Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Lack of awareness

I've posted many, many times about the need to be prepared. This is an important subject for me, so maybe that's why I'm always shocked by how little the people I talk to or hear about put into it. This is highlighted by an episode on the Highway 402, about 3 hours away from me in a small town Sarnia, ON. Hundreds of motorist were caught off guard and forced to hunker down in their vehicles when a snow storm hit them hard and trapped them.

READ: Globe and Mail article

A YouTuber posted this video about his experiences, stuck for 30 hours on the highway in a blizzard:




So imagine that, over 300 people trapped in a scenario that could easily lead to death. Fortunately, as of right now I've heard everyone was eventually rescued and is back home.

So what happens if this happens to you. Imagine you're stuck for 30 or even 72 hours in the freezing cold. With what you have in your vehicle right now, could you survive? I myself keep the essentials that will keep me alive, hydrated and feed overnight if I ever need it, but can easily stretch the supplies to 3 days if I was forced to. That's the thing about survival, it's not fun, it's not expected, and the price of negligence is death.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Axe Restoration Project (finale)

*** To catch up on this series please read Part 1 and Part 2 ***

At the beginning of spring I stopped by a nearby outdoors market and managed to pick up an old ave head that had broken off its handle.

I took the opportunity to clean it up and re-handle it, looking at the project as a learning experience, the final product being what would be a useable tool.

Midway through the project I found out (through investigating the shape and balance of the head) the reason why the axehead had broken off the original handle. Instead of abandoning the project I took it as a learning experience and continued on.

Picking up where I left off in the Part 2, I shaped the handle and added a patina to the axehead.


I then fitted and secured the axehead on by hammering it onto the handle. I earlier sawed a split into the part where the eye of the axehead would sit so that I could hammer a splint into it (essentially holding the head in place with outward pressure).


I trimmed the top and allowed 1/4" to stick out above the axehead ensure a better hold.

After a final sharpening I took the axe with me on a few trip out and it performs moderately well at the task of splitting wood. Due to the flaws I found in it earlier, I would not depend on this axe for more than that. The extra leverage provided by the length of the handle and the extra weight of the head shows a marked improvement in splitting tasks over the small camp hatchet that I am accustomed to. The motion allows for the tool to take on more of the work, and I find that I don't need to expend as much effort in splitting especially stubborn pieces.


Overall I've learned a great deal about axe maintenance and repair and now have a usable tool. When and if I do decide to invest in something pricier (Gransfor Burks or Wetterlings for example) I'll at least have a better idea of what I'm looking for, what tasks I'll ask of it, and how to maintain it.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Focus


I'm a one tracked kind guy. I suck at multitasking, so whenever I do something I've put most of my energy into focusing on one thing, and stick with it until I see the it through until I'm satisfied. that's just the way I am.

I mention this because this journal hasn't received any attention from me in the past month. That's not to say I haven't been honing my skills in any way...I just haven't been documenting it.

That might sound like a cope out, but the truth is that I have another area in my life that's a little more urgent, and requires my focus for the next few months. As a result, there will be less postings here. Though I won't be ceasing my posts altogether, they will be sparse and intermittent.

When I'm happy with where I am in my current project, I'll re-adjust my priorities at that time.

Until then, check back once in a while...but not too often.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Custom Kydex Sheath for the Pathfinder Knife

Blind Horse Knives "Pathfinder Bushcraft Knife", Custom Kydex Sheath on ESEE Molle backing

Working with Kydex:
I got my Pathfinder Knife from Blind Horse Knives way back. So way back in fact, they hadn't even started shipping them with the trademark kydex sheath that they come standard with now. That was fine, I enjoy leather a great deal and I like the traditional look they have hanging off the belt, but looking at my RC-4 I liked the idea of securing the Pathfinder in a kydex sheath to the mollebacking, and adding a firesteel loop. It's very satisfying to put your knife away and have it snap right into the sheath and know it's not going anywhere, so I decided why not have a go at making one of my own?

