The author talks about the size of the oilcloth & how to survive with only one blanket. He also talks about trekking in 40 degrees below & how comfort is relative.
We're fortunate that you share your first-hand knowledge and what you have learned through research. It's too easy to get caught up in the hype of today, leading one to believe that without the most modern contrivances, you cannot survive. When shelter is spoken of it is not considered that your clothing is your primary shelter, and any other shelter is to protect that clothing which is in turn sheltering your body. Then of course, every effort should be made to have energy providing food at hand. Building a fire to tend may not always the best way to conserve energy. It may be wiser to look to what nature provides as shelter, such as a covering of soil, forest debris, and even snow. If stones and soil are heated by a fire, they can provide warmth for a long time under and around a bed of green bows. Thank you for this thought provoking video.
Excellent points regarding skill sets (techniques) vs. equipment and the trade offs between them. Additionally, the relativity of comfort. Our modern world is so very full of luxuries that our society has deemed as necessities. People could quickly learn to do without those luxuries if the luxuries weren't available anymore. Excellent video sir.
Your Wisdom shines through Keith. I experienced a Michigan Winter of down to -30'C back in 2000, and I must say I actually enjoyed short doses of it. The time was of Heavy snow, near 3ft one night, a beautiful perfect flowing cover down the whole street. I did the usual Snow Angel and tested out those 15ft columns of ice from eave to ground....it was an experience I'll never forget. Nor will I forget the looks I got from people as i shoveled snow off the driveway each morning in a T-shirt. It was hard work, and I felt more comfortable while working and sweating in those temps that way. Work done though, I rugged up once again. It may be a far cry from wilderness survival, but the same thought pattern must be applied. The contrast of those temperatures with and without wind is actually life threatening, I will not joke about that at all. The same goes for rain. Another time that year I experienced -45'C up in Canada with a howling wind and literally could not face the wind for fear of my ears snapping off and my hands were useless in what felt like seconds out of my pockets or gloves. The snowy landscape feels like heaven to me, but I wouldn't want to live there. :-)
We made an oil cloth out of a painters tarp. Linseed oil, mineral spirits, iron oxide. It is 10' X 14' and is heavy. We had to sew two loop centered 4' from the ends to help run off. Still using para cords. Love ❤️ your videos
Good to hear from you again Timothy, & thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Yes weight is a problem, which is why I use the minimum size I can get away with. Plus of course from a historical point of view a single person would want their pack to be as light as possible. In a group or even two people one could carry a large oilcloth, but personally I prefer to be self-reliant. I don't want to have to rely on anyone else for my survival. Take care & stay safe. Regards, Keith.
Hi Mark. Some kit such as gun tools & the medical kit are a must whether you use them or not. But yes, once in a while we need to reevaluate what we have in our pack. Regards, Keith.
Thanks Keith, I enjoyed that chat. In winter where I am from (northern Ontario, Canada), the people definitely hauled sleds in winter in deep snow terrain and on frozen lakes and wetlands. Toboggans were used on deep soft snow and on lake ice with overflow slush hazards, and runnered sleds were used on hard packed trails and in spring on the icy crust. In deep cold for sleeping they traditionally required caribou skin robes and/or woven rabbit blankets to sleep in. With contact the Hudson Bay blanket, very thick heavy weave became very common. They slept on deep piles of spruce boughs to reduce conduction underneath and to stay dry. Once steel axes were available, they cut entire spruce, pine and fir trees, and dead snags of largest diameter they could handle, and heaped them on the giant fire for all night burns, and did very well. Their fire craft in winter was quite different than a modern who tends to make dainty little fires and rely more on gear and extras. In the old days here, they made huge fires scaled to the need of the moment.
I realize this has been up for a while but I just found it. You, sir, are an absolute brilliant ray of sunshine in the dark, dreary world on bushcraft nonsense peddled on youtube. Your common sense advice reminds me of my grandfather who passed away 40 years ago, yet whom I still remember vividly. Your commentary reflects a thorough understanding of your own experience and serves as a valuable lesson for all of us. I am very happy to subscribe and I look forward to watching all your videos in the next few days. Thank you for this video and all you contribute!
Thank you very much. I have given this subject much consideration over the years and dare say I agree with you whole heartedly. One of my forebears was with George Rogers Clark on the march from Kaskaskia to Vincennes. What they endured always was a thought in the back of my mind when someone in camp was whining about conditions.
Thank you alzathoth. Most of my smaller equipment pieces are contained in cloth or leather bags, & I did not want to lose anything out bush. But I Have made a second video which is uploading right now, that hopefully will give you a closer look. Regards, Keith.
