Mike over at The Sharpened Axe posted some music that I really like. So, in a sharing mood here you go:
Go here to find Willy Taylor.
You can also buy his album at a price you think is fair.
Respect the beard.
17 August 2011
15 August 2011
My Go at a Kuksa...
I finally tried it.
I'm satisfied for a first effort, I've got to get some practice in with a hook knife. Just couldn't seem to get it to cut the way I wanted it to.
I did use a coal at one point to help hollow out the bowl, then switched back to the hook knife. Soaked in boiled linseed oil for several days. Will probably let it set for a week and do a few repeated BLO baths.
Used a 10" Wetterlings to get started.
Then using a Kephart and a Hook Knife to get it to this point.
Then just working on it ever so often to round it out and deepen the bowl. I did not take pics of burning the bowl out as not much was burned.
The end product isn't as big as I would have liked, next go round I'll use what I learned with my first one. Overall for my first try I'm not dissatisfied but not completely satisfied either.
I'm satisfied for a first effort, I've got to get some practice in with a hook knife. Just couldn't seem to get it to cut the way I wanted it to.
I did use a coal at one point to help hollow out the bowl, then switched back to the hook knife. Soaked in boiled linseed oil for several days. Will probably let it set for a week and do a few repeated BLO baths.
Used a 10" Wetterlings to get started.
Then using a Kephart and a Hook Knife to get it to this point.
Then just working on it ever so often to round it out and deepen the bowl. I did not take pics of burning the bowl out as not much was burned.
The end product isn't as big as I would have liked, next go round I'll use what I learned with my first one. Overall for my first try I'm not dissatisfied but not completely satisfied either.
08 August 2011
Sap Gathering & Improvised Wooden Sheath
I've been intrigued with the many uses of pine sap for a while now, from a wound closure and antiseptic to an adhesive. So I decided to collect some and show its use as an adhesive in the making of an improvised wooden sheath.
The video shows a couple ways to harvest the sap. Needle, knife, and sharp twig. The best is the twig. Gets more out of the blister into the bottle.
This is what I ended up with, the video is a short how I did it kind of thing. I had a good time doing it. The sheath is quite functional, holds my Kephart very tightly as the video will show. The sap will continue to harden over time. I've done this before and that sheath held together for a number of years. I traded it off with the knife it held to a friend on another forum. For all I know it's still going strong.
I'm no artist, still, it's functional which was the end goal.
Here is the video:
The video shows a couple ways to harvest the sap. Needle, knife, and sharp twig. The best is the twig. Gets more out of the blister into the bottle.
This is what I ended up with, the video is a short how I did it kind of thing. I had a good time doing it. The sheath is quite functional, holds my Kephart very tightly as the video will show. The sap will continue to harden over time. I've done this before and that sheath held together for a number of years. I traded it off with the knife it held to a friend on another forum. For all I know it's still going strong.
I'm no artist, still, it's functional which was the end goal.
Here is the video:
Walking on ancient rocks...
Most folks think of Minnesota as flat land, much of it is, however the North East has a lot of varied terrain. Minnesota is the northernmost U.S. state with the exception of Alaska, the northern area is the only part of the 48 contiguous states lying north of the 49th parallel.
The twelfth largest state in the US, and over 60% of it's population resides in the Twin cities. If you factor the four largest cities in Minnesota, over 93% of the entire population of the state resides within them. Those cities account for less than 1% of the state's 86,943 square miles.
Minnesota contains some of the oldest rocks found on earth, some 3.6 billion years old, or 80% as old as the planet. About 2.7 billion years ago, lava poured out of cracks in the floor of the primordial ocean, the remains of this rock formed the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota.The roots of these volcanic mountains formed the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota.
We spent a day covering some of those old rocks, part of the wonderment was not only the natural beauty but also thinking about others before us, long long ago, who walked the same rock, fished the same water, enjoyed the pools and falls as we did.
Goldenrod
Wild Raspberries
Thistle, a strong tea can be used as a wash for boils, stings, and poison ivy rash.
Bunchberry
Thimbleberry, makes a good jam, can be eaten right off the plant but are rather tart and seedy.
Tuckered out after a long day walking.
The twelfth largest state in the US, and over 60% of it's population resides in the Twin cities. If you factor the four largest cities in Minnesota, over 93% of the entire population of the state resides within them. Those cities account for less than 1% of the state's 86,943 square miles.
Minnesota contains some of the oldest rocks found on earth, some 3.6 billion years old, or 80% as old as the planet. About 2.7 billion years ago, lava poured out of cracks in the floor of the primordial ocean, the remains of this rock formed the Canadian Shield in northeast Minnesota.The roots of these volcanic mountains formed the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota.