There's nothing quite like making your own gear. You know what's capable of, you know it's limits but but most importantly, you put the time into creating something that ultimately is tailored to what you need and ask of your gear. I've made a few leather sheaths now, and am fairly comfortable working with the material, and can produce some functional pieces (if not all that aesthetically pleasing). After reading numerous tutorials on kydex available online, I decided the process seemed cimple enough. Heat the Kydex, form it around the knife, clamp it in the heat proof foam to mold it, and then trim/sand/drill the final product.

Like everything else in life though, you need to read through the lines. Don't get me wrong, the process of making a sheath in kydex really is as simple as described above...but simple doesn't always equate to easy.

Working with kydex is a pain. The material doesn't always do what you want it to do when it's malleable, and it cools so fast that you need work very quickly to get it around the knife and into the mold while it's still workable. I didn't even bother trying to document how I made the sheath. If a sheet of kydex is $5 and the molding foam $8, why do sheath makers charge upwards of $50 for a custom sheath?? Now I know they earn every penny that they charge. The amount of skill, and investment in proper tools that is required is unreal.




To be honest, I'm ok with the final result. The sheath I made works, it's 100% functional...however there are things about it that could be improved on. In the future I might get a sheath done professionally, but for now I'm glad I at least tried out the process. Heck, if I get ballsy enough, I may even try to make another sheath myself until I get it right.


The Sheath System:

The setup
  • I mounted the Kydex sheath onto the molle backing for my RC-4 (ESEE4) and added a strip of folded leather in between to act as a firesteel loop. Because the belt loop on molle backing forces the knife to ride higher on my waist than I wanted, I made a leather quick release that secures it to my belt with 4 metal snaps. This also allows me to put on or remove the sheath without having to take my belt off (which started to annoy me with my old leather sheath).

  • The sheath itself is formed with a drain hole at the bottom, so the knife won't be held against moisture in the event the sheath is submerged in water.
  • The firesteel is an LMF army model with a custom wood turned handle, and some shock cord in the lanyard hole with an ITW Nexus Aerowave whistle as a cord lock.

  • The sheath wrapped with about 10ft of 550 cord, just in case I need some extra.

  • I have a few holes drilled that I can add some split ring onto, if I feel the need to carry some extra items like an LED light or aluminum capsules (tinder, water purification, etc).

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

So what did you learn this time?


"...because you always learn something new"

Those words were inquired to me at the end of the trip last weekend. It's true, I mean I do like evaluate how certain sets up worked, or what pieces of gear I needed or didn't use. Of course there are always lessons to be learned too, based on what I did or didn't do right or could be improved on for next time...I mean, it's a constant evolution and the learning process never ends...I just never realized how predictable it was for me to express the lessons I took away each time.

The question was genuine though, so I can take solace in the fact that my passion is being supported by those around me.

So what did I learn?
  1. A kit with tools you need is no good if it's hanging on a tree in base camp instead of in your canoe when you realize you need something from it (I admit I should have known better)

  2. A 3mil garbage bag is fine for an emergency shelter, but it's time to invest in a light weight tarp.

  3. Get a proper poncho. This will be the last time I tear up a cheap poncho and have to repair it with duct tape!

  4. A properly built back wall on your fire pit makes all the difference when you want to save on wood and stay warm efficiently.
There are more, but listing them all really doesn't prove anything. The point I'm trying to convey is that it's important that you evaluate where you are. It might seem silly, but are you better now than you were 6 months ago? Have you improve or are you stagnating? Think about it, and be honest with yourself.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Growth

I don't consider myself all that skilled or knowledgeable when it comes to bushcraft skills...regardless I have come far in the past few years. I most certainly do not see myself as a teacher of any kind, but this past weekend in the bush I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle influence my passion has had on someone very close to me.

My girlfriend shocked me completely when she asked me to teach her how to featherstick some kindling. I had previously gotten her a Mora knife, and after watching me she decided to try her hand at learning some basic knife skills.

Getting the technique down


The results

She later proceeded to have me guide her through the process of making her first fire using a firesteel and birch bark.


Her first fire ended up "drinking draino" because she turned her back on it in her excitement, but she just got right back to it and started another one with more feathersticks and birch tinder (and this one ended up lasting the whole night). This was the first time I ever completely let someone else take the reigns of starting and managing the fire, something I consider a fairly sacred task.


Passing on this knowledge is a pretty special thing...I guess we both grew a little bit this weekend.

