Serat Bushcraft

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Lavvu Modifications Order

April 12, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I heard Back from Shaun Iverson at Northern Outdoors UK about Lavvu modifications. Sounds really good to deal with, gets back to you within a day. I have asked a few questions before making up the final choice of what I want done. Namely difference between the skirts and recommendations on ground sheet size when using an indoor stove.

RE Lavvu Mods

“Hello I saw your lavvu mods on Hidden Valley Bushcraft however Im in Australia. I was wondering how much to have the same mods done as Nick, shipping to Australia and is it possible to source a size 3 large lavvu from you as well. cheers”

“Hi %$%&, thanks for messaging I appreciate it, but yeah I can source lavvus not a problem at all, I will attach a list below with all mods and prices for you to take a look at, any questions just message anytime thanks

All prices include materials, postage payment is asked when the lavvu is complete if outside of UK then prices will differ and that’s up to the customer to pay once completed (I will find a the cheapest courier and let you know prices) thanks”

Size 3 lavvu (military mart repo)

Size 2 lavvu

Size1 lavuu

Skirt

Snow skirt

Zips

Tension straps

Lantern hanger

Suspension hanger

Full groundsheet

3/4 groundsheet

Half groundsheet

Stove jack

Make internal flaps to pockets

Guyline tabs

Carry straps

Carry bag

Removel of grommets and replace with Marine grade eyelets

Zip in groundsheet (zip and sew it in only groundsheet extra)

Pockets cut out

Also with the zips I can do either x2, zips front and back, or 1 zip on the front and fully sewn up on the back,the price for either stays the same, any more questions just message Thanks

Just waiting on my caravan to sell in order to purchase.

Final Pack for Level 2

April 12, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Taking a lot of gear out. Theres no water on the property so its being loaded in . No need for my Grayl. Also insurance doesn’t cover axes. Weather has also started dropping so Im taking extra warm layers.

staffy rugged up it was cold dis-morning

Finally decided on blades. I like larger knives and been thinking of selling the Spyderco. So Im taking the LT Wright Shemenese and the ESSE RB3. The only time Ill use a scandi grind is for carving fire boards, the rest of the time Id prefer the Shemenese for food preparing and fire lighting.Ive taken out my Leatherman. Ill use a multi tool maybe every second day in an urban environment but in the bush Ill use the saw for fire boards and thats it. So Ive swapped it out for my Opinel number 12 saw.

blade change the umpteenth time

Once we’ve finished doing the fire bow section Ill retire the RB3 and Number 12 to my backpack.The right hand side of my pack is my cooking gear. Ive added a piece of leather for pot handling.

heavy duty leather scrap for pot handling

The left hand side of the pack Ive dumped out several things from the inside compartment to fill up the space left by the exclusion of the Grayl. My sea to summit mattress, poncho, hygiene and sanitation kits have now taken this place. I have a platatac OSSA jacket starpped the the back of my pack but I always carry a poncho just in case it the weather dumps on us.

OSSA jacket

The top compartments, there are three in the Snugpack Rocket Pack. The top one personal meds, middle cygnett power bank, spare batteries and LED Lenser ML 4 Lantern and the bottom the AMK 9 first aid kit.

The other pieces of clothing I haven’t covered in previous posts is my 511 tactical Taclite M65 Jacket. Ive been wearing that the most down here so thats going for my every day use and Ive just picked up a Katmandu Duck Down filled vest that folds up to nothing an is very warm.

katmandu vest got it on sale last week

The center of the pack are my clothes in a dry bag and tarp system and Ill strap the Frost river messenger back to the top under the strapping.

duck down folds down to nothing

So most of the gear I normally take bush is staying. I feel Nekad without an axe or chopping tool and all my 4WD recovery gear is staying to make room as some people may require a 4wd for access to the tracks.

Im not into hiking. Not because I dont enjoy it but I have too many injuries. So ultra light isnt my thing. Im pretty sure when I get back Ill be retiring parts of my equipment. Namely my nylon tarps. Theyll go into emergency bags, the 4WD or sold. I prefer canvas. I like a lavvu and oil skin tarps. Ill have a 4x4m canvas tarp made up to replace my DD Hammocks tarp for a cooking under when using the 4WD. My Monowalker Fatmate will also be retiring and sold.

This is probably my last four day course, preferring privates to cover things I haven’t done before and shorter day hikes.

Platatac OSSA Jacket

https://platatac.com/platatac-ossa-jacket.html

Soft Shackles in Ten Seconds

April 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments


I came across soft shackles in 4wding and kept wondering how to make them out of paracord for camping and the instructions on youtube seemed bewildering or overly hard to be an easy and quick option. I came across this video today using a double overhand knot as a stopper knot and a larks-head. Cant get any simpler than that. Great for holding up lantern under the tarp.

Three Of My Favorite Things

April 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Three of my favorite things Trees, History and Jo staffs all combined in the one video by Tom Langhorne on the Fandabi Dozi channel. I usually watch Tom for his insights into staff Fighting something Ive trained in for several years however I also have an interest in history especially Celtic being part mongrel I guess 43% England and Northwestern Europe, 22% Scotland, 22% Ireland, 7% Germanic Europe and 6% Other Regions which would be Spanish among them.

