Fire Log: November 27, 2015

Finally got a little extra time today to build a new fire pit and reflector for the Winter Bushcraft Shelter and play with some new kit.   I think the pit has the right orientation to the shelter now,  so the smoke blows away  or straight up.   My youngest son actually started the fire today with his fire steel and jute twine.   It takes him about 2 minutes to get a fire going,  not bad for an 11 year old.

New Pit & Reflector

BK 16 close up for Becker Fans

BK-16 makes amazing feathers and shavings for campfires.  This was a piece of Black Walnut ( We have a lot of these around here).
















I also brought out the BK-5 today too,   because the new Becker needed company.

Sharpening Reflector Stakes

After chopping points on to the reflector support stakes,  shavings still curled off the Walnut.    Overall we still had a good time playing in the dirt!

Be safe and enjoy the season everyone!

My Gear: Cooking Pots

Next to knives, cooking gear is my largest bushcraft vice.  What else could explain a mental condition where a grown man will watch YouTube videos about billy cans?  Some say psychosis,  I say passion.

My first cook kit ever was one of those aluminum Scout kits,  you know the one with a wing nut holding the fry pan handle on and a tipsy pot.   Every one I've seen had melted pot lit handles and many dents.   These things had to be invented by scout moms intent on discouraging Cub Scouts from wanting to cook over a fire.

Fast forward to the 21st century and the really cool stuff, like stainless steel, titanium and Teflon coated aluminum.  Without even touching on the surplus market,  there are hundreds of great cooking pots.  However,  you can't carry all of it with out a pack mule and sounding like a Civil War Regiment on a road march.

Nessmuk  wrote about a lite weight five piece tin set and a camp kettle in his Woodcraft book.  Even then he stated he would not carry all five pieces on short trips.

  E.H. Kreps carried a No. 0 fry pan and a 1 quart small tinned pail with hay wire bail.  Aloung with a knife,  he felt these were sufficient for up to two people.

Horace Kephart,  when he did go lite,  listed a fry pan or army mess kit, large tin cup, quart pail, and a knife.

All three listed a pail or kettle among the cooking necessities.  The preferred size was 2 quarts or less. The other common item was a knife.   With this they could prepare food for the pan and pot and create other cooking tools as needed.   Unless they drank directly from the pot,  Nessmuk and Kreps must have had a cup of some sort when camping.

Thus we come to my typical bushcraft cook gear.   I like to carry a billy pot of some sort and a cup.  At least one knife is along in my gear,   more often more than one.   Additionally,  I carry a wood spoon I made,  not having time to make a new one every time I'm in the woods.

Steel Cup with Folding Handles

I have tried a few pots,  including home made billy cans,  and all have been adequate for boiling water or cooking.   My all time favorite is a IMUSA grease pot that I fitted with a bail.  It is a good size,  inexpensive, and lite weight.

Old faithful IMUSA Grease Pot

Next in line would be my GSI stainless Steel kettle.  I use this alot at my bushcraft shelter to making tea and coffee.   One could cook in it,  but it is not the best design for it.

GSI Kettle

I also have a large 1.6 Liter MSR Stowaway Pot.  This pot has a locking lid and is great for storing gear in a pack.  I use it when it is more than just me wanting something to eat.

MSR STOWAWAY on right

I recently purchased a Zebra 12cm pot that I have not tested out yet,  but have great hopes for this piece of cook ware.

New 12cm Zebra Pot

IMUSA (left) Zebra (right)

Frying pans and plates have not really been a priority for my packing list.  If I need a plate,  the pot lid usually suffices.  I really don't fry food much and any bread I usually make in the pot or on the coals.

That is what I currently use for my bushcraft cooking,  but camp cookware is right up there with knives.   I would love to see what everyone is using in their kit.

Keep Safe and Enjoy the Fall Season!

Bushcraft Winter Shelter

This is my winter set up for Bushcrafting.  Nothing fancy,  just a couple canvas painter tarps and one U.S.M.C. Field Tarp.  The reflector is really weak yet,  but I have plans for a better wind block.

All buttoned Up

 I close up the front with the camo tarp when not in use.  This helps deflect the winter winds and keeps the whole thing from being blown over the ridge.

