Steel Machete
cold steel machetes... knives...?
Is the magnum kukri a good machete... because i like a machete that is light enough to clear like small trees and weeds...etc... but heavy enoug to do some chopping... i know the gurkha is the greatest chopping tool ever made... but im not looking for that kind of knife... the standard machete you can buy is so thing you cand chop even the smallaest tree.. so is the magnum kukri good...
abd is the bushman good...?? if any one could give me a review of both knives...
I think you can get a lot better knives than Cold Steel.
Also, Kukris are not machetes, machete is thiner, lighter weight blade.
Kukris are much heavier and curved. That's very simplified, but in essence that's it.
If you want a good kukri check out himalayan imports, here's the reviews and photos - http://zknives.com/knives/fixed/himp/index.shtml
For cheap, reliable machetes tramontina will do.
And while at it, you definitely need to check out knife steel FAQ - http://zknives.com/knives/articles/knifesteelfaq.shtml
Cold Steel Kukri Machete Destruction Test Part 6
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Blade Sheath
Bowie knives have a rich and colorful role in American history; they are associated with some of the most epic moments, ranging from the Alamo to the Civil War. Let's separate fact from fiction and discover the history of the bowie knife.
What is a bowie knife?
The bowie is believed to be originally a series of designs created by Jim Bowie over a number of years. The "standard" historical bowie knife can be considered to meet these specs:
Blade Length: 6-12 inches
Blade width: 1.5-2 inches
Blade thickness: ~1/4 inch
False edge (or sharpened edge) along backside of blade
Large quillon or guard
Jim Bowie
James Bowie was a pioneer and soldier best known for being among the soldiers who died defending the Alamo. There is debate over who actually made the first bowie knife, as well as who actually designed it, and there does not seem to be a definitive answer. It is likely that Jim Bowie was involved in designing it, and it is quite certain that Jim Bowie was the one who made it famous.
What is certain is that Jim Bowie's knife design became popular after the sandbar duel of 1827. Jim Bowie was supporting one of the duelers when he was attacked by the opposition. Despite being shot and stabbed, Jim killed his primary attacker with his knife. After this incident, Jim Bowie became known as one of the best knife fighters in the world, and others began to want copies of his knife.
Modern Times
Currently, the term bowie knife can be used to refer to any large sheath knife. However, true bowie knives are still being made. SOG Knives and Cold Steel Knives are two companies that make several modern bowie knives.
Browse Thompson Outdoor Supply's selection of historical and modern bowie knives at http://www.thompsonoutdoors.com/-c-21_95.html
Fixed Blade Sheath Update
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Fire Starter
It does not require the skill of an Eagle Scout to make a good fire in your fireplace. You just have to use a tried and trusted fire-starting method.
Before you even start to build your fireplace fire, there are four things you'll want to do. First, since the last thing you want is a chimney fire, be sure you have had your chimney inspected and cleaned within the past year. A good cleaning removes the build-up of flammable creosote.
Second, remove all but about an inch of ashes from the floor of your fireplace. A handy way to remove these ashes is with a vacuum specially designed to remove cold ashes from your fireplace.
Third, look up your chimney to make sure the damper is open. A 'throat damper' is located at the bottom of the chimney and will open with a lever or with chain-pulls. If you have a 'top damper,' it's located at the top of the chimney and you open it by pulling a cable.
Fourth, cleared your hearth of anything flammable. You don't want a stray spark to start a fire anyplace other than inside the firebox!
At last you are ready to start making your fireplace fire. Crumble two or three sheets of paper such as that old standby, yesterday's newspaper. Avoid burning plastics or paper with color printing (such as the Sunday comics, magazines, or gift wrapping paper) as they give off toxic fumes. Put the crumbled paper on your fireplace grate. The grate elevates your fire, allowing it to pull in plenty of air to keep a good draft going up the chimney.
Now you have a choice. On top of the crumbled paper, you can put a handful of pine kindling strips (pieces of pine about half an inch wide and about 10 inches long) topped in a criss-cross pile with half a dozen dry pieces of hardwood about 1 inch square by a foot long. The easier way is just to top the crumbled paper with a couple of sticks of fatwood, a natural firestarter. Fatwood comes from the stumps of pine trees, the section of the trees that naturally collects the highly combustible resinous sap or pitch. Purchased in easy-to-use sticks about 8 inches long, fatwood is known as nature's one-match firestarter.
If you are using the fatwood method, add 3 pieces of split, dried firewood on top of the fatwood. If you are using the kindling-hardwood combination, do not add the split firewood yet.
