Steve Satterthwaite’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly provided by Woodlore customer Steve Sutterthwaite, who created his own knife handle and matching sheath for his hand-forged knife blade:

Hi Woodlore,

I thought you might like to see some pictures of the knife handle I have made for the Julius Pettersson knife blade I purchased from you:

Steve Satterthwaite's Julius Pettersson Knife 1

Steve's knife handle, complete with matching sheath

Whilst purchasing a Julius Pettersson knife blade for my son as a birthday present I saw the wonderful handles created by your readers and decided to purchase a second blade and have a go myself. I had recently been given a quantity of yew in small pieces, left over from the bow-making process which I planed flat and laminated together to create a blank for handle and sheath.
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Woodlore’s New Rekindling the Fundamentals Course

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Rekindling the Fundamentals

Rekindling the Fundamentals course

Woodlore’s 2012 UK course season has almost begun and we are very pleased to be offering six brand new courses this year. Rekindling the Fundamentals is among them and will be the first new UK course to be run in 2012, which we are currently very busy preparing for.  This course has been designed specifically for those of you who have completed our Fundamental Bushcraft course.

It can be difficult to find the time and a suitable place in the UK to really practice your skills and put them to the test. During this new course you will have the chance to learn new skills, while also practicing and improving those you already have, all the while having an enjoyable and informative time in the great British outdoors. Our skilled and experienced instructors will be on hand to help you improve and hone your personal skills, ensuring your progression.

Our instructors will also be introducing students to working with axes, while helping to improve the skills of those already competent with the tool.

We have often been asked in the past whether we provide a course such as this, so we are very excited to now be able to offer it to our students. So, if you feel the need to practice, progress or simply get outdoors for a week, then join us on the Rekindling the Fundamentals course this May.

An Interview with Ray Mears on the Arctic

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In February 2012, Ray Mears joined Lars Falt in Northern Sweden to lead Woodlore’s Arctic Experience expedition. Upon his return to the UK, Ray gave the following interview, discussing his fascination with the Arctic, the wildlife you can find there, and the environmental changes he has seen since first running the course 19 years ago:

Ray Mears in Northern Sweden

Ray Mears in Northern Sweden, as part of Woodlore’s Arctic Experience expedition in 2012

Where did you spend much of February this year?

In Northern Sweden, running our Arctic courses; roughly 104 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

How do you feel the courses went?

They went very well; we had two really good groups of people. They were all seriously interested and there for the right reasons. They worked hard; they put a lot in and got a lot out.

What is it that drew you to the Arctic in the first place?

The Arctic forest is an area that I find fascinating. The boreal forest is the largest land biome. It’s a wilderness that stretches around the top of the globe. It’s a fascinating area; a difficult area to travel in. It’s an area that takes a long while to really come to know and understand well. I feel a kinship with it – I like the space, I like the solitude, and I like the fact that you have to work very hard if you’re going to see wildlife there.

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Tracking in the Snow

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The following post was kindly written by Woodlore Aspirant Instructor Sarah Day:

The recent fall of snow offered great opportunities to see tracks and signs left by wildlife. It was a real eye-opener, and made me realise how much I must miss normally.

Animal tracks in the snow

Animal tracks in the snow

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Ray Mears on the Passing of PC David Rathband

News emerged earlier this week of the passing of PC David Rathband, who was found dead at his home in Blyth.

In July 2010, the British police officer was shot and blinded by the gunman Raoul Moat, as he sat in his patrol car in Newcastle.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who had met the officer, described him as an “extraordinarily brave man”, adding:

After his horrific injuries he did an enormous amount for charity and other injured police officers, and for families who had lost police officers in the line of duty.

Ray Mears, who assisted in the search for Raoul Moat in 2010, said the following:

I was deeply saddened at the news of PC David Rathband’s death. He was an extremely brave man, who was victim to a tragic injury. His case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers which our police officers can face on a daily basis. My condolences go out to his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Neil Salisbury’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly provided by Woodlore customer Neil Salisbury:

Hello Woodlore,

Here are some photos of the handle I made for my Hand Forged Knife Blade. Im calling it my ‘Brecons Knife’, as the red deer antler and pieces of rowan came from the Brecons during one of my many trips there. I made the bolster from antler too, and added my initial as a little personal touch; the leather came from an old rifle sling – I’m all about recycling!

 

Neil Salisbury's Knife Handle

Neil Salisbury’s ‘Brecons Knife’

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Tips On Foraging For Rose Hips

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The following post was written by Woodlore Aspirant Instructor Sarah Day:

Rose hips are one of my favourite wild foods, and the sight of a few of them clinging to an otherwise bare hedge is always welcome in late winter. They are delicious and full of vitamin C, but tricky to eat.

Rose hips (or haws) - the fruit of the rose plant

Rose hips (or haws) – the fruit of the rose plant

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A Canoe Trip in the Snow

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The following post was written by Woodlore Aspirant Instructor Sarah Day:

A Canoe Trip in the Snow – Approx. 27 km – River Stour, Suffolk

“When there’s ice on the river, a wise man sleeps with his canoe boots.”

(Mine froze solid during the night – most unpleasant, though a dip in the water made them flexible enough to put on, they were still very, very cold.)

A night-time walk in the snow along my nearest river was enough to convince me that I needed to get the canoe out and paddle my favourite river; the Stour in Suffolk. Having just outfitted my canoe with airbags and skid plates, it seemed like a perfect excuse to get back out on the water.

A Canoe Trip in the Snow

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Roger Howard’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly provided by Woodlore customer Roger Howard, who crafted his own handle to fit our Hand Forged Knife Blade:

Dear all,

I thought I would send you a picture of my Julius Pettersson knife. It has been a pleasure to make and I look forward to using it soon, although it has already shed blood, my own!! So I’m told this is lucky!

Roger Howard's finished knife

Roger Howard's finished knife

I have used moose antler, English walnut and green fibre board. It looks just like a ‘Sheaf knife’ that my dad owned when I was a kid, (I always wanted it off him). Now I have one of my own and I made it myself.

I hope you can share this on your blog.

Roger Howard

Gear Up For The Coming Spring

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The following post was kindly written by Woodlore Aspirant Instructor Sarah Day:

Woodlore Aspirant Instructor Sarah DayThough spring can seem a long way off during the final throes of a British winter, it won’t be long before the new course season starts!

For me, this year is especially exciting because I will be working on some courses that I’ve never worked on before. Some of my outdoorsy books have been removed from their shelf and are lying around the house in various stages of read-ness, the backs of my notebooks are full of diagrams of things I want to make, lists of kit I need to mend and things I need to do in preparation for the new season.

However, one aspect of preparation that isn’t always mentioned in conjunction with Bushcraft is fitness. Although the set up of a camp and the day-to-day running of it demand more walking about than an average day in an office job, many of the skills that form part of your outdoor arsenal are aimed at minimising the amount of energy required and working efficiently; but that doesn’t mean being unfit is fine – it’s not.

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