Wet Woody and Molten Balls !

[pitdog]

I'm sure forum member Southern Cross often get's fustrated trying to convey how hard the trees are in his region, I'm also sure there are members here that feel fustrated trying to convince us how dry their hiking areas are, well I'm often fustrated trying to explain just how wet my area is.

When trees fall down here they don't go ' Thud ', they just sorta go ' Splish ' and instantly turn to wood mulch when they hit the floor !
More often than not you can topple pretty big trees just by leaning on them, heck if you had a Chili the night before then you can probably topple smaller trees by farting near them !!!

As much as I love getting out in the woods, even I was struggling to motivate myself when I saw yet more heavy rain today. It's beyond a joke now, I can't remember the last dry day !

There should be another level on here saying " Fire.....yeah good luck with that !"

This isn't a nice little creek, it's the main trail !

I'd noticed someone had posted this morning about good tinders for their ferro-rod so figured if my tinders worked in this weather then they will work for anyone !

First I located some dry Cedar, even in the wettest weather you can often find a dryish spot on a tree in dense forests.

Next was to add some Balsam resin~

Some extra dried pine resin will also help~

Finally a little Fatwood, not the best I've seen but it will do. I would also split this down as secondary tinder if I was planning on making a proper fire.

Next task is find a slightly sheltered spot or create a shelter over your fire area. I found a spot that was somewhat sheltered~

Now the fun started. My fire steel was a Going gear type which I suck at using. It throws huge molten ball type sparks but they tend to miss my tinder by about 6 feet. I think if I'd closed my eyes and spun around while striking the ferro-rod I'd have increased my chances of hitting the tinder !!!
I did actually hit it on around my 3rd strike but it just smouldered and went out. A few strikes later it did the same again. My tinder was now getting wet. I'm guessing it was after about 12 strikes that I finally had success~

Snicker looked like a drowned rat !

Luckily Maisy loves the wet !

And yours truly near the start of the hike with my Woody out !!!

 

[fmajor007]

Gee Pit, i was gonna ask which knife you took, but......

Dude, i couldn't take that much rain. I'd go freakin' bonkers (more than i currently am....).

 

[VTguy17]

Pit I'm obsessed with your woody. Have been since the first time I saw it....

Enough to where I contacted Bryan about it

What you get in rain my friend we get in snow.

 

[Snakedoc]

Finally a little Fatwood, not the best I've seen but it will do. I would also split this down as secondary tinder if I was planning on making a proper fire.

I would split that down for secondary tinder, kindling and fire wood. I am so scared of my fire going out while it is so wet out I just pile on the fatwood to keep things going!! We are pretty wet down here in Washington at the moment too, but I don't think we are as wet as you are!!

Great pics, glad you were still able to get out.

 

[Shotgun]

Gee Pit, i was gonna ask which knife you took, but......

Dude, i couldn't take that much rain. I'd go freakin' bonkers (more than i currently am....).

It pays off in the summer.

How are you liking that handle? I really like how simple it is. Just straight and fat.

 

[pitdog]

It pays off in the summer.

How are you liking that handle? I really like how simple it is. Just straight and fat.

When I first posted a drawing of the knife up, fellow forumite Brian Andrews commented on it. Brian said that he liked the design but suggested that I contour the handle. Everyone on this forum knows how perfect Brian Andrews knives are so it took me a lot of willpower to stick with my design and go against his recommendation. I have a small ML knife that I put a very similar basic handle on and it is one of my most comfy knives so I was pretty confident that the Woody handle would work for me. It is the most comfortable handle of all my knives, that is not to say it wouldn't still have felt awesome if I'd gone with Brian's advice but on this knife I wanted to keep everything super simple and see how it worked out !

 

[pitdog]

Pit I'm obsessed with your woody. Have been since the first time I saw it....

Enough to where I contacted Bryan about it

What you get in rain my friend we get in snow.

You won't regret it buddy !

 

[sicily02]

Hi all, Pitdog I bet you are tired of the rain, I know I would be. Great pics as always.

You know when I was making your knife up. I thought about asking you if you would like some small palm swells in the handle, but decided that with all the custom knives you have and posted about. After I had the handles on I knew you knew what you were doing with your design. I am really pleased with the way your design turned out and how comfy the handle was when I had it here at the shop.

I will pray for sunshine for you Pitdog,

Bryan

 

[coaldigger]

Nice pics 'Ol Bud ! You "Woody" looks nice :thumbup: How does it compare to the "Booshway" (another knife I want to try out) ?

 

[pitdog]

Nice pics 'Ol Bud ! You "Woody" looks nice :thumbup: How does it compare to the "Booshway" (another knife I want to try out) ?

They are not actually worlds apart. The Booshway is like a Woody on steroids, for it's size it really chops well but the edge is quite robust which makes it very tough but means it loses out a little when it comes to carving. I found that messing about making traps and fuzz sticks etc I require a carving blade more so than a chopping/prying blade. I'll try and get some comparison pics up.

 

[TheGame]

Thanks for the pics. I know how you feel about the rain, though we don't get nearly as much here, it was the wettest year ever recorded in 2011.

 

[coaldigger]

They are not actually worlds apart. The Booshway is like a Woody on steroids, for it's size it really chops well but the edge is quite robust which makes it very tough but means it loses out a little when it comes to carving. I found that messing about making traps and fuzz sticks etc I require a carving blade more so than a chopping/prying blade. I'll try and get some comparison pics up.

Thanks for the info....Pics of the 2 together would be nice

 

[PayetteRucker]

I grew up on the edge of an expansive marshland too. While we didn't have your humidity and precipitation, it can make for some really funky bushcraft. Three of Wisconsin's largest oak trees were on my block growing up, and much like your mulchy trees, after the first one fell with no provocation, the neighbors all pitched in to have them all cut down. Big hollowed out shells of rotten pithy mess. It can make for some epic adventure or a real pain in the ass.

 

[beanbag]

Hey Pit-

Way to work "Woody" and "Balls" into your thread title and still keep it PG.

As you know, I have a Pathfinder model from Bryan. It's got a super comfy g-10 handle, 1/8" 0-1 steel, and because it's so damned tough, I've put it through the ringer without worry. The thing I may like best about the Pathfinder though is it's edge holding ability.

You've been beating on your Woody for a while now, (sorry I couldn't resist ), how's the edge holding up?

 

[scruffuk]

Do you actually have a dry season Pit?

It was the first dry day over here for 5 days.
Bloody Baltic winds though!

Thanks for the snaps as always.

Stay safe.

 

[pitdog]

Hey Pit-

Way to work "Woody" and "Balls" into your thread title and still keep it PG.

As you know, I have a Pathfinder model from Bryan. It's got a super comfy g-10 handle, 1/8" 0-1 steel, and because it's so damned tough, I've put it through the ringer without worry. The thing I may like best about the Pathfinder though is it's edge holding ability.

You've been beating on your Woody for a while now, (sorry I couldn't resist ), how's the edge holding up?

So far it's kept a great edge. I was also impressed with it's toughness as the other day I was carving through some wood when I cut into a knot, I heard a 'plink' kinda sound and thought I'd chipped the blade but it turned out to be fine !

 

[pitdog]

Do you actually have a dry season Pit?

It was the first dry day over here for 5 days.
Bloody Baltic winds though!

Thanks for the snaps as always.

Stay safe.

The weather here almost mirrors what you have in the UK, we just seem to get slightly more of whatever you have.