- Joined
- Oct 16, 2005
- Messages
- 7,499
Sometimes to try to teach something is a great way to learn too. I teach martial arts to a group of teenaged boys, well, they are becoming men and I hope I am assisting in that! 2 of them are my own sons. It is a fun filled time and I always learn from them as well as teach.
I have added some survival training to my classes, partly because it is important (and fun) and partly because I get to practice too. I don't consider myself well versed in knots, plant lore, or tracking, or even navigation, but I have a love of the outdoors and I can build a fire and enjoy camping as much as the next guy, And I have enough damn gear and knives to use too!
Tonight was fire prep and lighting. I brought a bunch of gear: knives, kits, firesteels, tinder...and taught how to baton, make feather sticks, prep for the fire and use a firesteel.
I used and shared use of my JK knatchet and my EWOK. Both performed very well, as experienced in the past. I scolded my younger son when he was poking the EWOK into the fire to stir it up and I told him to use a stick. Success with a firesteel and dryer lint was achieved by all. Fatwood shavings and dust helped, but I bought these fatwood fire starting balls and we smashed them flat with the sides of our knives and broke them up and they STILL didn't light with a steel--never again will I use them. I did show the use of Esbit tabs, the flamable military gel, and vaseline cottom balls--success with all.
No pics because we did this in the DARK with flashlights!
Next up, Dakota firepit, tepee fire, bow drill, wind breaks, and whatever else I can think of. I try to make this easy because I do NOT enjoy spending all my time working when I camp. I also want to make it second nature for me and them. Fire is the number one skill in my book. My JKs helped me teach and learn tonight. Thanks John!
I have added some survival training to my classes, partly because it is important (and fun) and partly because I get to practice too. I don't consider myself well versed in knots, plant lore, or tracking, or even navigation, but I have a love of the outdoors and I can build a fire and enjoy camping as much as the next guy, And I have enough damn gear and knives to use too!
Tonight was fire prep and lighting. I brought a bunch of gear: knives, kits, firesteels, tinder...and taught how to baton, make feather sticks, prep for the fire and use a firesteel.
I used and shared use of my JK knatchet and my EWOK. Both performed very well, as experienced in the past. I scolded my younger son when he was poking the EWOK into the fire to stir it up and I told him to use a stick. Success with a firesteel and dryer lint was achieved by all. Fatwood shavings and dust helped, but I bought these fatwood fire starting balls and we smashed them flat with the sides of our knives and broke them up and they STILL didn't light with a steel--never again will I use them. I did show the use of Esbit tabs, the flamable military gel, and vaseline cottom balls--success with all.
No pics because we did this in the DARK with flashlights!
Next up, Dakota firepit, tepee fire, bow drill, wind breaks, and whatever else I can think of. I try to make this easy because I do NOT enjoy spending all my time working when I camp. I also want to make it second nature for me and them. Fire is the number one skill in my book. My JKs helped me teach and learn tonight. Thanks John!