Monday, August 30, 2010

One Year Reflection

Y'know it occurred to me that it has been over a year since I started keeping this journal, and I completely forgot that the 1 year date had passed.

I originally started this journal with the intention of just tracking my progress, my projects and any cool tricks I had learned. Ultimately I wanted to be able to look back on the early pages in about 5 years and laugh at some of the silly things I believed. Really though, what I didn't expect was how well this thing has kept me accountable...to myself.

At the beginning I was unsure if I should even create a blog, and actually kept it unsearchable and private for quite some time. It was only for me to read, and perhaps a few close others who knew what my interests were. What would I post about? I don't know much and I lack quite a bit of experience. That really hasn't changed, but what I CAN say is that I know more today than I did 1 year ago...and isn't that the point? Constantly growing, learning and absorbing new experiences so that you know a little more today than you did yesterday.

Two years ago I couldn't start a fire if you handed me a box of matches, let alone any other method. Now I can identify a number of natural tinders, and multiple ways to start fires. Some I have tried, some I'm adept at and others I still need to learn.

1 year ago to me an overgrown area would've been covered in weeds. Now I can recognize a multitude of plants and their medicinal or nutritional benefits.

I sometimes find myself reading my journal and looking at the date of the entry. If my last posting is anything more than a week I'm forced to ask myself why I haven't posted since then. Have I genuinely been busy, or have I just been lazy? Have I run out of things to say? If so, why? I should have been learning something, working on a project, making a kit...so why not post on that! In that way I need to continually have something lined up to post about, which means I continually need to be refining my skills.

All in all this has been a positive experience, and I'm interested to see how long it will run for before I feel the need to wrap it up. Based on how much I don't know...that won't be for a while.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Leather Sheaths for 2 Old Hickory Butcher Knives


Recently I found 2 Old Hickory carbon steel knives at my grandparents old house in the cellar. They were beat up so badly that the edges didn't exist and were also covered in surface rust.

After I cleaned them up and re-profiled the edge, I decided that it wasn't safe to have them around without sheaths, so I made some with leftover leather I had from making the sheath for the Pathfinder Knife.

The style is a traditional knife sheath, with no belt loop. These are not meant to be on my person like a bushcraft knife, but rather to stay at camp for food prep. I finished the sheath with a beeswax mixture I prepared and am very pleased with how it darkened the leather (plus it adds protection to the leather itself from wear and moisture damage).

I'm finding this basic leatherwork more and more rewarding, and can see how easy it is to get addicted to this. I'm limited by what I can produce by my lack of experience and basic tools, but it's nice to see a sheath come to life in a matter of hours.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Les Stroud: Beyond Survival

Les Stroud (Survivorman) has a new series airing soon on Discovery. This takes his survival theme a step further and looks at how the aboriginal and indigenous cultures of the world dealt with surviving the every day.

This looks a lot like what Ray Mears did in his World of Survival series, which I wholeheartedly encourage. It's extremely difficult for these societies to maintain and pass on their tribal knowledge to children who grow up in a more and more modern world. Shows like this have a chance to highlight the way these cultures exist, and bring attention to them that hopefully will allow their knowledge to live on.

Check out a preview of the series below.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

My updated urban EDC

Since the first post on my EDC, what I carry has gone through a number of revisions. Part of building kits and being prepared is trying out new options and seeing what works for you as a system. Naturally this means certain things will remain, while others will be replaced or swapped out with more effective items.

Below is what can be found in my pockets, or on my person at any given time when in a normal urban environment, and I'll provide some justification as to why I've chosen them over my last set.

Pictured: My Every Day Carry (EDC)

  1. Wire cable keyring
    This is a simple replacement to a standard keyring. Allows for more items to be added, or (as in my case) allows the items you already have to not bunch into an uncomfortable bundle in your pocket.

  2. Leatherman Micra
    Replaced the Gerber Paraframe Mini with a Leatherman Micra. The Gerber wasn't seeing much use and Micra's small blade is enough for the type of jobs it saw to justify the switch.
    With the Micra I get:
    - Scissors

    - Blade

    - Bottle opener
    - Eyeglass screw driver
    - Tweezers
    - Phillips screw driver

    - Standard screwdriver

    - Nail file
    - 11cm ruler

  3. MiniMatch Firestriker
    This replaced the peanut lighter as the fire device. My rationale for this is that in an urban environment, if there is a need for immediate fire I am never too far away from a convenience store where I can pick up a small bic or a pack of matches. If I am in an emergency and need a sustainable fire, then I would be willing to put the effort into building a pile of magnesium shavings and preparing tinder.