Front Flap Opened

 The front flap can be extended out like a canopy to provide some rain protection.
I use some rather large logs inside as benches and to weigh down the tarp bottoms.  This method has worked pretty good in the past for keeping snow from blowing in.

Fire Pit,  Needs more work

I'm planning on building up a rock and log reflector behind the fire pit as time and ambition permits.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Fire Log: November 8, 2015 Making Char Cloth

This week I decided to make more char cloth for flint and steel fires.  Of course this means starting a fire with Flint and Steel of course.  It has taken some time to get proficient at making fires this way,  but it has quickly become my favorite method.

My kit

It took two strikes of the steel to flint to catch a spark,   this is a new record for me.  When I started using flint and steel it wasn't so pretty.

Spark caught in char

Things have been dry enough, that a handful of dead grass and golden rod tops made a quick birds nest.

Blowing into flame

Once you get the raw flame,  it is just a matter of continuing with your fire building routine.  It pays to have all your materials at hand and sorted by size.

Starting to catch flame

Going Good Now!

Making char cloth is straight forward.  I used an old flannel shirt this time,  but any natural material will do.  Stay away from any cloth that has synthetic fibers,  these just melt.  Cut up the cloth into squares and layer into the tin.

Cotton Cloth in a "Altoids" Type tin

Once you have enough cloth cut up,  close the lid and place it in the fire.  With this type of tin,  there is no need to punch a hole in the top.  The hinge allows enough gaps for heat and gas to escape from the tin.  Tighter lidded cans probably should have a nail hole in the top.

Smoke pouring out

Eventually smoke will start pouring out as the cloth cooks down.  This smoke will probably start burning as well.  When it looks like the smoke and flame are diminishing,  pull it from the fire and let it cool.  Keep it closed until you can touch it without burning your hands.

Finished Product

The finished product will be totally black,  at least in a perfect world.  A little brown doesn't really hurt anything.  I try to stay ahead on my char making,  but I also carry extra cotton cloth in a waterproof bag just in case.

As always,  I would like to hear how others do things or suggestions.  Please feel free to comment.

Hasty / Improvised Shelters

When we head out for a day or even an overnight, there isn't a lot of time for shelter building.  I love the romantic Nessmuk ideal of building a shelter from natural materials, but it chews up too much precious outdoors time.  Tarps are a speedy shelter solution, but what if you don't have a tarp with you?  Additionally,   a tarp may not be adequate for current environmental conditions.  

Environmental conditions might be a storm blowing in during a day hike, getting caught on foot trying to get home, or just getting out of the wind to heat up coffee water.  Through out my day hiking, hunting, surveying etc., I kind of keep my eye out for handy places to take refuge or build a fire.  In my home turf, I have a mental inventory of places like these to utilize when need arises.

My favorites:

1. Small Bridges / Box Culverts
2. Rock faces & Over-hangs
3. Blown Down Trees
4. Old Foundations and Stone Rows
5. Deep Ditches / Trenches
6. Stands of Evergreen Trees

Small Bridges & Box Culverts:

Dry Bridge Span

These are often found along roads, railroad tracks, and trails.  The ones I speak of are built to span some terrain feature that doesn't have a high volume of water.  Water may be present during heavy rains or flooding, but are usually dry.  Here in the North East, we don't typically get flash floods from far off storms.  If creeks and ditches here are flooding, the storm is on top of us.  Larger rivers and tributaries may experience this, but not local intermittent water ways.  With a tarp to block wind and a small fire, these locations can keep you warm and dry.

Rock Faces & Over-hangs:

Nice Rock Over-Hang

If you can find these places on the leeward slope of a hill, they make very good reflectors for camp fires. Adding a reflective tarp or blanket behind you facing the rock face, will trap more warmth from the fire.

Blown Down Trees:

Wind blown Tipped Trees

Blown down trees can offer two possible sides to get out of the wind.  There is the trunk side of the roots and the hole created by the roots when the tree fell.  The created hole could be filled with water; it just depends on the weather and terrain.  Blow downs will offer adequate wind protection to get a fire going and heat some coffee water.

