The Hardest Working Man in Bushcraft

Otzi styled kit in action Mount Whitney Coming soon!

Heres some Update pics of the Gear Im Making For the Otzi style Mount Whitney Trip









 
Lots of fine tuning and from here out its training Time

Got a cool last assignment today the property was gonna have a S'more session at one of the fire pits and needed some sticks.They had some one footers thats way to short for Mallow roasting...with the use of Musk-oxen mind pwer I suggested I went and Got some Propper Sticks(Waved hand) My Boss said Hey why don't you go and fetch some proper sticks...I said That's a grand Idea...
And mounted my trusty EZGO!

Weather Freezy, sleety,I soaked from the days work
Thermos Check
WSK Beck Check
The thought I was going out of the normal AO was invigorating...


Got to one of the lakes and did a quick check of the area...
Found a stove part and a Trident Pitch fork...One less thing More on that later...





I gather the good straight'ns and after a little 90* scrape with the Beck all little knots and nubs removed I used a cheap stainless rapala bait knife I carry to sharpen the points actual since I usedthe Beck all day on some pretty nasty woods and hadn't had a chance to clean'er up...

I used Red Bud suckers for some and the Larger were willow with a couple of tip arrangements...they should work fine for the guest It was quick work but I will be doing more Im sure soon.one of the little perks of the on coming summer as well(Musk-Oxen mind power has administered a sleeper thought of -ghosty voice- how about a singing cowboy,camfire presentation, naturalist, survival instructor dude...with a beard at the fire for the guest...More on that as well soon lol




Heres the way I left them for the Rec People to find tomorrow...The gust are gonna realy like the Hiking sticks as well lol more on that later

The old foreground UNSAT...
Centre
Willow De-LUX and budget model Redbud Version .01


Enjoy your Mallows and S'Mores folks
Your pal the Yodel'n Woodsman

Agave sewing outfit

One of the Great plants I get to work with often is are the Agave The uses of the many types of this plant From the magical Tequila(Or Evil) the delicious Pulque a milky Agave Beer which after contact was distilled to transform and magnified with the aforementioned liquor.
The fibers of the different varieties vary in quality and some from what I understand possess anti coagulant properties and after many years of accidental stabs I concur I had some close calls with this stuff lol

contact dermatitis is common and again with the variety this varies from slight itch to help me ophra help me Tom Cruize IM ON FIRE!!! buns and even blistering...


A western gift from God to make up for not getting Birch and Maples lol...But ya gotta want it.

Here is a little trick I first learned about from my Grampa he had spent many days of his life in Baja and My Grandma mended many pairs of 501s with agave the agave threads

Above is a smaller 'Leaf" and a little knife work frees the needle with threads attached. a SURVIVAL TV PERSONALITY USED HIS TEETH I DO NOT RECOMEND THAT IVE SEEN FUR AND FILTH ON SOME OF THESE THAT WOULD GAG A MAGGOT and not to mention the non clotting drizzle your tongue will get if you slip it can be done with a finger nail no need to jump all off the deep ledge into the icy cold pool...a Knife make it a little cleaner is all
The single leaf yields massive amounts of fiber with some prep and elbow grease (See Bosaphs thread...link inbound)










Thanks.

http://www.pinterest.com/oextras/2015-climbing-mount-whitney-in-%C3%B6tzi-styled-kit/

Heres a link of more of the Build and Hopefully some other stuff I do Take care and enjoy the cool weather

Otzi Pack sack is in the works...thoghts and inspiration

In all of the research I have been doing I have found and in the good pics or the artifacts the stitching varies widely from sinews to Gut to plant fibers, grasses and small varied sourced thongs. Also the methods used.
On the pack sack I did a load of experimentation with the varied style and stitching materials’ I started trying trad methods also to refresh the muscle memory in the sessions and went to a quicker method using a star punch and sail needle… that now has broke lol
The coat, when I get there will be clean as I can as far as stitching since I will want to use the thing later, but the Pack Sack I wanted to sew pull apart and fix a few times just to dive into that a little. it shows in the pack so far though I have lots of work ahead. I also wanted to show varied stitch and materials in the pack…
The leggings will be a little more of a patch stitch showcase as well
The Trad way I was doing was poke a hole ream that out with a awl and send the “Thread “ through and synch er down For holes at a time,actually 8 with four stitches…Rolling stitch as well as some others…
Four…
The llll bars has been a way to mark possessions since I was a kid I got it from the WHITNEY point blankets my… Yes… Grandpa had lol it is easy to sctatch or carve, so llll bars is a mark ive used for quite awhile… four came up years later with Ishi and many other people and I’ll be damned if llll bars weren’t found on Otzi tattoos …are ya tracking on the flow here? lol
　
The Net took about 6 hours I guess maybe more. I would leave it in the yard where I worked on it to mainly test the weathering of the sisal salvaged from work, it passed with flying colors
Since I first found out about netting being discovered, I have had my theory’s ,Maybe since the people that are studying the artifacts and remains have not gone through a phase of “101 ways to kill a man with a jungle hammock” lol Old joke, the Book as I pull it off the shelf is really called “24 ways to use a jungle hammock in the field” The 101 ways was the exaggerated version we came up with in the field lol… a scrape of simple net is a one of the most utilitarian things you can posses lol
Im not really a hammock guy but that book opened a can o worms that to this day I cannot close