You want the first puffs of smoke from your fireplace fire to go up the chimney, not into your room. So establish an upward flow of air in your flue by crumbling another couple of sheets of paper, lighting them, and holding them up inside the fireplace. This pre-warming gets that upward flow of warm air going.
At last it's time to light your fireplace fire! Light the paper in your grate from each end. If you are using fatwood, the paper will light the fatwood that in turn lights the split firewood.
If you are using the kindling-hardwood method, when the paper lights the kindling and the kindling lights the hardwood, it is time to add 2 or 3 pieces of split firewood to the fire.
As the fire burns, use the tongs from your fireplace tool set to add more split firewood as needed. Place a fireplace screen or spark guard in front of the fire to protect your home and loved ones. Now, sit back and enjoy your fireplace fire!
Susan Penney appreciates simple ways to make our homes renewing spaces for our families. She invites you to visit FireplaceMall.com for chimney caps and fireplace accessories.
The Prodigy - Firestarter
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Hunting Survival
What items should be in a hunters survival kit? Serious woodsman or woodswomen only?
I ask only because I keep maintain and use my survival kit on a regular basis. The most dangerous hunts I do are hound hunts where I wait for fresh snow and head for the highest altitude I can drive to then hike in on foot. Also these hunts are done at night. I have spent many nights in the cold looking for my hounds and making my way back to my truck. Anyways I recently looked online for a list of items and could not find anyone who had a good list. The reason I say this is either they have way to much to carry, or not enough to survive, and lastly not one single kit contained toilet paper. Not one! I don't go in the woods with out TP. I call it mountain money. All kidding aside though, what is in your backpack and what activity do you participate in that requires you to have such a kit? Can you carry your bag comfortably over miles of rough country with no roads or trails? I have found that my pack has evolved over the years and varies slightly from season to season. Oregon hunter
Good Question -- as with lots of outdoor stuff, this all becomes personal preference and needs.
I hunt in Virginia (not too far from humans EVER), and in Colorado where you can still get pretty remote. Also, I am a physician and prior military survival instructor, so my kit is probably weighted (literally and figuratively) differently than others might be.
As you often hear, the first tool of survival is your brains -- starting there, everything else is pretty much optional.
In Mine:
Water or way to purify water. I carry iodine tablets
Waterproof matches
Signal mirror
whistle
Toilet paper - in a zip-lock bag
space blanket
a fairly advanced medical kit (this is more for if I come across someone needing help)
several pairs of pocket hand/toe warmers -- the chemical kind that just start to get warm when you take them out of the pack
about 20 feet of 550 army parachute cord
Other things not in kit but they always go with me:
food - snacks and usually a denty moore beef stew with a pop-off lid.
GPS with extra batteries -- don't forget to mark the trailhead before you start of into the backcountry
cell phone (often I am where there is no signal, but sometimes hilltops can get a weak signal)
LED head lamp
Knife - I carry 2. One large (Buckmaster -- the knife I got for survival school in 1986 and it is still a great tool) one small (a Gerber multitool - knife, pliers, saw, etc.).
I almost always carry a firearm of some kind -- even when I'm just hiking
some type of waterproof outer shell
hat
A great reference is FM 21-76. It is the military Survival manual. Not something you can pack when you're on foot, but it's a great reference and kind of fun to read. It has improved a lot since my first copy. I teach my son a few things out of the manual each time we go camping. He thinks we're just doing cool "outdoor" things.
Good first aid kits that are light and complete for the non-medical person are Adventure Medical Kits -- google them -- many variations to fit your needs.
Hunting in Namibia - Ray Mears World of Survival - BBC
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Survival Knife
Many people spend their entire lives in the city. They never experience the great outdoors. Taking a shot hike is a good way to get out and experience nature. You do need to be prepared, though, even for a short hike. Taking a few simple steps to ensure your own safety and comfort will make your excursion much more enjoyable.
You should always bring a map of the area where you will be hiking and make sure that your read the map before you get going. It is important that you are familiar with the area and any potentially dangerous terrain. You will also need to bring water to drink and a survival knife is also a good idea.
You should bring just enough food to eat for the time that you will be gone and make sure that it is in air tight containers. Also bring something to discard your trash in until you get back from you hike. It is a bad idea to throw trash on the ground, not only because it is littering but because it attracts animals.
You should also bring a compass and a flashlight. You may not plan on being out after dark, but you do not want to be stuck without one in case you get behind schedule. A compass is a good idea in case you get turned around and this coupled with the map could save your life. There are places even in developed countries where you can get lost and not be found in time. Make sure you know the area you are going into, never go alone and tell someone where you are going and when you should be back.
For more info on camping and finding a good fuel camping lantern, check out our website at http://www.buycampinglanterns.com.
RAT 7 Survival Knife
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