Category Archives: Bushcraft Clothing & Equipment

Bushcraft Clothing & Equipment

Win a Seeland Keeper Hunting Cap

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After receiving numerous enquiries from our customers, we recently started stocking the waterproof hunting cap which Ray wore in his Northern Wilderness series:

The Seeland Keeper Hunting Cap is a breathable, fleece-lined peaked hat designed specifically for hunting and stalking, and we’re giving one away.

The Seeland Keeper Peaked Hunting Cap

The Seeland Keeper Peaked Hunting Cap

To win one of these hats, all you have to do is answer the following question:

From our Online Shop, what is Ray’s favourite item of clothing, which he often wears when stalking?

The first person to comment with the correct answer will win a Seeland Keeper Cap in the size of their choice.

Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Ciaran Rooney! Ciaran was the first to comment with the correct answer, which is indeed the Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak. A Seeland Keeper Cap is on it’s way to you. Thanks to everyone else for all your entries as well.

Crusader Cup hanger modifications

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Woodlore customer Paul Savoie kindly sent in the following article and photos:

Dear Woodlore,

Over the past two years I have purchased most of Ray’s DVDs from a local Canadian supplier; I noted that Ray always seems to have his NATO Crusader Cup with him. Shown below are a few photos illustrating some of the modifications I have made to the BCB Crusader Kit. I found the “clip-on” BCB Crusader Cup Hanger to be a rather precarious arrangement and an accident waiting to happen when handling boiling water over an open fire.

I made a new hanger using 3 mm (1/8 inch) diameter 304 grade stainless steel wire with corresponding modifications to the Crusader Cup and lid. The notches on the cup’s rim/lip keeps the wire hanger upright and very secure (see photos below):

Paul's custom-made wire cup hanger
Paul’s custom-made wire cup hanger

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Limited-edition Ray Mears Explorer Map giveaway

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At the beginning of 2011, Ray gave two talks at the ExCel Centre in London as part of The Outdoors Show. To coincide with this appearance, the Ordnance Survey group produced a limited run of Ray Mears Explorer Maps, covering an area of Britain of Ray’s choosing.

Ray chose the New Forest, a favourite area of his, and one which he visited as part of his latest Wild Britain series.

Limited-edition Ray Mears OS Explorer Map - The New Forest

Limited-edition Ray Mears OS Explorer Map - The New Forest

Nearly all of these maps were given away to attendees of The Outdoors Show; however, we were able to get our hands on the last three! If you’d like to get hold of one of these maps, we’ll be giving them away with the next three purchases of the Silva Expedition 15TDCL Compass.

If you’d like to take us up on this offer, what you’ll need to do is e-mail us with your name and address. If you are one of the first three people to get in touch, we will reply with a confirmation to say that you can now go ahead and place your compass order, and your free map will simply be included in your parcel.

Update: Congratulations to Dave, Simon and Mark, who got in there first and nabbed the three remaining maps.

That coat saved my life!

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The following post was kindly sent in this past winter by Woodlore customer Chris Rusby:

The Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak

The Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak

Dear Ray Mears team, a little ditty for your day:

I recently purchased the excellent Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak and started to piece together a bare essentials bush-craft kit, after weeks of YouTube research. It all fits into a small satchel, plus, due to a forecast of 2 degrees, I took two sheep skins and a wool blanket in a water-proofed back pack.

The big day, I set off on an 18 km hike across a torrentially lashed, gale-force, foggy North Yorkshire Moors to an isolated woodland, where I was to rendezvous with a friend. Plans were flawed and this never came to pass, and after hours of EXHAUSTIVE searching for my friend in non-stop rain and wind in the dark, my self-preservation kicked in; tired, cold, drenched from the legs down and inexperienced (first time bush-crafter!) I set up a tarp/hammock camp and fire with the last of my strength. Everything then went well and I emerged bright and breezy the next morning. Sun-shine and everything!

It turns out my friend who came in a car (so I knew he would be OK) alerted Search and Rescue, but after my wife told them just HOW MUCH! Ray Mears I have been watching and that I had the Swazi coat they let me be. This all sounds irresponsible of me, and it was. I now have a deeply humbled view of nature and our fragile place on this planet. I thought this feeling, which Ray and others speak of, would slowly grow inside me as I made the transition from armchair bush-crafter, to hands-on practitioner, but it hit me in the face like a giant cosmic slap!

