Thursday, May 20, 2010

Congrats Dave! - Discovery Channel Dual Survival

It's no secret that one of the reasons I got into Bushcraft is because of a fellow on Youtube by the name of Dave Canterbury. His common sense no non-sense attitude, clear instructions and appeal to the common man made his series of web videos a joy to watch. Hell, my primary knife is a custom design he collaborated on with Blind Horse Knives. I even corresponded with him via his forum and facebook page. When I learned he could no longer continue to offer his content on Youtube...well I was a little disappointed to say the least.

However, there's always a silver lining, as Mr. Canterbury was off adventuring and filming for the Discovery Channel alongside Cody Lundin in a new series called Dual Survival.


Well the time has come and that series will be airing soon. I for one can't wait.

Here's a LINK to the press release, if you'd like to see what the series is about.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Axe restoration project *update*


I spoke earlier about finding a broken axe head at a flea market I was interested in restoring, and little by little I've been doing so in the past weeks since then.


The project is coming along; I have removed all the rust and peeling paint from the axe head and removed what was left of the broken handle from the eye of the head.

One thing that I wanted to do originally was carve my own handle from a piece of hickory, but there are several problems with this.
  1. Finding the right wood; Hickory is best for this particular use
  2. Going out and cutting down a live tree
  3. Waiting the appropriate amount of time for the wood to season before I would be able to work with it if I wanted a long term axe.
  4. Carving the axe handle, without the proper crooked knife would be a labour intensive job
All of these combined left me with the realization that it might be better to get a shaped hickory handle and work from there.


It took some time to actually find a handle with the attributes I wanted. Make no mistake, you can't just run out to the store and buy the first handle you see...not if you want it to last. Comfort, grain direction, weight and balance all factor into what makes a good axe handle.


Then I ran into a problem. I found that after some rough shaping, that the reason the head I'm restoring broke from the axe in the first place is that it was shaped poorly. The eye of the head is tilted off to one side, meaning that it does not line up with the center of the handle when you view it from above. To correct this, I'm finding that I need to remove more material from one side of the handle than the other, making the axe inherently weak there. This means that I run the risk of breaking the axe in the future.

I briefly considered abandoning this project because of this, but decided that I would rather continue on. In the event that the axe is not perfect, at least I've learning a lot about axe repair, a lesson that would be useful if I decide to purchase a better made, more costly axe in the future. It would also benefit me to learn good axe work and maintenance on a cheaper axe, rather than spending top dollar on an axe that I didn't know how to properly use or take care of.

Continue to Part 2 of the Axe restoration Project

Monday, May 10, 2010

Goodbye puppy friend.


Friday I got a call from my girlfriend, and clearly something was wrong by the sound of her voice. She had received news from her eldest sister that their family dog Indy was at the vet, and that he wouldn't last the weekend. This news wasn't a total shock as Indy was old...but he was a fighter. In the past 2 years he's battled tumours, parasites and everything else that comes with old age like arthritis and deafness...so we knew what this call meant; it was time for Indy to go to sleep, never to wake up again. I rushed out the door to meet her so we could go see him one last time, a luxury I am honoured to have had.

I won't go into the details about what went on because it was an emotional rollar coaster for me, and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried for him. He wasn't even my dog, but I can say that he was a good friend of mine. I only got to know Indy the last 3-4 years of his life, and he definitely left his mark on me...in fact I even went on my first "real" camping trip with Indy.

a silent guardian, a watchful protector

Having Indy around showed me first hand, how powerful the companionship with a good dog is. I've always loved dogs, but lacked that bond first hand. I'll miss him always checking in on us to make sure we're still safe and protecting us when he thought we were in danger.

Thanks for being my friend Indy.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

At Work Preparedness Kit

Another installment of kit examples in honour of Emergency Preparedness Week. This time around, what to keep at work in the event there is an emergency.



A Heavy Duty Backpack/Duffle Bag
A bag to hold your items and durable enough to not fail on you in an emergency.

Cell phone
Your line of communication to the outside world.  Place calls to loved ones and emergency services or even e-mail them.  With a smart phone you can even post messages to social media sites like Twitter or Facebook to get in touch with people.

Radio
Depending on the scale of the emergency you may need a source of information.Opt for a hand crank powered unit as you don't want to be relying on batteries, which can run out.

Flashlight
A light source is invaluable if lighting fails and you find yourself in the dark.  Once again, opt for hand crack powered unit.

Bottled water or a method to purify water sources
No brainer, dehydration scrambles judgment and can kill. If a water source fails, you may find yourself in a situation where you have no running water from taps, so bottled water might be a better choice.

Extra Clothing
A change of clothes if your clothes become soiled or are too uncomfortable to move around freely.  Also useful for adding layers for warmth.

