Protecting against and removing ticks

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2011 has been a particularly bad year for ticks all over the UK.  They can be active all year round in long grass, bracken, heather, woodland and hedgerows, especially where deer and livestock are present.  Ticks can carry organisms which may cause Lyme disease, so it is very important to keep an eye out for them.

Tick saliva contains various bio-chemicals that act as anaesthetics (which numb the bite area), anti-inflammatories (which prevent swelling), anticoagulants (which stop the blood from clotting), and cement to hold the tick firmly in place. They can feed for up to seven days without causing irritation. The barbs on the tick’s hypostome also keep the tick anchored in place while it feeds. It is during the introduction of saliva, and any regurgitation that may occur during the feeding, that infectious organisms can enter the body of the host, causing disease.

A tick found on one of our instructors

A tick found on one of our instructors

It is therefore important to prevent ticks feeding from us. To do this, we recommend that you wear gaiters or long trousers tucked into your socks when walking in long grass. To deter ticks, it’s a good idea to use insect repellent, such as Mosi-guard or Ultrathon, and to check yourself regularly.  As the old saying goes – prevention is better than cure!

If, when checking yourself you find a tick, it is best to act quickly.  The tick needs to be removed with either a pair of tweezers or a tick removing tool. Be careful not to squeeze the body, and aim to remove the tick whole.  It is best to wipe the area afterwards with antisceptic wipes.  If you experience any symptoms of Lyme disease, seek further advice and treatment from your doctor.

We have contacted our friends at BADA-UK (borreliosis & associated diseases awareness UK), a charity who spread the word about ticks and tick-borne diseases in the UK and Ireland.  Ray Mears became their patron a couple of years ago after he was diagnosed with Lyme disease, to help spread awareness.  We have received from BADA-UK up-to-date information to provide to our clients on courses they attend with us, as well as some fantastic tick removing tools, which are available to buy from BADA-UK.

Chris Ward’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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Woodlore customer Chris Ward got in touch earlier this year with some photos of his own Julius Pettersson knife. Chris has taken a different design route to many of our customers, so it will be interesting to hear what you all think.

Hi Woodlore,

This is the first knife that I’ve made using your Hand Forged Knife Blade:

Chris Ward's Julius Pettersson Knife

Chris Ward’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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For the latest news from Woodlore, follow us here:

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First of all, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our followers, for your continued support and interest in the Ray Mears and Woodlore Blog over this past year. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve found here so far, stay tuned for more articles and reports from the Woodlore camp, including your own contributions.

However, if you’d like to hear more regular and exclusive news updates from us, you can now follow Woodlore on both Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, Woodlore now has its very own YouTube channel, which already features a number of instructional videos from Ray for you to check out.

Through these networking sites, we aim to keep our followers up-to-date with snippets of news on the kit, courses and expeditions that have yet to be released to the general public. Essentially, we will provide you with the news that you won’t find anywhere else.

To follow Woodlore on these sites, please visit the following links:

            

 

Woodlore’s new Head of Operations and Quartermaster

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Keith Whitehead, Dan Hume and James Bath of the Woodlore Team

Keith Whitehead, Dan Hume and James Bath of the Woodlore Team

It is with sadness that we announce that long-time team member James Bath will be bidding farewell to Woodlore later this year. Since joining the company in 2006, James has become a key member of the team, ultimately earning the role of Woodlore’s Head of Operations in 2010. In 2009, James became one of only two course leaders to reach the level of Fundamental Instructor, alongside fellow leader Dan Hume.
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Nick Simmons’ Julius Pettersson Knife

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Here’s another fine example of the many different styles of handle that are being made for our Julius Pettersson Knife Blade. Woodlore customer Nick Simmons created a more ornate handle than is often seen, using filework techniques to great decorative effect:

Hi there,

Just finished this knife for my good friend Eddie’s 40th birthday. Thought you might like to see it!

