i think its pretty darn cool that even though dave offers a bunch of high quality expensive tools, he's stil willing to teach us all how to enjoy the wilderness on the cheap. thats a man whos in it for the love of the woods and not the money. thanks dave.
Hey Dave , I'm a big believer in possum mentality, particularly where fire raw materials is concerned, it seems a lot of youtubers go looking for tinder etc when they get to camp but it leaves you open to being rained on and then its harder to find dry stuff at the end of the day...... love your stuff as always!
Even with a store full of great gear, you still find time to talk about how to enjoy woodcraft with garage sale items and inexpensive tools. Now that's common man! Thanks for taking the time to do it.
Sadly we have lost nearly all the pines in our area of NE Tennessee. Time to gather the resin and fatwood while its there. Thank you for all you do and keep up the good work.
Always amazing to see how long Pine sap burns. I made a torch last summer as a project for portable fire. Burned for about an hour. The torch itself was basically a log split into a plank, about a foot long, with a bowl carved in one side to hold the sap and a rough handle. Think like a short oar or a spoon shape. Mixed the sap with dry grass blades just to give it a bit more body and keep it from melting apart in the heat. Really fun project.
I love how straightforward and to the point this series is so far. It totally beats the previous "Discount Bushcraft Kit" series in brevity and simplicity. It's very nice to say to myself, "okay, if I want a solid kit, I can just put exactly this in it and not worry so much about it until I've tested it."
Dave, thanks for all the info on your channel. It's nice to find all this great info in one place. I just found your site about a week ago and it is one of the best on UA-cam. I live in the southwest Ohio area and will be bring my grandsons to your school. Thanks again.
Very good job, Sir. That is a perfect snap on the face for those how said that PFS and you are only looking for sail products in your store or afiliated brands. I would like to have some Mini Infierno in my fire kit, but because I learned a lot from your School, my fire kit is full of natural resources and some fire extender made by myself. Thank again.
Great video! Yours and Sargefaria's were both excellent. It cool seeing you use the pine well with the sap and fatwood. I'm in Colorado and don't have many of those other trees so it's good to learn about the things I do have available. Thanks!
❤ I'd like to add that pine sap can be extended a long way. We saw Dave add a gum ball sized chunk of pine sap to his tinder bundle and had a steady flame for over 10 minutes. Most of that extended time was thanks to pine sap's ability to melt down quickly like wax and be absorbed into the fibrous tissues of his other materials. If we use his possum mentality even further and brought candle stubs, or a fat that solidifies at room temperature, then we could essentially melt down our sap and fats and stir in extra fibers we picked up along the way. Once cooled, you've essentially created a fat wood candle that can be broke up and used over an extended period
Great advice (and mindset) on using the least amount of resources possible for fire-starting (i.e. magnifying glass vs. lighter). Common sense to an experienced woodsman perhaps, but great knowledge to pass along. I have a bit of experience in the woods and desert myself so I use natural materials whenever possible, and stone tools to preserve my steel blades when I can. Keep spreading the knowledge and stay safe out in the woods brother!
I cant tell ya how much I enjoy watching your videos.....thank you so much for all your great information and I will definitely buy from you before I go anywhere else. Look forward to your emails with the latest video. thanks again
That's just incredible! Thank you Dave for sharing your knowledge with us. Next time I get out, I am definitely going to apply this stuff, thanks again.
I love watching you video's, i'm always learning something. love the opening you shooting and the music. I always look forward to the next video. Thanks
Also ... A RED Balloon can be stretched over a flashlight, at night, as a red filter ... ... AND ... A YELLOW Balloon can be used to help construct an effective fishing lure.
as always thank you for the wonderful information. Because of your great videos I have learned a lot and am always liking to go into the woods and do the things that you show on your videos. Thank you again and keep up the great work.
Dave, you are very generous with your knowledge, thank you. The video ended with you in mid sentence. I thought something happened with UA-cam for a second. Lol.