First aid kit
Most places of work are required to keep a large kit on hand, but it would be irresponsible to rely on it as a sole source of first aid.  Carry some basic bandages and medications (asprin/allergy/digestive system upset).

Bic lighter (and candles)
For light / heat in a power outage.

Cash
Use small denominations and carry coins for pay telephones or vending machines that might still work.

Can opener
An army p-51 is very lightweight and simple to use.

Hygene items
Toothbrush, FLOSS (the unwaxed kind doubles as strong cordage!), toilet paper, hand sanitizer.

Whistle
To use as an audible signal, in the event that rescue workers are searching for you.

Books/travel games/cards
To pass the time.

...and most importantly a PLAN.
  • Formulate how and where you will meet up with loved ones if you can't contact them. 
  • Formulate your escape plan



Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time.  If you're not prepared to deal with the situation and are relying on someone else to bail you out, you're putting your life in jeopardy.  It's far better to have these items ready and with you, and never need them than to wish you had them in the event you did.

    Tuesday, May 4, 2010

    Vehicle Emergency Kit: Items to have in an emergency!

    So I've covered the types of items you should keep in a Home Emergency Kit, but what happens if you're driving when disaster strikes? Afterall, you don't plan when an emergency happens and a disaster can be as simple as running out of gas, or as complicated as getting snowed in on the highway (which happened to a number of people in a freak storm just this past winter).

    So below I'll list some items that are easily packed in a duffle bag and should be left in your car's trunk. As a bonus, I'll do my best to list things you probably already have, or can obtain cheaply as to limit the cost of the kit.



    Cell Phone
    This is #1 on the list because with it, you might not even need to use the other items.

    Folding Shovel 
    Dig out snow or sand that you might be stuck in

    Blanket or sleeping bag 
    To retain warmth in the event you can't run the car for heat.

    Sand or salt
    In the event you are stuck and need the extra traction.

    Road flare
    To signal for help or simple warn other motorist that you're stopped on the side.

    Extra clothing
    To change into if you have become wet from rain/snow or to add extra layers to prevent hypothermia in case you need to spend the night in your vehicle.

    Bottled Water
    For drinking, hygiene or used to reconstitute dried food.

    Dried food/Energy Bars
    If you're stuck waiting for help for a long period a few energy bars or a packs of ramen noodles can be used to hold you over or in a pinch can be stretched out over a few days to keep your blood glucose levels up.

    Stainless Steel Cup/pot and sterno burner/folding stove
    A stainless steel cup or pot is invaluable as a boiling vessel to purify water, make tea, coffee or packaged food. The stove can also be used to heat the cab of the vehicle if the temperature drops. (IMPORTANT: crack a window to prevent to accumulation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide).

    Candle and empty coffee can 
    A candle placed inside an empty coffee can will provide warmth and light. Same rule as above, crack a window to let fumes escape.

    Tool kit / Multi-tool
    You never know when a pair of pliers, screwdrivers or sturdy knife can come in handy.

    Booster cables
    To give or receive a boost if the vehicle battery is dead.

    Ice scraper/snow brush and lock de-icer
    This isn't environment dependant

    Local Maps
    Modern equipment is great, but a lot of people depend on their GPS devices and batteries can die. Don't get lost because you didn't have a back up.

    Bic lighter
    Firesteels and primitive fire making techniques are useful, but make sure there is a no-nonsense, RELIABLE way to make fire if you need it.  A $0.99 bic lighter is a no-brainer.

    Flashlight and spare batteries 
    To provide light, and be used as a signaling device.

    First aid kit
    Broad enough to cover common injuries.  Bandages, gauze, antiseptic cream, Aspirin, allergy medications and Pepto bismal.

    Paper towels
    Important if you need to clean up any mess, and is easily overlooked.  Doubles as tinder as well.

    Garbage bags
    Crawl into this as a poncho, cut it open to be used as a tarp, or simply use it as a bag if you need to move items. Use what you have, but the heavy duty 3mil construction grade bags are ideal.



    Hopefully this gives you a place to start building your own kit.  The beauty of building your own instead of buying a pre-built kit, is that you become intimately familiar with the items you put in it and can easily expand or change it as the environment or needs of the kit changes.

      Monday, May 3, 2010

      Emergency Preparedness week 2010

      It's Emergency Preparedness week in Canada from May 2nd - May 8th, and I thought I would just make a quick post with some links to resources.

      I have spoken briefly on this topic once before, but the scope was fairly limited. Something as important and overlooked as this should be address again, and in more detail. Over the week I'll be posting some kit ideas that everyone should have prepared for a few basic such as


      Hopefully it will be enough to start some of you out on building your first few kits to prepare against an emergency. A few official links to Emergency Management can be found at:
      Emergency Management Ontario
      Town of Markham Emergency Preparedness