Some One-Handed Fire Starting...and stuff...

Mistwalker

Mistwalker

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Dec 22, 2007
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Today I was doing some more with the Shrike and made a couple of videos to show Ryan what I'm doing and help explain what I'm thinking.

Here are a couple of videos where I used the Shrike and a fire steel to start a couple of fires one handed.

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Since some people like to show off their great fatwood harvests I thought I show off my best find yet. It's the dead tree I used in the first video, and what's really awesome about it is that it is five minutes from my back door about twenty feet over on a neighbor's land. (the horn you hear in the video is likely one of my other neighbors blowing as they drive by my house) I asked Mike if I could have some of it and he said i could have the whole tree if I wanted it that he had no use for it :D


This is the spot I chopped out and scraped fuzz from in the first video. It's a bit over 2 feet in diameter at this point.

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The root end is about 16 feet to the left...

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and the very tip end is about another 30 feet or so to the right.

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Since I have been gathering up some really rich stuff to send to a friend far far away where there is no fatwood I decided to attack the root system first and walked back down to the house for a saw...though it might be a bit much for the SAK.

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found some good looking fatwood in the root system! I used the Shrike to split it up and then the HEST to clean it up a bit. Man I love how this little knife handles!

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I thought this would be enough for one day...I'll have plenty to send to Mick, and plenty to use for a while.

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These are the two pieces I chose to put in my pack.

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Oh, and I think this is likely why it is called fatwood. This is the stuff that cooks out of it when the really rich stuff burns.

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That's impressive. Great hawk, good knife. Good skills to have. I like how you improvised. That's something that could be done with a ESEE knife of any size if you're able to get out the fuel and step on the edge. Most people wouldn't think of that.
 
damn nice find. I need to go on a fat wood scouting trip. I dont think I would know what to look for though so I'm sure I will end up hacking up half the dead wood in the forrest.
 
amroc said:
That's impressive. Great hawk, good knife. Good skills to have. I like how you improvised. That's something that could be done with a ESEE knife of any size if you're able to get out the fuel and step on the edge. Most people wouldn't think of that.
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Thanks man, glad you liked it. The hawk is awesome! I am probably going to re-profile the primary edge at some point, as it wasn't exactly designed with wood in mind,but for now I'm still studying what can be done with the factory grind. I've loved the HEST since the day I got it, and the reason I now have another one, an Izula, and an RC-4S. I have no doubts that it could definitely be done with any of them, I've done it with other knives in the past.


SGTCap said:
damn nice find. I need to go on a fat wood scouting trip. I dont think I would know what to look for though so I'm sure I will end up hacking up half the dead wood in the forrest.
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Once you find it the first time you'll never forget the smell...and once you've found it a few times you'll know exactly what to look for from then on.
 
That's one hell of a fatwood find Mistwalker!!! I don't think you'll be looking for anymore in the future. I really liked your vids and your RMJ shrike, I've been eyeing one for a while and might just have to bite the bullett and go for it now. You know you have enough stuff to get your own blog or website going, I think you'd do a hell of a job with one. You always have some great info and outside the box thinking. Nice tread!!!
 
Good vids Mistwalker! That technique would work just as well with a knife or other hatchet.

That is a great fatwood find.
 
333rm said:
That's one hell of a fatwood find Mistwalker!!! I don't think you'll be looking for anymore in the future. I really liked your vids and your RMJ shrike, I've been eyeing one for a while and might just have to bite the bullett and go for it now. You know you have enough stuff to get your own blog or website going, I think you'd do a hell of a job with one. You always have some great info and outside the box thinking. Nice tread!!!
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Yep, I think with what I have brought home lately and that tree I likely have enough to last me the rest of my life and then some. Hell at this point I could probably send every friend I have 10 pounds or start making making kits for sale and still have more than I'll ever use. Now what ever I find on the trails I'll just make mental notes of if I need it when out and about, other than that's it'll just be left alone now lol.

The Shrike is awesome, just bear in mind if your primary use for it is wood then you'd need to either get one of the other models or re-profile the edge. The edge on this one is somewhat steeply ground for more strength when chopping through metal or masonry.

Thanks man, glad you like the vids. I'm working on getting my own site up and running...hopefully soon.


berandom said:
What pack is that?
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It's a Maxpedition Sitka pack.


eonXboX360 said:
Nice! Thanks allot for sharing!
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Thanks man, glad you enjoyed it!


banana-clip said:
Thats some nice looking fatwood.

Great videos too.
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Best haul I've ever found...I know where some are that are about half that size but none that big.

Thanks man, glad you liked the vids.


wildmike said:
Good vids Mistwalker! That technique would work just as well with a knife or other hatchet.

That is a great fatwood find.
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Thanks man!

Yeah, I've done videos where I used a knife before.
 
Mistwalker I have one of Maxpedition's Typhoons. It is in between the Sitka and the Kodiak in capacity, with a little less organization. I'm glad I didn't go with the Kodiak as it is easy to get the Typhoon too heavy for comfortable one shoulder carry.

Rather than go with a HEST I had G.L. Drew forge me a small utility knife. Little thing is great! never really cared for small fixed blades before but this one has won me over big time.
 
wildmike said:
Mistwalker I have one of Maxpedition's Typhoons. It is in between the Sitka and the Kodiak in capacity, with a little less organization. I'm glad I didn't go with the Kodiak as it is easy to get the Typhoon too heavy for comfortable one shoulder carry.

Rather than go with a HEST I had G.L. Drew forge me a small utility knife. Little thing is great! never really cared for small fixed blades before but this one has won me over big time.
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I like the size of the typhoon, but it looks like the strap is on the right side?

I have my own design I want to make, but the HEST is as close to perfect for me I've found so far for a small fixed blade.


Fat_46 said:
Fatwood - its like the bacon of the forest!
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Yep,,,if only it were edible!
 
Never heard the term fatwood before although after seeing the pictures we use the same stuff for starting larger logs on fire, just startin wood where Im from

Pics were helpfull and nice ax BTW
 
youfoundnemo said:
Never heard the term fatwood before although after seeing the pictures we use the same stuff for starting larger logs on fire, just startin wood where Im from

Pics were helpfull and nice ax BTW
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Yeah, in some places people just call it "fire-starter".

Thanks, I like the Shrike :)



thwolf said:
Good video Mistwalker, You make it look too easy!
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Thanks man, it's not as hard as you might think.



adaman04 said:
Major fatwood score!
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Yeah, definitely plenty there!
 
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