Autumnkraft

The Fire Kit One of the fundamentals of bushcraft is fire making. We need fire to cook food and sterilize water, It's one of the most important things that we have to think about when out in the wild. The best way to create fire in the wild is to prepare beforehand. This means that before we even venture out into the wild to practice our bushcraft skills, we need to prepare a fire kit. The most simple kit you could take into the wild for fire starting is a simple flint and steel, with some charcloth. This however, is a more advance method of fire making and requires practice to start a fire from a small ember. The Pouch When making a new fire kit, the first thing that I do is decide what I am going to use to hold the contents of the fire kit. There are several options that one could use for this. from a modern pouch made of a modern cordura material or a more traditional approach such as cotton canvas or leather.  There are both pros and cons to either one of these pouches, which I...

The Feuerhand Baby Special 276 attached to my pack A Brief Rundown  The Feuerhand Baby Special 276 has been produced for over 100 years. A testament to it's design and robust durability. Feuerhand are a German company and the lanterns are still made there to this day. The lantern has a simple design and with a full tank of lamp oil, it can burn for roughly 20 hours.  The lantern has five main components that play a part in the operation of the lamp. These include the fuel tank, glass, burner, wick and the chimney.  The design uses each of these parts to create a long burn time and a flame that is well protected from the elements. The lantern uses a cold blast system to sustain the flame. Cold air is taken through the top of the chimney and taken down the two pipes on the side. This air then travels to the burner which provides oxygen needed for combustion. The hot air exits through the chimney. This process provides a bright warm light that has a consistent output. The la...

  A woodland in Norfolk, UK Connecting with nature is a simple process. It is not hard to do, nature is right on our doorstep. We have access to amazing places, vast forests, rocky coasts, vast fields and much more.  There are plenty of places to explore.  There are many ways that one can connect with nature through bushcraft, for many this is a personal thing and it is different for each individual.   Being outdoors in nature, one can often find themselves free of all troubles. Not only can bushcraft be good in terms of physical activity, it can also be good for the mindset too. Bushcraft is not only about learning and improving techniques in the wild, it is also about experiencing nature at a grounded level.  The Bushcraft Pack It's easy to get out into nature with only a simple bushcraft pack, with a small selection of items covering the five Cs survival. Set up a little camp and cook some food. Whilst that food is cooking away, just sit still and listen...

  The Lodge 6.5inch Skillet Wildlife Series  Cooking in the wild is an amazing experience. It connects us to our ancestors, who more than likely had vast experience in cooking outdoors in the wilderness. You simply cannot beat connecting with nature and cooking some fantastic food. There are many cooking utensils that we have become accustomed to over the centuries; one of these tools being the skillet or frying pan. When I was looking for a skillet to add to my cooking kit, I was looking for a couple of things. Firstly, it had to be from a reputable brand that produced high-quality products. Secondly, it needed to be made of cast iron. Thirdly, it needed to be small enough to pack away nicely and to cut down on the weight of larger cast iron skillets. I spent some time looking at the offerings from several brands; There are several American made brands that produce fantastic cast iron cookware (Petromax in Germany also make good cast iron). Ideally, we want a nice smooth surf...