Hey Dave, how about instead of a Bic lighter using a Zippo lighter. Wind resistant, refillable, you can get a lot more uses out of one Zippo compared to a pack of Bics. Love the vids man, thanks for sharing them with us.
Best video l have seen on fat wood l now no what to look for. Loans of pine trees in Scotland so it's a big thanks bro and I have subscribed thanks again
Another good vid, Dave. Chock full of good info. I learned long ago to collect tinder as I walk. Like you've pointed out before...when you need fire the most is when Murphy shows up. Grab and growl while you can and you won't regret it. When you fail to prepare is when nature hands you your ass on a platter.
Not enough people keep a magnifying glass in their fire kit, great advice. Wastes no resources as long as you have sun. Another good tinder is waxpaper, waterproof and very cheap. Twist it up and it will last longer like a wick.
I do like and enjoy your video's, I live in the sonoran desert, you got any tips for area's like where I'm from? Ground water is wet weather creeks ans usually dry up in two or three months, I was raised in the country and for water you can drink you look for windmills. We are getting drier every decade, I remember lots of spring that no longer exist. I miss you on that show...Your blacksmithing videos bring back a lot of memories.
I know this is a much older video Dave but I have some fat with that I harvested from an old tree it's not like turpentine I want to try it out it didn't smell that way anymore but if you hold it up to a really bright light you can see the read through it and it still burns the same just dryed resin fat wood still works amazing.
I always heard a lot about zippo lighters(not for the outdoors, just in general) so I bought one and man.. even using it 2-3 times a week I have to refill it all the time, fuel just evaporates like crazy.. I have to imagine it wouldn't be a great thing to count on? Well, excluding the igniter.
Dave, this is a good video. I've been thinking lately about styles of fire, meaning low smoke small fire for quick meal preparation, through fires designed to heat through a cold night, (Long Fire perhaps). My scenarios are this, on the run, well away but need to boil water, maybe cook a bird breast or two and you need a small fire. Or, months later in the woods and need a fire to smoke jerky for long term sustainability. Ergo, my request for the different types of fires demonstrated.
another great video Dave...Thanks!! I was looking around at the different Fire videos you have on your channel and I noticed that you don't have anything on the Dakota fire pit...I don't know if you have ever looked into it or not, but it seems to be basically the same idea as a rocket stove only it uses only the ground to funnel air to the fire...very hot and almost smokeless...thought you might be interested. Please let me know what you think. Thanks again.
I never walk past a resource while in the wilderness, even if I have plenty in my pack and I'm only planning on a short stay. Like Adam likes to say "always prepared or never prepared!" By the way nice billy can, been looking for just the right one to add to my kit, seems they're not very common to find these days
With the bic lighter...good idea with the balloon. I have found that if you wedge a rolled up piece of paper or something underneath the lighters fuel lever, it will stop the accidental emptying of the lighter fuel. Happened to me once when my (what i thought was foolproof) lighter got wedged up against something in my kit and screwed me something fierce by loosing all valauable fuel within.
Crock pot bags or oven bags are good waterproof containers. They are designed to be in a 400 degree oven or crock pot for several hours without melting or leaking which means you could theoretically use them to homogenize water over a fire. Balloons are never nearly as high-quality as condoms because condoms are very carefully quality controlled whereas balloons are not, but I wouldn't use either to waterproof something. Oven bags are the way to go. Fairly cheap too.
it prefers birch trees and will look like a white horse hoof sticking out of the tree. the part that you use is the top or rounded side, you cut into the skin and you'll find a orange, spongy flesh, a lot like leather. you need to dry and and potentially treat this with a lye solution made from hardwood ashes to make it more flammable. if you're farther north, you can possibly find true tinder fungus, it'll look like a black mess on the side of birch trees, like charcoal, use the orange flesh.
Can any fungus be used for fire? We have a lot of different kinds here in Alaska. We don't have cattails, but we do have fireweed which I love using the old stocks from the year before as kindling and the tops as starter materials.
Hey Dave, have you ever used those page sized 8X10 Fresnel lenses? They are dirt cheap, weigh nothing, and take up no room in your pack. Was wondering what your thoughts are on those.
