Backwoods Survival School

Join Patrick and team this weekend at the fabulous Clydebuilt Festival 7th - 8th Sept. Lots to see and do - a comprehensive display of every thing bushcraft and demonstrations throughout the 2 days.

Come along and say Hello!!

Bone bearclaw bling all thonged up and ready to go….

A basket full of Sparassis Crispa (cauliflower fungi) a great find literally on my doorstep. Conny’s eagle eyes spotted the delicious prize. I first picked this species nearly 40 years ago and have enjoyed it ever since although it has been rather elusive. It’s great having it near as the last time I saw it was in the highlands a couple of years ago!!

On the way home from my acupuncture session I couldn’t help but stop and have a rummage in the hedgerow. Fruit in abundance and it’s nice to see the little robins pin cushion on show …… the brambles were delicious!!! .

Tonight’s ever changing sky…. beautiful!!!

Love the way these bone bear claws coloured up …. now to cut up some buckskins laces!!!

Fab time today with Mark and his beautiful Plymouth 1957 … what an eye catcher and great fun cruising doon the Glesga roads!!!

Two options from this cross section of antler… a single barbless hook or two………

New bling being created…. real claws delaminate and fall apart after a while … if like me you never take them off and they are constantly wet and dry after showering. These bone bear claws won’t have that problem. In they go for a dye bath for a few days which will change them to a very dark brownish purple. I’ll post up the final colour in a few days!!!

Conny’s out and about again …. lucky boy after a week in Washington mingling with the folks from NASA he is off hiking in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado … wherever next??

Shaping out handles for new batch of obsidian/flint blades with bark tanned leather sheaths and new bone bear claw bling …. busy few days!!!!

Hand carving these oak netting needles have got my hands and wrists back to full fitness😀Now to oil them under the shade of the birch tree…….. the suns finally oot!!

Came across this earlier and liked the painting but it also sums up my day!!!

Back home after a wonderful few days away in Heaven. A big thanks to Zeki for a fantastic treat on Eilean Sionnach or ( the island of the fox)) a wonderful place for body and soul…. great food , great company and great weather!!!

So nice to be back in the Highlands….

Another new piece of bling …. It’s based on an unfortunate beaver who met a bear …. unfortunately the bear met a hunter soon afterwards😀…. need to make some new buckskin shirts to go with the new neckers😀

A productive morning with menial tasks …. cutting up and bagging willow bark for tannin over the autumn and winter …. I need a more glamorous and prestige’s!!

Catching up with this netting needle commission … a few more to do and then on with the gauges. Makes a change carving outside under the birch tree with bird song and a gentle breeze and no rain!!!

Oh yeah …. Scrubbed up, and ready for a fantastic night of KOL … Rock yer socks!!!

Now that needles are moving on it’s time for a little break and progress other projects on the back burner.

Enjoyable morning getting started on a little commission for 3 sets x 5 netting needles and gauges. It’s nice to get the hands carving again while it pours down from the heavens here …… coffee, good sounds and shavings!!!

Another whale bone harpoon fore shaft, enjoyable day creating this although I have a number of these already, different styles, size etc …. hey ho …. I might make another one tomorrow 😳😀

New bling complete ….. roll on Saturday night😀

Time for a change😳new man bling almost finished. Now making little disc beads from whale bone to fit in between the dragons teeth 😉..

A busy day making lids from a nice piece of burr wood for a new batch of birch containers. It’s only right I get a cuppa and a biscuit for dunking as a reward!!

220 ft of elm bark cordage…. I have thousands of ft of natural cordage made from plant , bark, animal fibre etc and don’t really need more. This has kept my hands busy for the last two weeks about an hour or two a day !!

What a surprise and a real tasty treat!! Conny created a wonderful bhuna lamb curry with all the trimmings for his old boy on Father’s Day ….. simply delicious…. thanks son!!

At an event and looking through boxes and boxes of utensils I’ve made over the years …. It’s taking too long I stop and wonder ….. but it’s nice. This Ulu is special!!

Charcoal being made for School visits on Thursday & Friday then a display and demonstrations at the Carmunnock Gala day on Saturday. Pop along and say hello if you’re in the area.

A big thanks to all you lovely people who wished me a Happy Birthday yesterday …… too many to thank personally. I opened some fantastic presents and stuffed my face with a delish curry!!!