A Knife Mod, Some New Gear, and Some Plants

[Mistwalker]

I went on a hike yesterday while out on a photo shoot, I wanted to go check out the area where I found that scat that a few seem to think is bear scat. I also wanted play around with a couple of pieces of gear, one old and one new.

The last little while I have been playing around with a friends belt grinder. I decided to re-profile the blade of the 1-0 and give it a little bit more of a point.

This is what it looked like before.

And this is what it looks like now. Not finished with it yet as i want to thin the grind down a little more now but still sharp enough to cut decently as is.

The other piece of kit is a new capsule I wanted to check out. Its a Life Cap from Exotac. It's really cool, made of carbon fiber and Type III hard anodized 6061 Aluminum. It weighs practically nothing. I have a plan on how I am going to fill it, but I want to buy a few things first.

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[Mistwalker]

So...these were the fixed blades I had as I headed off through the fields.

The moon was still high in the sky even late in the morning.

Still trying to figure out what this is...

This looks like it might be another member of the night shade family but I'm not sure. I only found it in the planted areas where they plant different crops for the wildlife and for agricultural studies.

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[Mistwalker]

More Sumac

A spider's funnel web?

More Bees

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[Mistwalker]

Then a really cool find, a Chestnut tree. I am thinking about trying to find a couple of smaller ones and transplanting them

Then I found some more night shade.

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[Ferrousknight]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's a sawtooth oak, not a chestnut. It's an asian transplant that seems to be doing fairly well here in North America.

If you had found a seed-bearing mature chestnut, it would be the holy grail of all finds. They are not extinct, just extremely rare.

The "nightshade" with the little lantern-shaped things is some sort of ground cherry (genus Physalis), and in the nightshade family. The fruit are probably edible, but I'd look it up and get a better ID on the plant first.

 

[killstew]

You got me on the plants as always bud. Any way nice mod on the the knife.

 

[Moosez45]

I was going to ask about the Chestnut also, as I was told they were exstinct in this area. I know they can be found up north, closer to Canada. I have seen some pics of old loggers standing on stumps from the American Chestnut, 20 of them. With space to spare. Great lookin' mod by the way, and that capsule is crazy lookin'. Whatchoo gonna put in it? LOL. Moose

 

[Iboschi]

I'm not very clear about the food grade properties of Carbon Fiber. Could you boil water in it without destroying the pod? Would it be safe to drink afterwards? Thanks Mistwalker.

 

[Mistwalker]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's a sawtooth oak, not a chestnut. It's an asian transplant that seems to be doing fairly well here in North America.

If you had found a seed-bearing mature chestnut, it would be the holy grail of all finds. They are not extinct, just extremely rare.

The "nightshade" with the little lantern-shaped things is some sort of ground cherry (genus Physalis), and in the nightshade family. The fruit are probably edible, but I'd look it up and get a better ID on the plant first.

No worries man, thanks for the ID. I will saw acorn from a Sawtooth Oak taste better than many other acorns I've tasted Prentice Cooper has been an agriculture experiment area for many years...I wouldn't be surprised to find anything out there...

Thanks I will definitely look into that. There is a lot of it up there but only in open fields.

You got me on the plants as always bud. Any way nice mod on the the knife.

Thanks man, I'd give anything if I could have had the internet and a digital camera 30 years ago.

The knife is coming along. It has always been one of my favorites...I've just always wanted the tip a little more pointy.

I was going to ask about the Chestnut also, as I was told they were exstinct in this area. I know they can be found up north, closer to Canada. I have seen some pics of old loggers standing on stumps from the American Chestnut, 20 of them. With space to spare. Great lookin' mod by the way, and that capsule is crazy lookin'. Whatchoo gonna put in it? LOL. Moose

Yeah, after tasting them I was going to look into it further myself...

Thanks man, that knife is one I designed and Bryan Breeden made. I have been working on making some of my own knives lately and thought I'd play with that one some...I just have to take it slow because of it already being heat treated.

As for the capsule...I am wanting to make it a mini life support system with components for fire, fishing, sewing, first aid, and powdered nutrition of some sort with cordage wrapped around the outside for making shelter.