Wrap a Q-Tip with 1 or 2 layers of Duct Tape. You'll get a few minutes burn time from it. Even the tightly woven stem of the Q-Tip embers and burns slow. The Duct Tape acts as fuel.
Hi dave. I was just wondering if you are selling the original bottle cook kit. I found one the said it was the second one but not the original one. Ps I love your videos
Hey Dave, what is that knife you were using with the rosewood handle to harvest fatwood at 3:20? I cant find it on your website, they look similar but have micarta handles and more pronounced scandi ground blades
Hey dave, just wondering if there are any pathfinder instructors (or anyone else you would recommend) that operate in south-eastern Australia (Victoria) as some friends and i are just starting to get into hunting and self reliance and while a lot of what you discuss is very helpful, a lot of the local knowledge just doesn't apply here (like the type of trees)
I have a Mora Clipper, which is High Carbon Sweedish Steel. I can't get a spark off my Steel-of-fire (You call them ferral rods)...does it just need roughing up? Just thought i'd add that I got mine for £10.99 which is a good deal on a high carbon steel blade for those living in England :) I'm not sure how much it is anywhere else.
Dave where did you get that butcher knife? You paid something crazy like only $11! Great vid, as far as you know can you get fat wood from all types of pines?
I keep seeing people talk about bic lighters getting wet. Just run it down your pant leg a few times till the friction dries the flint. Bam! Sure flame. Try it at home by dipping your bic in water, it works every time. Peace out.
Didn't think about that in up in Ohio, he in NC it's perfect. Still thinking about water proofing mine, any homemade recommendations? I'm thinking of beeswax, turpentine, and boiled linseed oil concoction. but don't know if I what the turpentine on my head when sweating
i think its pretty darn cool that even though dave offers a bunch of high quality expensive tools, he's stil willing to teach us all how to enjoy the wilderness on the cheap. thats a man whos in it for the love of the woods and not the money. thanks dave.
Hey Dave , I'm a big believer in possum mentality, particularly where fire raw materials is concerned, it seems a lot of youtubers go looking for tinder etc when they get to camp but it leaves you open to being rained on and then its harder to find dry stuff at the end of the day...... love your stuff as always!
Even with a store full of great gear, you still find time to talk about how to enjoy woodcraft with garage sale items and inexpensive tools. Now that's common man! Thanks for taking the time to do it.
Sadly we have lost nearly all the pines in our area of NE Tennessee. Time to gather the resin and fatwood while its there. Thank you for all you do and keep up the good work.
Always amazing to see how long Pine sap burns. I made a torch last summer as a project for portable fire. Burned for about an hour. The torch itself was basically a log split into a plank, about a foot long, with a bowl carved in one side to hold the sap and a rough handle. Think like a short oar or a spoon shape. Mixed the sap with dry grass blades just to give it a bit more body and keep it from melting apart in the heat. Really fun project.
This video is packed with great info for both the novice and experienced woodsman. Liked and subscribed!
I love how straightforward and to the point this series is so far. It totally beats the previous "Discount Bushcraft Kit" series in brevity and simplicity. It's very nice to say to myself, "okay, if I want a solid kit, I can just put exactly this in it and not worry so much about it until I've tested it."
Dave, thanks for all the info on your channel. It's nice to find all this great info in one place. I just found your site about a week ago and it is one of the best on UA-cam. I live in the southwest Ohio area and will be bring my grandsons to your school. Thanks again.
Very good job, Sir. That is a perfect snap on the face for those how said that PFS and you are only looking for sail products in your store or afiliated brands. I would like to have some Mini Infierno in my fire kit, but because I learned a lot from your School, my fire kit is full of natural resources and some fire extender made by myself. Thank again.
Dave you are the man. Wish your where still on DS... keep doing what your doing brother.. A big fan from Sacramento...
Excellent series Dave. I look forward to opening UA-cam and finding out you have done another video. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.