    The peanut lighter has drawback in that it has a tendency to allow the fuel to evaporate away if not used. I'm not a smoker and so I wouldn't use the lighter enough to justify constantly filling it only to let the fuel disappear into the ether, so the MiniMatch is a better fit for me.

  4. MicroSD flash card + USB reader
    As this is an urban kit, it makes sense to carry some means of transferring data between computers. A USB flash drive is the most obvious but I found that most were too bulky to carry in my pocket everyday. My solution to this was to use a pocket MicroSD reader and MicroSD card. This actually turned out to be more cost effective than buying a flash drive, and the upside is that I can switch out the SD card anytime in order to upgrade capacity.

    I covered the end with orange electrical tape because this particular reader has it's USB contacts exposed and I don't want to damage them with pocket wear.

  5. LED keychain light
    This version replaced the run of the mill keychain light I had before, due to the feature that allows for a simple push on/push off functionality. Not a huge difference from holding down the button for use, but the convenience is nice.

  6. Whistle
    Chose this whistle because of the simple design, low profile and resiliency in my pocket. It's nice and loud, and works great as a signaling device or just getting people's attention.

  7. Swiss-Tech Utili-key
    I decided to hang on to this tool because of how convienient it is to carry. It adds redundancy to my kit, in case the Micra is damaged or lost, and strikes a pretty good spark on the MiniMatch. With it I have a
    - serrated blade
    - flat screwdriver
    - phillips screwdriver
    - eyeglass screwdriver
    - bottle opener

  8. Paracord Bracelet
    I've covered why it's important to have a way over carrying emergency cordage before.

  9. Smart Phone
    I've finally traded up my old cellphone for a smart phone. This decision was a long time coming, and I'm very glad that I made the switch. This device allows access to a whole host of features above and beyond the typical cellphone, including access to e-mail, web browsing and GPS; the importance of which SHOULD NOT be overlooked when in an urban environment.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Comparison of various firesteels

When it comes to choosing a firesteel there are no shortages in terms of what options you have to pick from. Firesteels, or 'ferro-rods' as they are called, are made of the same substance you find in Bic or Zippo lighters that give you the spark when you strike the wheel. The so called 'flint' is actually a metal alloy called Ferrocerium (hence the term ferro-rod), and is actually composed of rare earth metals, iron and magnesium in varying ratios.

Not all firesteels are alike, and their behaviors depends greatly on the ratios of the metals used to compose them. As a result, they do not all perform the same and so I decided to do a comparison of the ones that I have personally used. For obvious reasons it is easiest to compare brand name versions, because of the consistency in product that the manufacturer needs to uphold to with each batch.

This list is not exhaustive, as I am only comparing firesteels I have used personally. There are many more out there (Blast match and StrikeForce come to mind) that I have not used and so cannot comment on personally.


The Generic
We'll start of with the cheaper generic versions you'll find selling on the internet (deal extreme, ebay) and in big box stores (Canadian Tire, Wal-mart). I've lumped them all together because I find that they have performed similarly enough to warrant the broad generalization.

These work reasonably well, and are usually priced significantly less than a brand name firesteel. They are much their composition is much harder and so require less force behind the strike, but consequently throw less sparks (since it is harder to remove enough material to generate a good shower). Not a problem if you carry your own dry tinder (dryer lint and cotton balls stored in ziplock bags come to mind) but I've found them to be less than ideal when using natural tinder.

If you're picking one up to play with, or learn good technique (without using up a more expensive firesteel) then it's worthwhile to look into one of these, but I would prefer to have something more substantial with me as my go-to fire starter.


Magnesium Bar
Categorized here due to the undeniable similarities in use, this is the perfect firestarting tool for a novice . Composed of a ferrocerium rod secured to a block of magnesium it is almost a bomb proof way of getting a fire going. Rather than depending on the ferrocerium alone, the magnesium block can be scraped to make a fine dust which will burn extremely hot when sparked.

