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Awesome! I really want to visit NZ some day.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
NZ Hunter Gatherer's New Becker BK2
- Thread starter coote
- Start date
Thanks for the comments. Yeah, I reckon you'd like it here Noswad...although every part of the world can have its charms.
Geez Doc, you took a while to turn up. I was thinking that maybe you didn't like knives anymore. I did have a brief flirtation with curvy blades during my Khukuri phase. The curve was a help in chopping some things. However when I'm carrying a heavy knife I like it to 'double' as a club for despatching small critters. I use the back of the blade for this. And of course with many khukuris the blade is at such a big angle to the handle ... using it as a club is very difficult... especially when there are obstructions between the trapper and the animal. The best blade/club I've ever carried is an ex-army golok. But it was a heavy danged thing, and it wasn't 'stabby' enough to stick a pig as I occasionally do. I had four khukuris once. Now I dont have any.
I'd be prepared to revisit the curved blade, and experiment with it ... and fondle it... if you ever decide to send me your Machax.
I'm yet to try using the BK2 is a club. While the weight and balance are well suited to cracking critter craniums, the shortness of the tool means that I will have to get fairly close to some sharp claws to administer the final blow. But it is doable. It is good not to have to carry a separate club when just casually setting the odd snare.
The book "Ancient Skills" is available as a free PDF download. This is the book about primitive firelighting, primitive blacksmithing, DIY bows and arrows etc. I dunno the rules regarding the posting of links to other websites, so I won't put a live link here... but if you want the book you will find it at our website: jackiemacDOTcoDOTnz
The other book "Harvesting Wild Meat" is available from Amazon Kindle. Primitive trapping is a major passion.
I have never caught anything in a snare made from totally local, natural materials. But I want to. I made some snares from strips of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax... not related to linen flax) which my buddy is going to set for me in a place occasionally visited by possums that he can check every day. There are several different varieties of flax, and some types have stronger leaves than others. Here is a typical flax bush:
Here is a snare made from a strip of flax leaf:
And here is a small (but too short to be practical) snare made from the fibre extracted from a flax leaf. It is very strong stuff:
Geez Doc, you took a while to turn up. I was thinking that maybe you didn't like knives anymore. I did have a brief flirtation with curvy blades during my Khukuri phase. The curve was a help in chopping some things. However when I'm carrying a heavy knife I like it to 'double' as a club for despatching small critters. I use the back of the blade for this. And of course with many khukuris the blade is at such a big angle to the handle ... using it as a club is very difficult... especially when there are obstructions between the trapper and the animal. The best blade/club I've ever carried is an ex-army golok. But it was a heavy danged thing, and it wasn't 'stabby' enough to stick a pig as I occasionally do. I had four khukuris once. Now I dont have any.
I'd be prepared to revisit the curved blade, and experiment with it ... and fondle it... if you ever decide to send me your Machax.
I'm yet to try using the BK2 is a club. While the weight and balance are well suited to cracking critter craniums, the shortness of the tool means that I will have to get fairly close to some sharp claws to administer the final blow. But it is doable. It is good not to have to carry a separate club when just casually setting the odd snare.
The book "Ancient Skills" is available as a free PDF download. This is the book about primitive firelighting, primitive blacksmithing, DIY bows and arrows etc. I dunno the rules regarding the posting of links to other websites, so I won't put a live link here... but if you want the book you will find it at our website: jackiemacDOTcoDOTnz
The other book "Harvesting Wild Meat" is available from Amazon Kindle. Primitive trapping is a major passion.
I have never caught anything in a snare made from totally local, natural materials. But I want to. I made some snares from strips of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax... not related to linen flax) which my buddy is going to set for me in a place occasionally visited by possums that he can check every day. There are several different varieties of flax, and some types have stronger leaves than others. Here is a typical flax bush:
Here is a snare made from a strip of flax leaf:
And here is a small (but too short to be practical) snare made from the fibre extracted from a flax leaf. It is very strong stuff:
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
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- 7,021
Thanks for the comments. Yeah, I reckon you'd like it here Noswad...although every part of the world can have its charms.
