Bushcraft query.

[John Saxby]

Jags, a further note on tarps, following Dan's very comprehensive note above:  A lot depends on bugs, their numbers & savagery, and one's own tolerance.  Since I live close to & do a lot of camping on the Canadian Shield, I have to take account of bugs, so that limits the use of tarps. They're always great as shelters against wind, sun and rain, but without a quality inner shelter against bugs (blackflies especially, but also mozzies) in these parts they're limited as a primary shelter to spring, early summer, and later summer/autumn. Here, the best summer months--June, July, and the first half of August, are also high season for bugs. (There are some people who ignore blackflies, but I'm not one of them.)

As an indicator of what's available in tarps, here's the link to the MEC catalogue:
http://www.mec.ca/shop/camping-tarps-and-light-shelters/50130+50712/?h=10+50055+50130

Of the ones shown here, I have two rectangular Integral Designs Siltarps, large & small.  They're very light (small one is just 400 gms), well made, handy, and I use them a lot.  Trees, etc., are obviously best for rigging, but I've found that a combination of a tent inner, plus an upright bicycle, works pretty well too.  Rigging requires a bungee cord or two, light braided nylon cord, and I also use the indispensable quick-release rubber ties I get from Lee Valley Tools, in different lengths.

Some of the newer one-person tents, esp just the inners, are almost as light as a bivy sack, and more spacious. Recently, I've done some arithmetic on the various combinations of my tents and tarps.  Happy to share those figures if you're interested -- send me a P/Message if so.  FWIW, I'm tilting towards a Tarptent DW Moment as (for me) the most versatile combination of weight-weather protection-bug protection-reasonable 3-season durability. Not the absolute lightest, but easier to use than buying/using separate bits & pieces in various combinations. My research is telling me, however, that lightness ain't cheap -- "less" is certainly more...

Cheers,  John

PS: Bought my Wenger Swiss Army knives from Knifecountryusa.com  -- check it out, there's a whole other world out there...

[jags]

Cheers John seems all you guys are experts im just a dreamer to be honest, wife thinks i've lost the plot altogether. as for bugs in ireland hah safe enough on that count if they come out they get drowned with all this rain..but yeah i can see how a tarp would be a great and handy bit of kit to have especially if a fella is cooped up in a one man tent.

knives i love knives i have the swiss army who doesnt love to get a quality bushcraft knive ,i'm looking to buy a mora knive they seem to be good and liked by a lot of bushcrafters so i'll try and talk the family into getting me one for christmas..

ah im just a fairweather tourer John but i love all this stuff i reckon i was davy crocket in my other life   

cheers
anto.

[Slammin Sammy]

Cheers,  John

PS: Bought my Wenger Swiss Army knives from Knifecountryusa.com  -- check it out, there's a whole other world out there...

Speaking of knives, I've collected dozens of them over the years, including Bucks, Gerbers, Schraders and lots of custom ones, but for utility and light weight when camping, I always fall back on my trusty Swiss Army Knife (Victorinox) "Picnicker" model (now called "Camping" or "Camper", I think) which turns 40 years old next year. It cut me the first day we were together, as I'd foolishly left the curved blade half way open, and I still have the scar. It's been around the world with me many times, like an old friend, spreading butter or jam on crusty bread or skinning and butterflying kangaroo tails. It has also opened countless bottles of fine, and not-so-fine wine. 

The Gerber leather pouch I bought back then has finally given up, and last week I purchased a replacement scabbard in Lima. I intend to celibrate the anniversary in May next year, wherever we happen to be (Clithroe, Lancashire, perhaps?)

Sam (some things are really worth being sentimental about)

[John Saxby]

Nice personal history, Sam.  These things do become a part of you, don't they?  I was bereft in every when Air France "lost" my hiking stick, a lovely piece of bamboo, in 2011, and then simply refused to take any responsibility. The least I could do was write to their V-P of marketing and swear that I'd never use their  wretched "services" again.

But on a happier note, and I offer this to you with all respect & caution:  Over the years, I too have had several Victorinox SAKs, including an initialled one I bought in Geneva some 15 years ago & still use. But, on the recommendation of several people on crazyguy, I bought first one, but then a second, Wenger SA knife, an S18 and an S10. They are a step up in quality -- the steel simply a grade or two better, as well as some of the tools such as the scissors. And, they come with a locking blade. If you want to look into one, best to hurry, as Victorinox has bought out Wenger.  I understand, though, that the latter's knives will continue be produced under the name "Delamont", the town where the Wenger factory is located.

[Danneaux]

My own beloved version here, John...

http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3968.msg17665#msg17665

Best,

Dan.

[John Saxby]

Mine are red, Dan, all of 'em, incl the Victorinoxes.  (Nearly forgot:  a Swiss colleague just sent me a wee Victorinox as a thank-you gift.)  Have to say I prefer Victorinox' scalloped shield icon to the Wenger's  rounded rectangle, but for me substance trumps style here, as it usually does. I tend to use the S10 more on a day-to-day basis, but the S18 has a satisfying and confidence-building heft, so I take it on my travels. (Haven't used the saw yet in the year-plus that I've owned it, oddly enough -- last time I had a SAK with a saw blade, about 30 years ago in Central Africa, I used it all the time. In such circumstances, it eventually became, as you might expect, another old saw.) -- J.