Winter or rain an 8x8 foot is best to carry. 7x7 is better. 6x6 minimum. I use more natural shelter under cedar, maple, or spruce. A leaf lean to is do able. Warmth. Spare shirt for at night and foot wraps or socks. I have brought a deer skin as a mat. Using a black Sheep skin now because it is lighter ( back condition). I bring a sleeved gillet, larger longer wool over leggings, longer weskit, and Capot overcoat. In summer my capot is my sleeping bag and I skip the blanket. I heat up hot water to drink at night and eat some jerk and gallet ( bannock) if I wake up cold. I'm the furnace so I feed it. Great vid.
Wonderful discussion on the comfort level regarding the overall conditions. I enjoyed it a lot and it got me to thinking about my own gear. You are correct about oilskin being heavy. My winter oilskin drover coat (16 oz waxed canvas) is very heavy. With the leggans, it feels like putting on armor. I live only thirty minutes away from Colonial Williamsburg but rarely have the chance or abilities to go there. Your posts are answering my questions I had about early life of people in settlements or at cabins in the woods and on farms. Between your fire starting video and other modern ones, I can now say I have the know how to start a fire without modern tools. I have already begun to hunt for a tinderbox, flint, and steel. Thank you for all the knowledge you impart in your videos. I enjoy them more each time I watch one.
Missed this vid I guess. My oiled cloth is 6' x 6' and my medium blanket is about the same. I button my regimental over and it's works for me. Had some cold nights, but not dead yet.
No Geoff I have not. But I have been doing this for about 40 years now, I am a blog author & a book author & have participated on many forums. I guess eventually people will get the idea of who & what I am. Good to hear from you again Geoff. Regards, Keith. woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/my-book-primitive-fire-lighting-ebook.html australiansurvivalandpreppers.blogspot.com.au/ eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/
Hi keith long time hope your well, as always fantastic info i really like your way of thinking the old ways are the best ways this modern gear is to flimsy and not really built to last ok its nice and light but thats about all its got going for it,keep up the good work and stay safe,regards geoff :)
Mr Burgess, I love your videos and learn so much from your great videos! On the issue of sleds, I am from Cadiz, Spain and we escaped Franco by moving to Germany before comming to USA and I still have my sled from Germany!
Well, woodsmen in America certainly didn't leave oilcloth to chance. They bought it, and they used it. Eight by eight was more of less the standard size. Few carried smaller, many carried eight by ten, or even ten by twelve or twelve by twelve. Oilcloth, at least well made, high quality oilcloth, is really not very heavy, or bulky, especially when compared to canvas. It's worth its weight in gold on the trail. Staying out for days on end at forty below is pretty common here. It's either that, or stay inside all winter. Sleds are good, but using one depends on where you live. Sleds don't always make it easier when the terrain is all straight up and straight down. Horses, now, often do make everything easier, including carrying extra gear. Anyway, I'm amazed at how large and how heavy many of the canvas tarps were that woodsmen carried. Many carried both canvas and oilcloth. The single most important thing to a woodsman then was the same as it is now, a good night's sleep. Dry, warm, out of the elements sleep. Not relatively good, and not in relative comfort, but completely good, completely comfortable sleep. If they knew they were going to set up a hunting or trapping base camp, men often carried twenty to twenty-five pounds of sleeping gear alone. Otherwise, many still carried ten to twelve pounds of sleeping gear. Anyway, oilcloth was a valued item here, and no one waited to find a piece somewhere. I once took a trip and it rained for seven straight days. All day, every day. If I hadn't brought a twelve by twelve oilcloth, I'd have gone stir crazy. Using that for a shelter gave me just enough room to move around a bit, and stay busy during the day, and to sleep completely dry at night. I know a fella who keeps a twenty by twenty piece of oilcloth in his canoe, and doesn't mind carrying it a few miles when he leaves the canoe and moves inland to set up camp. If you live in rain country, it doesn't take long to appreciate having some room to move around when it's wet and that's what oilcloth gives you. As near as I can tell, the frontiersmen here appreciated oilcloth just as much as I do, or my friend does.
Very interesting James, well done in finding all this information on the Eastern woodsman & his gear! In all my research I have never come across such information. Can you please send me the link to this primary information. Regards, Keith.
I thought you were guarding a bee tree from the back ground sounds. Some Apache would refer to it being 1,2 or 3 shirt weather. Also I think the quality of the blanket played a role. Many today are thin and very loose weaved. They are okay for your house or cabin, but not the best for outside.
Another great presentation and quite right. In another of your videos you mentioned that you had been swamped on one of the Great Lakes. What kind of craft were you in? Which lake? What time of the year was it? I live on Lake Superior. Where you tracing the route from Montreal to Grand Portage?