Nick's finished Julius Pettersson knife

Nick’s finished Julius Pettersson knife

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Ask a Woodlore Instructor – Dan Hume

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Back in July, we invited you all to take part in an interview with one of Woodlore’s Fundamental Instructors and newly-appointed Head of Operations, Dan Hume. Many of you got involved and kindly sent us your questions, which we then whittled down to the best 20 entries. During a break from leading our courses, Dan sat down with us for a chat and gave us his answers:

 

  1. In your current role at Woodlore, what is the most satisfying element to your job? (Question from Mark H.)

    Seeing clients leave with new found knowledge and the confidence to go off on their own.
  2. And what is the worst thing about bushcraft and being an instructor in it? (from Mark O.)

    I can’t think of anything, I just enjoy it so much.

    Dan Hume

    Woodlore Fundamental Instructor Dan Hume on our Arctic Experience course

  3. What has been your biggest challenge to overcome whilst at Woodlore, and what has this taught you? (from David J.)

    The biggest challenge I have found is teaching clients while I’m at such a young age, where most are older than me.  It has taught me to be more confident about my knowledge and to continue to learn as much as I can. Continue reading →

Frazer Downie’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly provided by Woodlore customer Frazer Downie:

Hello Woodlore,

I just wanted to show you my finished Julius Pettersson knife and I’m very happy with the results. I used antler for the main part of the handle and wood for the spacers:

Frazer Downie's finished knife

Frazer Downie's finished knife

The knife took me about two days to finish and I enjoyed every second of it. The longest part of making this knife was the filing and sanding to make the handle fit my hand. Even though it took numerous hours, it was well worth it in the end.

Thanks for the very good service at Woodlore and I’m sure this knife will serve me well in the future!

All the best,

Frazer Downie

Ray Mears Iroko Bushcraft Knife nearing end of production

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Production of our Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife, as made by the esteemed British knife-maker Stephen Wade Cox, will soon be coming to an end in its current form. Our limited supply of Iroko – the African hardwood salvaged from a demolished church to create our handles – has slowly but surely diminished with each batch of knives.

The Iroko-handled Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife

The Iroko-handled Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife

At the time of writing, our penultimate batch of knives has just been made available on our website, and can be seen and ordered here: The Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife

Following on from this, the very last batch of Iroko-handled knives will be made available this September.

However, this departure does not mark the end of our collaborations with Stephen Wade Cox; a new version of the Ray Mears Bushcraft Knife is currently in the works, and further news of this model will be released later this year.

Bart Leender’s father and son Bushcraft weekend in Belgium

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Bart Leenders, a fellow Woodlorean from the Netherlands who can frequently be found attending our Bushcraft courses, got in touch with us recently to let us know that his newfound knowledge has been put to good use for his friends in Belgium:

“Hello Woodlore,

Recently we organised a father and son weekend at a campsite in the Belguim Ardennes. The sons were between 5 and 9 years of age and the group counted 19 in total. The owner of the campsite took care of food and beverages, I acted as the instructor and the first aid post was at the reception.

On day one we started by handing out a red bandanna to the kids and inspected the gear the fathers had brought. Then we went for a walk over the campsite and taught them things to know about some trees and plants. Meanwhile, we collected pine needles for tea, birch bark and resin for tinder, faggots for kindling, hazel sticks for walking and preparing lunch. We tasted buttercup, stingy nettle sweets and birch leaves. We collected and filtered water using a gipsy well and the bandannas.

Bart Leender's Father and Son Bushcraft Weekend

One of the children has a go at fire-lighting with his fire stick

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Declan Haworth’s Julius Pettersson Knife

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The following post was kindly sent in by Woodlore customer Declan Haworth, who purchased the Hand-Forged Knife Blade:

Hi Woodlore,

I just wanted to send you a picture of my knife, as it’s the first knife handle I’ve ever made. I’m really happy with the knife and how it turned out:

Declan's finished Julius Pettersson Knife

Declan's finished Julius Pettersson Knife

I used curly birch, reindeer antler, bull antler and leather spacers.

Thanks,
Declan Haworth