common misconceptions that bother you?

ilbruche said:
Hey...sometimes they come in handy. Especially when there is no wood where you are. Like atop Weavers Needle.

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If you feel like making a fire up there just for the hell of it, seems like a great idea to carry one of those logs.

If you intended to cook anything with that fire, I guess a small canister of LPG and a stove (say MSR Pocket Rocket or Coleman F1) will give you way more usable BTU's. Plus a whole lot of advantages not worth mentioning!

Mikel
 
Cpl Punishment said:
Q: "What do you need a gun for, are you going to war?"
A: "It's to shoot and eat herbivores that ask me why I have a knife."

Q:"Why do you need such a huge knife (mistaking my kukri for a mere knife)/hatchet?"
A:" It's easier than trying to cut firewood or split a pelvis with a pocket knife." (these are invariably NOT hunters and come to the conclusion I'm talking about splitting their pelvis :D )

Q:"Aren't you afraid of the wild animals?"
A:"If I was afraid of wild animals, I wouldn't be here."

Or combination questions:
Q1:"Why are you carrying an elephant gun (at the time a .45-70), are you trying to compensate for something?"
A1:"Yes, I'm compensating for the lack of power in a smaller gun, and I'm not hunting elephant, I'm going to the mountains with my buddies to hunt deer."
Q2:"The mountains? Aren't you afraid of bears?"
A2:"Why? I've got an elephant gun."
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This post just made my day, thanks dude. I hear a lot of the same type of BS, especially when I'm here on the university campus that's full of spineless city slickers. Give me a break already!
 
dougo83 said:
One from the Boy Scouts, moss grows on the north side of trees.
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Glad to see someone bring that one up. That is my big pet peeve...
I can show you alot of trees here in the PNW with moss on the east, west, and south faces.... Even a couple with moss all the way around!
 
Lots of truth here. I just wanted to add, that most simple misconceptions should be met with a simple reasonable explanation. I have done this now for years about knives, guns, and other things mentioned here. When asked for more, I usually shrug and explain simply again. I gave up being angry about it along time ago, anger doesn't change minds.
 
How about the people that won't go to the woods, especially at night, because they're afraid of bigfoot or some other boogeyman.
 
Rescue Mike said:
Glad to see someone bring that one up. That is my big pet peeve...
I can show you alot of trees here in the PNW with moss on the east, west, and south faces.... Even a couple with moss all the way around!
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Mine too. I hunt in an area that in some places the sun cannot get to. The moss is on all sides of most trees around here. I grew up in SoCal in the scouts and the YMCA Indian Guides (are they still around?) and they thought moss only grew on the north.
 
My favorite misconception, coming from a lightweight advocate. "you cant get through the trail without a sturdy, heavy pair of hiking boots, made from leather, that weigh 5 pounds each"
 
Cpl Punishment said:
Q: "What do you need a gun for, are you going to war?"
A: "It's to shoot and eat herbivores that ask me why I have a knife."

Q:"Why do you need such a huge knife (mistaking my kukri for a mere knife)/hatchet?"
A:" It's easier than trying to cut firewood or split a pelvis with a pocket knife." (these are invariably NOT hunters and come to the conclusion I'm talking about splitting their pelvis :D )

Q:"Aren't you afraid of the wild animals?"
A:"If I was afraid of wild animals, I wouldn't be here."

Or combination questions:
Q1:"Why are you carrying an elephant gun (at the time a .45-70), are you trying to compensate for something?"
A1:"Yes, I'm compensating for the lack of power in a smaller gun, and I'm not hunting elephant, I'm going to the mountains with my buddies to hunt deer."
Q2:"The mountains? Aren't you afraid of bears?"
A2:"Why? I've got an elephant gun."
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I love those.

Had a lady question why I CCW'd. She asked if I was looking for something. "NO, when the criminals start posting where they're going to be attacking innocent people and when, then I'll stop carrying."

As for the firepower in the woods, a biology professor explained it that "we don't run fast enough or bight hard enough to compete."

Charlie
 
"Don't run with scissors or pointy objects (knives)"
How the hell am I supposed to catch up with the guy I'm chasin'??? OOPS--didn't mean to post twice
 
cmgray said:
My favorite misconception, coming from a lightweight advocate. "you cant get through the trail without a sturdy, heavy pair of hiking boots, made from leather, that weigh 5 pounds each"
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I've read that, but I recently went on a 10km hike, did 4km wearing leather shoes, the other 6 wearing my Vibram Fivefingers, and enjoyed the uber-light FiveFingers much more. I would have preferred having one of the models with an instep strap, but the classics worked for this hike.
 
it takes some time to get used to, and for the small stabilizing muscles around your ankle to strengthen, but once they do, its worth it.
 
Misconceptions in words of sarcasm:

1. The best and the lastest gear substitutes for skills. I really don't have to:
a) bother to learn bushcraft skills so much if I gots the gear
b) take mother natures whims seriously (into account) with the latest "soft shell BreathXTM-stretch zip-pit velcro-swatch-climbgear-flap hi-rise dual-entry-reartail aero-flexfit-form multicam hoodie with gazillion slanted waterproof pockets all over the place"

I just need that latest gear from tip to toe!