Thank you Leo, much appreciated. The boat was much like a punt. This happened in winter. I live in Australia Leo, our Great Lakes are on the NSW coast. Where is the Great Lakes in New South Wales? Great Lakes Council was a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is situated adjacent to the shores of Port Stephens, Myall Lakes and Wallis Lake and the Pacific Highway and the Lakes Way. Regards, Keith.
@@historicaltrekking I recognized your accent and the trees as Australian but misguessed that your interest in the longhunters and woodsmen of the 18th century came during a trip here to the really big Great Lakes.
@@historicaltrekking I live in Sweden and I have been spending a lot of nights in temperatures below -15 Celsius with only the clothes on my back, wool all around, a wool blanket and canvas tarp. As you say, you are going to be comfortable but not warm. I've done it just because I want to test my limits. Some nights I have woken up by my body shaking with cold, then I tuck myself in an go back to sleep. Its hard but I enjoy to know where my limits go. :)
@@perberggren8415 Good to hear from you, & I totally agree. People these days have it soft when they go camping, they never really test their limits. Regards, Keith.
wonderful stuff! Wise comments and advice from one of the few Masters of all trades…(so many Jacks out there!)I'll revise my sleeping kit, and look at my shelter options with a renewed pespective…and, with permission from the Spirit of the Forest I'll get to another day.Thanks, mr Keith, my respects to a honorable man!
+Keith H. Burgess Thanks for your support mr Keith. Yes, knowledge without experience is of very weak value, right? I think I'll have a lot to learn from you, Mors Korshansky and Eugene Runks! Ray Mears, Bear Grills, etc...sorry, no thanks! Be well mr Keith and thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Great video Keith, I agree with you on someone being out in minus 40 degree weather, not very many can or could do it. one night maybe, you might live, multiple nights no. unless you had spent time with and were trained by someone like Mors Kochanski. And had cold weather gear. Most people have never been out over night at temperatures that cold you die very fast. I lived and worked in the North West Territories Canada
hi Keith thank you for that information,I was wondering how you would wear your half blanket? Would you drape the blanket around in any special way or cut a hole in the middle,and wear it as a poncho?regards Bill
Hi William, good to hear from you. I keep the half-blanket in one piece, it is of more use that way. I use a brooch at the front to hold it closed. Here is a link with an image on my blog William: woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/blanket-coats-blankets-and-matchcoats.html Regards, Keith.
very impressed, I have had a few trips to Canada, Cree and Ojibwa hunting. I tried to understand what the old trappers did out in the forest. it's shame, I didn't keep it up. take care
Well you have still had more experience than many others Stewart. I wish I had payed more attention to the old folks when I was younger. Take care mate. Keith.
thank you keith for the great talk..i feel better about my 6x6 oil cloth i made..lol. i have never shone it on a video , but i do carry it..i thought that people would say its to small ...it came in handy lots of time in the rain and for a ground cloth...thanks for giving me the confidence in my gear... ..bill
Hi, I've been watching your video's for about a week, and they have been illuminating. Two things struck me about this one, both involving Scouting here in the U.S. A subset of the B.S.A. is a group known as Order of the Arrow. Once elected to O.A. by ones troop, a candidate must participate in a ceremony,called "Ordeal." The first part of this is to be led silently into the forest to spend the night alone (twenty yards from your nearest neighbor, this isn't hazing.) When I did it, in 1986, we were restricted to any medical necessities, a sleeping bag and a ground cloth, or rain poncho. This was more than enough for a six hour night in late spring You mentioned that you thought two blankets would be bulky. When I first joined Scouting, they still offered the traditional "Scout Haversack" which when packed for an overnight camp had one blanket roll on each side. The ends were folded under the flap of the pack to make a horseshoe shape. I never liked that system, and upgraded to a modern backpack the first chance I got, but it does work.
I have never tried that Tony, but I don't think it would work very well. You would have trouble getting your sock on. Personally I don't wear socks in moccasins. Keith.
Canvas was rare, oilcloth was rarer. Wool was rare and expensive as it had to be imported from England. It was illegal to raise sheep. But what they did have was an abundance of furs. Particularly buffalo hides. Yes even in the early expansion, pre 1770s. They also built shelters , rode horses and paddled boats. The on foot woods man was probable the rare exception, and TV mythology. They were not playing but doing it to live and survive.