Geez Doc, you took a while to turn up. You only posted a couple days ago and that was over the weekend. In fact, I went to Niagara Falls to see the big ice build up and thought I would send you a couple of pictures, since you told me you don't get much snow/ice but ended up taking some crappy video, which I'll send you a link to, so you can get an idea of what a winter is likeI was thinking that maybe you didn't like knives anymore. You don't want to be holding your breath for that. I did have a brief flirtation with curvy blades during my Khukuri phase. The curve was a help in chopping some things. However when I'm carrying a heavy knife I like it to 'double' as a club for despatching small critters. I use the back of the blade for this. And of course with many khukuris the blade is at such a big angle to the handle ... using it as a club is very difficult... especially when there are obstructions between the trapper and the animal. The best blade/club I've ever carried is an ex-army golok. But it was a heavy danged thing, and it wasn't 'stabby' enough to stick a pig as I occasionally do. I had four khukuris once. Now I dont have any. We all have different requirements, so I'm glad to hear the 2 is working out for you. I also have one Khuk, a HI CAK with a 15" blade and it is a heavy b***h!
I'd be prepared to revisit the curved blade, and experiment with it ... and fondle it... if you ever decide to send me your Machax. I'd love to help you out with that, but I only have 3 - 1 Cinci (1/4"), 1 stamped (thanks again Moose) and 1 Kabar etched..
I'm yet to try using the BK2 is a club. While the weight and balance are well suited to cracking critter craniums, the shortness of the tool means that I will have to get fairly close to some sharp claws to administer the final blow. But it is doable. It is good not to have to carry a separate club when just casually setting the odd snare.
The book "Ancient Skills" is available as a free PDF download. This is the book about primitive firelighting, primitive blacksmithing, DIY bows and arrows etc. I dunno the rules regarding the posting of links to other websites, so I won't put a live link here... but if you want the book you will find it at our website: jackiemacDOTcoDOTnz
The other book "Harvesting Wild Meat" is available from Amazon Kindle. Primitive trapping is a major passion. Could have fooled me.
I have never caught anything in a snare made from totally local, natural materials. But I want to. I made some snares from strips of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax... not related to linen flax) which my buddy is going to set for me in a place occasionally visited by possums that he can check every day. There are several different varieties of flax, and some types have stronger leaves than others. Here is a typical flax bush:
And here is a small (but too short to be practical) snare made from the fibre extracted from a flax leaf. It is very strong stuff:
Why can't you 'cord' the flax fibre to make it longer? From the looks of it, it shouldn't be a problem. Or is it too (trying to think of a word) shiny, stiff, plastic-like, slick, ????? meaning that it won't cord together too well?
Doc
Last edited:
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- Oct 5, 2013
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great thread. i just downloaded your pdf. i look forward to reading it! thanks!
You're welcome Joberseven.
Don't worry about sending me a Machax Doc.... I didn't realize you were down to your last three. Besides, I just haven't come to terms with the angled handle thing. I think I would prefer a BK9 or a Brute... So send me one of those instead
Yes... you can make an indefinitely long cord from NZ flax fibres. No, it is not a slippery fibre. It is pretty much ideal for making cordage. There used to be quite a cordage industry based on our flax. My idea of trying strips of fresh flax leaf is just an expediency thing... quick to do. If it works... great. If we get break-offs, then I guess I will have to go to twisted fibre cordage. I am confident that snares made from the twisted fibre will be successful.
You can also make longer cords by plaiting (braiding) strips of flax leaf and overlapping new strips into the braid to make it longer.
Strips of fresh, green flax leaf are pretty darn strong. But I've observed that when it dries out it is more brittle. However the extracted fibre is relatively strong fresh or dried.
In the picture below, the cord on the left (actually a bow string) was twisted from extracted fibre. On the right I've made a longer cord by overlapping narrow strips of leaf and braiding it.
Don't worry about sending me a Machax Doc.... I didn't realize you were down to your last three. Besides, I just haven't come to terms with the angled handle thing. I think I would prefer a BK9 or a Brute... So send me one of those instead
Yes... you can make an indefinitely long cord from NZ flax fibres. No, it is not a slippery fibre. It is pretty much ideal for making cordage. There used to be quite a cordage industry based on our flax. My idea of trying strips of fresh flax leaf is just an expediency thing... quick to do. If it works... great. If we get break-offs, then I guess I will have to go to twisted fibre cordage. I am confident that snares made from the twisted fibre will be successful.