[Slammin Sammy]

Nice personal history, Sam.  These things do become a part of you, don't they?  I was bereft in every when Air France "lost" my hiking stick, a lovely piece of bamboo, in 2011, and then simply refused to take any responsibility. The least I could do was write to their V-P of marketing and swear that I'd never use their  wretched "services" again.

But on a happier note, and I offer this to you with all respect & caution:  Over the years, I too have had several Victorinox SAKs, including an initialled one I bought in Geneva some 15 years ago & still use. But, on the recommendation of several people on crazyguy, I bought first one, but then a second, Wenger SA knife, an S18 and an S10. They are a step up in quality -- the steel simply a grade or two better, as well as some of the tools such as the scissors. And, they come with a locking blade. If you want to look into one, best to hurry, as Victorinox has bought out Wenger.  I understand, though, that the latter's knives will continue be produced under the name "Delamont", the town where the Wenger factory is located.

Yes, I am aware of the Wenger takeover. About 18 months ago, Victorinox announced they were going to merge the two brands, although a few Wenger models will survive in the lineup. Better keep yours safe! It could be a collector's item?  (The respective Wikipedia entries make for interesting reading, which I happened to do just over a week ago. See below.)

On a related note, our battered suitcases were just about destroyed during our recent (non-cycling) travels in South America. My wife has fallen in love with a set of beautiful, high-tech, red Victorinox luggage she found at Larco Mar in Lima, and now has her heart set on them. My objection: The set wil cost as much as a delivered Thorn! 

Needless to say, I'm not confident of winning this discussion.

And thanks Dan, for pointing us towards that previous thread on this topic. Your knowledge of this site is truly encyclopaedic!

[John Saxby]

Thanks, Sam.  It all gets a wee bit complicated, no?  Let me make a suggestion on luggage--this from one who's travelled a lot in the last 10-15 years.  The best I've ever found is Brooks & Riley. (This is a bit far from either bushcraft or cycling -- so far as I know, the "Brooks" here has nothing to do with A-grade saddles.) They're expensive, but nowhere near the cost of a Thorn, even if you bought a bunch, and they come with a lifetime guarantee. (I had to test this with the shop where I bought a suitcase -- can't recall what the issue was, maybe the zipper. They replaced the whole thing free of charge, no questions asked. This on something five-plus years old.) We have a couple, one boring old black, the other a very chic dark burgundy. My computer briefcase, FWIW, has the same logo as Wenger, though it's sold under some other brand name. Well designed made, if nowhere near B & R (above) for quality.

But yeah, I'm clutching tight to my Wengers.

[JimK]

probably Briggs and Riley. I shouldn't have looked!

[John Saxby]

You're right Jim, and apologies for the confusion.  I was on my Brooks today for a couple of cold-but-splendid hours in the hills, and my saddle morphed into a suitcase!

[jags]

any of you lads use mora knives thinking of buying one,im after a bushcraft one any ideas what i should be buying.love knives  no idea why  just like the look of them i know im a geek but what the hell.

anto

[John Saxby]

I know the name, Jags, but have no experience with these.  I "try" to imagine what use I'll have before buying, and that's worked fairly well for my SAKs.  Also, there's a US outfit based which sells mostly domestic knives & other cutlery. For example, we have a pair of kitchen scissors for which we paid $90 (!) about 20 years ago, and they are brilliant -- solid, effective, still sharp, & trouble-free.  They also make outdoor knives, however, which I expect are of similar quality: http://www.cutco.ca/products/thumbnail.jsp?shop=outdoor-knives

Then there's the handmade Russell knife, from Nova Scotia, highly praised for its balance, utility, and all-round competence:  http://www.grohmannknives.com/pages/outdoor.html

Have to say I've thought of getting a Grohmann, in the hope I'd find regular use for it ...

[jags]

Cheers John yeah i have no much use for them to be honest,but i would probable carve something or other when  walking in the woods ,i carved the face of Bob Marley smoking a joint  at a wood carving course i was on   few years back, i think the guy running it thought i was taking on to much but he was surprized when i finished it ,It was Cool as  bob would say.
mind you i gave it away to one of my son's friends the wife hated it  ah well can't please every one.anyway as i said i like knives some crackers in that link you sent but i think i'll go with the mora i can buy on amazon.

jags.

[julk]

jags,
have a look around this site,
http://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?ActionID=67174912&PBCATID=1467246&PBCATName=Knives

I got my Wenger swiss army penknife from them.
Julian

[Danneaux]

Nothing is much sharper than a flint-knapped obsidian knife, Anto, and you can make one yourself. Several of my surgeon friends prefer obsidian for their scalpels...much sharper than surgical stainless. My hunter friends like them for skinning and for sectioning prime cuts, but they are brittle and can break if you hit bone or pry.

Lots of opportunity for embellishment and artistry in the blades and handles:
http://www.pinterest.com/kerrygunnarson/flint-knives/

Best,

Dan.