Good morning Keith. Thanks for your excellent commentary on oil cloth size and blankets. I am a beginner in using traditional methods and your thoughts are very useful and practical. ….Ken
Boreal Woodsrunner Hi Boreal Woodsrunner. I like almost everything outdoors and will continue to try everything my body allows. . I've been slowly learning traditional camping methods, using wool blanket rolls, instead of sleeping bags, for example. Made my first bow drill fire two years ago and just learned flint and steel. Due to the heavy weight of canvas, I've been using modern tarps instead canvas / oil cloths (Drs' orders to not carry more than 25 pounds ... bummer getting old). Keith's comments being practical with oil cloth makes a lot of sense. ATB, Ken
Hmm. I think mountain men in the northeastern US did it a bit different. A small haversack and a tiny tarp will get you dead. They carried plenty of gear on a rucksack. I respect what you're saying but I think that is philosophy from only a sliver of time from certain places. There are no sweet rolling woodlands with perfect logs from Hazel trees. They needed big tools to prepare lots of wood. They packed heavy and didn't always have pack animals like in movies. A different breed than me certainly. Just offering another perspective.
NewHampshire Bound With respect, I said nothing about using a small haversack, & no where have I found any primary evidence of woodsrunners carrying felling axes. It is a matter of skills. The more knowledge you have of the environment you live in & the more skills you have, the less gear you need to carry. However, I do not believe it is entirely possible to travel great distances with a totally light pack, even though most of what we carry is for comfort. Keith.
NewHampshire Bound I think that at all times we must keep in mind that these woodsmen were individuals. Too many writers seem to assume that each one was just like another. My own equipment is based on research, but also on my own experiences in the woods. This is not to say that one may not have learnt something from another, but at the same time, it was a personal choice whether they took this information onboard or not. Many times I have read primary accounts of woodsmen making strange choices or doing something that seems to me really stupid. But not all were like Boone or Gist, not all were that intelligent. These are the ones that did not make it into the history books, because they did not survive. Keith.
From the research I have done so far I would say no Mike. The blanket was a favourite all round bed or shelter, though obviously many also used the oilcloth as shelter & retained the blanket for bedding. I have found no mention anywhere so far of using a ground cloth, though I have found mention of using various vegetation/flora for making a bed off the wet or cold ground. Keith.
Mike Thebushcrafter I use whatever is available, usually I make a bed of sticks, but I have also used tree bark & bracken fern. Anything to get me up off the ground. Keith.
Good question IG 88. I have no idea. I do not camp too close to creeks, rivers or header streams, these are popular places for snakes to hunt for food. High places are good for setting up camp, also in stick laden forests. Snakes of course will go anywhere, you can only do the best you can with what you have. I have never had a snake in my bedroll, though once in the Territory I did wake up in the night with a weight on my chest. I threw the blanket one way & rolled in the opposite direction. It was very dark, & I never did find out what it was. Take care out there. Regards, Keith.
Hey keith, been watching your videos for a while now. I was also involved in living history reenactments before i joined the navy, been away from it for about three years, any way i was wondering if they might have had something like a tick mattress or just a linen bag they could have stuffed with grass or pine needles to make a mattress to keep them from losing heat to the ground. im trying to go for a longhunter or trapper persona so any imput would be helpful, thanks!
Good day Andy, good to hear from you. No I am not aware of anything like that being used. I remember the tick from my childhood camping days. I simply lay down a bed of sticks, if there are furns around then I may pick those to lay on top of the sticks, My blanket goes on top of the sticks so I lay on half & pull the other half over me. Regards, Keith.
Sorry to hear that Don, I guess it depends on one's interests. This should have either educated you or confirmed what you already know. Perhaps 18th century living history is not your thing. Regards, Keith.
Love your videos, Keith. Always a great look at history.
Some wonderful thoughts and info Keith, thanks for sharing!
We're fortunate that you share your first-hand knowledge and what you have learned through research. It's too easy to get caught up in the hype of today, leading one to believe that without the most modern contrivances, you cannot survive. When shelter is spoken of it is not considered that your clothing is your primary shelter, and any other shelter is to protect that clothing which is in turn sheltering your body. Then of course, every effort should be made to have energy providing food at hand. Building a fire to tend may not always the best way to conserve energy. It may be wiser to look to what nature provides as shelter, such as a covering of soil, forest debris, and even snow. If stones and soil are heated by a fire, they can provide warmth for a long time under and around a bed of green bows. Thank you for this thought provoking video.
Amazing words of wisdom.
Thanks Joe.
Keith.
Excellent points regarding skill sets (techniques) vs. equipment and the trade offs between them. Additionally, the relativity of comfort. Our modern world is so very full of luxuries that our society has deemed as necessities. People could quickly learn to do without those luxuries if the luxuries weren't available anymore. Excellent video sir.
Thank you John.
Regards, Keith.
Your Wisdom shines through Keith.