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[fixer]

I'm not very clear about the food grade properties of Carbon Fiber. Could you boil water in it without destroying the pod? Would it be safe to drink afterwards? Thanks Mistwalker.

heating it may weaken the epoxy bonding the aluminum to the CF. don't know it it would be toxic, but probably not good for the container. and hot enough to boil might cause some damage tothe CF.

far simpler to use a Kleen Kanteen or something that's either stainless, anodized aluminum or Ti.

i's also want to run some 550 thru the loops at the ends, at least one piece like a "hand;e" so you could run that strap with the QD buckle thru it and keep it from slipping out of the bungie(?) cord that's currently securing it to the pack, but easy to free it. and i'd also dummy cord the cap to the container.

it looks relatively expensive, and it sounds like you're planning on putting important and probably expensive gear in it... wouldn't want it to slip out and go missing.

yep, lust looked at their site and the capsule lists for $125. they also have a Ti water bottle for $75 that's out of stock. they also have a Ti version of the capsule tor $287!

 

[Mistwalker]

I'm not very clear about the food grade properties of Carbon Fiber. Could you boil water in it without destroying the pod? Would it be safe to drink afterwards? Thanks Mistwalker.

I'm really not clear on it either. I would be afraid I'd mess it up or poison myself but I'll look into it.

heating it may weaken the epoxy bonding the aluminum to the CF. don't know it it would be toxic, but probably not good for the container. and hot enough to boil might cause some damage tothe CF.

far simpler to use a Kleen Kanteen or something that's either stainless, anodized aluminum or Ti.

i's also want to run some 550 thru the loops at the ends, at least one piece like a "hand;e" so you could run that strap with the QD buckle thru it and keep it from slipping out of the bungie(?) cord that's currently securing it to the pack, but easy to free it. and i'd also dummy cord the cap to the container.

it looks relatively expensive, and it sounds like you're planning on putting important and probably expensive gear in it... wouldn't want it to slip out and go missing.

yep, lust looked at their site and the capsule lists for $125. they also have a Ti water bottle for $75 that's out of stock. they also have a Ti version of the capsule tor $287!

Yeah, I'm really not sure what the effects on the epoxy would be, and yes it is a bit expensive but I do like it. I like the Ti version too....but couldn't swing that right now and the CF version is a lot lighter too.

Oh yeah, I am going to wrap the body in cordage and then attach a piece of cordage with a swivel to the body and the cap, I just haven't had time yet. I'll work on it over the next few days.

 

[kvaughn]

The berries in the first pic are "Bittersweet". A rapidly spreading non-native invasive that can kill mature trees in extreme cases. No food or medicinal value. The only thing Ive found it good for is the small vines for cordage and machete workouts. I chop it off trees constantly and the stumps keep putting out more shoots. The roots do pull up readily.--KV

 

[kvaughn]

The berries in the first plant pic are "Bittersweet". A rapidly spreading non-native invasive that can kill mature trees in extreme cases. No food or medicinal value. The only thing Ive found it good for is the small vines for cordage and machete workouts. I chop it off trees constantly and the stumps keep putting out more shoots. The roots do pull up readily.--KV

 

[Zombie Zeke]

Mist-What is the make on the TOmahawk, it's nice.

No scat this time out?

 

[sicily02]

Nice mod on your 1-0 , Brian. I like it.
Cool pics of the bees. How close do you really get to them or are youusing a zoom?

Bryan

 

[IA Woodsman]

+1 on the Bittersweet ID. Lots of people use it for Fall decoration. A few bunches can go for about 10 bucks. Ya might have enough there to buy a new knife.

 

[j williams]

great pics Mist.....enjoy em as usual.

Nice piece of kit too. Looks high speed.

 

[Mistwalker]

The berries in the first pic are "Bittersweet". A rapidly spreading non-native invasive that can kill mature trees in extreme cases. No food or medicinal value. The only thing Ive found it good for is the small vines for cordage and machete workouts. I chop it off trees constantly and the stumps keep putting out more shoots. The roots do pull up readily.--KV

Thanks for the ID KV.

Mist-What is the make on the TOmahawk, it's nice.

No scat this time out?

That is a Shrike from RMJT that I've had for about a year or so. I take it on some of my hikes out there. Never really know what you might run across in the woods here in the Autumn.

Some from deer and rabbit but nothing exciting this time...

Nice mod on your 1-0 , Brian. I like it.
Cool pics of the bees. How close do you really get to them or are youusing a zoom?

Bryan

Thanks Bryan, I practiced on some grinding because I didn't want to screw it up lol.

I am using an 18-55mm lens on those shots and about 2 and 3 feet away from the bees.

+1 on the Bittersweet ID. Lots of people use it for Fall decoration. A few bunches can go for about 10 bucks. Ya might have enough there to buy a new knife.

Hmmmm, thanks for that. Never seen it used here so would be unsure how to go about marketing it...

great pics Mist.....enjoy em as usual.

Nice piece of kit too. Looks high speed.

Thanks Jake, glad you enjoyed the pics. Yeah, I'm liking the new capsule a lot, I think it will work out well.