Ive finally started using more Altoids tins rather than tobacco tins to reduce weight and to try and have more intent towards my kits and carry only what is necessary and nothing else.
I had to cheat here and use a butane torch due to fire bans to discolor the metalsize of tins comparedcut pieces of unbleached calico to match tin sizechar cloththe hack
I don’t remember where I saw this, I believe it was a custom knife maker on youtube who was making custom flint and steel kits. He wrapped the the char cloth in another piece of calico. This prevents the pieces of flint and the steel from breaking apart the char and also stops everything from rattling, making noise. The two extra pieces are also there to make extra char cloth.
I must have redesigned this fire lighting pouch several times now. In an attempt to get it to the stage of being the most practical for the way I use it. I still swap items in and out depending on what Id like to practice for the day in terms of flint and steel or man made tinder’s. The core elements remain the same. I don’t like having items in my pockets. If I’m going to carry a SAK Id also place this on my belt in another pouch.
have finally attached the ferro rod to the pouch instead of a belt or pants loop.combined itemstwo types of cordage. Left 30 feet of number 56 bankline and Right 2 meters of lawn mower starter cordreplaced the tobacco tin with an Altoids to decrease size.still deciding on which bearing block to carry.
ITEMS:
Princeton tec Headlamp
2 types of cordage. The 30 feet of number 36 bankline is disposable line the other 2 meters of lawn mower starter cord is for utilizing in a firebow. (better grip, than paracord.)
Bearing blocks for firebow
Exotac Candle
Fallkniven DC4 Sharpener
Trekker Butane lighter. Id rather one of these to a BIC, however I always have a BIC in my pocket.
In the Altoids tin:
Sewing needle
Wazzoo fire card
Fresnel lens
magnesium rod
bees wax firestarters
Uberleben tinder wick
Im amazed I could fit many of the items in an Altoids tin. The char cloth is for the Fresnel lens. I came to the conclusion I only needed the minimal amount of man made tinders for emergencies. I prefer using natural tinders. I still have to dig out a ranger band to place around the tin, the only disadvantage of not using a tobacco tin.
I was shown a trick with a ferro rod on one of my first bushcraft courses of tying it to a length of paracord and attaching it to your belt loop so it couldn’t be lost. I found using a single or double length of paracord always twisted or knotted. So I started doing this with a reverse twist and found I had no more tangles. This is my latest version .No more trying to do fancy double pieces of braid or joins. Just slip the striker straight onto the primary cord. Ive also stopped using 550 cord instead using three strand paracord. (425 tactical 3mm). Link below.
I also braid grips out of paracord instead of using gorilla tape for handles.Ill attach the cord to my possibles bag
Testing out the olive Sea to Summit dry bags. They seem to be made of heavy duty material. I cant think of a better way of testing than to have it exposed to the elements 24/7 protecting the computer on my mountain bike.
I listened to a post by Shawn Kelly some months ago about (Intent). I cant recall the youtube clip exactly, however it has stuck in my head for weeks. Its taken this long for me to get its meaning. Several weeks in hospital over Christmas and New Years gave me lots of time and free WiFi to come up with lots of ideas for new articles and posts. I kept drumming over in my mind how to finish off the fire starting tins, I keep starting and putting down. I was just filling up tins with tinder materials and fire starting tools, but they had no intent. With intent instead of just a tin full of crap to clean up space, they became a cooking fire starting kit, a flint and steel kit , a survival kit etc. Each with a place to be , giving me more of an idea of what to place in each tin to make them different from the next. I also started applying this methodology to other pieces of equipment.
kit intentfire starter kitescape and evasion kitsurvival kit tinflint and steel primitive fire lighting tin
You can fit a lot into an Altoids tin however I favour tobacco tins. Wasting a few hours on a wet afternoon trying out different combinations of what fits and what doesn’t.
collection of tinsitems to useseeing what fitsa Fresnel lens will fit into a Altoids tin if squishedsize comparison of tobacco tins and Altoids tins (side)end view
Ive been thinking of getting back into hammock camping. Due to back issues sleeping on the ground. I’m also finding it difficult to get up off the ground not being able to place weight on my left knee. Since I last tried sleeping in hammocks there have been a lot of updates in gear with strap systems and over/under liners making it much easier than trying to get into a sleeping bag.
I was using an ENO Double Nest hammock but have been looking at the Onewind Double and sil nylon tarp but using the Snugpak cocoon system instead of carrying both an under quilt and over quilt.
Im also looking at purchasing the Onewind over quilt as a stand alone poncho.
I was told there is a trout pond further up stream under the old church , where the trout become trapped after a large storm. I made my way knee high through the stream and did a short hike through the brush trying to find it. Plenty of deep pools but no access when you have a stuffed knee. Ill have to try and make a crossing further up over the culvert for better access. The concrete was covered in to much moss to risk the knee the day I was there. I’m trying to borrow a canoe to explore that section of water.
the old churchpathway along the trackfound the pondcliff formationsclose up of cliffsno access to the watervery beautiful areacliff over hangculvertculvert trapping fishsome wild flowers growing in the waterwhere I crossedthe hike starts here
One of the things I like so much about bushcraft are the varied skills lists that you can develop. Ive never been a bird watcher but Ive become interested in identifying wildlife around me. One sound in particular has been driving me crazy trying to figure out the bird it belongs to. A Grey Shrike thrush. Its taken several weeks of going through youtube bird songs trying to pick the song.
I just purchased the Pathfinder Stainless Swedish Mess Kit. Ive become interested in mess kit cooking after watching Blackie Thomas cooking series on youtube.However I didn’t realize that it was a three piece kit and had to order the alcohol burner separately. Looking forward to testing it out this weekend if the burner arrives today. Looks like a well made rugged piece of equipment. Not the lightest but will last forever.