In this video he delves into Celtic history of trees and their uses. The reason Im posting this apart from being an interesting video is that Tom has purchased a 7 acre woodland and is trying to raise funds for it by raffling three handmade Staffs made from Ash, Hazel and Birch.

Fandabi Dozi

Fund Raising till the 25th of the 4th 2022

https://www.tomlanghorne.com/shop

Needle Nets

April 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This video probably describes making a needle net the easiest Ive seen and has changed my mind about using my hands to make a gill net

DIY Project – Paracord Survival Net

April 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I was talking with a mate and we had the same idea at the same time. He wanted to freshen up his knot skills by making a net and I was interested in making a Gill Net from cordage. (I dont like using nylon, Ive seen too much of it left behind to kill animals and fish). I had done a little cordage making, net making, weaving but wanted to take it to another level.

I could just use a larks head and reef or overhand knots but wanted to learn a few different knots as well. I also wanted to aim at using my hands and not a net needle for this project but because Im shying away from a net needle makes me want to learn how to use one, so Ill see how it goes. So far Im at the research stage and have decided on using a paracord main line and number 6 bank line for the body of the net.

The top knot on the main support line Ive decided to use a bull hitch and have the choice between several others depending on if I decide to use only my hands or a net needle. The knots will be different for both methods.

Below is my research so far!

Haverford nets and net needles

Professional Fishing Nets

Simple Net

Snake Knot

Bull Hitch

Netting knot structure

Online Netting knots and classes

How to Tie Three Knots Used in Preparing to Net

Nets in the Field no tools

Bushcrafting a net

Hammock Knots

Close Up Net Knots

Gill Net Tutorial

Bank Line size 6

https://www.survivalsuppliesaustralia.com.au/Bank-Line-Size-6-Spool-1000mtr?b7=z1

3rd Attempt

April 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

This is the third attempt at trying to put straps on my bedroll. It started out as an experiment in Ranger Rolls but ended up a 21 century bedroll. I still have to make up a proper ranger roll using poncho, poncho liner, reflective blanket and wool blanket. The straps were part of a swag carrying design by Al Ainsworth of Howling Dingo on etsy. I had the same problem with my tarp, both are now Staffy approved.

the idea was to pull 8 inches of bivvi bag out of the bottom of the ground sheet
too busy laughing
close up of leather straps with solid brass buckles
rolled up nice and tight to prevent water getting in

Howling Dingo Etsy Store

https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/HowlingDingo?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=685434209

Remote Projects Oilskin Ground Sheet

UTILITY BLANKET – BUSH

The Toughest Person I Have Ever Met

April 8, 2022 / / 0 Comments

I have always hanged around special forces types, bikers etc so it might surprise you to hear that the toughest person I ever met was a 14 year old girl.

Around this time of year is a time I start to remember friends Ive lost. June is when I had my first set of lungs put in and I met some great people in hospital who became great friends who have since left us. One person I met was a young girl called Kylie.We had become friends and both had hoses in out throats and talked using white boards.

Before I go too far a little background to help you understand. The first time I had lungs in I was in ICU for 38 days. Some people come out after a week walking talking etc. I wasnt one of those. I was still incubated and my lungs didnt start working after being weaned down on off machines. I had weighed 85 kilo before going in and 60 after woods, It took me all my time just to walk to the door of my room.

I had my respirator blown up on me and had to breath on my own for seven and a half minutes, they were about to start bagging me when they managed to hook me up to the next respirator. I wasnt able to have an epidural due to me back, so I was on a lot of morphine and in daylight for that 38 days. Lets just say I wasnt able to turn off a light for 6 months and had lots of PTSD from my experiences.

The second set I was in ICU for 58 days and was knocked out for most of that thankfully. I came out weighing 50 kilo and took four people to lift me out of bed and couldnt raise my head by myself. I had lost that much muscle. When I finally escaped hospital It took me 2 endone and a six pack of beer to walk the dog around the block. When people say I should write about my experiences this is why I dont and Im leaving a lot out.

So when I say the toughest person I ever met was a 14 year old girl youll now understand when I say it. Kylie spent 9 months in hospital. She had a double lung transplant and was up a week later walking trying to get off a portable respirator. She then had a stroke and was partially paralyzed and was a up a week later walking around trying to get that hose out of her neck. Her kidneys then failed and she had a second transplant from another donor for a kidney and was up a week later exercising her lungs.

This is how tough this kid was and I dont know many adults that could have gone though what she had. So every time I get slack or too tired or in pain I think of her and get off my backside and push myself harder.

When I was stuck in hospital for a month with pneumonia and was too tired to get out of bed I would think of her strength and push myself and do laps of the hallways in my walking frame. Every time I was dragging my arse around with no muscle in my legs from months in ICU I would think of her. When I was on 15 litres of oxygen, I would get the nurses every hour on the hour to turn the oxygen down quarter of a turn to wean myself down and it felt like I was being bagged with a plastic bag over my head for 15 minutes. I would think of Kylie and push myself through it.

So I wanted to share kylies story and maybe it would help someone else to push through their limits of strength as she did for me.

What happened to kylie? A nurse over dosed her on warfarin and she clotted into her lungs and never got back out of ICU. She passed not 30 feet from me. For the 14 short years she spent in this world her strength has carried me through the past 20 years. I dont like letting my friends be forgotten.

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