裏山ブッシュクラフト - #03 白樺樹液 (#03 Birch Tap)

今回は白樺樹液・・・もうブッシュクラフト界では恒例の春の行事ですね。長い冬を乗り切り使い果たしたビタミンやミネラルをこれで一気に再補充！これからやってくる夏を楽しく過ごすためにも、白樺から採れる春のエネルギーで体を充電しましょう！
ということで、白樺の樹液の採り方の紹介です。白樺以外にも、同じように利用できる樹液の出る木がいくつかあります。日本で代表的なのはイタヤカエデ、そのほではオニグルミやヤマブドウからも採れるようです。イタヤカエデやオニグルミは比較的身近にある木かと思いますので、採集の機会に恵まれる可能性があるかと思います。

"Birch sap" It is becoming annual spring bushcraft event to tap birch to get sap. The sap contains much minerals s and vitamins, which you will need to boost up your body in spring, recharge the energy to enjoy the coming summer.

Little Update on neck knife project - ネックナイフ再開

I was actually planning on finishing the neck knives before the BCFIN meet up, but I did not enough time and did not want to rush it. So I have put them on hold for short while and now it is time to move forward again.
First process is to sharpen the blade and polish. But once the blade is sharpened, I do the brass rod flex test. With this test, I can tell that the blade is good enough for use… I am not saying that the blade is good. because IMO, that comes from how well / long the blade keeps the edge.

 ネックナイフ、ＢＣＦＩＮのオフ会までに本当は仕上げたかったのだが、オフ会の準備などで忙しいし、あわてて仕上げたくなかったので休止してました。が、オフ会も終了したので再開です。
 とりあえずは研ぎと磨き・・・研ぎが完了した時点で熱処理の最終確認を真鍮棒で行います。これで欠けもめくれも出なければとりあえず使える程度の刃物といえます。刃もちについては使ってみないとなんとも。。。良い刃物は刃もちが違います。

Seems both blades passed the test, so finish polishing the blade. I decided to polish entire blade of Makiri neck knife to give little more looks of Katana. Because according to my research, back in the old days, the Makiri was often made from broken katana.
After the polishing, move on to handle making, I choose Cherry and Oak.

 二本とも無事にテストをクリアーしてくれましたので、磨きをかけます。マキリ・ネックナイフの方は、全体を磨くことに。これでもう少しだけ刀の残欠のような雰囲気になったかな？？？
 磨き完了後はハンドル作り、桜とオークを使うことにします。

But mmmmmm,,, the oak does not convinced me for this Puukko neck knife... so I seek the possibility on my new material.. The deer bones.  I have cut the leg bones in good length and started the cleaning of them.
　
しかし。。。何だかこう、、、このプーッコにオークはしっくりこない。そこで新しく手に入れた材料、鹿の骨を合わせてみようと思う。足の骨を適当な長さに切り、早速洗浄作業。

to be continued....
つづく・・・

BCFIN spring meet up report - ブッシュクラフトフィンランド、春のオフ会

週末にアップ予定だった裏山ブッシュクラフトですが、ブッシュクラフトフィンランドのオフ会があったので、今週末にアップすることにしました。楽しみにされていた皆様、申し訳ありませんがもう少しお待ちください。
Spring meet up...
I am not quite sure where to start or how to tell. It was great meet up, so many activities, lots of information received and lots to process.
Unfortunately it was only 3 of forum members could have join this time for several reasons and myself was able to join only from 2nd day.
I have arrived at meeting location in early morning of day 2. Luckily, I have managed to arrive while other 2 members were still in bed.  I did not miss anything on day 2.
春のオフ会へ参加してきました。本当に内容の濃いオフ会となり、どこから話を始めたらよいか、どうやってブログ記事にまとめたらら良いか迷っております。
残念なこととに今回のオフ会はたった三人のみの参加となり、私自身も二日目の朝からの参加となりました。
前日の夜は、遠足前の子供状態。朝も異常に早起きし、おかげで先行のメンバーが起き出す前に現地到着。二日目のアクティヴィティーは全て参加できました。

After the morning coffee, starting the day 2 activities. First thing first… securing drinking water.

We have had spring water nearby, but for exercising purpose,  made survival water filter.

朝のコーヒーを飲み、早速２日目の行動開始です。まずは最も重要な飲み水の確保。この場所は近くに湧き水があるのですが、練習のためにサバイバル浄水器（濾過器）を作ります。

Using what’s available to make water filter.
在る物を利用して濾過器を作る。

Once the water is secured, start improving the shelter. Reconstructing the fire pit to more thermal storable and wildfire proof.  Also adding more spruce branches to make bedding more springy and insulated from ground.
水の確保が出来たら次はシェルターの改良に移ります。ファイヤーピットをまずは作り直し。火がこぼれないように壁を補強し、さらに蓄熱性を高めます。ファイヤーピットの次は寝床。ウトウヒ（蝦夷松）の枝をさらに追加し、クッション性と断熱性を高めます。これをしっかりと行うと、シュラフマットを使うよりも優秀な寝床を作ることが出来ます。

The time goes fast when you are on action... the stomach clock start to beeping… time for lunch.
時間はあっという間に過ぎ、腹時計が鳴り出したのでお昼とします。