2. The knife (whatever model from whoever) I JUST got is the greatest bushcraft knife ever and when someone asks for advice on what they should get, that's the one they should get!!
(Everyone does this. New knives are cool and we want the world to know what we just got)

3. No seriously, it really is the best bushcraft knife I've ever owned!! I just tried it in my backyard. I made fuzzsticks for 10 minutes and got a fire going with firesteel!! It split wood when I batoned with it!! It's proven now!
(you can judge a knive's greatness by 30 minute backyard testing. No need to compare the performance to others or take the knife in the bush. Yeah right.)

4. There is an ultimate truth about choils. I know it, others just don't get it no matter how much I try and explain it to them.
(If I debate long enough I will "win" the disagreement about the feature X on a bushcraft knife)

5. Scandi grind's main advantage is that it's simple and cheap to make. And that's pretty much it. I mean, it was invented by cavemen or something. Look see, I can make fuzzsticks just the same with my double bevel assymmetric edged knife!
(no need for side by side comparisons or consideration of control and force needed)
 
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stanley_white said:
That military people always want / need a big, thick knife.

The majority of military tasks such as opening MREs, cutting parachute cord, opening ammunition crates etc do not require a 7" bladed 1/4" thick mega knife.

For the amount of weight of a mega knife you could carry an extra magazine for your rifle.
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:thumbup: I've argued this for some time!! Some kids never learn. :)
 
Some other misconceptions...

-Carbon or tool steel is the only suitable type to use in a knife if you're going out to the woods (I've chopped and batoned with plenty of SS knives, they did fine)
-Gear is more important than skills
-A fixed blade is necessary for the outdoors
-You have to learn from masters, boyscouts, training programs etc. You can't teach yourself through observation and experience.
-Wearing camo makes you a mall ninja (My army coat has worked really well for me)
-Thinly ground knives can't be used to chop or baton and they will chip at the edge when you cut anything but thread or cheese with them
-Folders can't be used to hack vegetation, chop small branches or baton through wood
-You can't spend the night comfortably in the outdoors with a coat, some durable shoes and your typical EDC, you need a 40lb pack
-You can't go to the outdoors without a knife (Gasp! I know. I went on an overnight hike through the mountains in Utah and never once did I need a knife. Most the time I go to the woods to my camping spot me and friends built I don't need one either. Usually only needed for minor food prep, cutting rope if shelter is being made or whittling a hotdog stick which could easily be made by breaking a branch really. Personally I find a good flashlight or coat more handy)
-That different environments don't call for different skills and gear

-Almost forgot my favorite! "Working edges" Nonsense. Hatchets, axes, machetes, large knives, small knives, swiss army knives....they should all be sharpened to shaving sharp IMO.
 
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"If you think trail bunnies are bad --- check out scuba diving sometime.....Those gals have coordinated everything.... " kgd

+10 to that, there is no more persnickety class of people than color coordinated mermaids.

I once did a visual inspection on a tank that came in after a bake enamel job in hot pink. This guy had his wife's tank painted to match the rest of her gear. I dropped the light inside and the internal surface was cracked into perfect 1/2 inch squares, clearly visible, like a giant hand grenade. He FLIPPED when I failed the tank.

"BUT I JUST HAD IT PAINTED TO MATCH THE REST OF HER GEAR!"

"Yeah, well it looks FABULOUS, but the heat turned it into a giant BOMB."

Just thinking about filling that tank still gives me the willies. Mac
 
dougo83 said:
One from the Boy Scouts, moss grows on the north side of trees. Oh..and the sun/moon are accurate in determining direction.


Both of these are only sporadically accurate.
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I thought about this over night and agree and disagree. The moss of course is less than reliable and it is not taught by the BSA as a method of determining direction.

I disagree that using the sun with several methodologies is not a reasonable method of finding general direction. Of course it does not give you exact direction but in the BSA it is taught and used reliably if you have a map and a relatively good idea of the terrain. It is also taught not to go hiking without a good idea of where you are going and the lay of the land.

I have never gotten lost using the sun for direction and I don't advocate travelling / hiking at night without compass map and a very good idea of the terrain around you.
 
Vivi said:
How about the people that won't go to the woods, especially at night, because they're afraid of bigfoot or some other boogeyman.
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My family tells me to wear a shirt in the woods so no one mistakes me for bigfoot:D

I love when an "Internet Expert" still wet behind the ears tries to convince me that big fixed blade knife to "survive".
Or that I need a 30-06 to "humanely" take a 100 pound deer

I roamed all over the hills of west Virginia when I was 12-13. Once chores were done I took off and, just had to be back in time to do evening chores. And catch the Big Red Machine on the radio. I carried a uncle henry trapper pocket knife marlin 22 single shot rifle kitchen matches in two shotgun shells bandana 22 shells in a sock,hooks and split shot and line in a tin the hooks came in . wrist rocket slingshot and salt in a little tin usually acompanied by a chesnut brown pacing pony and a brindle spotted hound There is nothing that is considered edible that roams those hills that I have not taken with one .22 bullet
I'll quit ranting now
Roy
 
Alright, tonight a couple of my moms stupid hippie friends came over to haggle a washer off her.
My mom did her little proud tour of our little home.
Well she decided to take them in my room, during this I walked in on the male idiot playing with my Busse Hell Razor(to me thats like someone driving my car without me asking).
In respect for my mom I didn't react.
Then came the question, "why would you ever need a knife like this in dublin".
I said "Maybe because I don't sit around and smoke weed all day and actually get out and enjoy the outdoors, a knife is the best tool to have in the wilderness. Now get out of my room."
They left, and now my mom is mad.
 
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