Great video! Yours and Sargefaria's were both excellent. It cool seeing you use the pine well with the sap and fatwood. I'm in Colorado and don't have many of those other trees so it's good to learn about the things I do have available. Thanks!
Nice Dave,...especially the idea of magnifying glass, using tree resins....never tried pine pitch...be fun to try this spring. Thanks for teaching
❤ I'd like to add that pine sap can be extended a long way.
We saw Dave add a gum ball sized chunk of pine sap to his tinder bundle and had a steady flame for over 10 minutes. Most of that extended time was thanks to pine sap's ability to melt down quickly like wax and be absorbed into the fibrous tissues of his other materials.
If we use his possum mentality even further and brought candle stubs, or a fat that solidifies at room temperature, then we could essentially melt down our sap and fats and stir in extra fibers we picked up along the way. Once cooled, you've essentially created a fat wood candle that can be broke up and used over an extended period
Great advice (and mindset) on using the least amount of resources possible for fire-starting (i.e. magnifying glass vs. lighter). Common sense to an experienced woodsman perhaps, but great knowledge to pass along.
I have a bit of experience in the woods and desert myself so I use natural materials whenever possible, and stone tools to preserve my steel blades when I can.
Keep spreading the knowledge and stay safe out in the woods brother!
I cant tell ya how much I enjoy watching your videos.....thank you so much for all your great information and I will definitely buy from you before I go anywhere else. Look forward to your emails with the latest video. thanks again
That's just incredible! Thank you Dave for sharing your knowledge with us. Next time I get out, I am definitely going to apply this stuff, thanks again.
Again a very clear vid Dave,thanks for sharing your
knowledge with us.
I love watching you video's, i'm always learning something. love the opening you shooting and the music. I always look forward to the next video. Thanks
im always on a budget so thank you. your videos have help me more than you can think of. keep up the good work
Also ... A RED Balloon can be stretched over a flashlight, at night, as a red filter ...
... AND ... A YELLOW Balloon can be used to help construct an effective fishing lure.
Can you find True Tinder Fungus in the Eastern Woodlands? My favorite for flint & steel.
Regards, Lars
as always thank you for the wonderful information. Because of your great videos I have learned a lot and am always liking to go into the woods and do the things that you show on your videos. Thank you again and keep up the great work.
Dave you're the only person I know of that can make building a fire look cool haha.
Awesome Videos Dave, Get them put on DVD so I can add them to my collection.
Best videos I have come across on you tube,thank you,I wish you the best!greetings from Germany!
Dave, you are very generous with your knowledge, thank you. The video ended with you in mid sentence. I thought something happened with UA-cam for a second. Lol.
More great information Dave. Thank you, I'm a fan and a supporter of you and Pathfinder.
Hey Dave, how about instead of a Bic lighter using a Zippo lighter. Wind resistant, refillable, you can get a lot more uses out of one Zippo compared to a pack of Bics. Love the vids man, thanks for sharing them with us.
i love your budget videos, i would love to come to the pathefinder school.
Best video l have seen on fat wood l now no what to look for. Loans of pine trees in Scotland so it's a big thanks bro and I have subscribed thanks again
Dave, you're making me miss living up on Camp Creek Road, just off of the Sioto River, over by Lucasville, Jasper, Waverly, and Piketon.
Another good vid, Dave. Chock full of good info. I learned long ago to collect tinder as I walk. Like you've pointed out before...when you need fire the most is when Murphy shows up. Grab and growl while you can and you won't regret it. When you fail to prepare is when nature hands you your ass on a platter.
Great stuff Dave..
Thanks.. digging the new series.
one of your best videos. keep up the good work
Excellent! Love this series.
Not enough people keep a magnifying glass in their fire kit, great advice. Wastes no resources as long as you have sun. Another good tinder is waxpaper, waterproof and very cheap. Twist it up and it will last longer like a wick.
