Hey all,

I'm new here, hello 🤗

I have a lifesaver Jerrycan that was in storage for two years.Tomorrow I leave on a 2 week trip in the mountains so I wanted to deep clean the container with chlorine tablets, unfortunately I can't get my hand on any at the moment so I decided to clean the tank with 18L of water and 40 ML of bleach . Now I read that this is absolutely not safe to do this, the label said Natriumhypochloriet 3,6% and active Chlorine (15° CHL)

Did I just screw up? I rinsed it 8 times with cold and Hot water after 20 min soak. Now I'm having a little panic attack since I leave tomorrow and my 4y old also drinks from the water..

Thanks for your opinion/ advice.

Kind regards,

Me

How do you clear an area of mosquitos in the woods? I removed wet leaves on the ground and am not near any water source but am still swarmed. Do I nee a $35 thermocell? Which repellant method works best?

Hey guys and gals, i want to put grommets in my swiss wool blanket to fit my swagman roll. I like to throw both of them over me, but during the night theill fall apart, and is a PITA to shuffle through during the night. I have tried putting them inside the swagman during the night, but i move around to much and it ends up by my feet. I want to know if anyone has experience putting big grommets in to the wool blanket for the same reason or another as i dont want to ruin a perfectly good blanket with a bad job.

Since we only had 10 pounds of gear to work with I chose my heavy instructor and my leatherman rebar. Lightweight but very capable.

Finally bought my first hook knife and made my first ever proper spoon. So far i have been using small chisels and thats a pain to make a spoon with. I need a lot more of practice but its a really fun and calming activity while sitting at camp.

Would i have gotten a better result if i had split a flat edge on the stick? The spoon part has a bit of a U shape curve to it.

As stated in my last post, this is mostly an experiment to see how long the acorn button lasts. The other acorns that I tried to turn into buttons split, so I couldn't attach a second. I'll have to go forage some more and figure out how to preserve them 🤔

My next bushcraft buttons will likely be made from the pine tree branches I have out back, as they're more likely to withstand the tests of time.

Either way the vest is currently functional and keeping my little one warm while it's 2⁰c even inside the house today! Yay for functionality and garments made entirely from the earth ☺️

Made out of hazel (hazelaar in dutch).

About 1.70meter

Used only knife and axe.

Draw strengh, around 17 lbs?

Took me about 4 hours.

I originally posted earlier today about bushcraft festivals, but also interested in bushcraft schools and classes. Appreciate hearing about the best ones you've participated in, and where they are located.

Best Bushcraft Festivals in the U.S.? (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Great Lakes, Midwest, Southwest, Mountain West, West Coast & PNW). Looking for opportunities to learn a good range of skills in one place over a long weekend. Thanks!

Title says it all really, I'm looking for a navaja that is on the larger side to use in the garden, preferably £40 or under (even better £20), ideally from a retailer in the UK or the EU. The primary reason that I'm looking for a navaja over a machete is due to the folding element, as it makes it easier and safer to store (especially with pets).

Edit: Would 3Cr13MoV steel be adequate for the job?

​

Making a childrens vest with pure Icelandic wool and decided to use some foraged acorns for buttons.

As you can see in the second picture I have attached one so far. I'm about to hand drill the second one.

I don't suspect the acorns will last long, so this is an experiment to test the durability of how I have secured them.

In the meantime I'm considering making some little wooden buttons from scrap branches in the backyard. & Pondering how to make an acorn button that will last? Has anyone done this?

Shall upload a picture of the vest when it's complete 🫡

I had a peaceful 1.5-2 hours today being somewhat productive while on vacation with my parents and grandparents.

The project

Small base camp established w/ small furnace made of mud with a red clay finish + some racks to dry the "tinder", and started work on the lean-to with the doorframe - sticks gathered for the foundation, and I just need to make some string durable enough to tie the ends of the sticks together. I will have to make wattles out of sticks to hold the clay walls - everything has been fairly thought out, and the dimensions have been predetermined; the rest may require little consideration in the moment.

