Ticks
What They Are Ticks are small parasites that feed on blood. Why They’re Dangerous Ticks can carry all sorts of diseases. The one that’s of most concern is lyme disease. Tick Behaviour Ticks can’t jump or fly. They wait on the tips of leaves for their hosts to walk by, and attach onto them. You […]
Lightning Storms
How to Tell if a Storm is coming You’ll hear thunder and see lightning. If you count 30 seconds between hearing the thunder and seeing a flash of lightning you need to be really careful. If the storm is close you may feel your skin tingling and your hair will stand on end. Lightning Strikes […]
Knife Grips
Hammer Grip Just make a fist. Good for power, not so much for control. Reverse Hammer Grip Good for when you need to keep the knife steady and are moving whatever you’re cutting, rather than the knife itself. Sabre Grip Like the hammer grip, but you put your thumb on the spine for more control. […]
Knife Skills
Baton Used for processing wood when you don’t have an axe. Stand your log upright and bash the spine down into the log with a sturdy baton. Use a steady stump or piece of wood to absorb the impact. Don’t use a stone as this could damage your blade, or even make your knife skid […]
How to Sharpen Your Knife
Sharpening Tools Whetstone The gold standard when it comes to knife sharpening. Heavy, though, so not a practical option when it comes to sharpening your knife in the field. Pocket Sharpener These sorts of tools are great in that they’re nice and light. Unfortunately, they don’t offer the same control as a stone and they’re […]
Knife Maintenance
Sharpening Keep it sharp. Preventing Rust Oil it. Cleaning Use oil. Storing Store it in a dry place.
Natural Tinder
Birch Bark Split wood just as you would if you were using it to build a fire. Use your knife to get shavings from the middle. Punkwood The spongy inside of a decomposing tree. Should be charred before use. Fatwood Smells like turpentine, and is harvested from dead pine trees. The resin collects in the […]
How to Make Char Cloth
What is Char Cloth and Why is it Useful? Char cloth is a type of tinder, made by heating organic material, usually pieces of old clothing, for a long period of time. This decomposes the stuff, and you’re left with black tinder that catches a spark easily and burns hot, for a long time. Of […]
How to Get Safe Drinking Water in the Wild
Things to Consider When Looking For Drinking Water What Can Cause Problems 1: Turbidity Dirt or sand or whatever suspended in the water. Gross but easily removed by filtration. 2: Parasites and Bacteria Small, but not that small. Can easily give you diarrhoea or worse. Can be removed by small filters. 3: Viruses Small as […]
How to Choose a Place to Camp
Things to Consider When Choosing a Campsite The time of day is gonna play a large part in choosing a site. If you’re camping in an area for the first time, and exploring it, you want to be setting up camp long before it gets dark. Here are things to look out for when choosing. […]