The drawback here is that the ferrocerium used is of a hardness comparable to the generics above, which means that you almost have to rely on the magnesium when using natural tinder. An effective pile to use wet usually requires a size about the diameter of a quarter, which takes a considerable amount of time to build and is fluffy enough that a slight breeze can blow it away.

Because of the hardness of the magnesium, I find that the spine of a knife is rarely enough to efficiently make shavings, so it's important to pack a dedicated striker for this purpose (a piece of old hacksaw blade works nicely in this role).


MiniMatch
I picked this up from SurvivalResources to throw on my key chain, and it is basically a scaled down version of the mag block listed above. Small enough to throw in a small back up kit, or just carry around in your pocket. I like this one because the ferro-rod on it is comparable to a LMF model and I can reliably produce tight controlled sparks which can be used to ignite either tinder or in an emergency, a small pile of magnesium scraped from the body.

The limiting factor here is that the small size prevents it from being anything more than a back up.


Mischmetal Blanks
Sold at places like GoingGear.com and FireSteels.com, I have found these to be much softer than most of the other firesteels. As a results you get brilliant sparks which have been described as being closer to 'molten globs of metal' rather than traditional sparks. These sparks burn hot and last a long time, which makes it great for lighting either natural or prepared tinders. The draw back is that because the metal is softer, it requires more force to generate enough friction to ignite the shavings. This can lead to throwing the sparks wildly rather than controlling them where you want to go, but of course the ones that DO go where you want them get the job done nicely.

One nice thing about blanks is that they are low profile, so easy to just throw in a pocket or pack. Of course, making your own handle is also an option, and the one I tend to go with.


LMF Swedish Firesteel
The Light My Fire Swedish Firesteel is my preferred model. The sparks from this are bright, hot and most importantly...controllable. I've had the most success with this firesteel in using the "thumb push" method, which I think results in easier firemaking. I've gotten everything from birch bark to feather sticks to light with minimal difficulty using the push method, and the make up of this alloy has a lot to do with that success. It sits at a hardness lower than the generics, and higher than the mischmetal blanks, meaning this porridge is "just right". The thickness is perfect for the loops on most knife sheaths to carry, and is supposedly good for 12,000 strikes (which is not the same as 12,000 fires, don't make that mistake!).

The deciding factor here for me was the consistency with which I could get tightly focused controlled sparks, almost every time. This sold me because it's important that you can reliably reproduce that controlled spark and put it where you want it in your tinder pile time and time again without knocking over your pile, or pulling the firesteel back wildly against the striker with no sense of where your sparks will land.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Becker Necker (BK-11) Personal Survival Kit (PSK)


My neck knife of choice is the Ka-Bar made BK&T BK11. I'll go into reason I went with this particular knife in another post, so for now I'd like to focus on what I did to mod this into something of a small personal survival kit or PSK.

I've been carrying this kit for a while since I saw the original idea for it and pleased with how it's worked out. Truthfully though, I don't like the idea of "survival kits" because my personal philosophy is that what you carry on your body and in your mind which should be what you need to survive, but of course...shit happens. It's precisely because of this that it is important to have layers of redundancy, so that if one "layer" of your gear fails or gets lost, you have a fall back. So keep in mind that this kit is meant to augment what I normally carry, in the event that "shit happened".

I drew inspiration from Colhane in his video here, where he talks about his own neck knife kit, so there will obviously be a lot of similarities. It's worth taking a look at, and he does a very good job and explaining the reasoning behind why he put certain items into the kit.

The kit I put together is admittedly a lot smaller, and not nearly as robust...however it was built for what suited my particular needs of the kit. It consists of:


  1. Sheath + Lanyard
    - Stock sheath that comes with the Becker necker, may wrap it with duct tape at a later time. The lanyard is about 4' of 550 cord. Not much, but I carry some more cordage in the kit.

  2. Knife
    - I wrapped the BK-11 handle in high visibility orange paracord which I gutted for more comfort when gripping. Orange was chosen after I had an incident a few years ago where I dropped my knife in the middle of the night and had to wait until the next morning to find it.

