Water Purification: The 5 Contaminants You Need to Know About
We can’t tell whether fresh water it is safe to drink by looking at it. Unless, for example, the water is obviously stagnant, dirty or oily we cannot visually determine the presence of…
How to Tie an Adjustable Guy-line Knot
Sometimes called a slippery adjustable loop, an adjustable guy-line knot is very useful to know, particularly for those interested in bushcraft. Whether you are setting up a small or large tarp, or even a tent, this knot…
The Raven PK1: Evolution of a Knife
Since I was first allowed by my parents to use a Swiss Army Knife 30 years ago, I’ve always been a user of knives. For me, a knife has always been a tool to be used. I received an email in March 2011 from a friend who makes his living trading high quality knives. He suggested that there might be an interesting project afoot, to work with Raven Armoury on a knife for wilderness use…
Water Mint, Mentha aquatica – A Not So Wild Tea
Water Mint, Mentha aquatica has a wide distribution across Europe (except the far north), Asia and Africa. It is the most common of the wild mints in the British Isles but is less frequent in Scotland. It has a number of food and medicinal uses and is therefore a useful plant to know for foragers and those interested in bushcraft and survival. As its name suggests…
An 80s Revival: Surviving with the Dartmoor Knife
The final production version of the Wilkinson Sword Survival Knife was something of a redesign of the original, officially renamed the Dartmoor Knife CSK185. The best way to review a piece of outdoor equipment, whether it is a knife or a canoe or anything else, is to go and use it for its intended purpose. So, it was thus I decided to get a good measure of the usefulness of the Dartmoor Survival Knife by heading out to the woods for a few days with little else to see how well this survival tool served me…
The Easy Way to Use Fomes Fomentarius as Tinder
Fomes fomentarius is a bracket fungus, more commonly known as Hoof Fungus or Horse’s Hoof Fungus. It is also known as the Tinder Bracket. This fungus can be prepared into first-rate tinder. Whichever process you are using to produce tinder from Fomes fomentarius, it is the trama…
How To Make a Folding Bucksaw
Folding bucksaws are a simple means of taking a large saw with you on a trip. Quick to assemble and neat to carry in a case or pack, this size of saw is a natural partner to an axe. Folding bucksaws can be packed…
The Value of a Tarp in Your Day-Pack
With heavy rain being a fairly regular feature here in the UK – even during the summer – I rarely, if ever, go for a day hike without taking a waterproof jacket. This is hardly an earth-shattering revelation as I’m sure this preference is almost universal amongst those heading for the great British outdoors. What’s probably less common is packing a tarp. Including a tarp in your day-pack isn’t limited to the UK, however, as it makes sense anywhere you might have damp or cold-damp weather and you can string…
A Bushcraft Camping Outfit – Equipment for Living in the Woods
Whether you are camping in the woods for a weekend or staying out for weeks, this bushcraft camping outfit is a good base model. By keeping your wilderness bushcraft camping equipment as simple and streamlined as possible you’ll minimise the amount of kit while maximising its functionality…
Hemlock, Conium maculatum
Hemlock, Conium maculatum is a notoriously poisonous plant. It has large, lacy leaves and purple spots and streaks on the stems. It is found, naturalised, in many parts of the world and usually found on poorly drained soils, roadsides, field edges and…