Old Foundations & Stone Rows:

Here in my region, the woods and fields often have stone rows or walls along fields and property lines.  There is also an abundance of building foundations from the two previous centuries.  These features offer incredible wind protection and lend themselves to affixing tarps to keep rain and snow off the back of ones neck.   Caution should be used during warmer weather; keep an eye out for snakes, poisonous plants and other critters that frequent nice warm rocks.   As note, many foundations are often old homesteads;   keep an eye out for old dug wells!

Deep Ditches & Gullies:

Depending on orientation, ditches deep enough to be above your head when sitting may provide sufficient wind protection.  Snow and rain will be problematic here, so should be avoided in wet weather. 

Stands of Evergreen Trees:

Under Hemlocks in a Ravine

Stands of Hemlock, spruce and pine offer great protection from rain and snow.   They are frequented by wildlife during this kind of weather.  Take a walk through these stands during the winter and you will notice that the snow is not as deep.  Many times just one lone evergreen tree can offer protection from precipitation.   Combine evergreens with rock faces or a back stop of some sort and you can stay reasonably protected from the wind as well.

As always, please feel free to comment and share you ideas too!

My Condor Kephart

I received the Condor Knife and Tool Kephart for Father's Day.  This knife has ridden on my hip for most days since opening the box.   Four plus months is a fair length of time to give an honest evaluation of the blade.

Kephart by Condor Knife & Tool

Specifications:

• Blade Length:  4 1/2 inches
• Blade Thickness: 3 mm
• Overall Length:  9 inches
• Width: 1 inch
• Grind: Flat
• Steel: 1075 High Carbon Steel
• Hardness: 56 - 58 Rockwell 

     I have a standard that all new Bushcraft Knives are judged against.  It's a rigid scale that shows no mercy.  This measuring stick is the Mora Heavy Duty.  I cherish my Mora Knives,  owning five of my own and given out four others as gifts.  There is no other brand of knives that I have found to match the performance, durability, and overall quality for the price point.   In my opinion,  Mora knives value exceeds the price by several orders of magnitude.   I can't speak for the custom knives that are available,  as I don't own any.   My comparison of the Kephart to Mora HD is just to give some perspective to the reader on my thought process and maybe prejudices.

My favorite Mora HD

Mora HD MG Specifications:

• Blade Length: 4 1/8 inches
• Blade Thickness: 3.2 mm
• Overall Length: 8.8 inches
• Width: just shy of 7/8 inches (my measurement)
• Grind: Scandinavian
• Steel:  High Carbon Steel
• Hardness: 59 -60 Rockwell

The Kephart and the HD are very close to each other by specifications.  However,  that is really where the similarities stop.  

Blade Thickness:

Blade Thickness Comparison

The HD is advertised at 3.2 mm and the Kephart is listed at 3.0mm.  As seen in the photo,  the Mora is slightly thicker and the Kephart tapers from the scales to the tip.  The taper doesn't bother me at all.

Blade Length and Width:

Profile

Ignoring the grind,  the width and length of each blade is very close.   Holding with Mors Kochanski's writings,  the Kephart fits form and size perfectly for bushcrafting.  The above picture also illustrates the major differences in handle, grind, point and proportions in this comparison.

Handle Profile

The handle of the Kephart is actually very ergonomic.  It develops a swell as the scales move towards the hilt of the knife.  Again,  when compared to the HD there is obviously less handle to grip.  I have XL hands and still find the handle comfortable.   

I have one complaint about the handle.   When using for long periods of time,  like making feather sticks,  The handle becomes too "skinny" for comfort.   I don't hot spots,   just hand fatigue.

Kephart Hand Hold

Mora HD Hand Hold

I think this is caused by the location of my first two fingers when holding a knife.  So if I'm going to make a big pile of shavings for fires,   the Kephart probably won't be my choice.   This really isn't a major ding on the Kephart,  I have not found a knife yet that matches the Mora for hand comfort...yet.

Final Thoughts and Opinions:

 I like the Condor Kephart,  a lot!   It feels good in the hand,  good steel,  and classic lines.   You won't find a better knife sheath combination either.   The leather sheath is the same high quality as my previously purchased Condor products.  The spine is squared off enough to throw nice sparks from my fire steel.  I find myself liking the flat grind more and more,  especially after I worked on the edge enough to get a good slicing angle for feathering.   Reasonable batoning would be OK,  but I'm not big on that with a knife this size.   You have to get rid of the factory coating quickly.   This thing kept getting rust spots over night,  until I stripped the blade and soaked it some vinegar.  Not a lick of rust since!

