Well, I just realized I have not been on this page for quite a while and was shocked to see that it has fully been 2 YEARS since I was here last. So, just going to do a little update. . .
I have been active and busy, albeit, not here though. My main means of communication are FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE, in that order, and I will place links below.
On Facebook I am regularly posting information and photos and I would refer you there first. . .
Now, if you do not use Facebook, you can still access my videos on Youtube. I am not as active there, shooting vids only infrequently [and I do share my Youtube vids on MY Facebook page] and my channel is found here:
A few days ago, I was looking at the ONPOINT TACTICAL Facebook page, and came across an article written by Kevin Reeve on a primitive man-trap called an "Apache Limp Wire Trap". Basically it's a trip wire triggered drop-trap deigned to injure or dissuade a person or person(s) tracking/pursuing you. The Apache people had long experience at this, having been hunted by the Spanish, then Mexican, and finally American armies over the century's.
I myself, have no need to whack anyone on the noggin with a trap, but it did occur to me that this might be a great trap for a camp intruder alarm. I reasoned a tin can full of rocks might make a great noisemaker when it hit the ground, and give some warning or a person or animal entering camp.
I downloaded reeve's article and took it out to the park where I practice skills. I had some paracord and some old carving practice try sticks to use for trap trigger pieces. Reeve had used a piece of branch and staked it into the ground inverted so the croth acted to hold one side of the trap trigger. For mine, I used a "7 Notch", as it's what I had available [I like his better]. Following is a video I shot of the trap in use and function:
I had a "small mishap" while setting the trap. The bean can full of rocks fell, glancing off the right side of my back . I am glad it was not a head strike, as it would have surely rung my bell a good one [or worse], as it sped toward the ground. In case you are interested in trying this trap, here is the link for the article:"Apache Booby Traps"
Tinder tube, sometimes called a Fire Wick, have been used for centuries. They were used in Colonial times, and are a useful tool for getting a fire started. Basically they are a tube, usually copper such as plumbing pipe, maybe 4" in length, with a length of hemp or cotton rope strung through it. One end of the rope is charred and thus will catch a spark and ignite a hot ember or can be blown into flame to help start a camp or cook fire. When done, you pull the cordage back into the tube and it smothers if for the next use.
There are lots of "How-To" videos on making and using these, as well as materials that folks use and recommend. There are also some very nice commercial models, some of which use a ferocerium rod that is incorporates into the tube body's construction.
In this video, I show how I make mine and how I use it.
I have spiked the wick with Mineral [Baby] Oil to produce a hot flame. The tube portion is constructed from harvested Blue Elderberry branch. Unlike metal, the wood does not retain or transfer heat.It;s a fun project I think you will enjoy!
I'm still here! Been working full-time throughout the Pandemic, but mostly been busy over on my YOUTUBE channel and FACEBOOK pages. Thought perhaps I should circle back here and at least add something now and again and keep the blog alive. Of course, this page being dedicated to blades, bushcraft, and woods-running, I am always interested in budget knives.
I suspect that a lot of folks who aren't interested in high-end knives or simply don't care tend toward these values-priced offerings. Or, they may simply need *something* to accomplish a task and choose the first thing they see at their favorite discount store. Either way, I find it enjoyable and interesting to push these knives and see how they perform against the higher priced cousins.
A few days ago I was perusing the knife counter at BIG 5 [my favorite discount store] and spied this ELK RIDGE ER-510, which they bill as a "Combat Tactical" knife.
I cannot make my mind up - is the pattern a Bolo or a Kukri? My vote goes to a Bolo. . . although I have seen it referred to as a Kukri, so we'll go with that, lol!
The ER-510 was tagged as regularly priced $32.99, but I picked it up with a BIG 5 coupon for just $9.99 + tax. . .a HUGE savings. And frankly, a much more realistic price for the money. Of course, I won't buy a knife I won't use, so I decided to get outside and put it through some carving tasks. But first, let's look at the knife's nomenclature in this video I shot.
So, I wandered off the home range and slipped into my favorite woods hidey-hole to test out this Bolo. . .er. . .Kukri. Using the ER-510, I harvested some Arroyo Willow to use for a Try Stick. It chopped with an astoundingly clean cut for a factory edge and completely surprised me. I can say with confidence, the ER-510 is an incredible chopping too. In this next video, I display some carving it performed.