  3. 2x tubes of petroleum treated cotton
    - Not much to explain here. Just a bomb proof way to get 2 fires going in an emergency.

  4. 20' kite string wrapped around 2 nails
    - Cordage for improvised fishing, snares, shelter building...the uses are endless.

  5. 10' black thread wrapped around a finishing nail
    - Thread for repair in the event I need to sew rips or tears in my clothing.

  6. 2x large repair needles for sewing
    - See above. Could be used for an improvised fish hook if pressed.

  7. 1x "mini-match" magnesium + flint rod
    - Fire starting tool, a scaled down version of your typical mag bar. With the flint side I can get a fire going with the tinder tubes and some choice natural materials. For a particularly stubborn tinder I can use the magnesium and make shaving to give it an extra boost.

  8. 1x 1L water bag
    - Used for purifying water with the aquatabs and also transporting water if on the move.

  9. 4x aquatab water purification tablets
    - 4 tabs is enough to purify 4L of water. That's 2 days worth of emergency water in the worst case scenario. Considering doubling the amount, will tweak the kit if I need to.

  10. 1x keychain LED light
    - Nothing special here, click once to turn it on, click it again to shut it off.

  11. 2x pieces of bicycle inner tubing
    - Will be used to keep the kit together, but strips of it can be cut off and used as a fire extender in wet weather.

Putting it all together...

The kit is put together with the 1L water bag, folded in 3 around the pack of aquatabs and the 2 needles + thread taped to the back of the sheath.


On the other side of the sheath, the tinder tubes, magnesium rod, kite string and LED light are laid on the sheath, and the whole thing is wrapped by the 2 sections of inner tube.


What the finished kit looks like. The whole thing is only about 3/4" thick and is not heavy around my neck at all. Under my shirt it has a very low profile and is not immediately noticeable to most people.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Back from hiatus

Anyone who follows my journal will have found that there was a distinct lack of updates over the past few weeks. Good reason for that too, as I was out of the country and posting was the last thing on my mind.

I'm back now, and having just come back from my first hike out in a good while, I thought I'd do a little update explaining my absense. I've got a few ideas of things I'd like to share, so maybe it won't take too long to get back into the swing of things.

Cheers,

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Congrats Dave! - Discovery Channel Dual Survival

It's no secret that one of the reasons I got into Bushcraft is because of a fellow on Youtube by the name of Dave Canterbury. His common sense no non-sense attitude, clear instructions and appeal to the common man made his series of web videos a joy to watch. Hell, my primary knife is a custom design he collaborated on with Blind Horse Knives. I even corresponded with him via his forum and facebook page. When I learned he could no longer continue to offer his content on Youtube...well I was a little disappointed to say the least.

However, there's always a silver lining, as Mr. Canterbury was off adventuring and filming for the Discovery Channel alongside Cody Lundin in a new series called Dual Survival.


Well the time has come and that series will be airing soon. I for one can't wait.

Here's a LINK to the press release, if you'd like to see what the series is about.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Axe restoration project *update*


I spoke earlier about finding a broken axe head at a flea market I was interested in restoring, and little by little I've been doing so in the past weeks since then.


The project is coming along; I have removed all the rust and peeling paint from the axe head and removed what was left of the broken handle from the eye of the head.

One thing that I wanted to do originally was carve my own handle from a piece of hickory, but there are several problems with this.
  1. Finding the right wood; Hickory is best for this particular use
  2. Going out and cutting down a live tree
  3. Waiting the appropriate amount of time for the wood to season before I would be able to work with it if I wanted a long term axe.
  4. Carving the axe handle, without the proper crooked knife would be a labour intensive job
All of these combined left me with the realization that it might be better to get a shaped hickory handle and work from there.


It took some time to actually find a handle with the attributes I wanted. Make no mistake, you can't just run out to the store and buy the first handle you see...not if you want it to last. Comfort, grain direction, weight and balance all factor into what makes a good axe handle.


Then I ran into a problem. I found that after some rough shaping, that the reason the head I'm restoring broke from the axe in the first place is that it was shaped poorly. The eye of the head is tilted off to one side, meaning that it does not line up with the center of the handle when you view it from above. To correct this, I'm finding that I need to remove more material from one side of the handle than the other, making the axe inherently weak there. This means that I run the risk of breaking the axe in the future.