I do like and enjoy your video's, I live in the sonoran desert, you got any tips for area's like where I'm from? Ground water is wet weather creeks ans usually dry up in two or three months, I was raised in the country and for water you can drink you look for windmills. We are getting drier every decade, I remember lots of spring that no longer exist. I miss you on that show...Your blacksmithing videos bring back a lot of memories.
Love the series dave you are the man
Great stuff Dave..
Taking notes for sure!
I know this is a much older video Dave but I have some fat with that I harvested from an old tree it's not like turpentine I want to try it out it didn't smell that way anymore but if you hold it up to a really bright light you can see the read through it and it still burns the same just dryed resin fat wood still works amazing.
awesome Dave right up my alley love these kinds of videos.
I always heard a lot about zippo lighters(not for the outdoors, just in general) so I bought one and man.. even using it 2-3 times a week I have to refill it all the time, fuel just evaporates like crazy.. I have to imagine it wouldn't be a great thing to count on? Well, excluding the igniter.
Dave, this is a good video. I've been thinking lately about styles of fire, meaning low smoke small fire for quick meal preparation, through fires designed to heat through a cold night, (Long Fire perhaps). My scenarios are this, on the run, well away but need to boil water, maybe cook a bird breast or two and you need a small fire. Or, months later in the woods and need a fire to smoke jerky for long term sustainability. Ergo, my request for the different types of fires demonstrated.
Always enjoy your video's! Thanks.
Hey Mike. :)
I'm going to hit the woods this weekend and work on this stuff.
Great video. A good variety of fire starters. Thanks.
i look forward to seeing dave's Bombproof budget containers...
great video dave! :D
DAMN! that went up with the quickness! it basically exploded. that was tight
hey dave check out this mini 3.5 in cast iron pan by loge logic it is small but not to small and would be great for a scout pack.
Love your videos and hav 3?of your books looking forward to the 4th. Keep up the good work.
gotta love the eastern woodlands.
another great video Dave...Thanks!! I was looking around at the different Fire videos you have on your channel and I noticed that you don't have anything on the Dakota fire pit...I don't know if you have ever looked into it or not, but it seems to be basically the same idea as a rocket stove only it uses only the ground to funnel air to the fire...very hot and almost smokeless...thought you might be interested. Please let me know what you think. Thanks again.
Great stuff dave.
sweet ... awareness and attitude ... very good information
That hanging vine junk is everywhere i live, especially if you're in deep wood boggy areas, where there is alot of overgrowth.
cheers dave i really enjoyed this one
I never walk past a resource while in the wilderness, even if I have plenty in my pack and I'm only planning on a short stay. Like Adam likes to say "always prepared or never prepared!" By the way nice billy can, been looking for just the right one to add to my kit, seems they're not very common to find these days
With the bic lighter...good idea with the balloon. I have found that if you wedge a rolled up piece of paper or something underneath the lighters fuel lever, it will stop the accidental emptying of the lighter fuel. Happened to me once when my (what i thought was foolproof) lighter got wedged up against something in my kit and screwed me something fierce by loosing all valauable fuel within.
BEST ignition/combustion ive seen from a spark yet except a bomb :-D that includes ray mears and bear grylls...
Love these videos!!!
Great video brother. Imma guess that's the pine sap still burning at the end?
Both videos in this series have been great. Do you plan on carrying that Old Hickory knife in the Pathfinder store or should I go with another source?
Crock pot bags or oven bags are good waterproof containers. They are designed to be in a 400 degree oven or crock pot for several hours without melting or leaking which means you could theoretically use them to homogenize water over a fire. Balloons are never nearly as high-quality as condoms because condoms are very carefully quality controlled whereas balloons are not, but I wouldn't use either to waterproof something. Oven bags are the way to go. Fairly cheap too.
it prefers birch trees and will look like a white horse hoof sticking out of the tree. the part that you use is the top or rounded side, you cut into the skin and you'll find a orange, spongy flesh, a lot like leather. you need to dry and and potentially treat this with a lye solution made from hardwood ashes to make it more flammable. if you're farther north, you can possibly find true tinder fungus, it'll look like a black mess on the side of birch trees, like charcoal, use the orange flesh.
great vid dave.good buck rub to brother
Great vid as always Dave.
