JMB Spring Term Day 2

Date: April 21, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA

Summary:
I began the day with some solo nature observation down by the river. After breakfast we worked on spark ignition and the use of cotton balls in vaseline as tinder. An introduction to saws was next but we were forced inside by heavy rains. Instead of saws, Tim gave a presentation on wilderness survival and its relationship to bushcraft. Following this was time spent on nature study, specifically the "mammal of the week". After lunch we moved to the newly built common shelter and worked on carving netting needles.


Accomplishments and Observations:
1) ignited cottonballs in vaseline with sparks
2) listened to survival presentation
3) nature study on Lepus americanus (snowshoe hare)
4) limbed portion of hardwood tree
5) carved netting needle

Initial Reflections:
The survival presentation was very useful. I feel I have a better grasp on plan and gear priorities. My netting needle was poor but my carving improved through the process. I couldn't make sparks with the back of my knife because the edges are rounded, I must remember to file them flat.


Current Reflections:
Carving the nettling needle was quite a challenge. My previous woodworking experience was of the chisel/plane variety with very little knife based carving. I was having problems because of the width of the end blade on Mora knife I was using. The blade was narrow and I was inexperienced, so maintaining my grip for fine carving was a difficult. I switched to a slightly larger Mora and the problem went away.  I think this was a skill based problem and not a knife based problem. Tim has larger hands than I and he used that same knife with no problem.

This was also my first real exposure to why I wouldn't want to do fine work (like carving a netting needle) with a large knife. I think it would be very difficult to have the kind of control required to do the carving work efficiently with a large knife. By "large knife" I'm talking bowie/tacticool size, not just the "larger Mora" I was discussing previously. I guess what I should do is buy a large knife and try it myself!