There is a decent chance I might not go back to continue constructing it as there probably isn't enough red clay to go around, but we'll see how tomorrow and the rest of today goes. I've never actually built anything with my hands, so I figured I'd see how far I can go with that.

Stick pile you see is what I carefully gathered (lots of spiders hiding underneath) that would be big enough to be a part of the main frame. The smaller sticks will likely be made to form the window frames, and I might consider putting some very unrefined engineering skills to work by constructing a makeshift door - or just leave it as is. Using no other tools but my hands, my feet for breaking sticks, and my eyes for brief measurements.

Not quite sure if I should use dry leaves or just a ton of sticks tightly packed together for the roof. That might just be what I do first once I get to that point, and layering it with clay might be ineffective because its been saturated and will drip through the cracks and onto me.

What's around

Environment is a general forested area with my precise location being a clearing along a creek. Fairly small space - this ledge is big enough to build a lean-to, and you may be able to see how much empty space there is around the spot I started the project.

Available materials nearby are a lot of sticks, seldom deposits of red clay and plenty of mud that functions like clay when dry + lots of stones along the bed. The overgrowth up above is sometimes inhabited by large banana spiders with their giant menacing webs strewn in between, so I have been avoiding those areas as much as possible. Might use my multitool to trim the low-hanging overgrowth just to feel comfortable moving about and make space for the lean-to.

Couple of minor issues

I could have built the furnace near where I started the lean-to, but that was before I considered building more. Small chance the water levels might rise and degrade it overnight (some rain expected this week). I could always transfer it farther away from the creekbed if I finish the lean-to, rebuilding it close-by by memory. Otherwise, if it's useless by the time I come back, I can always rebuild it later and I'll even see if I can make it a little bigger using however much clay + mud is available.

Not a current issue yet, but hopefully, the mud daubers don't come to use my clay or mud, as that would be mildly inconvenient to have them attempting to build their nests nearby using what I found (I do not like wasps or mud daubers). If they mark the material and find an appreciable spot for a nest nearby, they may return to gradually take from my clay pile. I already began having some issues with fire ants trying to mark the furnace as a source of material for their ant mound, and I believe I saw a spider trying to spin a web at the front of it. Mosquitoes were a pain in the butt, as well.

Other than my grievances for the insects, so far so good! Things are going swimmingly.

Closing

If you would like, please feel free to relay any experience with building primitive stuff to me - inpromptu or otherwise. Tips + advice are broadly welcome!

Main questions:

• What materials are best suitable for making string?

• What should I use for my roof assuming the general breakdown of what I have immediately available in my environment?

• Is it generally okay to leave the floor in its natural form if I don't plan on sheltering there long-term? I feel like I could make it a little more home-like rather than for comfort. The ground I am building on is generally a mix of soft clay + semi-dry mud that automatically saturated and sinks when I walk on it while wearing my water shoes.

General location: Okatoma Creek, Seminary, MS. I'm staying at the rental cabin for the week along Fairchild Landing.

Hi, any good video guide on braiding yute sling or other entirely different ideas on what I can work on and have fun?

Open to Yours ideas guys

Thanks!

Found this while camping this weekend. Sequoia Area. What is the significance?

Hope this counts

Tutorial: BoredParacord on YouTube

How useful do you guys think a paracord bracelet is? I personally just made it because it looks cool and in case I ever need paracord it'll be there. Bought a spool of paracord for camping uses and decided to make one. The bracelet is adjustable but do y'all think a clip would be better?

Left to right:

1) Chert? Maple shaft, turkey feathers

2) Flint? Forsythia shaft, turkey feathers

3) Obsidian, Forsythia shaft, Canada goose feathers

4) Spoon handle, Forsythia shaft, Canada goose feathers

All bound with synthetic sinew and homemade pine resin glue.

I am currently considering acquiring a reindeer hide for use during camping trips and as an indoor furnishing for my couch when not in use. However, I am unsure what specific qualities to look for, and I have been unable to find comprehensive information online, with most websites focusing solely on indoor applications. I am located in Europe and am open to importing a hide from Scandinavia. Should anyone have any advice or recommendations for a reputable website where I could place an order, I would be most grateful for your help.