I experienced a Michigan Winter of down to -30'C back in 2000, and I must say I actually enjoyed short doses of it. The time was of Heavy snow, near 3ft one night, a beautiful perfect flowing cover down the whole street. I did the usual Snow Angel and tested out those 15ft columns of ice from eave to ground....it was an experience I'll never forget. Nor will I forget the looks I got from people as i shoveled snow off the driveway each morning in a T-shirt. It was hard work, and I felt more comfortable while working and sweating in those temps that way. Work done though, I rugged up once again. It may be a far cry from wilderness survival, but the same thought pattern must be applied. The contrast of those temperatures with and without wind is actually life threatening, I will not joke about that at all. The same goes for rain.
Another time that year I experienced -45'C up in Canada with a howling wind and literally could not face the wind for fear of my ears snapping off and my hands were useless in what felt like seconds out of my pockets or gloves.
The snowy landscape feels like heaven to me, but I wouldn't want to live there. :-)
Good to hear from you Doc, & thank you, appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
Very good Keith.
Thank you for sharing with us. Have a good day. Brian.
Interesting to see the Eucalyptus trees in the background....
great info, you give a good insight to the ways of the past. so much has been forgotten i m glade there are folks like you to educate us.
tanks för your videos, i like them very much.
Mikael from Sweden 👍
Awesome! Your right on!
We made an oil cloth out of a painters tarp. Linseed oil, mineral spirits, iron oxide. It is 10' X 14' and is heavy. We had to sew two loop centered 4' from the ends to help run off. Still using para cords. Love ❤️ your videos
Good to hear from you again Timothy, & thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Yes weight is a problem, which is why I use the minimum size I can get away with. Plus of course from a historical point of view a single person would want their pack to be as light as possible. In a group or even two people one could carry a large oilcloth, but personally I prefer to be self-reliant. I don't want to have to rely on anyone else for my survival.
Take care & stay safe.
Regards, Keith.
Nice one Keith , makes me think about all the unnecessary kit I take with me that I don't always use great video .
Hi Mark. Some kit such as gun tools & the medical kit are a must whether you use them or not. But yes, once in a while we need to reevaluate what we have in our pack.
Regards, Keith.
I hear that i have cut out alot of kit i never used and put it back together from the ground up...i ended up cutting almost 20 pounds out of it lol
Boreal Woodsrunner Good one, well done mate.
Regards, Keith.
Thanks Keith, I enjoyed that chat. In winter where I am from (northern Ontario, Canada), the people definitely hauled sleds in winter in deep snow terrain and on frozen lakes and wetlands. Toboggans were used on deep soft snow and on lake ice with overflow slush hazards, and runnered sleds were used on hard packed trails and in spring on the icy crust. In deep cold for sleeping they traditionally required caribou skin robes and/or woven rabbit blankets to sleep in. With contact the Hudson Bay blanket, very thick heavy weave became very common. They slept on deep piles of spruce boughs to reduce conduction underneath and to stay dry. Once steel axes were available, they cut entire spruce, pine and fir trees, and dead snags of largest diameter they could handle, and heaped them on the giant fire for all night burns, and did very well. Their fire craft in winter was quite different than a modern who tends to make dainty little fires and rely more on gear and extras. In the old days here, they made huge fires scaled to the need of the moment.
Thank you Wintertrekker for the feedback & information. Very interesting & greatly appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
A great discussion Keith your knowledge and insight helpful as always. Thank you.
Thank you Opal.
Regards, Keith.
I realize this has been up for a while but I just found it. You, sir, are an absolute brilliant ray of sunshine in the dark, dreary world on bushcraft nonsense peddled on youtube. Your common sense advice reminds me of my grandfather who passed away 40 years ago, yet whom I still remember vividly. Your commentary reflects a thorough understanding of your own experience and serves as a valuable lesson for all of us. I am very happy to subscribe and I look forward to watching all your videos in the next few days. Thank you for this video and all you contribute!
Johnny, your comment is the first thing I have read this morning, & you have made my day. Thank you, very much appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
This is another one of your videos I've had to watch a number of times. Besides being outdoors it's very instructive. Great job Keith! God bless!
Much obliged Steve, thank you.
Regards, Keith.
Thank you very much. I have given this subject much consideration over the years and dare say I agree with you whole heartedly. One of my forebears was with George Rogers Clark on the march from Kaskaskia to Vincennes. What they endured always was a thought in the back of my mind when someone in camp was whining about conditions.
Appreciate the feedback Jim, good to hear from you.
Keith.
True that , very good philosophy and your right ! Very nice I do pre 1805 living history and yes ask that a lot what did they do ! 🐉
Good day Alexander, good to hear from you. Thank you for your comment mate, much appreciated.
