Bush knives in a 12 inch length have to be one of the most neglected blades in the production knife industry.They bridge the gap between hatchet, machete and a smaller knife. They can be used to cut down a larger diameter tree or for finer tasks. The closest production blades on the market at the moment are the Extrema Ratio Mato Groso and the Condor Bushcraft Parang.
I was listening to Joe Flowers from Bushcraft Global and designer for Condor Knife and Tool who was saying they are starting to issue smaller machetes on their training courses because they were much easier to control for beginners. Nicole Alpelian also used a modified kukri design on The Alone Series.
I became interested in this length blade for training in martial arts mainly Kali and after watching Bolo work with Atienza Kali. I have emailed Esse several times asking if they have ever considered doing a Junglas 3 in a 12 inch model.
I find this length much more controllable than a longer machete and more adaptable than a 10 inch Golok. The blade i own and tend to use the most is a Crowner. Im not sure it ever had a name. They were usually made as a kali blade in a 14 inch but i had it shorter version made up for me in 3V steel , must have been over ten years ago. I’m not sure Jeff is even still making knives. However the blade is off set to the grip with a re-curved belly and slight con-vexed grind. A blade of this length is great for survival as-well as SD.
Taught by Australian Special Forces veterans, this course will give you the essential tools to expand your horizons and come back safe. Land Navigation Fundamentals is a two-day course packed with information and activities, including practical application of learned skills through navigation exercises. With no prerequisite level of fitness or experience needed, the course is suited to anyone interested in learning about or improving their skill in land navigation. Don’t be dissuaded if you already have navigation experience, as the small group format means the content can be tailored to you. Numbers are strictly limited to a maximum of 6 people*, so book now!
Land Navigation Fundamentals runs from approximately 8am to 6pm on a Saturday and 6am to 8pm on a Sunday (inclusive of breaks), with the general plan for each day as follows:
Day 1 – Navigation Essentials
We cover the fundamentals of navigation theory in the morning, followed by static navigation in the afternoon. Theory topics include:
Map reading
Bearings/back bearings
Grid-to-magnetic bearing conversions
Measuring distance
Route planning and the nav’ data sheet
Static navigation topics include:
Shooting bearings
Relating the map to the ground
Re-sections
Day 2 – Applied Fundamentals
The second day mainly involves navigating from point to point, to consolidate the learning of the previous day. This begins with route planning, covering topics including:
Map appreciation
Plotting navigation routes
Filling a nav’ data sheet
The active navigation exercises that follow include cross-country navigation and applying tips and tricks such as ‘aiming off’.
After reading the following two pamphlets many years ago I decided there was no such things as weeds they can either indicate whats wrong with the soil or place needed trace elements and minerals back into it. I never looked at farming and agriculture the same again.
Three Major groups of weeds. The first comprises of those that live in acid soil and therefore indicating increased acidity. To this group belong the Sorrels, Docks, Finger-leaf weeds, Lady’s Thumb, and Horsetail.
The second major group indicates crust formation or hard pan in th soil. Belonging here are the Field Mustard, The horse Nettle, Penny Cress. Morning Glory, Quack Grass, The Camomiles and the Pine Apple Weed.
The third major group consists of those weeds which follow human cultivation, spreading out with compost and manure, wherever man walks. Here belong the Lambs Quarters, Plaintain, Chickweed, Buttercup, Dandelion, Nettle, Prostate knot Weed, Prickly Lettuce, Field Speedwell, Rough Pigweed, Common Horehound, Celandine, Mallows, Carpetweed.
The acid soil groups tell us the best which changes are occurring in the soils. acidity in the soil increases with lack of air, standing water in surface layer, cultivating in too wet a soil, insufficient cultivation, insufficient drainage, one-sided cultivation, wrong kind of fertilizers used, excess adic fertilizers, increasing sheet erosion and loss of humus.
Indicates – Slightly acid soil due to insufficient cultivation ; Daisies, Horsetail, Field Sorrel, Prostate Knotweed. Very acid Soil due to Wrong cultivation or insufficient drainage ; Cinquefoil, Swampy Horsetail, Hawkweed and knapweed. Salty soils ; Shepards Purse, Russian Thistle, Sea Plantain, Sea Aster, Artemisia Maritima. Hard Pan soils ; Wild Mustard and Horse Nettle. Dry soils ; Mustard, Silvery Cinquefoil, Russian Thistle, Agrimony, catchfly, Broom Bush, Crotalaria, Dyers Greenweed, Rabbits Foot clover, Sweet clover, ST barnabys, Malthease Thistle, Common speedwel, Prostate Pigweed, Spurge, Shrubby ST Johnswort. Sandy Soils : Most Golden rods, flowered Aster, Arrow Leaved wild lettuse, Yellow toad flax, Ononis, Partrdige Pea, Broom Bush. Steepe Formation ; Russian Thisstle, Sage, Loco Weed. Alcaline soils ; Sage brush, Woody Aster. Lime Stone Soils ; Penny Cress, Field Peppergrass, Hares Ear mustard, Wormseed, Canada Blue Grass, Cornelian cherry, Barnabys Thisstle, Field madder, Mountain bluet, yellow Camomile. High potasium in Soil ; Marsh mallow, wormwood, knapweed, Fumatory, Opium poppy. (Red clover disappears with lack of potasium) Absence of lime ; Yellow Clover, Rabbits foot clover, fox glove, wild pansy, garden sorrel, sundews, white mullen, scotch broom, black vetchling. Gypsum ; Common burdock Moist badly Drained soils ; Smartweed, Mild water pepper, hedge bindweed, silverweed, white avens, swampy horsetail, meadow pink, hedge nettle, stinking willie, canada and narrow leaf goldenrod, tradescant, purple stem aster, joe pye weed, march foxtail, rice cut grass. On Pastures ; Buttercups, Dock, knotweed, fingerweeds, white avens, grass leaved stickwort, ST Johnswort, pokeweed, Milkweed, Wild garlic, Briar, Thistles.
