Tuamotu Atoll Survival: Segments 2 & 3

We're finally settled into Australia, and that means a strong and stable internet connection. So I have uploaded the remaining segments of the Tuamotu Atoll Survival series.

Survival Las Perlas video

Update

Summer is slowly transitioning into Fall, and posts will come more frequently as my summer work is now over. It was an awesome summer with much learned.

Something to look forward to is a video series that has been in planning for about a month, but due to my work I haven't had the chance to make it yet, but it's on it's way.

Snow Shoes

Kind of a delayed post. Over Thanksgiving Break I was in Helena, Montana. I finished my show shoes there, except for the rawhide lacing's.

The first snow shoe is Dogwood from Missoula, but I didn't have another piece of Dogwood, so I had to use willow from where I was at the time. I cut a flexible willow branch with my chert knife, and removed any sticks or switches so I had a nice clean loop. I also cut two cross braces.

Here is the materials I used and one semi-completed snow shoe. I used mule deer buckskin and dogbane cordage to lash the framework together. This particular style can be seen in Man Vs. Wild. I haven't had the chance to test these out, since we haven't had snow deep enough to warrant them.

First, tie the ends together.

Then place the rear cross-brace. I fitted this one to sit in front of my heel. I fitted them to be used with my boots.

Then place the front cross-brace. I positioned these to be below the ball of my foot.

Here are the completed shoes as I'd wear them in use. You can see I haven't laced them with babiche (the rawhide lacing's of a snow shoe). When I encounter deep enough show, I'll demonstrate their use.

I found an interesting video about snow shoes here

Bow drill videos

At the end of last summer, I posted a couple videos on youtube of me using my bowdrill set. I'll probably put new ones up that might be a bit better than the two I posted before. But regardless, here they are:




The spindle I have is an extended spindle using a deer canon bone. I used this all summer and part of the following fall before it split when I forced a new bit in without supporting it. It worked very well, reduced wear on the string, and because of its irregular shape the string gripped it fairly well. The wood in that video I believe is yucca on box elder. Works quite nicely. Box elder on Box Elder works very well too.