Autumnkraft

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Morakniv Classic No.2 Review

Morakniv Classic No.2 Morakniv have been making knives for over 400 years. They're very popular with lots of bushcrafters around the world for various reasons. Mora knives are high quality for the price point. They're cheap and they're built to last. They're often recommended to beginners, but that doesn't mean that more experienced bushcrafters do not use these knives, they do. All Morakniv knives are made in Sweden. Birch handle The Mora classic No.2 is a traditional Swedish carpenters and woodworkers knife. It is practically a "Puukko" style knife, which is popular across all the Nordic countries. The knife is balanced perfectly with a rat tail tang, which makes it perfect for delicate work that is often required in bushcraft. The birch handle is barrel shaped and comfortable in the hand. If you have big hands, you will not be disappointed with the handle of this knife. The steel is European C100 steel. This is a high carbon steel with the heat treat...

A Guide to Making Canvas Wax

Canvas wax that has been applied, but needs melting in Making your own canvas wax is a great skill to learn. It's also cheaper than buying it from the shops as well. Firstly, you're going to need a few materials: Paraffin wax Beeswax A mould A tin can A cooking container Leather work gloves Canvas wax fresh from the mould The ratio for creating the wax is 9 parts paraffin wax to 1 part beeswax. For example, if the mould I am using holds 100 grams, I am going to measure out 90 grams of paraffin wax and 10 grams of beeswax. Once you have created your blend of paraffin wax and beeswax, place the mix into the tin can. Once you have completed this step, you can take your cooking container and fill it up with water and place your tin can with the wax mixture inside. Now place the container on a heat source and bring the water to a rolling boil. This technique is called the double boiler and is safe way of melting your wax without setting it on fire. Once the water is at a boil, t...

Bushcraft Sewing Kit - Repairs in the Wild

Carrying a sewing kit in your bushcraft pack is essential when on longer trips in the wild. You never know when you might need to do some field repairs. You might obtain a small tear in your tarp; a sewing needle and some thread will fix that. You can even repair leatherwork with your sewing kit. In this blog post, I'm going to be showcasing the items that I carry in my kit and the context behind carrying these particular items. Sewing kit There are several items that I like to carry in my sewing kit. I have assembled a kit that is suitable for a variety of situations that I may encounter throughout the year. When creating a sewing kit, the first thing to think about is: what materials am I likely going to have to repair? You might have a waxed cotton canvas tarp that obtains a tear or perhaps the wool jumper you're wearing develops a hole in the elbow. Each of these scenarios require a different approach in needle and thread choice. This requires a well thought out...

Helikon Bushcraft Satchel Loadout

This pack is a recent addition to my bushcraft gear and a highly anticipated one. I've been after one of these packs for a fair while after seeing countless YouTube videos on them and how well they perform. I decided to pick up the satchel in the coyote colour. There are plenty of reviews on this satchel already on the internet. A quick search on YouTube and you will see plenty of videos. In this blog post, I wont be reviewing the satchel, but I will be going over what I have decided to carry in it and the context behind the selected items. Helikon bushcraft satchel The bushcraft satchel has a large 17 litre capacity. I won't be using the full capacity of the satchel, this would get too heavy. My aim is to keep the satchel nice and light with room to add additional items as and when needed. Another good reason for doing this is that I then have additional room for foraged edibles. I'd like the satchel to contain the five Cs of survival: cutting tools, combustion, cordage, ...

Romanian Army Canvas Rucksack Review

Romanian army canvas rucksack Rucksacks are an important piece of kit when practicing bushcraft. It's used to hold your tools and other items needed out in the wild. The pack needs to be comfortable and durable. There are hundreds of choices on the market today for a bushcraft packs. Some of these are suitable for bushcraft, whilst others are not. There are plenty of modern hiking backpacks that have a large carry capacity, whilst some do use these packs for bushcraft, in my opinion these are not suitable and are far too large for the needs of a sensible bushcraft kit. 30 to 35 litres is a perfect sized pack for bushcraft. It will hold plenty of gear and food for several nights camping. The Romanian pack is in it's element in the snow The Romanian army canvas rucksack is my current choice of pack for bushcraft. The cotton canvas is well made and durable. The canvas is roughly around 16oz. The leather straps are buckles are sewn in well with leather patches on the inside for a...

The Woodsman's Pantry Concept

The Woodsman's Pantry Kit Taking food out into the wild requires careful planning if you're going to be wild camping for a few nights. Many factors need to be taken in account, such as weight or how the food will be stored for carrying. Some foods that are stored incorrectly will spoil, whilst others might be fragile and not suitable to carry in your pack. In this post, I will discuss the woodsman's pantry concept and how to effectively plan and carry food into the wild. The idea of the woodsman's pantry is to carry foods that can be supplemented by hunting, fishing or foraging in the wild. With this in mind, we have to think carefully about what foods are suitable. Fresh meats are going to spoil fast, especially in warmer climates. If you're thinking about taking meats with you, these should be either salted or dried for longevity. Beef jerky is a good choice as it's rather compact and takes up little room in your pack. This can then be rehydrated and added ...