I own a belt kit, and I am glad I watched your video. Always pick up a think or two from people like you who take the time to put your self out there. Thanks.
Finding this series of videos in 2020 and these are EXCELLENT - Very, very knowledgeable AND purposeful instruction and explanations. Actually enjoy listening to him speak as he brings such confidence - every word has meaning just like his methods. Cheers and be well, friend. -K.A. from the US.
I worked for many years as a construction carpenter I always worked with tool belts and side pouches and a hammer on your side next to your strong side tool belts are not the same as your trouser belt If it is cooler and you are wearing a jacket, then you have no access to you pant belt So all tools are on a heavy thicker external belt I also use dangler sheaths, as they are not near the back and move out the way as you move or sit down An axe of the weak side is on my side opposite my knives and not on my back A water bottle is behind the axe out of the way, with a shoulder strap to split the weight Clip on work suspenders (braces) support a lot of weight off the belt on to the shoulders and makes for a very comfortable load
Some great tips and ideas, there, Simon. I swear by "belt kits" - I'm always wearing one of two configurations depending on where I am and what I'm doing. When I'm not up in the bush I always wear my multi-tool (Leatherman Wave - one-handed access to tools) in a pouch on my strong side and just in front of it I have a small pouch that holds 2 18650 Li-Ion batteries (spares for my vape). Up in the bush, I never carry anything on - or too close to - the *back* of the belt as that would cause problems when wearing my pack and I'm too lazy to transfer stuff back and forth between pack and the back of the belt. My belt is a Nylon webbing "Tactical belt" to which I have affixed some home-made suspenders to support the weight of my gear (so the belt doesn't slide down and hobble me while I'm walking up the trail). This belt doesn't go through my trouser loops (I wear a separate *leather* belt to hold my trousers up) - it exists just as a means to conveniently carry essential gear. Strong side, right on the hip, is my sheath knife. Just behind it is a pouch for my CREE LED torch (or "flashlight", if you prefer), just in front of the knife is the pouch for my Leatherman and in front of that is the 2x18650 pouch. Weak side, right on the hip, is my USGI Canteen pouch which contains 1qt (~1 litre) canteen and canteen mug. Just forward of that is the pouch that holds my firesteel. Between the pouches and the fastening clip on both sides of the belt, I've slipped a number of "ranger bands" over the belt. They act as makeshift "keepers" to stop the pouches working their way around to the front of the belt when I'm walking and also come in handy for lighting fires, fastening things etc. The only time that belt comes off is when I'm going to bed. Other than that it's always worn so I'm never without the means to cut cordage, process wood, light a fire or boil water and I've always got my multitool, torch and spare batteries (the torch takes an 18650 battery) on me, regardless of how far I am from the rest of my gear. I've considered getting a Maxpedition "Rollypoly" folding dump pouch to stick on the weak side of the belt so I've got somewhere to store stuff if I ever have to forage - something that's folded up out of the way when I don't need it but can be deployed if I do - however, I've done extremely well without a dump pouch on my belt so far and I'm loath to spend that kind of money for something if I'm not likely to be using it regularly. Small med kit and emergency poncho, compass, signal mirror, plastic bags, repair kit and numerous other handy things are all carried in the pockets of a hunting or fishing vest - and I'm always wearing that unless I'm immediately going to bed, so there's no need to find space on the belt for any of those.
Good video, like the rationale. Two additional things I tend to carry sometimes (not always) are a water bottle in pouch (occasionally substituted with my flask in a double mag pouch) and either a flashlight in sheath, or a frag pouch with my Petzl headlight. All the best!
jediknightofthewoods I did carry a water bottle on the belt at one point, but I found it very cumbersome... so now I occasionally carry a water bladder on my back. It's more comfortable, can be consumed without having to so much as break stride, and doesn't obstruct movement. I do carry a flashlight at all times, but not on my belt. That's one I'm kicking myself for not mentioning. Mine lives in an open-faced pocket on the front of my pants. Been carrying it that way for about 5 years now and haven't lost it yet, so it's a good solution for me. I'd suggest flashlights would be best carried around the back during the day, and brought around to the front at night... subject to the likelihood of requirement. Thanks for the positive words and the extra feedback. Should be useful to others as well :)
Very well thought out video. Being right hand dominant, I only have issues when I hike in certain areas where I have to carry bear spray. Having a knife and a large can of spray on my belt on the same side can get somewhat uncomfortable after a while. Congratulations on the weight loss!