I briefly considered abandoning this project because of this, but decided that I would rather continue on. In the event that the axe is not perfect, at least I've learning a lot about axe repair, a lesson that would be useful if I decide to purchase a better made, more costly axe in the future. It would also benefit me to learn good axe work and maintenance on a cheaper axe, rather than spending top dollar on an axe that I didn't know how to properly use or take care of.

Continue to Part 2 of the Axe restoration Project

Monday, May 10, 2010

Goodbye puppy friend.


Friday I got a call from my girlfriend, and clearly something was wrong by the sound of her voice. She had received news from her eldest sister that their family dog Indy was at the vet, and that he wouldn't last the weekend. This news wasn't a total shock as Indy was old...but he was a fighter. In the past 2 years he's battled tumours, parasites and everything else that comes with old age like arthritis and deafness...so we knew what this call meant; it was time for Indy to go to sleep, never to wake up again. I rushed out the door to meet her so we could go see him one last time, a luxury I am honoured to have had.

I won't go into the details about what went on because it was an emotional rollar coaster for me, and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried for him. He wasn't even my dog, but I can say that he was a good friend of mine. I only got to know Indy the last 3-4 years of his life, and he definitely left his mark on me...in fact I even went on my first "real" camping trip with Indy.

a silent guardian, a watchful protector

Having Indy around showed me first hand, how powerful the companionship with a good dog is. I've always loved dogs, but lacked that bond first hand. I'll miss him always checking in on us to make sure we're still safe and protecting us when he thought we were in danger.

Thanks for being my friend Indy.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

At Work Preparedness Kit

Another installment of kit examples in honour of Emergency Preparedness Week. This time around, what to keep at work in the event there is an emergency.



A Heavy Duty Backpack/Duffle Bag
A bag to hold your items and durable enough to not fail on you in an emergency.

Cell phone
Your line of communication to the outside world.  Place calls to loved ones and emergency services or even e-mail them.  With a smart phone you can even post messages to social media sites like Twitter or Facebook to get in touch with people.

Radio
Depending on the scale of the emergency you may need a source of information.Opt for a hand crank powered unit as you don't want to be relying on batteries, which can run out.

Flashlight
A light source is invaluable if lighting fails and you find yourself in the dark.  Once again, opt for hand crack powered unit.

Bottled water or a method to purify water sources
No brainer, dehydration scrambles judgment and can kill. If a water source fails, you may find yourself in a situation where you have no running water from taps, so bottled water might be a better choice.

Extra Clothing
A change of clothes if your clothes become soiled or are too uncomfortable to move around freely.  Also useful for adding layers for warmth.

First aid kit
Most places of work are required to keep a large kit on hand, but it would be irresponsible to rely on it as a sole source of first aid.  Carry some basic bandages and medications (asprin/allergy/digestive system upset).

Bic lighter (and candles)
For light / heat in a power outage.

Cash
Use small denominations and carry coins for pay telephones or vending machines that might still work.

Can opener
An army p-51 is very lightweight and simple to use.

Hygene items
Toothbrush, FLOSS (the unwaxed kind doubles as strong cordage!), toilet paper, hand sanitizer.

Whistle
To use as an audible signal, in the event that rescue workers are searching for you.

Books/travel games/cards
To pass the time.

...and most importantly a PLAN.
  • Formulate how and where you will meet up with loved ones if you can't contact them. 
  • Formulate your escape plan



Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time.  If you're not prepared to deal with the situation and are relying on someone else to bail you out, you're putting your life in jeopardy.  It's far better to have these items ready and with you, and never need them than to wish you had them in the event you did.

    Tuesday, May 4, 2010

    Vehicle Emergency Kit: Items to have in an emergency!

    So I've covered the types of items you should keep in a Home Emergency Kit, but what happens if you're driving when disaster strikes? Afterall, you don't plan when an emergency happens and a disaster can be as simple as running out of gas, or as complicated as getting snowed in on the highway (which happened to a number of people in a freak storm just this past winter).

    So below I'll list some items that are easily packed in a duffle bag and should be left in your car's trunk. As a bonus, I'll do my best to list things you probably already have, or can obtain cheaply as to limit the cost of the kit.