The first part of the Esse Junglas Project grinding a 90 degree spine and gluing the leather to the sheath. It will then be returned to me to finish off the leather edging and handle. Ill then have to send it to another mate to have it sand blasted and ferric acid applied before resharpening. The spine may also require emery paper going back over the edge to re-hone the 90 degree section. Thx Pete and Gary for the help.
I have finally finished my traditional bedroll, using a Blues Bushcraft Boutique All Terrain Bedroll coupled with swag straps made by Al Ainsworth at Howling Dingo Leatherworks and a secondary blanket that I had purchased many years ago from C.J Wilde at Wilde Weavery which were hand woven and made for 18th century reenacting. I found the blanket after it was mentioned in an article by Mark. A. Baker in a Pilgrims Journey Vol 1. Another 5 weeks with the leg brace on according to the physio, that will make it 6 months hobbling around. The bedroll will be one of the first things Ill be taking bush to try out over a few nights. I haven’t spent this long near towns in a long time.
wilde weavery 18th century reproduction blankethowling dingo swag straps
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
Extrema Ratio is a brand I keep coming back to. Yes they are over priced for N690 steel which has eventually the edge holding of D2 with less toughness and better corrosion resistance. With similarities to VG10. N690 is sometimes compared to 440C. I believe N690 has more Cobalt additive.
comparison of blade sizes
I have owned a Venom, Mato Grosso, Kukri and a Shrapnel and have never faulted the edges or the cutting ability. Ive only sold them due to having better blades, however Id like to repurchase the Shrapnel now they are making them with a longer grip and in a desert warfare color. I had one of the first models in black.Im also taking another look at the Mato Grosso. At the time they were too light for what I needed. I was living in an area with hard wood and not rain-forest and training heavily in Kali and wanted something for dual use. However moving up the East Coast of Australia I’m now missing the lighter blade. The waki is also tempting me but the price is holding me back.
closet competitor ASOT-01
Ive collected daggers since I was a teenager and sold most of the ones I have owned. At one time even having a complete collection of Applegate Fairbairns. I have only kept my favorites and enough to remain a legal collector of double edge blades. Its not often Ive been tempted enough to purchase another dagger however the Pugio hits all the right marks.
possible mounting option
The blade itself arrived razor sharp from the box. It looks like they have changed the grip material . The Gen 1 handles tended to mark up after a while from general exposure, the new grip seems more like plastic but very comfortable. The grip lends itself to both reverse and forward grips.
locking mechanism
The only thing I can really fault is the sheath. The locking mechanism seems to be designed to be incorporated onto a shoulder harness, however unlike Tekloks have no system to fit onto Molle and remains a belt only attachment system. The blade also seems to cant in the sheath, I guessing this is purposeful to aid in the draw but looks off when attempting to set up on a chest rig. Im going to have to play with this to seek better mounting options, similar to the hardcore hardware ASOT-01.
ASOT sheath
I think with better mounting options this blade could have competed for the Lethality System Project (LAND 159) Tranche 1 tertiary weapon system which is the basis of the ADF’s new Hand-to-Hand Fighting System. At a guess Id say this system would have had something to do with Paul Cale’s Kinetic fighting system.
Just a quick comparison and initial opinion of the newly arrived Council Tool Camp Carver 16″ in 5160 steel. I would have preferred the 22 inch version with a straight handle that uses the same head weight however I’m told that’s a 12 month wait time. So I decided to purchase the 16 inch version and obtain the longer handle separately. At first glance I think I made the right decision when comparing the balance of the Gransfors Bruks to the Council Tool The Camp Carver head is much heavier.
comparison of axes from left CC, Firestone,wildlife,hunters,outdoors.
The grip on the Camp Carver is much thinner than the hunters Axe. I like the way Council Tool have done the poll. The length of the handle is 15.5 inches compared to the hunters at 18.5″. As a belt axe I’m sticking with my Gransfors however with the longer handle I think that the Camp Carver with make a great pack axe. Which is what I have been looking for.
Ive been trying to catch up on unpacking my gear and testing equipment while laid up. I will be testing out an Infiray ML 19 Thermal monocular and a Vortex Recce Pro 8×32 monocular over the next few months. They are placed next to a ceramic rod from Extac that I purchased this week for a size comparison. Ive been looking for a short ceramic rod to carry in my belt pouch for field sharpening. From the looks of both products Ive been happy with both after playing with them the last couple of days.The idea behind the Infiray was to have a hands free system for short range bow hunting that I could navigate with in low light.
First time walking without the leg brace in almost five months. The physio has me on a new exercise regime of walking practice without the brace only inside and controlled with crutches, squats from a bench, leg lift, standing from a chair and hold and release stretches. In a new level of pain by the end of the day. Haven’t had much time for bushcraft.The trailer I brought to continue traveling and doing training courses leaks like sieve. Almost lost everything I owned due to water damage, so now looking for a lawyer to try and get my money back. After being in this state for just over a year I have absolutely no confidence in the government system here. Your lucky if anyone gets back to you in three months and when they do it seems they use any little technical loophole to get out of doing their jobs. Have the goal of being out of the brace in six weeks. Trying to get used to living in a house again. I don’t like the walls.It is nice having an indoor fireplace, first time having an indoor bathroom in four years. I feel like I’m getting soft.Actually been sleeping in past six am.
staffy watching me hobble around doing rehab1/8th off a full rotation