Simon, that tbs combo does look great but a bit too costly for me, I do think I will get the sheath with firesteel/sharpner pouch combo as a horizontal carry and will stick my finnish knife/firesteel set in it as the sheath isn't that expensive, I have seen really good reviews on that axe, thanks for taking the time to reply, looking forward to 550 hank video, cheers craig
stonybrokebushcraf I could only find "fox creek leather" and the last video was 2 years ago (3 vids total, none seem to be about belt kits). Is that the channel you're thinking of?
Great video Simon, what axe do you carry no?, have you tried neck knives , I couldn't get on with them, get in the way while lighting fires etc I carry a pouch on my left side (I am right handed) which has my dc4, firesteel ,hank of 550 paracord, sml jeweller's lens, matchs in a waterproof case etc, keep up the good work .
+Craig Twiner I carry a Wetterlings Forester axe, and my neck knife is the TBS Timberwolf Pup (which can also belt carry). I tend to tuck it into my shirt when doing things like lighting fires, so that it doesn't dangle down when I lean. My DC3 stone, ferrorod and larger knife are all together in a leather belt sheath (that's the TBS Boar combo kit, which I'm loving right now). I've taken to carrying a small hank of 550 on a quick-release system I'll show in a video shortly. Cheers for the nice comment and good questions!
Hi Simon, I can´t recommand wearing things with long handles on the backside. A bunch of years ago, I had to solve a army parkour and the guy in front of me jumps into a hole. He wear a folding shovel with woodhandle on his belt. He damaged his backbone and he had to quit his job. So be careful and wear longer tools not on the backside. Cheers Jörg PS: In this outfit you must be a cousin of Jonathan Higgins, isn´t it?;)
Waldheimat I agree that wearing large items on the belt is a bad idea. Personally, I only carry them on the belt when I'm actually using them... I see no point in hiking about with them on there all the time. I'm switching my new bushcraft knife over to horizontal mounting instead of vertical because the sheath can do either... and lower profile is better when it's at all possible!
I can't stand having a knife riding that high up on my hip. I keep getting poked by it. I made a new sheath that has the end of the handle at the same level as the belt itself. Far more comfortable.
I carry my primary (which is a custom blade) in "scout carry" for weak-side draw these days. I use danglers now for all my other stuff (saw, machete when I'm carrying one etc) because it's easier to reach. (sorry for the late reply, life has prevented me from engaging with people's messages the last couple of months)
Ist Geheim Damnit! I forgot to mention flashlights! I carry mine in an external pocket in my pants, rather than on my belt... but yes, they're a strong-side item for sure!
Even a leather belt makes a horrendously bad strop unless it has stropping compound on it. The only reason anyoine thinks bare leather is a good strop is because a barber's strop has one bare side, so people thought this side, too, was used as a strop. It wasn't and isn't. The bare side of a barber's strop, or any other strop, is used to clean tiny metal flecks and pieces of stropping compound from the edge being sharpened. That's it. You're simply wasting you time using it for anything other than this. If you have no stropping compound on the leather, it is not a strop, it's just a piece of bare leather you will never get a knife sharp on. Do yourself, and your tools a favor and carry a real strop, which means a piece or vegetable tanned leather that isn't too thick, that's glued solidly to a piece of wood, and that is covered with the right stropping compound. Never use a loose piece of leather as a strop unless your blade has a convex grind. Don't chop or baton with your knife. It's amateurish, and it's just plain dumb, regardless of how many on RUclips do so. It's your own fault oif you don't own the right tools, so don't take it out on your knife. And if you don't have a pocketknife with more than one blade, you may as well have no knife at all, and, no, a multitool doesn't count.
I carry a tube of toothpaste in my personal hygiene kit. In a pinch, this does (and has for me) make a decent stopping compound. In my pack I now carry a dedicated (two-sided) stop. Leather mounted on a wooden plate, with an ergonomic handle. I also carry a tube of Tormek compound. I will say this, though... stopping on dry leather is better than not stopping at all. I have brought blades to a shave-sharp edge using a dry leather belt, starting on the unpolished side of the leather, then finishing gently on the polished side of the belt. Indeed, when I am carrying my UK carry legal folding blade only, and compromising the gear I carry in my kit to make room for my camera kit (to record these videos) the first item I sacrifice is my dedicated stop. That particular blade has only ever been stopped on a dry leather belt, and that blade is maintained to be shave sharp. It's S30V stainless, so I use it for shaving all the time in the woods (particularly on 4+ day trips, where my stubble would otherwise irritate me all the time). I don't agree with you when it comes to batonning with a knife. I know this is a very contentious issue, with some ardently opposed and others doing it religiously as a practice. I will say this, I have never once damaged any of my blades using them to baton wood. That even includes using the standard Mora blade. My custom knives are both strong enough to split most pieces of wood with two hits, and are made from an unimaginably strong steel with exceptional edge retention. I designed them specifically to be used for this purpose (as well as carving, food prep, and all other knife tasks). I would opt to baton with them rather than splitting with an axe any day, as I'm personally far more likely to injure myself with an axe than with any of my knives. It's to each their own, my friend. What works best for me might not work best for you, and vice-versa. I will, however, say this as an absolute: the RIGHT TOOL is any tool that achieves the desired result. Most things in life aren't about what something was DESIGNED to do, rather what they CAN do.
![Yeat & Quavo - 5BRAZY [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4XxnTAwyxus/mqdefault.jpg)
I own a belt kit, and I am glad I watched your video. Always pick up a think or two from people like you who take the time to put your self out there. Thanks.
Appreciate the feedback, Dan :)
Finding this series of videos in 2020 and these are EXCELLENT - Very, very knowledgeable AND purposeful instruction and explanations. Actually enjoy listening to him speak as he brings such confidence - every word has meaning just like his methods. Cheers and be well, friend. -K.A. from the US.
I worked for many years as a construction carpenter
I always worked with tool belts and side pouches and a hammer on your side next to your strong side
tool belts are not the same as your trouser belt
If it is cooler and you are wearing a jacket, then you have no access to you pant belt
So all tools are on a heavy thicker external belt
I also use dangler sheaths, as they are not near the back and move out the way as you move or sit down
An axe of the weak side is on my side opposite my knives and not on my back
A water bottle is behind the axe out of the way, with a shoulder strap to split the weight
Clip on work suspenders (braces) support a lot of weight off the belt on to the shoulders and makes for a very comfortable load
Some great tips and ideas, there, Simon.
I swear by "belt kits" - I'm always wearing one of two configurations depending on where I am and what I'm doing.
When I'm not up in the bush I always wear my multi-tool (Leatherman Wave - one-handed access to tools) in a pouch on my strong side and just in front of it I have a small pouch that holds 2 18650 Li-Ion batteries (spares for my vape).
Up in the bush, I never carry anything on - or too close to - the *back* of the belt as that would cause problems when wearing my pack and I'm too lazy to transfer stuff back and forth between pack and the back of the belt.
My belt is a Nylon webbing "Tactical belt" to which I have affixed some home-made suspenders to support the weight of my gear (so the belt doesn't slide down and hobble me while I'm walking up the trail). This belt doesn't go through my trouser loops (I wear a separate *leather* belt to hold my trousers up) - it exists just as a means to conveniently carry essential gear.
Strong side, right on the hip, is my sheath knife. Just behind it is a pouch for my CREE LED torch (or "flashlight", if you prefer), just in front of the knife is the pouch for my Leatherman and in front of that is the 2x18650 pouch.
Weak side, right on the hip, is my USGI Canteen pouch which contains 1qt (~1 litre) canteen and canteen mug. Just forward of that is the pouch that holds my firesteel.
Between the pouches and the fastening clip on both sides of the belt, I've slipped a number of "ranger bands" over the belt. They act as makeshift "keepers" to stop the pouches working their way around to the front of the belt when I'm walking and also come in handy for lighting fires, fastening things etc.
The only time that belt comes off is when I'm going to bed. Other than that it's always worn so I'm never without the means to cut cordage, process wood, light a fire or boil water and I've always got my multitool, torch and spare batteries (the torch takes an 18650 battery) on me, regardless of how far I am from the rest of my gear.
I've considered getting a Maxpedition "Rollypoly" folding dump pouch to stick on the weak side of the belt so I've got somewhere to store stuff if I ever have to forage - something that's folded up out of the way when I don't need it but can be deployed if I do - however, I've done extremely well without a dump pouch on my belt so far and I'm loath to spend that kind of money for something if I'm not likely to be using it regularly.
Small med kit and emergency poncho, compass, signal mirror, plastic bags, repair kit and numerous other handy things are all carried in the pockets of a hunting or fishing vest - and I'm always wearing that unless I'm immediately going to bed, so there's no need to find space on the belt for any of those.
Good video, like the rationale. Two additional things I tend to carry sometimes (not always) are a water bottle in pouch (occasionally substituted with my flask in a double mag pouch) and either a flashlight in sheath, or a frag pouch with my Petzl headlight. All the best!
jediknightofthewoods I did carry a water bottle on the belt at one point, but I found it very cumbersome... so now I occasionally carry a water bladder on my back. It's more comfortable, can be consumed without having to so much as break stride, and doesn't obstruct movement.
I do carry a flashlight at all times, but not on my belt. That's one I'm kicking myself for not mentioning. Mine lives in an open-faced pocket on the front of my pants. Been carrying it that way for about 5 years now and haven't lost it yet, so it's a good solution for me.
I'd suggest flashlights would be best carried around the back during the day, and brought around to the front at night... subject to the likelihood of requirement.
Thanks for the positive words and the extra feedback. Should be useful to others as well :)
sorry for last comment meant to say great vid Simon very helpful
very nice belt kit
happy new year fellow bushcrafter
atb
steve
Very well thought out video. Being right hand dominant, I only have issues when I hike in certain areas where I have to carry bear spray. Having a knife and a large can of spray on my belt on the same side can get somewhat uncomfortable after a while. Congratulations on the weight loss!
Weekend Wanderer bear spray is certainly not something I've had to consider here in the tame surroundings of the UK.
Cheers :)
Simon, that tbs combo does look great but a bit too costly for me, I do think I will get the sheath with firesteel/sharpner pouch combo as a horizontal carry and will stick my finnish knife/firesteel set in it as the sheath isn't that expensive, I have seen really good reviews on that axe, thanks for taking the time to reply, looking forward to 550 hank video, cheers craig
great video
Nice vid!!
The last ron thanks :)
cool one Si have a look at fox prepper or fox leather he makes some awesome belt kits very nice Thanks
stonybrokebushcraf I could only find "fox creek leather" and the last video was 2 years ago (3 vids total, none seem to be about belt kits). Is that the channel you're thinking of?
Packed To Live sorry mate its foxcompany prepping try that mate all my best
Great video Simon, what axe do you carry no?, have you tried neck knives , I couldn't get on with them, get in the way while lighting fires etc I carry a pouch on my left side (I am right handed) which has my dc4, firesteel ,hank of 550 paracord, sml jeweller's lens, matchs in a waterproof case etc, keep up the good work .
+Craig Twiner I carry a Wetterlings Forester axe, and my neck knife is the TBS Timberwolf Pup (which can also belt carry). I tend to tuck it into my shirt when doing things like lighting fires, so that it doesn't dangle down when I lean. My DC3 stone, ferrorod and larger knife are all together in a leather belt sheath (that's the TBS Boar combo kit, which I'm loving right now). I've taken to carrying a small hank of 550 on a quick-release system I'll show in a video shortly.
Cheers for the nice comment and good questions!
Great logical. Helpful instructional. Congratulations on your weight lose also btw. Take Care/Stay Safe - Stan
Hi Simon, I can´t recommand wearing things with long handles on the backside. A bunch of years ago, I had to solve a army parkour and the guy in front of me jumps into a hole. He wear a folding shovel with woodhandle on his belt. He damaged his backbone and he had to quit his job. So be careful and wear longer tools not on the backside. Cheers Jörg PS: In this outfit you must be a cousin of Jonathan Higgins, isn´t it?;)
Waldheimat I agree that wearing large items on the belt is a bad idea. Personally, I only carry them on the belt when I'm actually using them... I see no point in hiking about with them on there all the time.
I'm switching my new bushcraft knife over to horizontal mounting instead of vertical because the sheath can do either... and lower profile is better when it's at all possible!
Great video.. Thank you.. Bill U.S.A.
I can't stand having a knife riding that high up on my hip. I keep getting poked by it. I made a new sheath that has the end of the handle at the same level as the belt itself. Far more comfortable.
I carry my primary (which is a custom blade) in "scout carry" for weak-side draw these days. I use danglers now for all my other stuff (saw, machete when I'm carrying one etc) because it's easier to reach.
(sorry for the late reply, life has prevented me from engaging with people's messages the last couple of months)
Yeah. Thankfully the sheath that came with my knife is a dangler.
Thank you. Rene Q
I wear a flashlight on the strong-hand-side of my belt.
Ist Geheim Damnit! I forgot to mention flashlights! I carry mine in an external pocket in my pants, rather than on my belt... but yes, they're a strong-side item for sure!
Wow no 🔫 in the UK . thank GOD im in he USA.
Even a leather belt makes a horrendously bad strop unless it has stropping compound on it. The only reason anyoine thinks bare leather is a good strop is because a barber's strop has one bare side, so people thought this side, too, was used as a strop. It wasn't and isn't.
The bare side of a barber's strop, or any other strop, is used to clean tiny metal flecks and pieces of stropping compound from the edge being sharpened. That's it. You're simply wasting you time using it for anything other than this. If you have no stropping compound on the leather, it is not a strop, it's just a piece of bare leather you will never get a knife sharp on.
Do yourself, and your tools a favor and carry a real strop, which means a piece or vegetable tanned leather that isn't too thick, that's glued solidly to a piece of wood, and that is covered with the right stropping compound. Never use a loose piece of leather as a strop unless your blade has a convex grind.
Don't chop or baton with your knife. It's amateurish, and it's just plain dumb, regardless of how many on RUclips do so. It's your own fault oif you don't own the right tools, so don't take it out on your knife.
And if you don't have a pocketknife with more than one blade, you may as well have no knife at all, and, no, a multitool doesn't count.
I carry a tube of toothpaste in my personal hygiene kit. In a pinch, this does (and has for me) make a decent stopping compound.
In my pack I now carry a dedicated (two-sided) stop. Leather mounted on a wooden plate, with an ergonomic handle. I also carry a tube of Tormek compound.
I will say this, though... stopping on dry leather is better than not stopping at all. I have brought blades to a shave-sharp edge using a dry leather belt, starting on the unpolished side of the leather, then finishing gently on the polished side of the belt.
Indeed, when I am carrying my UK carry legal folding blade only, and compromising the gear I carry in my kit to make room for my camera kit (to record these videos) the first item I sacrifice is my dedicated stop. That particular blade has only ever been stopped on a dry leather belt, and that blade is maintained to be shave sharp.
It's S30V stainless, so I use it for shaving all the time in the woods (particularly on 4+ day trips, where my stubble would otherwise irritate me all the time).
I don't agree with you when it comes to batonning with a knife. I know this is a very contentious issue, with some ardently opposed and others doing it religiously as a practice. I will say this, I have never once damaged any of my blades using them to baton wood. That even includes using the standard Mora blade.
My custom knives are both strong enough to split most pieces of wood with two hits, and are made from an unimaginably strong steel with exceptional edge retention. I designed them specifically to be used for this purpose (as well as carving, food prep, and all other knife tasks). I would opt to baton with them rather than splitting with an axe any day, as I'm personally far more likely to injure myself with an axe than with any of my knives.
It's to each their own, my friend. What works best for me might not work best for you, and vice-versa.
I will, however, say this as an absolute: the RIGHT TOOL is any tool that achieves the desired result. Most things in life aren't about what something was DESIGNED to do, rather what they CAN do.