Some Backyard Bushcrafting with the CAK

[T. C. Weston]

It was a gorgeous day today, even if it was only 10 degrees outside. I felt like making a fire and working on a bit of Honey Locust for an axe handle. Dinner to follow.

I'll keep everyone updated as the handle comes together, but for today, the shavings make great tinder and kindling! The BTU's from the locust are exactly what the fire pit needs to get going.

Some of the lumps in the yard proved to be firewood, including a chunk of some of the most gawd-awful, gnarly cottonwood I've ever seen.

Not too much work or time to get to this point.

Now this is the picture of luxury; a fine blade, hot buttered brandy, and a bear skin rug on my favorite chair.

Thought this was a nice shot!

And, a fine meal at the end of it all. It was a great afternoon, hope you guys like the pics.

 

[RockFarm]

Awesome post, I think your CAK and mine are twins!

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[T. C. Weston]

If that's true, then you got a good one! Thanks!

 

[RockFarm]

16 3/4" oal, 29.5 oz by Kumar

She's a peach!

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[stwm]

The "I need a CAK" thread! The good life indeed! Loved the bear rug, fire, food, and snowflakes.

 

[T. C. Weston]

She's a beauty RockFarm!

Last night dinner was great, but I thought I'd try a little harder tonight. Pork chops, cabbage, onion and potatoes, and bannock.

You can keep your high end Japanese kitchen knives, this is fine with me!

 

[RayseM]

Do the kamis ever get to see such photos of their knives in use? I am amazed at how delicately I can cut with my Manakamana. I never would have believed it but now I understand that you can prepare a meal with a Khurkri and it is not all bits of crushed food.

Reminds me of watching a fellow in a market in Russia chopping away at a rack of lamb intended for our dinner. Had he used a Khurkri instead of his chopper we would likely have had lots fewer bone fragments in our dinner.

Great photos T.C. Glad you shared.

Ray

 

[T. C. Weston]

Thanks Ray! I really do hope some of this gets back to the kamis. I know they are well aware of how supremely useful their blades are, but it would be nice for them to know that people worldwide use and appreciate their knives.

 

[ndoghouse]

Dang! Im hungry AGAIN! Great post! Love seeing them getting used:thumbup: Great photography too!

 

[leebrewer]

Oh yeah!

 

[Shavru]

truly luxurious. Buttered brandy and a bearskin around a fire in the snowy woods. I can hear the quite and feel the snowflakes on my face with these pictures. Great series and I can't wait to see how the axe comes out. Thanks!

 

[T. C. Weston]

Thanks! Glad you guys like the pics. Here are a few more.

It's been a beautiful morning; finally got to see the sun today! Thought I'd get a bit of a fire going.

We had a major rise in temperature, a quick thaw, and everything is soaking wet. Honestly, this was easier when it was closer to zero degrees. Even so, a great start for the weekend!

 

[T. C. Weston]

Managed to get my phone propped up to take a video. I'd like to do more of these, so you guys can see some of these projects come together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVdzsQrgBA

 

[Shavru]

love how that khuk shaves those curls for firestarting. What kind of wood is that? It sure splits nice and clean. Just can't think of a single tool that does fire building/feeding as well.

 

[T. C. Weston]

It's cherry. It's left over from that tree I cut down with the Dui Chirra a year or so ago.

 

[stwm]

I was blown away by the feathers on that featherstick too!
Please provide some tips and tricks! I can't make one like that! *scowl*

 

[T. C. Weston]

I was blown away by the feathers on that featherstick too!
Please provide some tips and tricks! I can't make one like that! *scowl*

The best I can offer is practice, and a razor sharp convex on your khukuri. Some woods seem to curl up better than others. I'm trying to resuscitate my old youtube channel, and aim to make some videos along these lines.

 

[Shavru]

Thinking about doing a video of the locust axe handle? Making that would be almost as fun to watch as the bow you made last time. And that was FUN.

 

[T. C. Weston]

Thinking about doing a video of the locust axe handle? Making that would be almost as fun to watch as the bow you made last time. And that was FUN.

Very glad you liked it! That one was an epic journey that took months. Hopefully this one will go quicker. I put up a link to the axe handle video a few posts back, so check it out. Have two vids going so far, and will put up another this weekend. I thought it would be good to show the work in action once in a while, since you don't get all the information in still pics. I'd like to do them during the week, but it's still dark by the time I get home and I've go a family to tend too. Anyhow, it's a start!

 

[T. C. Weston]

Here's an update on the axe handle. No tools other than the khukuri so far!