Took the little orange one out for a walk

upnorth · Jan 24, 2012

Yesterday I gathered up some scraps from were I worked the Condor Hudson Bay. I have little experience with feather sticks, so I tried, it was ok. It was much easier indoors were it's warm, than out in the cold.

I searched for anything natural and local that could help me start a fire.
Grass of course.

Some unknown fuzzy plant.

I've never tried dried sage, but it would smell super great.

Crud caught in an old tent Caterpillar nest?, might work.

Pine cones and needles.

A favourite that worked for me in the north.

Dry and powdery.

Looked for Buffalo skulls and stone arrow heads on river bank slumps, no luck today.

Found burs along the way and used them with half the hornet nest.

I knew that feather sticks would be trickier for me in the colder weather. That's ok, it's all practice, which I need. I had fun today.:thumbup:

johnspark · Jan 24, 2012

I was in a downpour the other day and was unsuccessful at my fire building. It has been raining for several days here and I tried to get something going during the Sunday afternoon mist. I had a fire light up, but couldn't keep it going in the time I had available. I'm sure it would have happened if I'd stuck with it, but light was fading and I had to get home and cook dinner....yeah..I cook dinner.

Great pics and good job!

upnorth · Jan 24, 2012

johnspark said:
I was in a downpour the other day and was unsuccessful at my fire building. It has been raining for several days here and I tried to get something going during the Sunday afternoon mist. I had a fire light up, but couldn't keep it going in the time I had available. I'm sure it would have happened if I'd stuck with it, but light was fading and I had to get home and cook dinner....yeah..I cook dinner.

Great pics and good job!

Thanks. I love the nests because even if damp I can get them lit. One time I tried starting fire with natural materials after a two day rain. It was still hanging, almost foggy. I found a small nest, damp like everything else. Even thistle down was saturated. Anyway. It probably took me about 10 minutes to get the nest and grass to catch and burn well. It flared 2-3 times then died. What I ended up doing was making a hole under the bundle and striking my ferro rod continuously in extended flurries. After a while I noticed that my dome material was drying out because of the heat that I was generating, it was noticeable on my cold hands. The go nuts strategy paid off by creating enough heat, long enough, to dry my materials to a better point. Then my nest started catching well. I've done this with moist materials since and I get fire.
:thumbup:

Fonly · Jan 24, 2012

jesus that is nice looking...

upnorth · Jan 24, 2012

Fonly said:
jesus that is nice looking...

I'm very happy with it. I was worried about the grip, but it's fine for me. The colour in hand is almost a mild fluorescent in some light. And the grip material feels mildly tacky\sticky. I'm really rocking with it. I can see buying a 6 somewhere down the line. No interest in the 5.

L4NE4 · Jan 25, 2012

I just got a tan one. So far I really like it. Getting a leather sheath made for it!

Bronco · Jan 25, 2012

upnorth said:
Took the little orange one out for a walk

Read the title and thought maybe you were friends with Snooki from the Jersey Shore.

I like the real story much better.

sar5 · Jan 25, 2012

Great pics! Thanks

tek77 · Jan 25, 2012

upnorth said:
I'm very happy with it. I was worried about the grip, but it's fine for me.

What's your glove size?
I'm about to pull the trigger on a 4 as well....wondering if standard grips are enough my L/XL gloves.

upnorth · Jan 25, 2012

L4NE4 said:
I just got a tan one. So far I really like it. Getting a leather sheath made for it!

Sounds sweet. I just got notice that my Spec Ops Combat Master-short, sheath is on the way for mine. I'm going to check out how it fits\feels. I'll keep the Kydex for attachment to a smallish Maxpedition hip bag that I also have coming in. Ordered in green. I can't stand wearing a back pack all day.
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/THERMITE-VERSIPACK-4p19.htm

upnorth · Jan 25, 2012

Bronco said:
Read the title and thought maybe you were friends with Snooki from the Jersey Shore.

I like the real story much better.

I saw a couple of still shots of the dudes on that show and instantly decided that I would never watch it.

Never checked out the eye candy though, if that's what she is ?

upnorth · Jan 25, 2012

sar5 said:
Great pics! Thanks

:thumbup: They always look better in the afternoon sun.

upnorth · Jan 25, 2012

tek77 said:
What's your glove size?
I'm about to pull the trigger on a 4 as well....wondering if standard grips are enough my L/XL gloves.