You can also make longer cords by plaiting (braiding) strips of flax leaf and overlapping new strips into the braid to make it longer.
Strips of fresh, green flax leaf are pretty darn strong. But I've observed that when it dries out it is more brittle. However the extracted fibre is relatively strong fresh or dried.
In the picture below, the cord on the left (actually a bow string) was twisted from extracted fibre. On the right I've made a longer cord by overlapping narrow strips of leaf and braiding it.
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You're welcome Joberseven.
Don't worry about sending me a Machax Doc.... I didn't realize you were down to your last three. Besides, I just haven't come to terms with the angled handle thing. I think I would prefer a BK9 or a Brute... So send me one of those instead
Yes... you can make an indefinitely long cord from NZ flax fibres. No, it is not a slippery fibre. It is pretty much ideal for making cordage. There used to be quite a cordage industry based on our flax. My idea of trying strips of fresh flax leaf is just an expediency thing... quick to do. If it works... great. If we get break-offs, then I guess I will have to go to twisted fibre cordage. I am confident that snares made from the twisted fibre will be successful.
You can also make longer cords by plaiting (braiding) strips of flax leaf and overlapping new strips into the braid to make it longer.
Strips of fresh, green flax leaf are pretty darn strong. But I've observed that when it dries out it is more brittle. However the extracted fibre is relatively strong fresh or dried.
In the picture below, the cord on the left (actually a bow string) was twisted from extracted fibre. On the right I've made a longer cord by overlapping narrow strips of leaf and braiding it.
Much like our fire bow string, made from green Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca):
my BK-3 thread.
Doc
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Since you're going to check out Milkweed for cordage, a couple of things to add: in the summer, after Milkweed has some growth, outer strips off the plant (the bark, if you will) can be used as expedient cordage for lashing things, like shelters, together. After the plant dies back in the fall, the fibres that can be harvested from the plant, also makes some good cordage.
It's also both an edible (with some cautions) and medicinal plant. One thing I used it for is to get rid of warts. You cover the wart with the milky latex from the plant, let it dry and leave it on. Usually has to be replenished a few times. Although, duct tape will do the same thing.
Doc
It's also both an edible (with some cautions) and medicinal plant. One thing I used it for is to get rid of warts. You cover the wart with the milky latex from the plant, let it dry and leave it on. Usually has to be replenished a few times. Although, duct tape will do the same thing.
Doc
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Milkweed also works wonders for poison ivy. Soothes the itching and makes it go away a bit faster.
Wow, this is an awesome thread. I doubt I'll ever get to live that far out, but the simplicity of it seems wonderful. Thanks for the PDF, and its always good to see a Becker being used! Sadly between work and college lately, and the cold snowy weather (I live in MI, and plow snow for work) I've been to busy to get out to the woods at all.. Guess I'll just have to live through all you guys for a bit!
Pigs have moved down into our valley, about the same time as last autumn.
I shot a small one with my .22 about a week ago.
A few days ago a neighbour told me that pigs had visited the orchard next door to him.
Yesterday afternoon I set eight traps... six standard neck snares, and two spring-up leg snares similar to the one described earlier in this thread. Instead of using a weighted lever as the spring mechanism, I used some bungee cord.
Last night around 9 pm, the landowner called to say that he'd heard a pig crashing about, so he went and shot it. It had got caught in a leg snare. I drove to his place and found that I had two pigs... another was caught in a neck snare.
I used my BK2 to gut the first pig. It worked fine, apart from trying to cut around the anus... a job which I'm used to doing with a fairly narrow knife. But it worked. I also tried sticking the pig to see how well the knife penetrated. I had to push fairly hard to enter the 'traditional' target at the brisket, but it worked well enough. I imagine that it would penetrate more easily if I had entered behind the front leg... a more likely target area when dealing with a big pig caught in a trap. The handle has a particularly safe design for sticking.
I shot a small one with my .22 about a week ago.