I am quite sure this is the largest knife I have ever used to do fine carving tasks, and it was an interesting process. I had considered Alan Kay's use of a Kukri in the first season of the History channel series, "A L O N E", and how he had expertly used that big CONDOR Kukri to do all of his camp tasks. After an hour I found it had made my hands very tired and achy, but it was great fun to work with.
The ER-510 blade has many surfaces to use: A fine point for drilling and detail work, a broad belly for troughing, a narrow waist for spoke-shave type cuts or choking up to perform push cuts. As well the blade can be turned sideways to hammer something, such as a tent stake into the ground. As seen in the video, I managed to carve a nice Try Stick. I had a feeling Mors Kochanski might be looking down, grinning and shaking his head with amusement.
In conclusion, here are some thoughts and opinions I reached about the ER-510:
The ER-510 large Kukri knife would not be my personal first choice for a general-use bushcraft knife. It is however, an excellent chopping tool for felling saplings or harvesting other material for camp projects. I do think it would be an acceptable substitute to an axe in environments other than hardwoods, and could be carried on a pack.
The Patron Saint of bushcrafters, Nessmuk, had suggested over a century ago that the proper woods trio was an axe, a sheath knife, and a pocket folder. I believe the Kukri could fill in the axe portion of that trio, and back up a good MORA Companion and perhaps a good pocket folder for the even smaller tasks.
So in the stepped woods tool arrangement, ER-510 Kukri would do the heavy lifting. I will also say I do think it good to practice and develop skills with all sizes and patterns of knives should need arise, such as losing your primary bushcraft knife and having no option but to use the kukri for smaller jobs.
BTW - if you are interested in reading Nessmuk's woods tips and advice, you can find it for free on the Project Gutenberg at Woodcraft & Camping by Nessmuk.
Anyhow, that's enough for today. Thanks for stopping by stay happy & healthy, and get outdoors!
Just a quick review of the RANDALLS ADVENTURE/ESEE KNIVES "Zancudo" pocket knife.
This is a very light pocket knife [about 3.3 oz] with 3" Drop-point blade, 4" closed, and O/A length of 7". They are available in both AUS-8 and D2 steel and a variety of handle scale color options.is a manually-opened [thumb stud] liner lock knife. The pocket clip can be reversed for tip-up or tip-down carry, but is only set up for right hand carry. The pocket clip side is bare steel, opposite side has a colored G-10 scale:
The spine measures 3/32" thick, and the edge is very fine. It is razor sharp and only the second knife I have that came "hair popping sharp [COLD STEEL Voyager being the other]. I personally regard this as a cutting tool only and I would be very concerned about chipping the edge were I to try to say, pry or pop chips from a Try Stick or similar wood carving project. I think it would be fine in camp for cutting-only tasks.
Better still, I see this as an excellent choice for an urban EDC carry pocket folder. The 3" blade [2.75" actual cutting edge] makes it lawful for carry in many jurisdictions, 3" seeming to be a standard for maximum permitted blade length [of course check your own state/local ordinances before carry].
Well, 2020 has certainly been a nasty year so far. I have managed to do a few local hikes and day outings which you can find on my YOUTUBE channel but the COVID 19 has certainly inhibited travel or adventuring outside of my home county. We have had a bit of re-opening in the past week, so maybe things will get better. Wife and I are already talking about possible outings for next year.
Over these past 7 months or so I've run into some mean people and seen some near fistfights over persons failing to wear the facemask in public places. Add to that we are in the midst of a very tense and contentious election season and the potential for a self-defense situation becomes a potentiality. Of course, situational awareness and avoidance should always be our first defense, but one should know how to defend if necessary.
I like to think of personal safety preparation/response in these terms, "DO NO HARM [avoidance/don't provoke a confrontation], DO KNOW HARM [[know First Aid/Stop the Bleed], DO KNOW HOW TO HARM [Defend - Speed, Surprise - Violence of Action]."
I did a hike a few days ago and harvested a branch that had been pruned by Park staff. Pondering on it, I thought to make a field-expedient "Kubaton". What is a Kubaton you ask? Well, essentially, it is a little self defense tool used for impact strikes and pressure point applications. It takes it's name from the inventor, Sensei Takayuki Kubota, who developed it in the 1970's for the Los Angeles Police Department's use. The "Kubotan" as it was called, was constructed of a tough polycarbonate plastic, but is also made in aircraft-grade aluminum as well, and is lawful to possess in California.
The history of the Kubotan is far older than the 1970's however. The Japanese Samurai carried a similar device called a Yawara during the feudal era, and were masterful at applying joint locks and control holds with it.. Filipino combatants have long carried a version called a Dulo-Dulo, sometimes fashioned from attractive Buffalo Horn.
