Harriman State Park, NY- Super Cat Stove/Hawk/Saw off!

[bearthedog]

Back from Harriman with JV3 for some more recon scouting and camp craft!



The weather was crisp, the creeks gurgled their choked sound, and the leaves blanketed the forest floor as far as we could see. The purpose of this day hike was to look for some winter camps with wood, water and seclusion. We also had some toys to play with.













I have the Corona 10” Razor Tooth folding saw and love it, but at 9 ounces, it isn’t light or compact. I got the 7” version for smaller wood processing and have been using it for the past two days with great results. We used it up against what is considered the industry standard—the Bahco. With the larger, wider teeth it excelled at dry hardwood, while the Bahco still remains the champ when it comes to smaller diameter wood and green wood. It was way too close to call…both are amazing. However, the 10” version against the Bahco was a no brainer…!







Lean-To Fire Lay

My favorite “quick fire” is the lean-to fire. Using a rock or large diameter log, make a platform in damp areas like here, and lay down the tinder. We used pompas grass for tinder and a few small fuzz trees, then added the smaller tooth pick/pencil/finger thick pieces all at the same time. The beauty of this fire-lay is the air passage (in the direction of the wind) that allows for igniting and then walking away, letting the air do the work while we tend to the more important stuff—food!


















Super Cat Stove

Recently I have been playing with the super cat alcohol stove for boiling water to re-hydrate food and make some brew while out in the woods. Naturally, I had to do it while obtaining my super ultralight style and still maintaining the utmost efficiency.
Fosters beer cans are a heavier grade of aluminum suitable for using as a cooking apparatus and camp cup. By removing the top of the can with a safety can opener I was able to use the top as a lid. I added a bale to pick it up and hang over an open fire.
The stove design is called the Super Cat and it runs on denatured alcohol, about 1.5 ounces of fuel for a boil time of 6-7 minutes for 2 cups of water, in temperatures in the 30’sF. It’s a small aluminum cat food can with holes punched using a paper hole puncher. Simply fill the bottom up to the holes full of denatured alcohol and light it—simple.















Light Snow










-RB

 

[mete]

Watch for ticks . In that area and many others in this country ticks are in huge numbers !! Some carry things like Lyme desease etc .They are active now and the nymphs are tiny , 1 mm in diameter .
I'm still working on my Lyme problem - you don't want to get it !!

 

[bearthedog]

Watch for ticks . In that area and many others in this country ticks are in huge numbers !! Some carry things like Lyme desease etc .They are active now and the nymphs are tiny , 1 mm in diameter .
I'm still working on my Lyme problem - you don't want to get it !!

Thank you.
I know what you mean, my sister in law has Lyme, changed everything for her.

-RB

 

[jdk1]

As always, thanks for the awesome picks. That Super cat stove is too cool. The combo with the Foster's can is too easy not to try! I love the Via coffee packs. Simplicity at it's best.

PS. Tell JV we need another pic of him with his angry "machete face" It's been a few years...

 

[22-rimfire]

Most excellent thread and I think one of your better ones as far as practical how to's. This is the kind of normal stuff people do rather than building shelters and all that sort of thing. Nice clean cuts on those logs. Again, this is practical and using a folding saw is immensely practical and efficient for dead wood.

May have to buy a six pack of Fosters just to see if I can get that clean of a cut along the top. I have my doubts actually.

Still waiting for ESEE to get your knife out retail unless I missed it. Haven't checked in a month or so.

 

[TheMadIndian]

next time you're in the area hit me up. I'd love to come out & play I'm in greenwood lake

 

[jdk1]

Most excellent thread and I think one of your better ones as far as practical how to's. This is the kind of normal stuff people do rather than building shelters and all that sort of thing. Nice clean cuts on those logs. Again, this is practical and using a folding saw is immensely practical and efficient for dead wood.

May have to buy a six pack of Fosters just to see if I can get that clean of a cut along the top. I have my doubts actually.
Still waiting for ESEE to get your knife out retail unless I missed it. Haven't checked in a month or so.

I had a heck of a time getting the opener to bite, but eventually had a pretty clean cut. Got two lidless Fancy feasts as well, one with holes. Just need some denatured alcohol. The Foster's can doesn't perch quite right, so I'm going to see if I can expand/flare the SuperCat lip a bit. The set up will weigh much less than the alcohol to burn in it.

 

[JV3]

Most excellent thread and I think one of your better ones as far as practical how to's. This is the kind of normal stuff people do rather than building shelters and all that sort of thing. Nice clean cuts on those logs. Again, this is practical and using a folding saw is immensely practical and efficient for dead wood.

May have to buy a six pack of Fosters just to see if I can get that clean of a cut along the top. I have my doubts actually.

Still waiting for ESEE to get your knife out retail unless I missed it. Haven't checked in a month or so.

yup! there's a difference between laziness and efficiency...i'm lazy and rb is efficient

 

[JV3]

see what you made me do!

eventually the bevel on mine will disappear too.