A few days ago a neighbour told me that pigs had visited the orchard next door to him.
Yesterday afternoon I set eight traps... six standard neck snares, and two spring-up leg snares similar to the one described earlier in this thread. Instead of using a weighted lever as the spring mechanism, I used some bungee cord.
Last night around 9 pm, the landowner called to say that he'd heard a pig crashing about, so he went and shot it. It had got caught in a leg snare. I drove to his place and found that I had two pigs... another was caught in a neck snare.
I used my BK2 to gut the first pig. It worked fine, apart from trying to cut around the anus... a job which I'm used to doing with a fairly narrow knife. But it worked. I also tried sticking the pig to see how well the knife penetrated. I had to push fairly hard to enter the 'traditional' target at the brisket, but it worked well enough. I imagine that it would penetrate more easily if I had entered behind the front leg... a more likely target area when dealing with a big pig caught in a trap. The handle has a particularly safe design for sticking.
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Good job, coote. 2 less feral hogs to tear things up.
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I really wish that I could meet you, and shadow you for about a week, just to learn...
Primitive skills aren't so primitive around here any more.
Primitive skills aren't so primitive around here any more.
Thanks for the comments.
You would be welcome to spend time with me Beachmaster. However, I think that if you just start to do things that interest you then you will learn a lot. The more experience I have, the more I realize I don't know much. For instance... last night I caught two hogs, but I still had some snares disturbed without making a catch. This happens quite a bit, and I really want to know why. It could be one of a multitude of reasons. So tonight I am going to make sure my traps are set nicely.... and I intend to place an extra cunning leg snare on the same trail where two standard snares got knocked without catching anything. I may find out what knocked the snares.
When I was thinking about my latest idea for a simple leg trap trigger, I searched YouTube for a slow motion video of a pig walking so I could see what they do with their feet. And, dangnabit, I found a really good video that someone had posted as a reference for people who create animations.
I love having an interest I am passionate about. It is great learning what other trappers have done, and trying to devise a trap set to suit certain situations. And I like eating free, free-range organic meat !
You would be welcome to spend time with me Beachmaster. However, I think that if you just start to do things that interest you then you will learn a lot. The more experience I have, the more I realize I don't know much. For instance... last night I caught two hogs, but I still had some snares disturbed without making a catch. This happens quite a bit, and I really want to know why. It could be one of a multitude of reasons. So tonight I am going to make sure my traps are set nicely.... and I intend to place an extra cunning leg snare on the same trail where two standard snares got knocked without catching anything. I may find out what knocked the snares.
When I was thinking about my latest idea for a simple leg trap trigger, I searched YouTube for a slow motion video of a pig walking so I could see what they do with their feet. And, dangnabit, I found a really good video that someone had posted as a reference for people who create animations.
I love having an interest I am passionate about. It is great learning what other trappers have done, and trying to devise a trap set to suit certain situations. And I like eating free, free-range organic meat !
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Coote, do you have access (or know someone who does) to a motion actuated IR video camera that you could set to watch a trap to record what goes wrong?
No, I don't have a camera like that. But its a good idea and I'd like one. I used to have a game camera, but it was a 'film' model. A digital video game camera would be fantastic. I'd probably need to sell a rifle to raise the funds rather than dip into the household savings. It would be a wonderful tool for learning about animal behaviour. Does anybody here know much about these cameras? Is there a particular type or brand that is reliable and good value for money?
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I got this camera recently and it's the best camera I own to date. http://covertscoutingcameras.com/products/cameras/mp8-black/, can be found for $110-115 if you look around.
True black flash, good range and sensitivity, batteries last a long time, easy setup, battery and sd card locations well designed and the pics are pretty good. I have a Moultrie M80, Moultrie M100, Primos Ultra 35, Tasco mini and the Covert mp8 black, the Covert is my favorite. Haven't had any issues with it, have had minor issues with my other cameras.
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We always buy the cheapest game cameras we can find that still look quality, got some cool pics with them but then one day a bear saw it and got curious, resulting in tooth holes in the lens. That's happened two or three times already. Shouldn't be a problem with hogs, though.
That's happened two or three times already. Shouldn't be a problem with hogs, though.