    Cell Phone
    This is #1 on the list because with it, you might not even need to use the other items.

    Folding Shovel 
    Dig out snow or sand that you might be stuck in

    Blanket or sleeping bag 
    To retain warmth in the event you can't run the car for heat.

    Sand or salt
    In the event you are stuck and need the extra traction.

    Road flare
    To signal for help or simple warn other motorist that you're stopped on the side.

    Extra clothing
    To change into if you have become wet from rain/snow or to add extra layers to prevent hypothermia in case you need to spend the night in your vehicle.

    Bottled Water
    For drinking, hygiene or used to reconstitute dried food.

    Dried food/Energy Bars
    If you're stuck waiting for help for a long period a few energy bars or a packs of ramen noodles can be used to hold you over or in a pinch can be stretched out over a few days to keep your blood glucose levels up.

    Stainless Steel Cup/pot and sterno burner/folding stove
    A stainless steel cup or pot is invaluable as a boiling vessel to purify water, make tea, coffee or packaged food. The stove can also be used to heat the cab of the vehicle if the temperature drops. (IMPORTANT: crack a window to prevent to accumulation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide).

    Candle and empty coffee can 
    A candle placed inside an empty coffee can will provide warmth and light. Same rule as above, crack a window to let fumes escape.

    Tool kit / Multi-tool
    You never know when a pair of pliers, screwdrivers or sturdy knife can come in handy.

    Booster cables
    To give or receive a boost if the vehicle battery is dead.

    Ice scraper/snow brush and lock de-icer
    This isn't environment dependant

    Local Maps
    Modern equipment is great, but a lot of people depend on their GPS devices and batteries can die. Don't get lost because you didn't have a back up.

    Bic lighter
    Firesteels and primitive fire making techniques are useful, but make sure there is a no-nonsense, RELIABLE way to make fire if you need it.  A $0.99 bic lighter is a no-brainer.

    Flashlight and spare batteries 
    To provide light, and be used as a signaling device.

    First aid kit
    Broad enough to cover common injuries.  Bandages, gauze, antiseptic cream, Aspirin, allergy medications and Pepto bismal.

    Paper towels
    Important if you need to clean up any mess, and is easily overlooked.  Doubles as tinder as well.

    Garbage bags
    Crawl into this as a poncho, cut it open to be used as a tarp, or simply use it as a bag if you need to move items. Use what you have, but the heavy duty 3mil construction grade bags are ideal.



    Hopefully this gives you a place to start building your own kit.  The beauty of building your own instead of buying a pre-built kit, is that you become intimately familiar with the items you put in it and can easily expand or change it as the environment or needs of the kit changes.

      Monday, May 3, 2010

      Emergency Preparedness week 2010

      It's Emergency Preparedness week in Canada from May 2nd - May 8th, and I thought I would just make a quick post with some links to resources.

      I have spoken briefly on this topic once before, but the scope was fairly limited. Something as important and overlooked as this should be address again, and in more detail. Over the week I'll be posting some kit ideas that everyone should have prepared for a few basic such as


      Hopefully it will be enough to start some of you out on building your first few kits to prepare against an emergency. A few official links to Emergency Management can be found at:
      Emergency Management Ontario
      Town of Markham Emergency Preparedness

      Tuesday, April 27, 2010

      April 27 Hike

      Went for a small hike today. Only lasted an hour, but was nice to be outside. I managed to take a few interesting pictures, so here they are...

      The first Trilliums of the season. Official flower of the province of Ontario.






      Horseshoe fungus. The "false" tinder fungus. Can be prepared into a material called "Amadou" that takes a spark from flint and steel kit.




      How could I resist the chance to make a debris shelter?


      ...of course it's not exactly complete, but not bad for 20 mins of work.


      If I DID want to stay here for a night or so, I would've needed to spend another 2-3 hours just piling wood and leaves on top and sealing up the holes where I could get a draft.


      A tiny Maple tree forest.


      Bad picture of a Crampball fungus, also known as "King Alfred's Cake" fungus or the "true" tinder fungus. This stuff takes a spark and will glow like a piece of charcoal.


      Close up. Notice the concentric rings on the inside of the fungus.