Wanted: Info on Bradford Angier

lagarto

lagarto

Joined
Oct 26, 2001
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Well, I have several of his books, and I know he was a big deal in the mid seventies to early eighties, but an internet search on him only turns up data on his books. Does anyone know if he's still alive or has he finally ossified and keeled over. By my reckoning he should be about 900 years old by now, but I was just curious. (Seriously, he has written some interesting stuff and I'm wondering if anyone has any background information on him)
Thanks.
Lagarto
 
He's definitely gone but I'm not sure when he passed. As of a couple years back, Vena Angier was still alive. I don't know her current circumstances.
 
He was THE "big deal" in outdoor expertise in the 1960's and wrote many books on camping, backpacking, woodcraft, and nature. Much of the contents holds up well today, and I buy his books when I see them at garage sales, etc. for my colection or for gifts for outdoorsy types.

Tom
 
I had one of his books when I was a kid. I believe it was "The Master Backwoodsman" I read that thing over and over. One thing I have always rembered from that book was Bradford Angier stateing that a good folding knife with a three inch blade was all anybody really needed. I am sure this included having a axe or hatchet. Maybe that is why there are so many knives matching that description in my house.
 
How to Stay Alive in the Woods thats what started me down the path, saw it in a B Dalton and decided to pick it up. I must have read that thing a thousand times, I carried it with me in my backpack at school and would read it at lunch. I still have it on my shelf along with all the other outdoor survival and camping books I have and every once and awhile I take it and flip thru it's old yellow (almost brown) pages.
 
He was a great influence to me too growing up. I still have my copy of "How to saty alive in the Woods" from that era. Calvin Rustrum was another good one. Don't know any current info though. akraven
 
Yeah I have a new printing of How to Stay Alive in The Woods and Found Several of his original books on my parents shelves. CyBlade, it's funny that you mention the folder, because in another one of his books I know he mentions carrying a decent fixed blade knife, in his case a Randall. That's partially what got me interested in outdoor/survival type knives.
Lagarto
 
i remember as a little kid, i assembled my own little "survival guide" out of clippings and tips i would find in "sports afield" magazine, and wherever i might pick something up...one day years after i had started that, i walked into a bookstore with my parents and found "how to stay alive in the woods" - was like a dream come true...i almost wet my pants i was so excited to have found all that knowledge crammed into one book...

still have it today...
 
I have a picture of Angier in a magazine article , and he's wearing a Randall on his right hip -- looks like 4-5" model with a single guard, but the sheath hides the shape.
 
According to the Randall catalogue (and a couple of OLD mag articles), the "Angier model" is a Model 5 "camp & trail knife", with nickle silver hilt, black micarta handle, wrist thong and compass. My rapidly decreasing memory cells seem to tell me that Angier preferred the 5" blade, but don't play Strip Trivia with that piece of info.... :D

If I hadn't checked, I would have said a stag handle, or even a wooden one... faulty synapses at work, onece more... :o
 
My favorite Angier book was I belive tittled "At Home in the Woods".
It was the story of Brad and his wife living in a small trappers cabin beyond the last Hudsons Bay Fur Co. tradding post. It fueled my imagination to the point my wife took it away from me...OK I loaned it out and it never came home , but, she did threaten to hide it on several occasions before I sold off all of our possessions for a good axe and a bag of beans...
Think I feel a trip to the used book store coming on....
Allan
 
Bradford Angier died in Cambria, California, in 1997.

I believe he and his wife, Vena Angier, left Boston and went to live in British Columbia, waaay back in the boonies up on the Peace River, in a ramshackle log shack very soon after the end of WW II.

I've read their book (my favorite Angier book), "At Home In The Woods," by Bradford and Vena many times. Anyone who likes Angier's writing, should start with this one.

L.W.
 
If I remember correctly the town he moved near was Hudson Hope BC. When I first moved up here to Alaska ( about 20yrs ago) I drove through there on the way. Now as a kid reading the books I had pictured high wild mountain country,snowy peaks etc. In fact it is quite mellow country in terrain. Of course as far as wildness goes when he moved there after the war it was wilder. akraven
 
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