Bruce Trail, Singhampton Caves, and some knives!

[Mentor]

Hi all,

Here are a few photos from my weekend wanderings. I usually spend my weekends (if I can get away) hiking and camping on and around the Blue Mountains section of the Bruce Trail. Despite doing this for years, I realized this Spring that there are still a few area side trails and adjoining trails that I have yet to check out. I'm trying to explore these over the course of the summer. This weekend, I decided to check out the Singhampton 'Standing Rock & Caves Side Trail', which is surprisingly close to my normal stomping grounds.

For those of you in south or central Ontario, I really recommend checking this short 3.5 km. hike. The caves themselves are absolutely breathtaking. I spent an hour and a half wandering through the rocks and crevices, and navigating some moderately challenging technical sections. To my astonishment, my hiking companion, Ruby, managed to scamper through the entire cave system with me, needing help only once. She's getting old, and her right hip gives her trouble at times, but this weekend she had a blast playing mountain goat.

For sharp stuff, I brought along my JK Anniversary Knife, Leatherman Wave, and my EDC scandi.

Photos:

Ruby, enjoying one of her guilty pleasures. I have yet to see her willingly choose to go around a mud puddle - she loves to splash through them.

Singhampton Caves. Alas, most of my photos didn't turn out, but I'll certainly be back.

Part of the trail that leads to the caves:

Inside one of the smaller cave sections:

Looking up:

A few shots of the Bruce Trail:

My JK-AK:

Thanks for looking!

- Mike

 

[mneedham]

Cool pics. I like the patina on that blade....

 

[Mentor]

I brought along a nice Cuban cigar to enjoy on my hike. Rather than light it the old fashioned way, I whittled a fuzz stick with my JK-AK, added a PJCB, and sparked a small fire with my firesteel and the spine of my EDC scandi. Midway through this process, it dawned on me that some of us go to bizarre lengths just to practice our survival skills.

John (Stomper) is holding a contest that involves submitting pictures of your favourite traditional blades, to celebrate the launch of his awesome new traditional line. Rather than hauling out an old photo, I stuffed my pack full of traditional knives and snapped a few shots along the trail this weekend.

Here's a Grohmann # 2:

a Grohmann # 4, with a paduak handle added by Yours Truly (years ago):

A patch knife I made, using a Green River blade as a base:

Three Grohmann's - #1 with flat-ground stainless, #2 with traditional grind and carbon steel, and #4 with traditional grind and stainless. I really love these knives, and they see a lot of use. The #2 is my go-to fishing knife, and the #1 is great to have around the kitchen.

All for now, and all the best,

- Mike

 

[Hobo-Jack]

Awesome, love that JK AK!

 

[Snow]

Nice pics. I am so jealous of you guys who live in Canada. Everything is so green! Also, nice patina on the JK! That's a great looking knife.

 

[kgd]

Very cool stuff mentor. That solid wall with the ferns is a really nice shot.

 

[Mentor]

Nice pics. I am so jealous of you guys who live in Canada. Everything is so green! Also, nice patina on the JK! That's a great looking knife.

Thanks, Snow, but don't be deceived - around here, it's only green for a few months each year! Luckily, the place seems to look pretty good when it's all white, or red, orange and yellow ...

All the best,

- Mike

 

[GhostWolf]

Love the pics. Love that little scandi. Could you be so nice as to give me some info on that awesome little blade. Everytime I see a pic of it I drool. Gotta have one.

 

[TheGame]

Cool pics, thanks for sharing them! Love the patina on the blade. Oh, and that is a awesome color of green!

 

[Mentor]

Thanks, GhostWolf.

My EDC scandi is a 'Mentor creation'. It was based on a 'cobbler's knife' blank purchased from Ragweed Forge. Ragnar carries these intermittently, and they provide an amazing - and cheap! - base for modifications. Unfortunately, he hasn't had any in stock for a while. Anyway, I cut out the blade design, drilled the pin and lanyard holes, added padauk handles, reprofiled the blade to make a 'true' scandi, and added the thumb serrations. Total cost was less than $20. It's nothing fancy (I have strong suspicions that it might suck at batoning), but it works for me!

All the best,

- Mike

 

[Sparljo]

Mentor, I love these posts of yours, you taken some great photos in some areas that are familiar to me.

Not as good as being there, but it reminds me to get back asap.

Thanks

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome photos Mentor! I like them all but the lighting on the ferns is awesome, and the one of the "ragweed" looking plant on the stones is really nice too.

 

[HikingMano]

Great photos Mentor!! I really like that one with the ferns going up the wall, and that JK-AK looks awesome. I really like the design of that one. :thumbup: