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I haven't been making videos lately, as I'm sure you can tell by the lack of uploads. I decided to take a break from it while I got moved in and started on my new job, but that break has gone much longer than originally intended. I'm planning on starting up again at some point, but I'm not sure when just yet. Perhaps June will be my startup time. I appreciate the interest, though, and I hope you'll stick around until I get going again!

Step two: Never swing at your shim.

Both good steps!

Much appreciated!

I certainly plan to enjoy it greatly! I've spent quite a bit of time in the Montana region, and I really like it up there. Hopefully the things I post do help out a bit with that!

I'd have to agree on that. I'll admit that I'm as bad as anyone when it comes to taking shortcuts from time to time, but being safe should always be the most important consideration when using tools.

Very cool! Great minds think alike, I suppose, or at least that's what they say. I'm sorry to hear you've had issues with yours. Mine seems to be pretty flat. I imagine, as with everything, there is a variance in quality control.

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft For sure. I could also be placing too much weight on flatness. I am going to try to lap it down over time with some sandpaper and a plate of glass. I’ll let you know if it works!

I wouldn't understate your preference for flatness. It's certainly ideal when the surface is flat. Yeah, please do! You may also try it with a coarse diamond plate. I have a jasper whetstone pendant that I've dressed a couple of times with a diamond sharpener, and it worked pretty well.

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft I just got a Sharpal diamond plate from Amazon. Hoping it will be as good as one from DMT, but half the price. Still spendy at $100. 😬

Best of luck with it!

I don't have a set length of time to add fresh compound. I usually just redo it once it gets really black or doesn't polish the bevel very much. When I decide to redo it, I just scrape it off as well as I can and rub more on it. I've found the spine on an Opinel works really well for scraping off the old compound, with the blade closed, of course. Practice certainly makes perfect! Or maybe I should say better than before as I wouldn't consider my sharpening perfect. I do take pride in the edges I can put on blades, though, but I do it a lot because I find it very enjoyable. The table top models are great, and I do have a few of them, but I use these smaller ones way more. I tend to use a bit more force than necessary myself, but they do cut well just laying the blade on and letting its weight do the work. And quite true! Thanks for the comment, and yep, that's the yard outside my little abode.

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft I hadn't thought of using the spine of a knife to scrape - I've drawn a razor blade backwards to do it, but you really have to be careful with that. I'll bet the spine of my Mora or even the Corona saw would work well too. Great suggestion.

Thanks for watching! And for commenting and subscribing as well, it's always cool to hear from people in other countries.

There are definitely some cool rock features in the Ozarks. And I agree, some rock shelters just aren't ideal for sleeping in. Probably cool to watch that, though, if you're lucky enough to be around when it happens! From a distance of course.

I bet the fall is nice up there! I'd like to come and see what it looks like one day

Thanks for watching!

I've made a few things like that before in different ways. I very much like that idea. Great suggestion, thanks for that!

Much appreciated! I do have a science and natural resources educational background, so I like to add that in a bit here and there. Yeah, it's impressively easy to ignite, and I'd have to agree on generally liking it more than most charred cloth. You bet!

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft I do enjoy the science and believe that at least a little understanding of that helps one to think outside the box when the first, second and third options prove inaccessible. Plus, I am (or was) an engineer at one point. Anyway, I enjoy your "why and how" things work as they do and you have a knack for keeping it all simple! Thanks.

I definitely agree with that. Absolutely, and thanks for the consistent interaction!

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft I sure hope your channel grows, but I know that takes time. It's a good'n. God bless and keep ya' safe, Jake!

Thanks very much! Same to you!

Thanks for watching!

It almost seems counterintuitive, as you'd think harder strikes would equal more sparks. I do find that easy and relaxed works quite well, though. And yeah, definitely try anchoring your elbow. I'd also suggest trying to move your arm as little as possible and mainly use your wrist. I think that could help in getting a gentle and controlled striking motion, allowing more force to be added later to figure out the exact best way to get the best sparks with your setup. Yeah, punk wood and denim are great!

Much appreciated!

It is difficult to find on trees that the utility companies trim, but maybe you'll get lucky! On the point of yellow pine, that's simply a term for a very large group of species of pines with similar characteristics and doesn't refer to any one in particular. One of the main similar characteristics is needle count. I would have to do some looking to determine which species are common there, but with 2-3 needles they should be yellow pines. I know there are yellow pines in the Ozarks. If they are Scotch or Scots pine, those should also be in the yellow pine group. There is certainly a lot to keep up with when it comes to trees! No worries on the length of the comment. I enjoy the in-depth interaction.

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft Thanks for the reply! I am pleased to think they're Yellow Pines of some variety. I have started collecting the pine cones. I'm always confused as to whether things are "Scotch" or "Scots" -- to my ears, they sound VERY similar when spoken! btw: It's fairly easy to be brief. It's a little bit more difficult to be unambiguously thorough. Striking a proper balance between those two almost always eludes me! (So says the Engineer in me.) Ah, well. Thanks for tolerating it. I see a new video out from you. I'm swamped right now with a backlog but will watch it soon! Hope you're enjoying your new digs and stompin' grounds.

Thank ya!

It's definitely nice! And yes, I'd have to agree that the stairs are certainly vertigo worthy. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the nature and ecology talk! I do enjoy sharing things about what I see. Windy and Warm is one of my favorite songs to play. Glad you enjoy it!

They're certainly sizable. They were formed by natural erosion, mainly from water according to what I read

Good point on round versus square rods. I'm not really sure why they're predominantly round. I agree that a flat surface will create more sparks, and more sparks per strike is ideal. I wish I had a good answer for that, but I'm afraid I don't! As for cerium content, I didn't think to mention that as it's similar in both hard and soft composition rods. At least according to my reading. Simply put, per my understanding and experience, the cerium creates the sparks when the rod is scraped, and the other metals in the alloy give the sparks different characteristics and change the level of friction and pressure required to create a spark. Harder rods that have more iron and harder metals will create smaller and more abundant sparks that stay ignited for a shorter time and require very little friction or pressure. Softer rods that have more magnesium and softer metals will create larger and less abundant sparks that tend to stay ignited longer but require more friction and pressure. The softer metals also make the sparks "sticky," making them able to somewhat adhere to a material as they burn. The slight adherence can aid in combustion of the material as the heat can be transferred directly to the material rather than simply being close to the heat of the sparks. I hope that's helpful and answers your question a bit!

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft Wow! Thanks a ton for that. Yeah, very comprehensive and helps my understanding too. I suppose a round rod is easier to make, but as we both seem to agree, a square rod would give off far more/better sparks! Thanks again for engaging! I'm learning so much new stuff here. Cheers mate.

I'm glad it was helpful. I appreciate your comments and enjoy the conversation!

It's similar in some ways but different enough to offer new opportunities. New sights and discoveries for sure, and much appreciated!

Thanks! It does demand some time, that's for certain. I'm taking a day off and shooting some video, though, so I should have another one up this coming week!

Thanks and absolutely! I'm pretty excited about it. I think it should be a good time

Much appreciated!

Much appreciated! In my opinion, Swedish rods are about the hardest available. Light My Fire is my favorite brand, and the army model is in my pocket every day.

I've picked up things in various places over the years, often from trial and error, but there's always room for more knowledge, and I learn new things all the time! The level and quality of instruction at the Pathfinder School is well known and highly regarded, so that's quite a compliment. Thanks very much!

Same here! Hey, that's close enough for anybody to know what you're talking about, and thanks for watching!

Thanks! There are a few differences. I don't use all those methods very often, but I like to keep them in my back pocket just in case. I'm glad you enjoy the music! Maybe I'll have to put up a video sometime playing somewhere with a nice background. My brain goes into overdrive when I start talking about all of this stuff, so I just go with it. The on screen things like that are more for entertainment than anything. Thanks for watching!

Thanks! It's a high speed steel striker. You can get them on Amazon. I believe they tend to come in a two pack.

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft thanks!

Much appreciated!

Much appreciated! I enjoy showing different methods and techniques that will meet the same goal. I think it's important to get out of the "rut of familiarity" from time to time. You never know when the way you've always done it just won't cut it! I wouldn't down any other outdoorsman or outdoorswoman for teaching the things they know work, but I agree that the "one size fits all" approach is prevalent. As for the feathersticks, yeah I'm sure you'll be fine! I believe Google did just fine, and I just might have some more videos in mind that go a little outside the box on conventional bushcrafting. Thanks for watching and for the comment!

Vital indeed, I agree. Thanks for the watch and the comment. There's some neat country down in New Mexico. I've been down there several times

There is usually plenty of downed wood in the eastern forests. I can't agree more with that. However, I enjoy splitting wood as I find it can be quite relaxing, and I have found it necessary to split wood for wet weather fires from time to time. I make knives as well, and I certainly agree on the risk of driving inferior steel through a piece of wood. There is always a risk of damage. I think in that case, it comes down to understanding the limitations of your tools, the properties of the wood, and proper technique.

I split with a knife quite frequently, but I agree there are often better methods and that saving your knife edge is important. I carry an axe or hatchet with me most of the time, and it usually gets the job of splitting if there's much to do.

Much appreciated! Well said. I like to think of it as somewhere between a science and an art, where only a few things are set in stone, and many things can be altered to suit the situation. I also like to challenge myself from time to time. No better way to learn than to step it up! The hand drill is certainly a challenge, and I agree here in the southeast. Humidity is not the friend of the fire maker. That feeling is great, though, when it works! I'll have a new video up next week, and thanks for watching!

Hello! My name is Jake. I suppose I could start mentioning that in my videos. I thought your comment had some good points, so it was definitely worthwhile to talk about. Thanks for that! I agree with both points on the reason for a fire for sure. Planning is certainly key, and knowledge is, of course, a vital part of that. There is quite a diverse mixture of species in the UK. I've never been there, but the tree nerd in me has taken me to many places via books and the internet. Here in the US, and North America in general, the species can change drastically from one geographical area to another. For example, the rocky mountains and northern hardwoods are quite a bit different from each other and from the mixed hardwoods here in the southeast. The northern and southern rockies are even drastically different. There are, of course, similarities in terms of properties, but the species may not even be related. Good planning can overcome that, though! Good point on the Victorinox Venture! I'm very much in the same school of thought. I carry many knives and tools to handle different jobs in the most effective way. I like your system. My thoughts are quite similar, right down to the Swisschamp that's on my belt as I type this. I tend to prefer a small axe or hatchet over a very large knife most of the time, however, my pack currently has a Condor Primitive Bush Knife (micarta handled version) strapped to it to serve as a machete. A good knife with a 4-5 inch (or thereabouts) blade is always on my belt no matter what for general utility use, and I always have a small blade for carving. I carry neck knives quite often for that, but I also enjoy using the Casstrom Lars Falt lockback and The Bushcraft Store Wildcat. Great thoughts, and thanks for watching and for the comment!

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft Thanks again Jake! We really seem to be on the same wavelength about things, and there will always be a place for nuances within that agreement, like hatchets/tomahawks, and now neck knives. I've dealt with hatchets, so let's look at neck knives. For me it is simply a case of being really irritated by something hanging round my neck! Where I live (a school) I am required to wear a lanyard security card whenever I'm around the park, and I find it a real pain. I prefer using the lanyard on my belt (for a knife of course) and the knife hanging down inside my trouser pocket. Nice chatting again!

It would seem we are, and the nuances are what make things interesting. I agree that having things hanging around the neck can be cumbersome and annoying at times, but I've found it convenient enough to get used to it. Slipping it into a pocket also works well, and I've done that plenty of times with knives of all sizes!

I've always been quite fond of my Old Hickory knives. They're probably more popular in niche groups than in the broad outdoor community as a whole. I've heard plenty of mention from those into camping and trekking in a late 19th or early 20th century style. I'm not sure how long they'll be around since Ontario Knife Company has evidently changed hands, but Green River knives (made by Dexter-Russell) are a great alternative. The music was definitely unexpected! I don't worry too much about banjos, though, because any banjo music around here is probably just me playing!

@@americanwoodloreandforestcraft I've certainly heard of the Green River and the Russell knives, though the hyphenated Dexter-Russell is new to me. (I'm really not that knowledgeable though.) I actually like banjo music (and canoeing!!) and I loved the "Dueling Banjos" tune, but the movie that made it popular was something I hope to never witness!

If memory serves, the hyphen is because Dexter acquired the Russell brand. I haven't looked that up in quite a while, so don't quote me on that, but I believe that's the reason. Banjo music is great, and dueling banjos is a great tune! I've always been partial to the Arthur Smith and Don Reno version. And I agree! I'd like to avoid that myself.

Old Hickory cutlery is carbon steel. It is easier to sharpen than stainless steel.

@@janesevy4372 I've only recently begun watching bushcraft / camping videos partly because they are reminiscent of my Scouting days back in the late 60's. While I have always "liked" knives I have never been a collector or big user of them, so this is mostly new stuff to me. I am rarely without a very small knife as an EDC (eg: Victorinox Classic and now often carry the SAK EvoGrip S017 or whatever it's called) -- they are so very handy that I can't imagine being without one. A bigger knife strikes me the same way if/when anyone goes hiking, backpacking and certainly camping. It's just part of the kit. It seems to me that most of the older knives are Carbon Steel as you mentioned and it seems their cutting edge is easier to maintain, but they require a little more TLC to prevent rust even when stored away. Like I've said, I enjoy Jake's channel with such great information AND with a great online community ! Thanks for your comment!