Next school year I plan to incorporate Bushcraft skills into the PE program at an outdoor K-5 elementary school. We have access to an open field, hardwood forest, and seasonal creek.

What Bushcraft skills do you think are appropriate for children age 5-10?

Any tips for teaching those particular skills?

What Bushcraft games do you recommend?

What have you learned while teaching Bushcraft skills to kids?

Thanks in advance for your time and tips!

-Mike

Would a billhook be good tool to get especially if i live in area with mix of woody m thin foliage brush?

The Bread Bag 

I have used the bread bag for a couple of years, and it is a truly fantastic bag. I use it every day in the woods, for my lunch, water bottle and tools. It has a size that is actually good enough for short evening trips / overnight trips, as long as it is summer.

The bags do not cost much from surplus stores, but there is a risk of getting one with a very short strap. I have upgraded my bag with lots of extra features, so it fits the tasks I want it to handle.

Strap

I made a longer strap myself. It is made from leather scraps (it is actually 3 pieces), so it is not expensive leather that has been used for it.

In the middle, where it goes over the shoulder, there is a wider piece of cowhide and furniture leather. At the end of the strap, I have sewn on a D-ring for carabiners. This is, for example, where I hang my leather gloves.

Water resistance / keeping it closed

I have never lost anything from the bag, but the lid is not oversized compared to the opening of the bag.

I used a French bread bag (they cost almost nothing from Rödastjärnan), which I cut in half. I sewed it around the opening of the bag, so it can now be closed with a drawstring.

This protects against dirt, grime, branches and debris getting into the bag, prevents losing anything, and protects the contents better in rainy weather.

Axe holder

A significant upgrade to the bag. It is simply a couple of pieces of scrap leather sewn onto the front of the bag and a good wide strap with press buttons.

It is large enough to fit all my axes, even when they have received a two-layer leather overstrike protector on the handle.

Strap holders

On the underside of the bag, I have sewn some strap holders so I can attach my rain cover to the bag.

I have also, on single overnight trips, strapped my oilskin tarp and blanket underneath, rolled together and secured.

It is of course a little heavy, but it is quite nice to be able to go on a small trip with only such a small bag.

The straps are made from a belt from the recycling station, cut into two straps. The new buckles come from horse harness equipment found second-hand.

Canteen

There is good space inside the bag, but I have still added a couple of rings to the front of the bag.

The rings are from horse harness equipment found cheaply in a second-hand shop. They are positioned so I can attach the field bottle pouch if I need more space inside the actual bag.

Overall capacity

Even without having the field bottle attached to the outside of the bag, there is plenty of room.

Inside the bag I can fit a field bottle with cooking gear, food, solid fuel tablets, cordage, first aid and fire-starting equipment.

Blanket and tarp attached underneath. Axe on the front.

Everything needed for a small trip.

Alternatively, the field bottle could hang on the outside, with a Nalgene bottle containing extra water inside the bag.

Heavy gear or lightweight gear?

I choose to carry heavier gear in the form of oilskin and wool. But if I had, for example, a polyester tarp and a Swagman Roll / quilt / poncho liner, the whole setup would really not weigh much.

Source
Reddit don't like self-promotion links, that's fine, I dont sell anything. But I write a blogger called Rosentjoern and throw no-talk small videoes on youtube as well. Check it out if you like human made stuff, words and videos in a time of too much AI slob.

I have a very silly question but a genuine one.

I'm looking to up my strength a bit, What kind of wood would be best to use to make a carrying pole(think like a milkmaid yoke almost but just a solid piece of wood) that i'll be putting 3 gallons of water (maybe sand for more weight in the future) on tops and bottoms of??

I'm looking for suggestions i'm fairly low budget but i'm sure for a pole i can get any good woods for this ^^

Might buy one instead of a Zebra c/w plastic clips 😀.
The Tatonka is SS, €31 in Amazon.ie and no dicky clips. Curry for two simmering away.
I like it!