true horse shoe tinder fungi.

amadou fungi,and i know this interests alot of people,there always seems alot of questions about it...to find it look on birch or oak trees,but dont confuse it with raor strop,you will know if you have the right stuff as the layer you need will be like leather not wood,if all you can find is wood then its the wrong fungi..the best specimens ive seen are in scotland..if you have any in your area let me know..
the process i use is to soak the fungi firstly to soften it,the outer layer is hard and difficuilt to remove,i then cut the layer away and get to the layer i need...assaid ths looks and feels like leather..i then soak the layers in urine,this contains nitrates needed to attract a good spark,there are other less nasty methods but i beleve our ancient ancestors did it this way...i sometimes boil it in urine,this does smell alot...the layers can also be charred as in charcloth this also works well,also really good bits can catch sparks if bone dry and powdered

new tarp/new set up

messing about with my new tarp today...ive hit on a theory that the roe deer dont feed every day,some days there are alot of slots and signs,other times there are none,i believe they feed alot then lie up for a few days...this is probarly to help them not get detected by the numerous dog walkers etc..is there a pattern in the moon tide etc?,next question........................

possibility filter

in todays times i see so much rubbish lying around some things i see i wonder how it gets there,my wierdiest being a bath in the middle of nowhere..but rubbish can be usefu so i salvaged bits and pieces and came up with a water filter,it works very well,even the charcoal i found in an old campfire,..

ive been toying with pouches to use as a possible pouch,ive been using one but its not that strong nor that rigid..so im using my old buckskin pouch again,its not massive and will hold the things i use out there,(not a survival pouch) i dont need one...its contants are as follows...firesteel,char cloth, flint,piriton,paracetamols,salve,hand fishing line with large hooks,and smaller hooks with trace,a piece of polypore birch tinder that i can cut up for plasters,and a tampon if i get a nasty cut..

burl,and other things

see my first swallow yesterday,its strange how the insects haveall come to life on the same day,the woods and fields were teaming with them,..
saw a peacock butterfly,speckled woods,and an orange tip..
i been working on a new bowl..this is an ash burl bowl,

a rainy day

some time spent at my camp site.

barbour jacket

having picked up a barbour in a charity shop for 6 pounds i decided to alter it to suit my woodland needs..i dislike long coats ,so ive cut along the middle seam and cut off the arms,now i can have a good breathable waterproofed layer..my other jacket simaliar to this wasnt breathable and used to get very hot...

birch container 2..

i made a larger container,ive shown a small survival kit inside of it...but i think i may use it for green tea....birches properties of food storage is good..

birch container

i made a simple small birch container...

roe deer bed

i found a good bed today,lots of signs with in it....
i actually say scrape but i mean a bed sorry,,it was early...

BILLY CAN

T he billy can has been around for years...i see pots and pans for sale here and there and i cant understand why people just dont use an old soup/potato/coffe can,its light heats up fast and can become like a trusty friend on the trail...
wth my cans i season them,just as you season a wok....this helps heat it up quicker by blackening the can,it also helps in cleaning it and can also help in stopping your food sticking and staining the inside of the can...
i smear olive oil inside and out then i put it on a fire,this smokes alot so do it outside...the result is a blackened can,,,,several treatments can be done over time with a new can...the more you season it the more of a black shine you get...

more doings

the deer are moving around alot more now,thier tracks are getting more numerous...moved a snare to a better location...

trappers hat 2

a friend gave me some fur,but im not sure of the animal type?any ideas?
so i made a bigger trappers hat...

ladle

i made a small ladle today from a piece of beechwood,ive never use this wood before...
i usually laugh at spoon carvnig spoonies,but i did actually need a ladle,it wont be displayed on my personal ego stand,it will be getting dirty and left in my kit...

fire steel

my friend chris grant made me this personalised fire steel.,its a G for Grimbo...
i now can experiment with wood pucks,fommes fungi,and charred cat tails,old mans beard,fire weeed. and lots more....yippeee...im also lucky as flint seems to grow wild where i live so i dont have to carry it around with me lol...
heres avid with it in action..

re re handled axe.

i rehandled my axe today,as it was to loose after a throwing competition.