 After filling up the energy, it is time to start the afternoon activities. First up is a Bucksaw making. I have done this several times, but no one has taught me how and the plan was to make something that lasts longer and making it proper. So we all head out to look for materials.
エネルギーを補充したら午後の活動開始。キャンプ周りで必要になる道具、バックソー作りです。これは何度か作ったことあるのですが、正しく教わったことがない。しかも今回はフィンランド式の物で、本格的に使い続けられる物を作るということ。まずは材料探し、そして加工です。

Work of our MAESTRO.　Made one with style...
マエストロの技。さっきまで森に転がっていた丸太が。。。

The one I made was without style, just it works.
私が作ったのは真っ直ぐそのまま。ただ使えるだけのノコギリ。

 It was still early for dinner, so we took walk around in the forest.  Following the deer highway,  learning and recognizing the trace of wild life. Also took time to enjoy the beauty of nature. I love the old forest…
夕飯にはまだ早いので、森の散策へ出かけます。トラッキングの練習も兼ねるよう鹿の獣道をたどります。森の美しさを楽しみながら、地面や木に残された野生動物の痕跡を観察し、何がどのような行動を取ったのかを推測します。

Night fell, but we all are still active in Kota shelter. Processing the Tinder fungus for tomorrow, talking bushcraft , hunting , jokes and about our life. And our maestro Rautasarvi has entertained us with his delicious pancake cooking.

日が落ち、森は真っ暗。しかし活動はまだまだ続きます。コタシェルターの中では翌日に行うティンダーファンガス作りの下準備。そしてブッシュクラフトフィンランドのマエストロRautasarviがとても美味しいパンケーキを振舞ってくれました。絞りたてのミルクから作るそれは今まで経験したことのない美味しさです。

The day 3 was short day. Starting with walk in the forest correcting breakfast and other natural resources we can utilize.

三日目は半日、あっという間です。軽い森歩きをしながら朝食を採集、そして利用できる資源を観察採集してまわりました。

larva of Carpenter ant (Camponotus herculeanus). very tasty like milk with honey.
ニシムネアカオオアリ？の幼虫。蜂蜜ミルクの様な味でとても美味。

Different fungi can be used as tinder.
火口に利用できる菌類色々。

Quartz for making sparks.
火打石に出来るクオーツ

After learning the important acquiring skills, back to camp and time to pack up. Have last coffee brew over the left over fire and start to digest the information and memories we all got during this meet up. Start to think of what we do next time.

Shake hands with each other to acknowledge the deepened ties of campfire brotherhood…
.............................Great time well spent...............................


重要な「獲得する」ための技術を学びキャンプへ戻る。
閉めのコーヒーを酌み交わしながら今回のオフ会で得た新たなスキル、そして思い出を飲み込みつつ「次は何をしようか？」ということをすでに考え始めた。
握手を交わし、さらに深まった焚き火兄弟の絆を確認して今回のオフ会を終了する。
・・・・・・・・・・すばらしい有意義な時間を、思う存分楽しめた気持ちで一杯だ。・・・・・・・・・・・・

Having closing coffee

Quick up 2

Back from forest walk Learning tracking. Recognizing trace if wild life. Bringing the souvenir back.

Quick up from meet up

We are having savu ongrma...

Packing new gears for this weekend.

This weekend is Bushcraft Finland’s Spring meet up and this time 2 nights 3 days. So I have started the packing and new gears are added this time.
One is a gas mask bag. I have seen weekend woodsman using it with back packing and looked convenient and comfortable, so I thought I will try it as well to see if suite me. If this works, the gives me the solution to when I need to pack little more than my summer kit.

2nd item I got this time is a Savotta Military sleeping bag.
Yes, I finally bought sleeping bag good for extreme cold. I can manage up to about -15 degrees Celsius with previous layered summer sleeping bags, but packing comes little problematic if I cannot use sledge to haul the gears. Also takes some effort to set up and crawl myself in to the bag. So, decided to get one proper sleeping bag.

3rd item is an axe, the one new Billnäs axe. As I have got, the only defect was the hang of axe. The helve has shrank over the time that the head was rattling. I could have just replaced the helve completely, but it is a original helve and is in good condition otherwise. So I wanted to try to save it.

I have managed to remove all the parts without damaging anything. It actually is very interesting to see this, coz usually this part is destroyed in the process of removing old helve.

How the woods are compressed and where are the stressed part and so on..

One interesting thing about this axe is that, how cross wedges are fitted.

Usually the cross wedges are both wood or one is metal. And the metal one is usually fitted against the growth ring of helve. But this one is other way around.

As you can see, the larger slit was the place metal wedge was in. this is usually the place wooden wedge goes. I am assuming that this was the factory fitted.. So hummm…. Was this the normal way to hang Finnish Axe head??? Any reason for this??

However, I have replaced the wooden wedge and put all back together. And now, this axe is ready for work! Also I have made new sheath for it, because I did not like the look of one came with.

With all these new gears, naturally, I needed to figure out how to pack all…

Man… it was as much difficult as final level of Tetris. Took me about 2 hours to come up with some kind of solution. Let’s see, if this works… if not, then I got good excuse to buy a Frame Pack :)