Finally made it to the woods with my new AK12" to do a little chopping. Hiked in to one of one of my hunting places & cut a few poles for blind material. A big pine at the edge of a cliff had some low dead branches that if removed would give me a good observation post. Little AK did good work there too. It chops just about half as well as my AK15", not a bad thing since it's 3" shorter & about half the weight of it's big brother. Does well for it's size, my earlier comparison to a Jack Russel terrier was spot on, I'm pleased with the little thing.
I was looking down at the pile of resiny pine chips & a low graveley voice said, "Want fire." Surprised, I looked over & there was the caveman who lives in the back of my brain.
This time of year, Caveman is usually content to sit in the shade with a cool beverage, maybe do a little trout fishing. Fall & winter he likes to take his spear, go out on frosty mornings & hunt wooly mammoth while I'm deer or squirrel hunting. We've been friends since I was a kid. Recovering, I said, "Caveman, it's really warm & we ain't got anything needs cooking"
"Want fire"
"What for?"
"Practice"
"I've got matches & a mini torch, there's tinder everywhere, I don't need to practice!"
"Old way"
"OK, I get it now, how will the Chakma work as a striker"
Affirmative grunt. Caveman has suscinct ways.
I ground a pinecone to powder, gathered some needles & a few of the chips, pulled out my magneisum match & went to work. Caveman gave me a disapproving look but I told him I was just going to use the flint & he settled down. Drat! Just a few weak sparks. More trys, same thing. Switched to a screwdriver blade of my Leatherman, many more sparks but not like past performances, I guess the flint is wearing out. However, a spark landed in the right place, a whisp of smoke, a few gentle puffs, Fire! Caveman gave a contented grunt, went back into my brain, I extinguished the tiny blaze with canteen water & returned to the present.
From what I've read in the archives, most chakmas aren't as hard as they were once upon a time. Not complaining, just observing. New projects: make chakma/striker, make tinder pouch, invent wheel.
Uplander
I was looking down at the pile of resiny pine chips & a low graveley voice said, "Want fire." Surprised, I looked over & there was the caveman who lives in the back of my brain.
This time of year, Caveman is usually content to sit in the shade with a cool beverage, maybe do a little trout fishing. Fall & winter he likes to take his spear, go out on frosty mornings & hunt wooly mammoth while I'm deer or squirrel hunting. We've been friends since I was a kid. Recovering, I said, "Caveman, it's really warm & we ain't got anything needs cooking"
"Want fire"
"What for?"
"Practice"
"I've got matches & a mini torch, there's tinder everywhere, I don't need to practice!"
"Old way"
"OK, I get it now, how will the Chakma work as a striker"
Affirmative grunt. Caveman has suscinct ways.
I ground a pinecone to powder, gathered some needles & a few of the chips, pulled out my magneisum match & went to work. Caveman gave me a disapproving look but I told him I was just going to use the flint & he settled down. Drat! Just a few weak sparks. More trys, same thing. Switched to a screwdriver blade of my Leatherman, many more sparks but not like past performances, I guess the flint is wearing out. However, a spark landed in the right place, a whisp of smoke, a few gentle puffs, Fire! Caveman gave a contented grunt, went back into my brain, I extinguished the tiny blaze with canteen water & returned to the present.
From what I've read in the archives, most chakmas aren't as hard as they were once upon a time. Not complaining, just observing. New projects: make chakma/striker, make tinder pouch, invent wheel.
Uplander
