In this episode of #AskPaulKirtley I answer questions on getting fit for backpacking, keeping leather boots in good condition when out for a while, and which is my go-to bivvy bag.
Here’s my main stage presentation from the August 2021 Great Outdoors Festival in the U.K. The aim of this presentation was to explore some commonly held beliefs and accepted wisdom, and see how these concepts fit together, or don’t. In particular, I wanted to explore how a modern person utilising wilderness skills can build strong and active connections with the nature, despite this not sitting as comfortably as it might with some of the modern outdoor credos…
Answers to questions about whether I will ever write a book, why some ferro rods or firesteels don’t work very well, and whether my bushcraft philosophy has changed over the years…
Theresa Emmerich Kamper, PhD, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and author of Determining Prehistoric Skin Processing Technologies, has over 25 years of experience in prehistoric skin tanning and clothing construction. She joins me on this podcast to talk in detail about traditional tanning, prehistoric skin processing, making clothing from skins and furs, and much more. I could probably have called this episode “Everything you wanted to know about tanning but were afraid to ask”….
How to sharpen an axe? Having a good answer to this question is something that should concern anyone who carries or uses an axe. In principle sharpening an axe is not particularly difficult, although there is an additional consideration over the technique that works for sharpening many knives. In the video here I look at using bench stones, modified bench stones, specialist axe stones, small pocket stones, as well as stropping. I finish with a few words on protecting your axe after you have finished sharpening it….
Kevin Callan, The Happy Camper, asked me to join him on one of his Whisky Fireside Chat series of video interviews. As usual it was fun chatting with Kevin and along the way, we covered a lot. The jumping-off point for the conversation is the publication of my book Wilderness Axe Skills and Campcraft…
John Boe is a British military veteran with PTSD. In this podcast episode we have a candid discussion about John’s condition, how it manifested itself and how he came to realise he found solace in time spent in nature, especially in the woods. This ultimately led to a second career as a bushcraft instructor, delivering courses through Wildway Bushcraft, based in the South West of the UK. Having John join me on this podcast was also a good opportunity to discuss aspects of John’s experience in establishing himself as a bushcraft instructor and starting his own bushcraft school, and to draw out some broader lessons for those looking for a pathway in bushcraft instruction.
Winter is often characterized as a season of dormancy. The winter woods are quiet and sparse. Unlike the evergreen northern forests, the deciduous trees of Britain lose their greenery and leave stark, dark wooden skeletons. When it comes to plants, in foraging books and websites, I often see reference to spring greens. Far less common is mention of what herbs can be gathered in winter. Once you know what to look for, however, there are plants we can seek out for some winter greenery. To get you started, here are a dozen candidates that are common and widespread….
It’s always great when a combination of equipment equals more than the sum of its parts. In this post I run through an axe and saw combo I really like for wilderness trips from spring to autumn. It’s not just the solid tools that make this a great combo, though, it’s also the additional small details that add up to make a big difference. I start by explaining how to make sure you have everything you need to make the most of your saw. Then I run through a number of modifications and improvements I have made to a fairly standard axe to bring it up to its full potential…
Answers to questions about the effects of Covid/lockdowns on the bushcraft industry, office to outdoor career transitions, how to remember bushcraft and survival uses of plants, and how to promote good outdoor ethics, including leave-no-trace, to people outside of the usual outdoor community.