Keith.
great video. please don't be afraid to zoom in more for your narrative.
thanks :)
Thank you alzathoth. Most of my smaller equipment pieces are contained in cloth or leather bags, & I did not want to lose anything out bush. But I Have made a second video which is uploading right now, that hopefully will give you a closer look.
Regards, Keith.
Keith H. Burgess hey thanks keith! I look forward to it. :)
alzathoth My pleasure.
Keith.
Good info Keith. Practical, informative and some old timey common sense.
Thank you John, appreciated.
Regards, Keith..
Winter or rain an 8x8 foot is best to carry. 7x7 is better. 6x6 minimum. I use more natural shelter under cedar, maple, or spruce. A leaf lean to is do able. Warmth. Spare shirt for at night and foot wraps or socks. I have brought a deer skin as a mat. Using a black Sheep skin now because it is lighter ( back condition). I bring a sleeved gillet, larger longer wool over leggings, longer weskit, and Capot overcoat. In summer my capot is my sleeping bag and I skip the blanket. I heat up hot water to drink at night and eat some jerk and gallet ( bannock) if I wake up cold. I'm the furnace so I feed it. Great vid.
Wonderful discussion on the comfort level regarding the overall conditions. I enjoyed it a lot and it got me to thinking about my own gear. You are correct about oilskin being heavy. My winter oilskin drover coat (16 oz waxed canvas) is very heavy. With the leggans, it feels like putting on armor.
I live only thirty minutes away from Colonial Williamsburg but rarely have the chance or abilities to go there. Your posts are answering my questions I had about early life of people in settlements or at cabins in the woods and on farms. Between your fire starting video and other modern ones, I can now say I have the know how to start a fire without modern tools. I have already begun to hunt for a tinderbox, flint, and steel. Thank you for all the knowledge you impart in your videos. I enjoy them more each time I watch one.
Good to hear from you again Damian, your comment has made my day! Much appreciated. If I can ever be of any assistance, let me know.
Regards, Keith.
What a gem. Very happy to have found your channel, Mr. Burgess.
Thank you TL, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Regards, Keith.
Sage advice indeed............Thanks
Thank-You thornwarbler.
Regards, Keith.
Missed this vid I guess. My oiled cloth is 6' x 6' and my medium blanket is about the same. I button my regimental over and it's works for me. Had some cold nights, but not dead yet.
Good one Sir Fredrick, sounds like you are doing alright then. You take care out there.
Keith.
thanks for your thoughts keith
Thanks so Kieth! Well said! well said!
And thank-you Tom.
Regards, Keith.
Your videos remind me of being taught history by my grandpa, out in the woods.
A compliment indeed, thank you James. Much appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
I find your vids very entertaining and informative. Have you made one just explaining who you are and what you are about?
No Geoff I have not. But I have been doing this for about 40 years now, I am a blog author & a book author & have participated on many forums. I guess eventually people will get the idea of who & what I am.
Good to hear from you again Geoff.
Regards, Keith.
woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/my-book-primitive-fire-lighting-ebook.html
australiansurvivalandpreppers.blogspot.com.au/
eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/
Hi keith long time hope your well, as always fantastic info i really like your way of thinking the old ways are the best ways this modern gear is to flimsy and not really built to last ok its nice and light but thats about all its got going for it,keep up the good work and stay safe,regards geoff :)
Mr Burgess, I love your videos and learn so much from your great videos!
On the issue of sleds, I am from Cadiz, Spain and we escaped Franco by moving to Germany before comming to USA and I still have my sled from Germany!
+LuckyShitZu Excellent Lucky!
Keith.
Great information as always, Keith. Thank you for all you put out there for us!
Well, woodsmen in America certainly didn't leave oilcloth to chance. They bought it, and they used it. Eight by eight was more of less the standard size. Few carried smaller, many carried eight by ten, or even ten by twelve or twelve by twelve. Oilcloth, at least well made, high quality oilcloth, is really not very heavy, or bulky, especially when compared to canvas. It's worth its weight in gold on the trail. Staying out for days on end at forty below is pretty common here. It's either that, or stay inside all winter. Sleds are good, but using one depends on where you live. Sleds don't always make it easier when the terrain is all straight up and straight down. Horses, now, often do make everything easier, including carrying extra gear. Anyway, I'm amazed at how large and how heavy many of the canvas tarps were that woodsmen carried. Many carried both canvas and oilcloth. The single most important thing to a woodsman then was the same as it is now, a good night's sleep. Dry, warm, out of the elements sleep. Not relatively good, and not in relative comfort, but completely good, completely comfortable sleep. If they knew they were going to set up a hunting or trapping base camp, men often carried twenty to twenty-five pounds of sleeping gear alone. Otherwise, many still carried ten to twelve pounds of sleeping gear. Anyway, oilcloth was a valued item here, and no one waited to find a piece somewhere. I once took a trip and it rained for seven straight days. All day, every day. If I hadn't brought a twelve by twelve oilcloth, I'd have gone stir crazy. Using that for a shelter gave me just enough room to move around a bit, and stay busy during the day, and to sleep completely dry at night. I know a fella who keeps a twenty by twenty piece of oilcloth in his canoe, and doesn't mind carrying it a few miles when he leaves the canoe and moves inland to set up camp. If you live in rain country, it doesn't take long to appreciate having some room to move around when it's wet and that's what oilcloth gives you. As near as I can tell, the frontiersmen here appreciated oilcloth just as much as I do, or my friend does.
