I am one of those people who likes a floor and bug net in my tent. something about waking up with beetles on my face and ticks in my clothes. I am planning a multi-day Range in a couple weeks along the Black River and am designing a tarp-tent that will do this AND protect me from the elements. I thi...

Kirby Wise out in Ehrenburg, Arizona used to make some real nice swords from leaf springs. They were simple, heavy and cound hack through an engine block. At $20 in 1972 (discount if you gave him a blank spring) they were barely affordable to we college kids. Of course you can easily add a zero or t...

As for Men, I would think that the men of Rohan, and the Dunedain, like the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse, would decorate their kit and gear when they could. Especially Rangers on long, lonely patrols. Ken Althopugh my clothing is plain greens and browns, I still enjoy making it look attractive and am...

Everything the Elves did was art! functional art but still art. Really, consider that in our throw-away culture, who cares if the carving knife is beautiful, you use it until it dulls, toss it and buy another because most people do not know how to sharpen a blade and the professionals charge more th...

I've always wanted to do something like that but failed consistantly.

It's still a great find.
The one I have carries my Period Archery gear and every time I make the rounds of the thrist stores and yard sales, these are one of the things I look for.

I've thought about the 'dowel arrow' thing and whittling my own shafts etc.... then I began to over-engineer it. What about spine? How do I know that the dowels or sticks are spined for my bow? So on Sunday I went to the Range with Robert who has a modern compound bow. I took my new horsebow and lon...

I've always loved those blades.

it's like a combnination of short sword and hunting knife and machete all in one item.

Good Find!

I look for those "indian" purses made from suade (sp) with the fringe that were popular in the 60-80's.
Cut the fringe off, add a button or tie and you have an excellent pouch.


this is very similar to the one you have.

http://tucson.craigslist.org/boa/4988214451.html

Here it is, the PERFECT canoe for ranging!!!

I was hoping to go off for the long weekend but matters conspire... so I will go to the Range Sunday to try out my new Longbow and Horsebow*. Neither have been tested... yet.... too busy I suppose. http://rick-johnsons-writings.webs.com/a2.jpg http://rick-johnsons-writings.webs.com/mer225.jpg Unfort...

Old Town has a 12' pack? I thought the pack model was 9'... I loved my old pack. Wish I had another. I had been looking for a 12' solo canoe for some time for a 2 week trip down the Green River in utah. Finally found a girl moving to Florida and selling hers for $200. Missing one thwart, no paddles...

Foe we who prefer to make our own arrows, parts is a problem. consider how much 11/32" cedar shafts cost per dozen? A brief internet search shows range about $37 or L28 per dozen. I buy mine from Sagittarius Archery for $30/doz because I like their service. Once I tried Ali Express, the Chinese...

As far as the Coleman canoe goes, apparently it's no longer made. There are a few on Ebay at the moment starting at about $150 and going up to about $ 400. I've owned three Coleman canoes (Plastic). My first is the only one I still own because it is a very strong craft that was well-made. I found i...

I've been doing some re-reading on rattan bows and it seems that they make excellent children's bows because they are easy to work and almost unbreakable. At least you have to really work at breaking rattan which is safe for kids. This explains why so many were sold to kids at the Ren Faire. That sa...