I'm 6'2, 245 pounds, size 13 shoes, XL glove and it feels good to me. The grip size\shape seems to be controversial though and some don't like it. Someone here also said that the orange gripped version is slightly thicker, I don't know. All I know is that I will never trade it off. It's a keeper to me.

tek77 · Jan 25, 2012

Good to know upnorth.
Thanks for info and pics.

upnorth · Jan 25, 2012

:thumbup:

johnspark · Jan 26, 2012

Maybe, that I'll take this "orange one" out for a spin again soon. (see below)

Opps, I meant this "orange one"...it's a 3 by the way.

I actually gave the orange Izula to one of my neighbor's son as a gift. They took my son and I camping in the Carolina swap and he was EYEBALLING that knife the whole time. Since we have several, I presented it to him at the end of the trip for being a great host to my son. He still talks about that today, and is truly a good friend to my son.

upnorth · Jan 27, 2012

johnspark said:
Maybe, that I'll take this "orange one" out for a spin again soon. (see below)

Opps, I meant this "orange one"...it's a 3 by the way.

I actually gave the orange Izula to one of my neighbor's son as a gift. They took my son and I camping in the Carolina swap and he was EYEBALLING that knife the whole time. Since we have several, I presented it to him at the end of the trip for being a great host to my son. He still talks about that today, and is truly a good friend to my son.

That was kind of you. :thumbup: I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would by an orange handled knife. But then I never thought that smaller knives would be interesting either. Maybe I'm learning something as I fumble along.

upnorth · Jan 27, 2012

I got a short Spec Ops Combat Master sheath in yesterday. My internal debate was leave the damn original sheath alone or not, it's nice actualy. However, I like the combat Master also because I go for a more traditional sheath. It has a retaining snap on the loop holding the knife and is made of sturdier material\construction than some of the common factory sheaths. I don't like bits and pieces flapping around and getting hung up so I cut off the leg tab and removed the cord. I also unscrewed the retainer holding the plastic insert inside. It was heated in the oven at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until pressing down on it felt soft. I then took it out, slipped the knife in, and compressed the plastic with moderate pressure using oven mitts. It molded within a minute. It did this 2-3 times. The last time I just compressed the upper middle without the blade inside. When looking inside the plastic almost touches. Now finnished, I let it cool off, pushed it back in and screwed it back together. I noticed that the plastic insert had shrunk about 1\4 inch length wise. Which was fine because the smallish knife rode a touch deeper. I can now hold the sheath upside down and moderately shake the sheath without the knife coming out, and this is without the retaining snap engaged. It worked out well and I like it. Now I have a choice in carry and can leave the factory sheath on a pack if I wish.

Mistwalker · Jan 27, 2012

great pics! Just be careful with the hornets nests in the warmer months. I found the remains of one around the top of a tree downed by a major storm last year. It was later summer/early autumn and I gathered bits of it and used that to start my fire while using the tree top as a wind break. I had sat there an hour or so before I noticed the heart of the nest was still attached to a limb touching the ground and partially covered with leaves. From all the debris I had found I had thought the entire nest was likely destroyed, but it was a larger nest than I first thought and about a dozen or so hornets were busily making repairs to the remainder of the nest about 2 meters from where I was sitting. The ESEE-4 is hard to beat as an all around woods knife.

upnorth · Jan 28, 2012

mistwalker said:
great pics! Just be careful with the hornets nests in the warmer months. I found the remains of one around the top of a tree downed by a major storm last year. It was later summer/early autumn and I gathered bits of it and used that to start my fire while using the tree top as a wind break. I had sat there an hour or so before I noticed the heart of the nest was still attached to a limb touching the ground and partially covered with leaves. From all the debris I had found I had thought the entire nest was likely destroyed, but it was a larger nest than I first thought and about a dozen or so hornets were busily making repairs to the remainder of the nest about 2 meters from where I was sitting. The ESEE-4 is hard to beat as an all around woods knife.

Yes, good heads up on the nests, particularly if someone is allergic. I just find them in colder months when the leaves are off. I sure like this little 4 alright. Interested in the 6 also, and some of the smaller ESEE pieces.