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.

Fire Log: October 30, 2015

Fire Log: October 30, 2015

Today, deciding to blow the cobwebs from my lungs and circulate blood cells,  I took a walk outback to scope for deer and turkey sign.  After coming across several scrapes, one doe and zero turkeys,  I headed down the mountain to my Bushcraft practice sight.  I think it's slick, with a tarp enclosed shelter, a few rustic sycamore log benches and a fire pit.  My practice sight isn't very remote, but it keeps me spirit while practicing woodscraft and survival skills.

Tarp Shelter

There wasn't a surplus of time, so I was limited to a quick brew of tea in my GSI kettle over the Pocket Cooker Stove.  Along the walk I scrounged a handful of dry branches, pine cones, and birch bark for fuel.    I got the fire going with a fire steel and Opinel #8 spine using a length of jute twine to catch the spark.

Collected fuel and folding stove ready to go

Lighting it up!

Just a little over fifteen minutes, had a hot cup of tea ready to go.  Even an hour of dirt time can be valuable.  It is my favorite season with plenty of opportunities to practice skills and maybe learn a couple more.

Till next time....enjoy the Fall.

My Field Gear : Cutting tools

One knife option, Nessmuk Trio, full size axe needed to survive a winter night "up north",  my head hurts...make it stop!  How about what works for the intended activity with a dose of practicality.

I have the big knives at seven to nine inches,  knives in the four to five inch length,  a few smaller ones that are folding pocket models.  Most are carbon steel, but a few are a variety of stainless flavors.  Some work for me, others well....not so much.

BK-5

So starting with the big, at least for me, I currently own a USMC Ka-Bar, a Becker BK-5, and a Condor Varan.  All are carbon steel with different grinds, carbon content, etc.. Specs on the steel and geometry of the blades are available from multiple sites and forums.  These large knives will carve, chop, baton, clear brush, whittle, and many other camp chores.  Using this size of knife you feel like you are holding more than a hunting knife, but less than a machete.  I find my hand getting fatigued quickly with these knives when attempting fine work, such as feather sticks or shavings.  Additionally,  I am consistently only using the first 2 or 3 inches of the cutting edge,  leaving half of the blade unused. All three are fine steel and have a "cool" factor in appearance.  However,  they just don't seem to do any one thing extremely well.

Condor Varan

Now that we have established that Brushloper is not a one knife Woodcraft Wizard, lets move on to what has been working for me.  Fixed blade knives that I favor are typically within the four to five inch length and made of carbon steel.  Currently my inventory includes a Mora Classic #2, a Mora Companion MG,  Mora Heavy Duty MG, and a Condor Bushcraft Basic.  Of this selection, I mostly use the Classic #2 and Mora HD.  The Condor is full tang, but batoning is not high on my list of requirements (more on that later).  The Mora's are inexpensive, very well made and extremely sharp.  The No.2 has been filed along the spine, so it can scrape a fire steel when I'm feeling all "Bushcraft Jedi".  The Heavy Duty is just a pleasure to use and worth every dime spent on it!  I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between these two knives.

Mora Classic No. 2

Moving down the line of tools, I like a nice practical pocket knife.  It is always with me.  Currently I carry an Opinel #8.  It does not get any better or simpler!  Carbon steel, wood handle, locks open and locks shut.  As a bonus,  the spine will send a shower of sparks off my fire steel.

Opinel No. 8

For fire wood processing I carry two different tools.  The first is a Corona folding saw.  This saw fits nicely in a haversack,  is bright red and chews through four inch dead oak like a laser.  A saw beats chopping with a knife any day of the year,  in my book.

Depending on my trip,  I carry a hatchet as a second tool.  The hatchet is my tool of choice for splitting wood into kindling cut with the saw and chopping wood as needed.

I have arrived at this set of tools over the past three years experiment.  Is this the ideal set for everyone? Nope.  Am I happy with this collection? Most definitely yes!  Will the tools change?  Maybe,  substituting one item for another of a similar type.

Fire Kits: A philosophy of flame.

Fire is the most basic resource humans have on this planet.  Its been around for ever,  it can be life saving or destructive if not controlled or used properly.  Most of us navigate our day not even thinking about it in the least.  Cook our meals,  heat our homes, start our cars....all involve combustion.  It really is intertwined into every human life on the planet.  No matter how advanced humanity becomes,  we still need it.  Take it away and things start to come unglued fast!

Bushcrafters, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts keep it in the back of their minds ( or least they should).   I keep a simple yet thorough kit in my pack when out in the woods,  and I always carry at least a couple methods of starting a fire where ever I go ( Bic lighter and ferro rod).   My kit includes a couple of dependable fire tinders that will light with a naked flame,  a large Army size Light My Fire Steel,  several lighters, matches, and a flint & steel kit.  I keep all of it in a homemade haversack that goes with me on my outings,  be it hiking, hunting, camping, or fishing.  It is more than a wilderness survival thing   I enjoy a small fire often to make coffee or tea at times and sometimes cook something, even when just out a day hike.  I find that building a cook fire adds meaning to some of these adventures.

The important thing  with a kit is knowing each item and how to use it.  Understanding your ability under different conditions, such as snow, wind, rain, or extreme dryness, is  obtained through practice.

The kit you put together has but one goal each and every time!