-Cheers!
Dave where did you get the sheath for the Old Hickory Butcher Knife. I bought one a month ago and love it so far.
Awesome brother!......did a very similar video today actually that will be up in a while. Great minds think alike!
There are parts of New Hampshire White Moutains with over 100 square miles of White Birch .
nice video man! now i know what to look for!
Can any fungus be used for fire? We have a lot of different kinds here in Alaska. We don't have cattails, but we do have fireweed which I love using the old stocks from the year before as kindling and the tops as starter materials.
You make me want to got out in the woods and snort that stuff! Great vid!
Hey Dave, have you ever used those page sized 8X10 Fresnel lenses? They are dirt cheap, weigh nothing, and take up no room in your pack. Was wondering what your thoughts are on those.
I'm watching Discovery channel as I type this, recognized a voice, low and behold it's Dave!!!
great vid keep up the good work
great vids by the way how the horse they are a lot of work again great vids
Wrap a Q-Tip with 1 or 2 layers of Duct Tape. You'll get a few minutes burn time from it. Even the tightly woven stem of the Q-Tip embers and burns slow. The Duct Tape acts as fuel.
pine sap is a great glue as well
I went back and eventually got to see the rest of the video. The first time I watched it, it cut out at 3:38 minute mark? Strange.
Hi dave.
I was just wondering if you are selling the original bottle cook kit. I found one the said it was the second one but not the original one.
Ps I love your videos
Hey Dave,
what is that knife you were using with the rosewood handle to harvest fatwood at 3:20?
I cant find it on your website, they look similar but have micarta handles and more pronounced scandi ground blades
Great info thanks matey that is Bullet proof 👍👌🇬🇧
Hey dave, just wondering if there are any pathfinder instructors (or anyone else you would recommend) that operate in south-eastern Australia (Victoria) as some friends and i are just starting to get into hunting and self reliance and while a lot of what you discuss is very helpful, a lot of the local knowledge just doesn't apply here (like the type of trees)
My Daughter, (2 on Fri.) watches with me. Calls you Uncle Dave!
Hey Dave have you seen the GSI Stainless bottles I picked one up for under $10 the other day and was wondering if I should buy some more?
Good stuff as always Dave , who is the Pathfinder School Trained Instructor from England ? my neck of the wood ..
A1 VIDEO DAVE YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!!
I have a Mora Clipper, which is High Carbon Sweedish Steel. I can't get a spark off my Steel-of-fire (You call them ferral rods)...does it just need roughing up? Just thought i'd add that I got mine for £10.99 which is a good deal on a high carbon steel blade for those living in England :) I'm not sure how much it is anywhere else.
Dave where did you get that butcher knife? You paid something crazy like only $11! Great vid, as far as you know can you get fat wood from all types of pines?
Just subscribed, excellent vids.
These are great videos! I'll keep linking to them if you keep making them! ;-) Peace!
fantastic video as always, learn something in every video. im just wondering though what knife do you use? it looks a good quality knife!
Hey dave, Im up here in Western Washington, it can be pretty wet and miserable. Any tips on getting a fire going in this type of climate?
I keep seeing people talk about bic lighters getting wet. Just run it down your pant leg a few times till the friction dries the flint. Bam! Sure flame. Try it at home by dipping your bic in water, it works every time. Peace out.
Dave, is Shag Bark any good as a fire starter? I live in Northern Ohio and that's all we have around here
Hi Dave! As a lefty I like my knife on my left side. Unfortunately it's tough to find a lefty sheath. Any ideas other than making my own?
If you're in an urban environment, dryer lint takes a spark.
Didn't think about that in up in Ohio, he in NC it's perfect. Still thinking about water proofing mine, any homemade recommendations? I'm thinking of beeswax, turpentine, and boiled linseed oil concoction. but don't know if I what the turpentine on my head when sweating
it is a great glue, but to harden it you need to heat it and mix ash to it. When it dries it becomes really hard