Very interesting James, well done in finding all this information on the Eastern woodsman & his gear! In all my research I have never come across such information. Can you please send me the link to this primary information.
Regards, Keith.
I thought you were guarding a bee tree from the back ground sounds. Some Apache would refer to it being 1,2 or 3 shirt weather. Also I think the quality of the blanket played a role. Many today are thin and very loose weaved. They are okay for your house or cabin, but not the best for outside.
Another great presentation and quite right. In another of your videos you mentioned that you had been swamped on one of the Great Lakes. What kind of craft were you in? Which lake? What time of the year was it? I live on Lake Superior. Where you tracing the route from Montreal to Grand Portage?
Thank you Leo, much appreciated. The boat was much like a punt. This happened in winter. I live in Australia Leo, our Great Lakes are on the NSW coast.
Where is the Great Lakes in New South Wales?
Great Lakes Council was a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is situated adjacent to the shores of Port Stephens, Myall Lakes and Wallis Lake and the Pacific Highway and the Lakes Way.
Regards, Keith.
@@historicaltrekking I recognized your accent and the trees as Australian but misguessed that your interest in the longhunters and woodsmen of the 18th century came during a trip here to the really big Great Lakes.
Love this video! Think i've seen it 100 Times. Big fan! Keep up the god work, Keith!
Much appreciated PB.
Regards, Keith.
@@historicaltrekking I live in Sweden and I have been spending a lot of nights in temperatures below -15 Celsius with only the clothes on my back, wool all around, a wool blanket and canvas tarp. As you say, you are going to be comfortable but not warm. I've done it just because I want to test my limits. Some nights I have woken up by my body shaking with cold, then I tuck myself in an go back to sleep.
Its hard but I enjoy to know where my limits go. :)
@@perberggren8415 Good to hear from you, & I totally agree. People these days have it soft when they go camping, they never really test their limits.
Regards, Keith.
wonderful stuff! Wise comments and advice from one of the few Masters of all trades…(so many Jacks out there!)I'll revise my sleeping kit, and look at my shelter options with a renewed pespective…and, with permission from the Spirit of the Forest I'll get to another day.Thanks, mr Keith, my respects to a honorable man!
+GAUROCH2 Kind words & much appreciated. Your own experience will be your best guide. Spend as much time as you can outside.
Regards, Keith.
+Keith H. Burgess Thanks for your support mr Keith. Yes, knowledge without experience is of very weak value, right? I think I'll have a lot to learn from you, Mors Korshansky and Eugene Runks!
Ray Mears, Bear Grills, etc...sorry, no thanks!
Be well mr Keith and thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Good video. makes a lot of sense!
Thank you for the feedback oldigger, much appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
thanks Keith ;)
My pleasure, good to hear from you again.
Regards, Keith.
Great video Keith, I agree with you on someone being out in minus 40 degree weather, not very many can or could do it. one night maybe, you might live, multiple nights no. unless you had spent time with and were trained by someone like Mors Kochanski. And had cold weather gear. Most people have never been out over night at temperatures that cold you die very fast. I lived and worked in the North West Territories Canada
Thank you Greg, good to hear from you.
Regards, Keith.
Here in New Hampshire our Winters get to -20 on avrage and -40 for record lows. But this Winter has been rather warm with little snow.
LuckyShitZu Minus 10 this morning Manchester NH. 1/2/18. That was brutal.
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with us young folks! (Not saying you're old!) :)
Thank you Andrew, but I am old, & it is my pleasure Andrew.
Regards, Keith.
hi Keith thank you for that information,I was wondering how you would wear your half blanket? Would you drape the blanket around in any special way or cut a hole in the middle,and wear it as a poncho?regards Bill
Hi William, good to hear from you. I keep the half-blanket in one piece, it is of more use that way. I use a brooch at the front to hold it closed. Here is a link with an image on my blog William: woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/blanket-coats-blankets-and-matchcoats.html
Regards, Keith.
very impressed, I have had a few trips to Canada, Cree and Ojibwa hunting. I tried to understand what the old trappers did out in the forest. it's shame, I didn't keep it up. take care
Well you have still had more experience than many others Stewart. I wish I had payed more attention to the old folks when I was younger.
