"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

Ramrodmb said:
A shame about the blatant forgeries:thumbsdown:
I had to look up amadou. I have not tried the use of fungi as tinder but I have heard of it being used.
My Dad showed me the basics of forging at around age 8 when we made this striker out of a bar of keystock. We also made screwdrivers and nipple picks (blackpowder). I will have to search those out for a pic.
Here is my 'kit'. I used a piece of rawhide (softened) to fold a small envelop to hold everything together.
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Here is what we use to make char-cloth. A simple "tin" with a hole poked near enough the edge that the lip of the lid will cover the hole when pushed closed tightly. Fill with pieces of cloth, I like denim. Set tin in the coals of a fire. Start with lid mostly shut but the hole still open, let it heat until smoke stops coming out of the hole, then push the lid all the way closed and remove to cool.
The girls wrap a piece of char-cloth around the flint and move the striker towards the flint.
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Very neat, I've watched some videos on this subject which looks very interesting. Now, I just need to try it with my son through the gift from Jack.
 
herder said:
Very neat, I've watched some videos on this subject which looks very interesting. Now, I just need to try it with my son through the gift from Jack.
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I am sending you some charcloth in the post my friend, I'll get it off to you tomorrow :) There are some great videos online :thumbsup:
 
An alternative way to make char cloth, it to get a stick or metal rod, and hang some denim, or other 100% cotton cloth on it. Ignite the cloth. (Best to do this out of doors, and in a place where alarmist observers will not be inspired to alert the authorities! Trust me, there are many who are constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to do just that.) When the flames go out, immediately stuff the still glowing cloth into a metal cookie box (Brits call this a "Biscuit tin"), and put on the lid. After a few minutes, the glowing will have been smothered and what is left is char cloth. The result works well in my experience, and has the advantage of not needing a campfire, holes in the tin, or lit fireplace, and it is quick.
 
abbydaddy said:
I dunno, I had ten years between high school and heading to college, and I feel like my experience was much better for it. I feel like I was a better student, and valued my educational opportunities a lot more than the kids that went straight from high school to college.

That said, good on ya'. Good luck finding your inflection points and p-values. May statistical significance be with you.
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As someone who threw away a free ride 3 years into my college career and can't afford to go back now, I know exactly what you're talking about. If I were to go back, it would be completely different than it was my first time around. I do okay now, but only because I work a ton of hours outdoors (in the south, no less). It'd be much better if I could make the same or more working 40 hours in an office.
 
All this talk of char cloth is inspiring. I've long wanted to learn those build-a-fire-from-scratch skills, but haven't yet made the opportunity. I think it's time to go off in search of more knowledge and make "someday" be "someday soon, like today or tomorrow." Thanks guys. :thumbsup:
 
The Australian Magpie on the other hand ...
is death from above...
A friend of mine from the fire brigade days rode his pushy to work past a place called Bombo ..a beautiful beach....and a cemetery with big trees...home to the Bombo Bomber.
One day TC turned up with scars on his bike helmet from the relentlessly aggressive magpie.He'd had enough .Some people stick cable ties to the helmet forming a " hedgehog effect" to deter the birds. TC went one better and supaglued scalpel blades to his cable ties. When I saw him ride in a couple of weeks later...he showed me the clumps of flesh and magpie feathers on the blades where the kamikaze Bomber had hit several times yet lived to rule the sky once more. Some serious injuries have been caused by these birds and children especially are at risk.
 
They're probably defending their nests at breeding time? The Hooded Crows we have here are really particular about defending nests in May/June and will swoop down if you linger:D Their beaks and claws are no joke:eek:

On the other hand, being in Aus...that Magpie might just be an individual nutter who's been at the Grog;):cool::D:D

Magpies here are not pleasant birds, they kill songbirds and rob nests of eggs and chicks remorselessly- I try to 'deter' them whenever possible;)
 
Jack Black said:
Good idea Jer :) I find ordinary garden twine makes a pretty good 'inner nest', I've been using that a while :thumbsup:
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It's not my idea, though. I was at Fort Schuyler in Rome when the gunnery re-enactors had to Flick their bic because their match wouldn't keep burning. The washerwoman re-enactor pointed out that the match would stay lit if they soaked it in saltpeter. I think it's Spectracide stump destroyer I've got somewhere in the basement or garage that is said to be saltpeter. It can't be very poisonous, since saltpeter is what they color "corned" beef with.
 
scrteened porch said:
It's not my idea, though. I was at Fort Schuyler in Rome when the gunnery re-enactors had to Flick their bic because their match wouldn't keep burning. The washerwoman re-enactor pointed out that the match would stay lit if they soaked it in saltpeter. I think it's Spectracide stump destroyer I've got somewhere in the basement or garage that is said to be saltpeter. It can't be very poisonous, since saltpeter is what they color "corned" beef with.
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It's a very old and traditional idea I believe, and salt petre is easily manufactured. I thought that products like Stump Destroyer were chlorate-based rather than nitrate-based (weed killer rather than fertiliser), but maybe I am wrong about that. I think both sodium and potassium nitrates are traditional food preservatives, but it is only used in very small quantities. Salt petre is added to cigarette tobacco, so it can't be bad for you, right? ;) :thumbsup:
 
scrteened porch said:
Right. This is stump rotter, to disappear the stump after you've killed it with stump killer, as I recall. Anyway, easy enough to see if it burns.
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Oh, (unless it's had a fire suppressant added), it will certainly burn! Potassium/Sodium/Ammonia Chlorates are explosive substances! :eek:

Jolipapa said:
A friend has posted pictures of the Cutlery Museum in Thiers. Pictures speak by themselves.
http://couteauxdepoche.forumactif.com/t2958p30-musee-de-la-coutellerie
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Fantastic JP :) Thanks :) Must visit sometime :thumbsup:
 
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