ENTER
Dersu the Trapper.
In that book and the Kurasawa film one of the most impressive things was the use of that net that held his pack together. I used a simple method to make the net so no measurement or shuttle was used just two common knots fingers and feel,I did get a little lost since I would walk away and come back a lot but this net will be the one to go.
　
More on the planned use of this net for the trip latter

The fact no true pack sack was found but little bits of netting were that sent me in the direction Im going with this
Thanks again and take care MORE SOON...

Rough deer hide pack sack/ground cloth/ kilt



folded with Frame(Grapevine made the cut)



Any stitching on clothing items will be tighter and cleaner this style from what I have gathered at least from the Belt and shoe remains will do for some gear components I used multiple lace material and methods...again from what I have gathered. $6 deer scrap bag

gut bundle for clothing items when I get there material wise stained with coffee and blackwalnut...and bits


I rolled the packsack for a idea of what a legging will look like as far as the patch work


Das Netz outer compression for pack sack/insulation compression/hasty net vest...Multi purpose...







since I posted this harness of Barkthese have been left in the yard on the floorboards of my rig left in the rain and Tx heat and humidity They have remained flexable and strong so they are Go!

Monday I had just got back to the grind at work nothing big as far as tree removals just some limbing,sucker removal and pruning Any hoo

I had some ligtht colored gloves and was trimming some Texas Persimmon and in a bundle of branches squished up some green fruits...I have used the ripe fruit for lots of dying staining but never really did much with the green...welp that came to a end when I saw the glove...This is just what I am looking for I have a stockpile of tricks to put the "Treatment" on stuff, age many years in a few easy steps in minutes but this was a mover lol

Heres the gloves



I have a little hide test patch I keep on my keyDC lol and also did some test there I will test thorns dyes saps and waxes as I work...anyway I liked what I saw so this is what I did about that

I needed some color on some white as the driven snow Deer hide scrap for parts and pouches

the green fruit used in Japan( Different form) as a fabric dye... Tannins, proteins acient science stuff Right here



prep





   

test


Go!

 







Two strengths lol



Mr.Blacks Tannin liqueurs and agin'gravy available in full an short quarts
COMMING SOON (Just Kidding) I did save the goodness




The quest Continues..Thank you
M/BK
My hands as well as the leather have held the dye
and both remained supple lol

More info here
http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php/119153-Otzi-Does-Mount-Whitney-a-Dream-in-the-Works
 

Coming in 2015... Climbing. Mount Whitney In Otzi styled Kit For 50th Birthday!

A Dream in the works
Years ago, I came up with something I would like to do when I Turn 50 I am about a Year out and I have mentioned it many times here
Here it is I intend to climb Mount Whitney the Year of My 50th Birthday in Otzi styled Gear

I will make most of the Equipment/clothing and build in essential safety and assemble a small team I have contacted a few people that would have interest and am looking for ideas on the Documentation

Some thoughts would be collage film or doco class??? But have no idea on where to look…It may just be whatever cams we/ I can get…

I think this would happen in the spring to beat the crowds and I will have to look into all the permits soon as the spots fill fast The peak season is august but I want some snowfields
I climbed the Mountain twice and this will be the third once with buddys in California and the Second as a Guide with two SERE Specialist as a Continuation training

This would be a less rushed go taking advantage of several camps on the way up as always there my be a point where it is called but that’s how it works.
The gear will be a fun project and as mentioned I will keep it authentic but not blow off safety

I saw a re enactment of a science group re trace the routes of the Voyagers of old they made the canoes paddles clothing and flotation was added to vest and some containers to pad the risk of what they were doing

It will be done in all respects to the Man who lost his life so many years ago and other than that there is no real reason other than submersing in the Adventure of a time long past
I am in the Process of acquiring skins and scraps and to be honest My budget is Zero at this point and is still just paper and in my grape as far as the plan
Food will be traditional as possible as well as the carry methods but again I WILL have a “Life boat” plan

Whitney is not the Most technical Mountain but its is a place dear to my Heart and being the Highest point in the Contiguous USA its not to scoffed
At this point I am Sharing this thought I will add here any gear I have started or any ideas on the changes I will make such as fire kit and alternate choices Such as I may use flint and steel as opposed to pyrites quarts and fungus

It will not be a exact reenactment but I will keep as true to the time as possible and use what I have as far as Material
Anyway there it is God willing and the Crick don’t rise that’s what I want to do I hope to see this snowball grow and when it stops I will have a report on this Adventure
M/BK
　
　








Updates here  　 http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php/119153-Otzi-Does-Mount-Whitney-a-Dream-in-the-Works