I guess this is kind of a confession and I do feel silly, but that coat saved my life! It was faultless in the most savior conditions! I’m humbled, inspired and cannot wait to get back into nature, I think I’ll drive next time!

On a serious note, I do understand the dangers, very, very much so.

Chris Rusby

Nick Murphy’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly sent in by Woodlore customer Nick, who purchased the Julius Pettersson Knife Blade:

Hello Woodlore,

Having a look at the blog I noticed that there were a few pictures of completed knives and I thought I would send in a couple of mine:

Nick Murphy's Julius Pettersson knife

Nick Murphy’s Julius Pettersson knife

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Gumnut Fire Stick Handles

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Richard Spencer, a Woodlore customer from Australia, kindly sent in the following post:

Dear Woodlore Team,

Having received the Fire Stick Rods from you, I had a bit of fun making handles for them:

Richard Spencer's Fire Stick

Richard Spencer's Fire Stick, complete with gumnut handle

I used spent gumnuts. These things lie in their countless millions on the ground, in the woods and on the side of the roads where the gumnut trees grow. You’ve probably heard of them. They’re light, they float and they’re very tough yet easy to work with few tools. I used one tiny flat file and a bit of sandpaper to make this handle. There’s a small brass picture hook for a lanyard.

The gumnuts contain seeds which drop out, leaving these tough, smooth shells, which just beg to be used for other things.

They can be stuffed with cotton wool and after a few drops of aromatic oil, they’ll keep the car smelling fresh. If you soak them in paraffin then fill them up with melted candle wax, they make great firelighters.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Spencer

‘Wild Britain with Ray Mears’ now available on DVD

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Wild Britain with Ray Mears DVD

Wild Britain with Ray Mears on DVD

The brand new DVD of Ray’s latest series, Wild Britain with Ray Mears, is now in stock and ready for dispatch from Woodlore. This DVD contains the extended versions of all six episodes, which until now were only available on the Sky channel Eden.

Click here to order your copy now

Jonathan Aballi’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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It seems as though Julius Pettersson’s reputation is spreading worldwide, with Californian customer Jonathan Aballi getting hold of one his knife blades and kindly sending in these pictures:

Hello Woodlore,

I wanted to send pictures of my finished knife. The handle is made from giraffe bone, leather and stabilized black ash burl:

Jonathan Aballi's Julius Pettersson Knife #3

The finished article

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Nick Davis’ Julius Pettersson Knife

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Woodlore customer Nick Davis had a go at fitting a handle to his Julius Pettersson Knife Blade, and sent in the results:

Nick Davis' Julius Pettersson Knife

Nick Davis' finished Julius Pettersson Knife

Hi Woodlore Team,

Just wanted to send in a photo of my finished Julius Pettersson knife in the hope that you will add it to the others already on your blog page.
 
The handle is Thoya Burr and buffalo horn inlayed with bone. The ferrule and tang are both brass for added strength.
 
Working on these wonderful blades is such a relaxing and rewarding undertaking as you are building something that will be a source of pride every time you use it… and it will last a lifetime!
 
Many thanks for all you do in sourcing quality items such as these blades!….. now I better get on with building my crooked knife!
 
All the Best,
 
Nick Davis

A reworking of the Julius Pettersson knife blade

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The following text and accompanying photographs were kindly sent in by Woodlore customer Jon Mac:

Dear Woodlore,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jon Mac, I am a spoon carver working in Devon. A few years ago I was given a Julius Pettersson laminated blade to assist me in my work. The blade has excellent quality and performance.

After fitting the blade into the handle which I designed and made, I sent the blade to a knifemaker, Chris Grant, to be slightly reshaped to my specifications. The Pettersson blade was tweaked to my preferences, these being, a narrower belly and finer point to facilitate an ease in carving internal radii.

The handle was designed very much with carving in mind – specific ergonomics for everyday, comfortable and accurate use.

Chris and I wanted to thank you for providing the spark that became this exciting and rewarding project. This has helped me find the working knife that I have been searching for, for many years.

Jon Mac

Before

Jon’s Julius Pettersson Hand-forged Knife Blade before being reshaped

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