We spent a day covering some of those old rocks, part of the wonderment was not only the natural beauty but also thinking about others before us, long long ago, who walked the same rock, fished the same water, enjoyed the pools and falls as we did.
Goldenrod
Wild Raspberries
Thistle, a strong tea can be used as a wash for boils, stings, and poison ivy rash.
Bunchberry
Thimbleberry, makes a good jam, can be eaten right off the plant but are rather tart and seedy.
Tuckered out after a long day walking.
07 August 2011
Bannock, Berries & Big Birch Trees
The skies were threatening from the get go. Spitting rain off and on, still I had to get out. Strapping some rain gear to my pack I set out in spite of the ill looking skies.
I generally check my trail cameras about every 14 days. One of the cameras was due to be checked so I headed there first. Ordinarily I'll just take some empty 4GB SD cards and swap them. I've been wanting to do it a bit differently.
In a recent trade with a forum member at BushcraftUSA.com, Rattlesnake_Wrangler, I came away with a HP Mini-notebook. 250gb HD, wireless capable, multiple USB ports and a SD card reader. The intent for this thing is field use. Fill it up with maps, field guides, use to get the pics from the trail cameras and so on, it'll make my next trip to BWCA where I'll use it as a type of journal, recording each day's events. So today was it's maiden voyage if you will. Thanks again Rattlesnake, it's exactly what I was looking for.
Some scenery along the way.
Our berries are ripe now. Everywhere you look we've got 'em. Dewberries, raspberries and my favorite, Thimbleberries. I posted some picks in another thread but they were not quite ripe in those pictures. This is what they look like when ripe, and man let me tell you there is nothing so sweet on this planet.
I also found a couple Saskatoon Serviceberry trees. This is what I call them, and I believe the identification to be correct. I can't find anything else that matches up. I know they were delicious. If someone knows that these are not Saskatoon Serviceberry Trees please speak up.
Between the raspberries, thimbleberries and serviceberrys I had quite a haul.
This little fella was hiding out.
More scenery.
CHAGA!
Giant Birch.
Time to make Bannock.
Dug this hole out with a rock. I wanted to get the fire low, put some pieces of wood over the fire to set my pan on. It's been raining quite a bit and everything was pretty wet. Still got the fire going no problem.
Hole dug and some wood collected.
FIRE.
My bannock is simple, the usual ingredients but I do add cranberry and walnuts along with other berries found along the way sometimes. That's a smallish cast iron skillet, about 7" diagonal from corner to corner. Works great and isn't overly heavy.
By putting the wood across the fire hole as seen below, it keeps the scorching to a minimum. I didn't really have time to let it burn down to coals so I did this to be able to cook it quickly.
Bannock is served!
I generally check my trail cameras about every 14 days. One of the cameras was due to be checked so I headed there first. Ordinarily I'll just take some empty 4GB SD cards and swap them. I've been wanting to do it a bit differently.
In a recent trade with a forum member at BushcraftUSA.com, Rattlesnake_Wrangler, I came away with a HP Mini-notebook. 250gb HD, wireless capable, multiple USB ports and a SD card reader. The intent for this thing is field use. Fill it up with maps, field guides, use to get the pics from the trail cameras and so on, it'll make my next trip to BWCA where I'll use it as a type of journal, recording each day's events. So today was it's maiden voyage if you will. Thanks again Rattlesnake, it's exactly what I was looking for.
Some scenery along the way.
Our berries are ripe now. Everywhere you look we've got 'em. Dewberries, raspberries and my favorite, Thimbleberries. I posted some picks in another thread but they were not quite ripe in those pictures. This is what they look like when ripe, and man let me tell you there is nothing so sweet on this planet.
I also found a couple Saskatoon Serviceberry trees. This is what I call them, and I believe the identification to be correct. I can't find anything else that matches up. I know they were delicious. If someone knows that these are not Saskatoon Serviceberry Trees please speak up.
Between the raspberries, thimbleberries and serviceberrys I had quite a haul.
This little fella was hiding out.
More scenery.
CHAGA!
Giant Birch.
Time to make Bannock.
Dug this hole out with a rock. I wanted to get the fire low, put some pieces of wood over the fire to set my pan on. It's been raining quite a bit and everything was pretty wet. Still got the fire going no problem.
Hole dug and some wood collected.
FIRE.
My bannock is simple, the usual ingredients but I do add cranberry and walnuts along with other berries found along the way sometimes. That's a smallish cast iron skillet, about 7" diagonal from corner to corner. Works great and isn't overly heavy.
By putting the wood across the fire hole as seen below, it keeps the scorching to a minimum. I didn't really have time to let it burn down to coals so I did this to be able to cook it quickly.
Bannock is served!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)