during the next step of folding the leaf.

For esthetics, I prefer to fold the leaf with the top surface facing outward. To begin, position the stem edge facing upward with the underside facing you. fold the upper left lobe inward, aligning the bottom of the lobe at the same level as the notch on the opposite side, then lift the bottom 2 lobes up, making a horizontal fold line connecting the left and right notches. These folded parts become tabs that overlap and are joined by stitching one of the stem pins in and out of the leaf tabs. Repeat the process with the right upper lobe, tucking it under the bottom tab and joining it with the remaining stitched pin.

This is definitely a short term implement but can be easily and quickly constructed whenever it’s needed. Click HERE to view a video to see how it’s done.