Self-taught Bushcraft

A simple step-by-step course to learn how to “use” the outdoors even if you live in the city

I like to know about stuff. When I find something that I like I go ahead and learn it to the bone before going for something else… But there is one thing that has interested me since I was a very young kid and always comes back even though it makes no sense as I have always lived in the city…

Survivalism and Bushcrafting.

This small course I have designed after hours and hours of reading and practice, has some key aspects that make it interesting for city dwellers and take into consideration how difficult it can be for some of us to go out into the woods. These two aspects are:

1. Transport: The first steps can be completed without too many trips to the outdoors. As you progress more trips are needed, but again… that is the point ;)
2. Gear: If you don’t know if this is really for you… Don’t buy all that gear. Each step tries to minimize the accumulation of unnecessary gear or at least goes for the cheap before the expensive.

The course is divided into 3 steps. All of them require some gear but the first steps need very few (or less expensive) and then starts to rump up. Every step has got a list of gear needed (I will eventually add my recommendations for each item based on personal experience) and the techniques to master using that gear (I will also keep adding guides that I have used for each technique).

Step 1 .- Knife and Firecraft

The objective is to learn about the most important tool in bushcraft, the knife, and get started with one of the more fascinating topics for many of us: fire building and cooking with natural and reliable tools. For this step, you only need to make 1 or 2 trips to the outdoors.

Gear:

• Small bushcraft knife
• Sharpening stone
• Ferro Rod
• Folding Saw
• Wood Camping Stove
• Stainless Mug

Techniques:

1. Knife use and knife sharpening. You must learn to grip your knife and understand what are the safe ways to use it. Another key, cunterintuitive aspect is to know that a sharp knife is much less dangerous than a dull knife, so you must learn to sharpen your knife. All this can be done home without too much fuss, just remember to be safe and sheath your knife when you are not using it.
2. Making fire wood. You must learn how to process wood with your knife and saw. This is the only time that you will need to make a quick trip into the outdoors. Dry standing wood is not easy to find in downtown Chicago or Madrid. You must learn how to use your folding saw and “batoning” with your knife. Also the different kinds of natural tinder available in your area and how to make feather sticks.
3. Using a wood stove. (You need a backyard or a terrace or something in this case.) You must learn how to light a fire using your ferro rod. This can be a bit frustrating but try to keep at it… the trick is to get a consisitent shower of sparks exactly where you need them. You must understand how to build a fire, the importance of kindling size and why your fire needs to “breathe”. Finally you must learn how to use a small wood stove in order to control you fire (In many parts of the world open fires are not permitted, for a reason, and this is a way to deal with it while keeping the magical properties of a dancing flame)
4. Cooking. You must learn the importance of boiling water to make it safe to drink. Make some soup or tea. How to keep your fire going in and efficient manner.

On the next post I will talk about the second step on this course: Navigation and Shelter building.