 

[JV3]

PS. Tell JV we need another pic of him with his angry "machete face" It's been a few years...

agreed, it's been awhile! for old time's sake.

here fishy...fishy, fishy. i guess fishing mellowed me out a bit. i did just get another 18" imacasa, this time with an orange handle so angry machete face will pop again soon!

 

[bearthedog]

I had a heck of a time getting the opener to bite, but eventually had a pretty clean cut. Got two lidless Fancy feasts as well, one with holes. Just need some denatured alcohol. The Foster's can doesn't perch quite right, so I'm going to see if I can expand/flare the SuperCat lip a bit. The set up will weigh much less than the alcohol to burn in it.

I agree on the Foster's stability, but once it has water it will be a little more stable. I haven't lost a cup yet. The cook can plus stove should be a little over 1 ounce (1.2oz). Denatured alcohol can be had in the paint section of a hardware store.
Supercat website

http://www.supercatstove.com/

see what you made me do!

eventually the bevel on mine will disappear too.

agreed, it's been awhile! for old time's sake.

Good choice in tools Jay. That bevel can easily be convexed with a file and some stones/puck/sandpaper in less than hour.

Man, you really slayed that bear!

-RB

 

[jdk1]

agreed, it's been awhile! for old time's sake.

That's the one And that's an awesome bear:thumbup:

I agree on the Foster's stability, but once it has water it will be a little more stable. I haven't lost a cup yet. The cook can plus stove should be a little over 1 ounce (1.2oz). Denatured alcohol can be had in the paint section of a hardware store.
Supercat website

http://www.supercatstove.com/
-RB

Definitely a great set-up. I also picked up a Fireant during the Emberlit sale this weekend, so that and the Supercat offer some nice lightweight options. The Fosters can is the biggest weight saver, so I'm excited to try that out. And it's a great excuse to drink beer I kept saying "Fosters: Australian for beer" and my son had no clue what the hell I was talking about! I'm showing my age...

 

[22-rimfire]

That's a pretty big black bear. What did it weigh?

You shoot that bruin? Seems that your clothing is just a bit too clean and nice.

 

[JV3]

That's a pretty big black bear. What did it weigh?

You shoot that bruin? Seems that your clothing is just a bit too clean and nice.

haha, no that's photoshopped by a friend as a joke including the blood splatter on the right side. the original pic (no bear) was posted in my trip report here years ago when i hiked with "rice-a-ronni" and "gonadz"...jdk1 might remember that thread too since he remembers my "angry machete face"

however, i've seen big black bears in that particular while mtb'ng...the record a hunter took about 4 yrs ago in that area was 829 lbs.

 

[jdk1]

haha, no that's photoshopped by a friend as a joke including the blood splatter on the right side. the original pic (no bear) was posted in my trip report here years ago when i hiked with "rice-a-ronni" and "gonadz"...jdk1 might remember that thread too since he remembers my "angry machete face"

however, i've seen big black bears in that particular while mtb'ng...the record a hunter took about 4 yrs ago in that area was 829 lbs.

Ha, don't remember the bear, but it had me fooled in the pic. Looks real! I gotta say, were I camping with 800 lb. black bear I'd brandish my "angry machete face" as often as possible I would think that grilled Spam would bring them in like moths to a flame!

 

[22-rimfire]

I had a feeling it was photo shopped. But I didn't want to say it. It is a fairly cool picture actually. You need a snarl face with that machete in hand.

That is a big bear.... there are some big'ins in NJ and PA.

 

[JV3]

Ha, don't remember the bear, but it had me fooled in the pic. Looks real! I gotta say, were I camping with 800 lb. black bear I'd brandish my "angry machete face" as often as possible I would think that grilled Spam would bring them in like moths to a flame!

i thought spam would drive them away...that's the only reason why i always have one cooking!

surprisingly, i've never seen a bear while out hiking or overnighting even with all the food around...but my friends and i have ran into several big ones over the years while mountain biking in the same general area though. i guess they haven't associated the sound of a bike with humans/danger yet so they tend to hang around until they see us.

I had a feeling it was photo shopped. But I didn't want to say it. It is a fairly cool picture actually. You need a snarl face with that machete in hand.

That is a big bear.... there are some big'ins in NJ and PA.

this is w&ss sub-forum - i say call someone out if you think they're faking something! i have no problems with it. i know i would, or at least back then when i was drinking a lot and angrier the black bear population here is really getting up there and there's been talk of lengthening the hunting season (currently it's just a week)...never hunted before but i'd like to try bear meat one day though.

i gotta be honest, my face was photoshopped in that pic too...this is how i really looked like on that day.

damn, this thread got hijacked fast. sorry, rb! i have a day hike trip with my new h&b shawnee tomahawk...wasn't a fluke, i still like it a lot! sorting pics now and will start a new thread by this weekend.

 

[jdk1]

That is an epic pic!