Bushcraft Skills Log
Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:34 pm
There are a lot of aspirations on here about bushcraft skills, but I could not find a full thread by searching the site. If there is already one, we can nuke this one and I will start adding over there if someone provides a link.
I grew up bushcrafting. My family was heavily involved in the http://americanmountainmen.org/ and the buckskinning/muzzleloader/primitive skills communities. I have mastered many skills, but they are admittedly a bit rusty having lived in a city for the past 8 years. I hope this thread revives discussion and gets those interested motivated in practicing/learning. Furthermore, I hope this thread does not devolve into sharing youtube links and pretending we know how to do something without actual practice. Most of the skills are not rocket science, but it would be fun to also get into the weeds about how/why something works and personal observations/struggles. By all means include videos/book references, but also try to share personal learnings. Let's up the "kennen" to "wissen" ratio as much as possible! (I think I have those in the correct order).
[edit] I would prefer for this thread to focus on skills development and not discussions of civilization collapse et al. as even if that becomes a reality, better to have spent the time practicing these skills rather than debating if/when/why. There are plenty of other threads on societal collapse elsewhere.
Just to start the convo, here is an example arrowhead I made out of whiskey bottle bottom. I have also made many out of beer bottle bottoms, but they end up being curved slightly because it is very difficult to remove material evenly when you are starting with a concave surface. Whiskey bottles (Bulleit in particular) are a perfect thickness on the bottom to remove the concave surfaces. Repeating the process with similar more common materials will help with mastering the skill. Glass is a very homogeneous material so it flakes more consistently than most cherts and flints found out and about. If you are actually planning to make arrows with these, it will help to have near identical weight points for more consistent shooting. If you are practicing correctly with glass or materials found in nature, you will cut yourself. You must bleed for your art!
The main steps are:
1) selection
2) isolation
3) reduction
4) finishing
The tools used for this are billets (weighted round head, traditionally out of antlers or rounded river stones), pressure flaker with copper nail (also traditionally sharpened antler), a leather pad for holding the piece, and something to protect your leg from glass shards. Not pictured is a course stone for grinding down sharp edges and safety glasses (traditionally space helmets...jk). I got this kit from a Texas knapper about 18 years ago. Turns out you can get them on Amazon!
Currently, I am working on a sketchnote for more of the details, considerations, and techniques.
Some ideas for other topics that I would like to write/draw/revisit/discuss:
1) fire starting with various methods/materials
2) shelters
3) traditional clothing methods
4) tracking/animal behavior
5) knife handling/work
6) Axe techniques
7) primitive cooking/recipes/preservation
8) properties of wood species
9) nature observation
10) water
11) cordage
12) ethnobotany
13) wilderness navigation
14) wilderness medicine
I think at least some of these topics overlap with other threads e.g. tracking and hunting, water and backpacking.
Any other topics folks are interested in?
[edit] will add to above list and provide index as thread grows
I grew up bushcrafting. My family was heavily involved in the http://americanmountainmen.org/ and the buckskinning/muzzleloader/primitive skills communities. I have mastered many skills, but they are admittedly a bit rusty having lived in a city for the past 8 years. I hope this thread revives discussion and gets those interested motivated in practicing/learning. Furthermore, I hope this thread does not devolve into sharing youtube links and pretending we know how to do something without actual practice. Most of the skills are not rocket science, but it would be fun to also get into the weeds about how/why something works and personal observations/struggles. By all means include videos/book references, but also try to share personal learnings. Let's up the "kennen" to "wissen" ratio as much as possible! (I think I have those in the correct order).
[edit] I would prefer for this thread to focus on skills development and not discussions of civilization collapse et al. as even if that becomes a reality, better to have spent the time practicing these skills rather than debating if/when/why. There are plenty of other threads on societal collapse elsewhere.
Just to start the convo, here is an example arrowhead I made out of whiskey bottle bottom. I have also made many out of beer bottle bottoms, but they end up being curved slightly because it is very difficult to remove material evenly when you are starting with a concave surface. Whiskey bottles (Bulleit in particular) are a perfect thickness on the bottom to remove the concave surfaces. Repeating the process with similar more common materials will help with mastering the skill. Glass is a very homogeneous material so it flakes more consistently than most cherts and flints found out and about. If you are actually planning to make arrows with these, it will help to have near identical weight points for more consistent shooting. If you are practicing correctly with glass or materials found in nature, you will cut yourself. You must bleed for your art!
The main steps are:
1) selection
2) isolation
3) reduction
4) finishing
The tools used for this are billets (weighted round head, traditionally out of antlers or rounded river stones), pressure flaker with copper nail (also traditionally sharpened antler), a leather pad for holding the piece, and something to protect your leg from glass shards. Not pictured is a course stone for grinding down sharp edges and safety glasses (traditionally space helmets...jk). I got this kit from a Texas knapper about 18 years ago. Turns out you can get them on Amazon!
Currently, I am working on a sketchnote for more of the details, considerations, and techniques.
Some ideas for other topics that I would like to write/draw/revisit/discuss:
1) fire starting with various methods/materials
2) shelters
3) traditional clothing methods
4) tracking/animal behavior
5) knife handling/work
6) Axe techniques
7) primitive cooking/recipes/preservation
8) properties of wood species
9) nature observation
10) water
11) cordage
12) ethnobotany
13) wilderness navigation
14) wilderness medicine
I think at least some of these topics overlap with other threads e.g. tracking and hunting, water and backpacking.
Any other topics folks are interested in?
[edit] will add to above list and provide index as thread grows