As many of my readers already know, I’ve been working with leather for a while now, and I’ve decided to jump in with both feet and start my own leather goods and accessories company!
New directions: leather goods and accessories for sale
Throwing knives for survival
From the first time I saw James Coburn play the ultimate badass in the 1960 classic The Magnificent Seven I (and I suspect many of my readers) thought, “How cool would it be to have that skill?” Possessing an awesome skill is, of course, impressive, no matter what the discipline, but let’s put this into context. Does throwing a knife make…
Knife-making with Dean Piesner and Robb Martin
Knowing as much about my tools as I can has always been the way I’ve been wired. It’s the reason I took up an interest in blacksmithing in the first place — I took a one-day historical society course on how to make a traditional Native neck knife (the pocketknife of the fur trade era)….
Happy Trails
I occasionally wonder if I talk too much about the woods. I probably do, but that doesn’t deter me in the least. It warms my heart to see evidence of that sort of passion elsewhere, too, and makes me feel less like a deviant. I’d like to share a recent example of just this type…
Blacksmithing and leatherwork and bushcraft, oh my.
Like most people, I have a variety of interests. Sometimes, the popular pastimes that appeal to my colleagues and friends don’t hold that same draw — I don’t play golf, or follow sports. Some of my passions do fall closer to the mainstream — craft beer, pool, good food. The interests that titled this post,…
Disclaimers and the like
Ross Gilmore Indulge me in a personal rant, and a rally cry of support for a moment. Ross Gilmore (aka “Wood Trekker”), a blogger I read from time to time, has posted something that’s gotten my blood boiling a bit. His posts usually deal with outdoor pursuits and bushcraft, axe-handling and history, and all sorts…
I love my market!
When was the last time your grocery store gave you a hug, a handshake, and inspired you for the week’s cooking? That’s exactly what your market can do for you — there are people whose skills, hard work, and pride in their craft put quality food on your table, and I enjoy being reminded of…
A Day with Pinock Smith
On January 15, 2011, I had the distinct pleasure of spending the day with Pinock Smith, a master builder, known for his traditional canoe-building methods. I first heard of Pinock in the second season of Ray Mears’ Bushcraft, where he and Ray built an authentic birchbark canoe in a week. They worked on screen again in…