But we are talking about survival skills here so, In a pinch, the ability to craft a simple, functional pocket stick can be fashioned from a piece of branch, preferably a hardwood, might be a useful skill. Lacking a knife, one could be manufactured with a sharp-edged rock and a coarse stone to sand the roughed out shape into a smooth finish. Thus, a means of delivering a focused and painful strike that would be more difficult to deliver with the bare hand.
In this video, I display a "Bushcraft Kubaton" made from a harvested branch while on a leisurely hike. This is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Challenge your bushcrafting friends or survival students to craft a pocket stick, then partner up to practice strikes and pressure point applications. There are many books and video's available for instruction if you cannot find a skilled instructor.
Ask someone what a "Shuriken" is and most likely they will describe the classic "Throwing Stars" seen on the old TV series "Kung Fu" and countless Ninja movies. Thrown with unerring accuracy, skilled Ninja's often made head shots with their throwing stars, sinking them deep into an opponents skull. And while it is true Ninja used Shuriken, it should be noted they were mostly used by Samurai soldiers on the battlefield.
Shu-ri-ken, Japanese for, "Hidden Hand Blade", were a tactical tool used by Samurai to distract or misdirect an opponent. Not at all intended as a primary weapon, these little tools were used to be thrown at the face and eyes of an enemy combatant to cause them to look away and thus present an opening to be exploited. They could also be held in the hand and used as a contact distance combative aid for delivering strikes and jabs to vulnerable targets.
Shu-ri-ken were produced in various shapes and sizes, one being the "Bo" Shu-ri-ken, Bo meaning stick. A reference to it's shape, the Bo shu-ri-ken was likely formed from a large nail or spike. It was held in the palm, blunt end against the palm heel and fingers straight trapping and guiding it for a no-spin throw.
In the 2003 action film, THE HUNTED, there is a scene in the end battle between actors Benicio Del Toro and Tommy Lee Jones involving a primitive form of a Bo shu-ri-ken. Del Toro draws a wooden stick with both ends sharpened. The stick is lashed to his calf by means of primitive cordage. He throws the stick at Tommy Lee Jones who narrowly dodges and avoids it. Nonetheless, the attack does rattle Jones and add to his stress and need to be cautious.
It is worth noting that renown survival instructor Tom Brown Jr. [trackerschool.com] was a technical advisor for the film and his training staff crafted the knapped chert knives used in the film. Del Toro relies on a knife fashioned after a model designed by Tom Brown Jr.
Lest you think such weapons are exclusive to Japan, note that primitive throwing weapons and tools are nothing new. Most of the world's aboriginal peoples have used such tools at one time or another. The Australian boomerang and the North American Rabbit Stick and Apache Star come to mind. Lacking a knife, such tools can be formed by using a chipped sharp micro-crystalline stone as a cutting tool and sanding the weapon smooth against a cobble from a creek.
As well, small palm sticks for use as impact weapons in close quarters combatives have been around quite awhile as well. Kubaton's, Koga sticks, and tactical pens are modern derivatives of the traditional Filipino Dulo-Dulo or Palm Stick, and the Samurai's Yawara pocket stick. Directed against sensitive, vulnerable targets they can deliver pain, great injury, even death to vital areas such as spine, groin, temple, throat, and eye socket. Of course, such use would only be permissible were one defending themselves against great bodily injury or death.
As I was testing some new knives I had received for Christmas to judge their efficacy as carving tools, I decided to craft some of these primitive throwers and practice this skill. Using some pieces of pruned branches I had harvested, I carved some throwers 12" in length and about 3/4" in diameter. I would recommend this length because they will quickly become dulled and the points need be re-sharpened. Possibly you could fire-harden the points or even coat them with Pine resin to prevent splitting and toughen them. I would also recommend the points be carved concave so the soft pith center does not form the point
As I see it, these primitive throwers would be a useful tool for defensive purposes as a "Last Ditch" weapon for persons who have been disarmed or are lacking a weapon and are in a SERE [Survive Escape resist Evade] situation, such as military personnel or civilians fleeing kidnappers/hostage takers.
If you'd care to try this. begin by carving a thrower as I have described. A discarded pizza box makes a good target to throw against. If you decided to train with it as an impact weapon, blunt/round the ends and then carefully and slowly practice strikes with a training partner. your focus should be on building muscle memory and precision, not speed. Be sure to use padded clothing, gloves, and eye and head protective gear to avoid injury.
