SwampRat Tea !

pitdog · Dec 8, 2010

Headed out on another rainy day again today,

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

Figured I'd make myself some Fir needle tea with my little SwampWarden.
First job was to split some wood down to get to the dry stuff,

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

In no time at all I had my needle tea on the go,

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

While I waited for the tea to heat up I watched the dogs enjoying themselves,

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

Never got the tea to boil but is was close enough for me,

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

I love this little SR101 bad boy !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-08

GoNadz · Dec 8, 2010

Nice pics as usual, pit. What stove is that?

-Nadz

dialton · Dec 8, 2010

Yeah, those wardens are SO handy. I have one as a necker and gave one to my son rigged for that as well. How was the tea?

dnhald · Dec 8, 2010

do they have a scale option for those?

Snakedoc · Dec 8, 2010

dnhald said:
do they have a scale option for those?

No option from the company, but you could always make some yourself! Would be a fun little project.

Great pics Pit, I can smell the tea from here!

bohemian1 · Dec 9, 2010

GoNadz said:
Nice pics as usual, pit. What stove is that?

-Nadz

Looks like an ESBIT solid fuel stove to me, handy little things even without the cubes

:thumbup: the pictures

Don'tkillbill · Dec 9, 2010

Spruce tea? How was it?

pitdog · Dec 9, 2010

Don'tkillbill said:
Spruce tea? How was it?

Balsam Fir....was pretty good, a milder taste than some other needles I've used !:thumbup:

KarlMaldensNose · Dec 9, 2010

Thanks for the great pics, yet again. But fir needle tea? Really

? I've tried a couple different varieties and at best I found them tolerable. Now I always carry a pre-packaged green tea bag into the bush with me. Weighs nothing, takes up no space, and is darn yummy to boot.

Incidentally, have you ever owned an ESEE Izula, Ka-Bar Becker Necker, or BRK Bravo Necker? Curious about how you'd compare the Warden to them.

pitdog · Dec 9, 2010

KarlMaldensNose said:
Thanks for the great pics, yet again. But fir needle tea? Really? I've tried a couple different varieties and at best I found them tolerable. Now I always carry a pre-packaged green tea bag into the bush with me. Weighs nothing, takes up no space, and is darn yummy to boot.

Incidentally, have you ever owned an ESEE Izula, Ka-Bar Becker Necker, or BRK Bravo Necker? Curious about how you'd compare the Warden to them.

No the only other necker I really have is this little BHK one, awesome little blade but much smaller and thinner than the SwampWarden !

By pitdog2010 at 2010-09-21

coaldigger · Dec 12, 2010

Thanks for sharing your trip with us 'Ol Bud ! The little Swamprat looks similar to the ESEE Izula (I really like my little Izula) :thumbup:

PeterPHWS · Dec 12, 2010

Hi Pit, nice set up there with the crusader cup and the old hexamine stove ....:thumbup:

I still have mine from way back in the early 80's when Survival Aids brought out a NATO spec teflon metal cup to replace the plastic one on the issue water bottles .... even still have the plastic lip for it .... the " crud catcher" as they were known .... you could keep the remains of a weeks worth of food within that plastic lip if you did'nt clean it carefully ....

and have the "trots" to prove it ....:barf:

Given that you drink out the side I drilled some holes in mine where the lip sits to hook in two pieces of cheap chain I got at a DIY store so I can use a pot hanger with it if need be .... saves on the hexy stove if you don't want to carry that as well .... but like you I have noticed it takes a while for the water to boil with no lid .... especially in the cold weather .... and as I like to fit the cup on the bottom of the water bottle for my webbing pouch I did'nt want a hard lid which would have no where to fit in the pouch ....

After thinking it through a bit as I wanted a foldable lid that could be carried easily I came across some of the really thick tin foil you get in disposable barb-a-que kits and made a lid out of that .... it works really well .... just fits nicely in the side pouch for puri tabs .... I super glued an old coke can ring in the middle which can fold up to remove it with a stick .... easily replaced if it drops off too .... and thought I might pass on the tip :thumbup:

pitdog · Dec 12, 2010

I was actually going to do the same regards drilling the holes, I'd planned on using two large fish hooks and some copper wire to use as the hanger, I figured the fish hooks would be a handy addition to the kit anyway.

I also made a stiff-ish lid from an old buscuit tin but like you I found it a pain to keep in my kit as it didn't fold, will have to try the heavy foil !:thumbup:

Brian Sargent · Dec 12, 2010

Nice blades and setup Pit. I have to try the tea sometime.

JUST1MOR · Dec 12, 2010

pitdog said:
Headed out on another rainy day again today, In no time at all I had my needle tea on the go, Never got the tea to boil but is was close enough for me,

Pit, once again great shots. Using that stove, have you ever taken something to full boil on it, what or how long did it take you? Have thought about getting one (using an Esbit now), but just wasn't sure about boiling time. Probably would also depend a little on how big a fire you stuffed under it as well . . Good knife poses, I am starting to find a few small blade knives that the handles will fit into my mits, makes things a whole lot easier to do.
Thanks for letting us tag along with you today.
Be safe.