The Condor Knife and Tool Kephart Knife is a great knife and I would not hesitate recommending it to others.

My Wilderness Library

I have an extensive list of publications surrounding the subjects of Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival.  Reading is a passion in our home.  I thought others might like to compare their libraries to my collection. There may be something you haven't read yet.  Please comment, and let me know what else is out there.

• Bushcraft - Kochanski
• How to Stay Alive in the Woods - Angier
• Wild Edible Plants - Brown
• Edible Wild Plants - Peterson's Field Guide
• The Modern Hunter Gatherer - Nester
• Wildwood Wisdom - Jaegar
• Bushcraft - Graves
• Medicinal Plants and Herbs - Peterson's Field Guide
• When All Hell Breaks Loose - Lundin
• Survive - Stroud
• S.A.S. Survival Handbook - Wiseman
• The Ultimate Guess de to Wilderness Living - McPherson
• U.S. Air Force Survival Manual
• Woodcraft - Kreps
• The Book of Camping and Woodcraft - Kephart
• Woodcraft and Camping - Nessmuk

I highly recommend any of the books listed.  They are enjoyable to read and many become excellent references.

The Pocket Cooker

The Pocket Cooker Folding Steel Stove

Review:

Pocket Cooker folded on the included pouch

SPECIFICATIONS:

• 6 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 1 1/8" folded
• 8" x 6" open
• Weighs 2 lbs.
• Fuel: wood, paper, pine cones, bark, or whatever is at hand.
• Cost under $20 delivered

     Compact and folding stove's come highly recommend for Bushcraft packs, Bug Out Bags, and alternate grid down cooking solutions.  These stoves do not use any bottled fuels, though diy alcohol stove's, trangia, and Sterno would work in them.  Mainly, these stoves would burn naturally occurring fuels such as wood, pine cones, bar or dried leaves.

There are several models, brands, and materials available commercially; just do a search on back packing stove's and you will see what I mean.  The D.I.Y. community has a load of ideas on making one from scratch.  Given the prices of Emberlit for example, I needed something more affordable.  Then I came across an advertisement for the Pocket Cooker.

   This stove is not made of some flimsy tin.  We are talking steel, thus the weight of 2 lbs.  It comes coated with a black paint from the factory, I think to protect from rusting during shipping. This paint disappears after the first use.  I thought maybe a coat of grill paint might be needed, but it hasn't rusted yet.  The heated metal evaporates any moisture from the surface and after cooling sufficiently is put back in the pouch.

     How does it work? Like dream!  Open it up and stuff a bunch of twigs and tinder into the top and fire it up.  Additional fuel can be added through a hinged door at one end.  It's that easy.

Stoked and fired up

     Timing a liter of water to boil was right around ten minutes, with plenty of heat and coals to warm hands and maybe even cook a hotdog over it.

Boils 1 Liter in about 10 minutes

The pocket cooker is very efficient burning twigs and small sticks.   The bottom of the stove consists of two perforated hinged plates that allow draft from under the stove.  In essence it becomes a modified rocket stove.

Floor Plates

Once you finish cooking or boiling, the fire quickly reduces itself to ashes.   This is easily knocked out the stove and scattered, leaving practically little evidence of the fire.   This is a big plus for no trace campers or OPSEC conscience folks.

Burning down to ash

The included pouch is made from machine sewn nylon with a sewn on belt loop.  A Velcro strip keeps the flap closed.  While, I haven’t bothered using the belt loop, the pouch is well made and keeps soot from getting over the rest of your gear.  Stored in the pouch, the stove would fit easily in a coat or cargo pocket, glove box or under a car seat.   Given the design, it will easily burn almost any dry combustible fuel scrounged locally from the environment.   An alcohol penny stove will fit inside, if one was so inclined. 

Front of Pouch

Belt Loop

What is the best part of this tough little stove?   The price!   I purchased this stove for less than $20 delivered to my house.  You might want to check out one for yourself, for the price you really can’t be disappointed.  Just remember  not to boil or cook when you first light up,  so the paint has a chance to burn off the metal.