Saw the coolest trick on a Ray Mears video...

SpookyPistolero

SpookyPistolero

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I was watching a video earlier today of Ray Mears in Sweden, loaded with lots of good info and really pleasant too. But he showed a really cool, simple, and useful trick. This may be in the 'common knowledge' realm for lots of folks here. He mentioned that it was common practice during WWII.

He just took a piece of wood, about 12" in diameter and a couple of feet tall. Round, with a flat top and bottom. He used a chainsaw (but anything would do) to make two perpendicular cuts downward onto the wood while it was standing up, dividing it into 4 tall and ~equal pieces. I believe he left them connected at the base, so they weren't through cuts.

Then he slid bits of tinder (leaves and twigs) into the gaps between the wood. After getting those to burn well, eventually the inside 'panels' of exposed wood were burning, putting off tons of heat upwards. This made a perfect and completely controllable stove! Totally simple, and effective. The bottom also stays cool so it would work in the snow. And if you do split the wood all the way down, you can just shove each piece into the ground to fix them in the right positions.

Wish I had a pic or vid to better explain things, I'll try to get out and snap one soon.

Anyone else already doing this trick?
 
I have seen that one before, can't remember where. Looks like a great idea. I might have a pic of it somewhere. I will take a look.
 
I use that alot, actually.... not the same way... I don't use a chainsaw. I just split the log in two or four and block them upright with tinder in between the sections
 
I remember seeing that one video too a while back. I thought it was a pretty good idea, but I haven't tried it out yet.
 
Been a while since I watched that video, but didn't he specifically choose a pine of some sort for it?

If I remember a Knifemaker made a Mora knife for him and there was also something about making pine pitch or something pine related. Turpentine I think.
 
cssims said:
Been a while since I watched that video, but didn't he specifically choose a pine of some sort for it?

If I remember a Knifemaker made a Mora knife for him and there was also something about making pine pitch or something pine related. Turpentine I think.
Click to expand...

He was talking a lot about pine, but I'm not sure if this trick required a pine. I can't see why it would be a necessity though. ?
 
Bear did that in one of his shows but he used a piece of wood about 3 inches thick and his Military Canteen Cup set on top and he heated a cup of tea! or something like tea!

Rickj
 
We use this technique "combined" with some other steps for an "artic" quick survival shelter and fire.

Basically take a Fir tree with sufficient room to drop it/fell it "into" the wind....dig a trench from the base for your body length...limb the windward side as best you need for your height...line the trench with the softer end branches...fell it over the trench....the taper of the tree facing into the wind will help build up snow/insulation in a sorm drift...split the tree stump and lace it with dry twigs from the "limbing" done earlier...a la the video....ring the stump with thicker limbs pushing them into the snow for a "level" fence effect and to enable branches to be crossed through for extra light fire "fuel" and to assist with cooking/wind break and slow burning....light a "hex" cube and place it in the centre of the dry wood stump with kindling....and you have a quick shelter and fire going and the pine tar in the stump will keep it going for a long while.

You should be able to do this quickly...if you don't have a "hex" block....prep a small fire inside the shelter and then transfer it to the prep'd stump fire...you can prep on "bark" and it works well....after that luxuries like "reflectors" etc can be done etc...the wind should keep the flames off the felled tree and the smoke out of the shelter...but trim away a "safety" area which you can use as fuel...

Only do a Stump fire in the snow where it can be smothered and put out....they can burn for ages and are a forest fire risk in warmer weather....but then there should be no need to go this route....
 
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Yea, I have recently been watching a lot of Ray Mears videos and I can't seem to recall him doing this. Can anyone find a link to it?
 
Like this...?

img43a703a79ad17.jpg


If I understood correctly, thats a fire Finns call "Jätkänkynttilä"... Its pretty common in here, especially as a decoration at new years eve (what a convenient timing ;) )

For all the linguists; "jätkä" in this context refers to an experienced lumberjack, and "kynttilä" means candle... so roughly translated, Jätkänkynttilä = Lumberjack's Candle
 
Ray completely cheated...a chainsaw and matches?!?! I forgot to pack those in my bush pack...well..the chainsaw... hehe :D Cool vid...thanks!
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Anyone know what axe Ray Mears uses? I really like the size. Looks like a GB?
Click to expand...

Yeah its a GB. Also you might wanna check out Wetterlings axes, their "Small Hunting Axe" is pretty much identical to the GB Ray is using, but slightly cheaper.

Ive heard a rule of thumb that a small bushcraft axe should be about from inside of the elbow to the tip of the fingers;

wetterlings.jpg
 
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