Fusilier
Scout
I'm sitting here at my computer stinking of camp fire smoke and feeling great about it. My youngest son's scout troop were out in the woods tonight for a 'boil off' and I went with them to help and have fun too. The troop's boil off comprises having to boil a cup of water in a billy can over an open fire - first troop to boil wins.
Here's a couple of things I learned tonight:
My cross shoulder harness made of para cord for my Rat Izula works great and is really comfortable. Makes a great backup knife kept warm and safe under my wool outer shirt.
The Scouts really don't know how to make fire well as only two of 4 patrols got their water to boil.
It is easy to impress the senior Scouts and the Scout leaders just by starting fire with firesteel and cotton balls.
My new hatchet works great. I bought a Wetterling Small Hunting Axe last year and this is the first time I got to bite it into wood. It made quick work of some downed/dry birch, both cutting it to fire lengths and spitting it into pieces for a quick fire. We had a lot riding on our fire because as the leaders, our fire was boiling up the hot chocolate for the troop for the end of the evening. Fire worked great. I brought some small gauge brass wire in my pack and used that to quickly and easily lash up a tripod for the big pot. Even used it to lash together a long handle so the pot would hang from the tripod. Really simple bushcraft stuff but fun.
My little head lamp works great. I'll never go in the woods again again with only a flashlight that I have to hold with one hand.
I really miss spending even a little time in the woods. I need to fix that and bring my two boys out with me, at least to teach them how to make fire.
All in all a great time was had by all. I'll have to show my sons how to do this stuff as they obviously aren't getting it yet.
Happy new year to you all. It's great to be back.
Here's a couple of things I learned tonight:
My cross shoulder harness made of para cord for my Rat Izula works great and is really comfortable. Makes a great backup knife kept warm and safe under my wool outer shirt.
The Scouts really don't know how to make fire well as only two of 4 patrols got their water to boil.
It is easy to impress the senior Scouts and the Scout leaders just by starting fire with firesteel and cotton balls.
My new hatchet works great. I bought a Wetterling Small Hunting Axe last year and this is the first time I got to bite it into wood. It made quick work of some downed/dry birch, both cutting it to fire lengths and spitting it into pieces for a quick fire. We had a lot riding on our fire because as the leaders, our fire was boiling up the hot chocolate for the troop for the end of the evening. Fire worked great. I brought some small gauge brass wire in my pack and used that to quickly and easily lash up a tripod for the big pot. Even used it to lash together a long handle so the pot would hang from the tripod. Really simple bushcraft stuff but fun.
My little head lamp works great. I'll never go in the woods again again with only a flashlight that I have to hold with one hand.
I really miss spending even a little time in the woods. I need to fix that and bring my two boys out with me, at least to teach them how to make fire.
All in all a great time was had by all. I'll have to show my sons how to do this stuff as they obviously aren't getting it yet.
Happy new year to you all. It's great to be back.
