Crafting over the Winter

I've only been practicing Bushcraft for about two years. Yes, it's only my second year of Bushcraft, and I'm still very much a novice. This means I haven't had a lot of camping experience.  I've camped in the Highlands with the family, but it wasn't my idea of camping. I had a lot of trouble with fire lighting earlier this year because for some reason I was fixated with firesteels instead of just using the humble and easy-to-use match. So I didn't end up going out to do my first solo camp until September. It's the sparks I had trouble producing for a long time. However, the days of troublesome firelighting are gone as I'm confident with the modern firesteel now and also have no problem using matches, of course. They're just modern methods and I view them equally now. This means I don't care whether I'll use matches or the firesteel when I'm next out. Anyway, I successfully camped solo in September and was in the tent  for two nights again in October at the Wooplaw Scottish Bushcraft skill share. Those were the last occasions I had the pleasure of sleeping out in the wild. Now that I've moved down to England and the cold months are here, I've resigned to wait for Spring to do any more camping. Even then I'll have to negotiate with some landowners to be allowed to camp. You Englanders and your crazy ways. It's a shame, really... Just as I finally began to feel confident in my novice Bushcraft skills I'm whisked down to England of all places!

I haven't camped nearly as much as I ought to, but I'd say I've done a fair bit this year, this second year of my being deeply interested in woodland skills, to warrant a "don't worry, it's okay, you're not that bad," thought to myself.

Camping solo for the first time this year and lighting fire by means of birch bark and a firesteel. 

I had always neglected the "craft" aspect of Bushcraft, but since I've moved down here I've made up my mind, or rather fixed the curious notion I had in my head that all there was to Bushcraft was firelighting and camping. I get strangely fixated on things and tend to focus squarely on that one aspect. However, this isn't so, and there's plenty one can do when one's not able to camp out for whatever reason. In between finding my way around Hampshire and volunteering at Butser Ancient Farm I've taken up woodcarving. I've always wanted to be a craftsman of some sort, and I've taken my first steps, or four, towards becoming one. I had earlier in the year modified my Mora knife for use with my firesteel by flattening the spine, but that was about the biggest project I ever undertook at the time. At the Wooplaw Scottish Border meet I had the opportunity to try my hand at leather working. I made a pouch for my glasses. Well, it was mostly the work of a generous fellow who knew what he was doing. I just done some stitching and was pretty clumsy at it. He done the rest. I then decided to spend some time making a miniature prototype pot hanger in the garden, learning the pot hook notch for the next time I went out camping. That never did happen as it was just before I moved. So, it's clear that in all things Bushcraft I'm still very much a beginner. Most of these two years have been spent mostly on theory rather than the practical, especially year one, I'll admit, but I'd say I've learnt a lot and tried my hand at many new things in 2013. So I decided to take up a craft a few weeks ago and I choose woodcarving. Here is what I've done so far. I've learnt a lot about wood selection, grain, knife use, sanding and many more things about wood carving. 

2 Birch utensils, a spoon and spatula (left) and 2 Hazel spoons (right)

I've decided to take a break from carving utensils to work on some smaller projects. But first I need to work on my tool maintenance. That's why I've decided to order myself some Japanese sharpening/"waterstones", which I hear are excellent. My Gransfors hatchet and Mora 120 carving knife are quite new, but I figured with all the carving I've been doing recently, and perhaps a couple of damaging novice swings, I might as well start learning to take care of my tools. If you're wondering why I haven't learnt this essential skill already, it's because I didn't use my tools enough to bother with it. That's changed now as I've been putting my axe and carving knife to good use and I'm proud of what I've made so far.

So I've decided on this "break" to carve and construct several small side projects. A crook knife case, an Elder whistle, a Birch bark tray and a comb are all in the pipeline. Just some small miscellaneous side projects that I've decided to make because I happen to have found a great set of tutorials online. Then it's on to utensils again.

I never thought I could be a craftsman, but I do enjoy working with my hands and I feel like making these little projects will be a fun but valuable way to learn more about natural materials. Each project is relevant. It's all about learning how to make use of natural materials. For example, I've used birch bark with fire lighting, but I haven't used it for any other utilitarian purpose. Making a simple but practical tray from birch bark will teach me more about this natural material. I've used a crook knife several times now in spoon carving, so why not carve myself a case for this tool? I can carve a comb as a fun little side project and this will hopefully strengthen my ability to work on small details. I can make a whistle out of Elder, which will tell me a lot about the tree itself and also produce a fun instrument.

These projects will tide me over till Spring and then hopefully I'll be out in the woods somewhere lighting a fire once more.

Thanks for reading.