Take care mate.
Keith.
Ha -40 is -40... Fahrenheit and Celsius :)
thank you keith for the great talk..i feel better about my 6x6 oil cloth i made..lol. i have never shone it on a video , but i do carry it..i thought that people would say its to small ...it came in handy lots of time in the rain and for a ground cloth...thanks for giving me the confidence in my gear...
..bill
No worries Bill, trust your instincts.
Regards, Keith.
Awesome.
Hi,
I've been watching your video's for about a week, and they have been illuminating.
Two things struck me about this one, both involving Scouting here in the U.S. A subset of the B.S.A. is a group known as Order of the Arrow. Once elected to O.A. by ones troop, a candidate must participate in a ceremony,called "Ordeal." The first part of this is to be led silently into the forest to spend the night alone (twenty yards from your nearest neighbor, this isn't hazing.) When I did it, in 1986, we were restricted to any medical necessities, a sleeping bag and a ground cloth, or rain poncho. This was more than enough for a six hour night in late spring
You mentioned that you thought two blankets would be bulky. When I first joined Scouting, they still offered the traditional "Scout Haversack" which when packed for an overnight camp had one blanket roll on each side. The ends were folded under the flap of the pack to make a horseshoe shape. I never liked that system, and upgraded to a modern backpack the first chance I got, but it does work.
Thank you for your feedback Mark, much appreciated.
Regards, Keith.
great video,as always.you always manage to put things in perspective:)
Great video Keith. Lots of commonsense there. :)
Hey Keith I've got a question can you treat your socks with this
I have never tried that Tony, but I don't think it would work very well. You would have trouble getting your sock on. Personally I don't wear socks in moccasins.
Keith.
Thank you,Sir, for your fine information.
I will share this with my friends!
Clark
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Canvas was rare, oilcloth was rarer. Wool was rare and expensive as it had to be imported from England. It was illegal to raise sheep. But what they did have was an abundance of furs. Particularly buffalo hides. Yes even in the early expansion, pre 1770s. They also built shelters , rode horses and paddled boats. The on foot woods man was probable the rare exception, and TV mythology. They were not playing but doing it to live and survive.
Good morning Keith. Thanks for your excellent commentary on oil cloth size and blankets. I am a beginner in using traditional methods and your thoughts are very useful and practical. ….Ken
I appreciate your feedback Ken, thank you. By the way, it is 9.20 pm on Thursday night here :) Good night Ken.
Regards, Keith.
Ken are you getting into the bushcraft side instead of the stealth camping or will you continue with that as well?Good video Keith as always ATB
Boreal Woodsrunner Hi Boreal Woodsrunner. I like almost everything outdoors and will continue to try everything my body allows. . I've been slowly learning traditional camping methods, using wool blanket rolls, instead of sleeping bags, for example. Made my first bow drill fire two years ago and just learned flint and steel. Due to the heavy weight of canvas, I've been using modern tarps instead canvas / oil cloths (Drs' orders to not carry more than 25 pounds ... bummer getting old). Keith's comments being practical with oil cloth makes a lot of sense. ATB, Ken
yep i was going to get a 8x8 oil tarp but then i started thinking that since im only 5'4" i didn't really need such a big one lol,ATB
Keith you can still get these here the Amish still make them they also make butieful wooden furniture by hand look them up
Hmm. I think mountain men in the northeastern US did it a bit different. A small haversack and a tiny tarp will get you dead. They carried plenty of gear on a rucksack. I respect what you're saying but I think that is philosophy from only a sliver of time from certain places. There are no sweet rolling woodlands with perfect logs from Hazel trees. They needed big tools to prepare lots of wood. They packed heavy and didn't always have pack animals like in movies. A different breed than me certainly. Just offering another perspective.
NewHampshire Bound With respect, I said nothing about using a small haversack, & no where have I found any primary evidence of woodsrunners carrying felling axes. It is a matter of skills. The more knowledge you have of the environment you live in & the more skills you have, the less gear you need to carry. However, I do not believe it is entirely possible to travel great distances with a totally light pack, even though most of what we carry is for comfort.
Keith.
Keith H. Burgess
Either way, I appreciate what you do. Your kit is quite interesting. I learned alot from your talk about char cloth/wood/tins.
NewHampshire Bound I think that at all times we must keep in mind that these woodsmen were individuals. Too many writers seem to assume that each one was just like another. My own equipment is based on research, but also on my own experiences in the woods. This is not to say that one may not have learnt something from another, but at the same time, it was a personal choice whether they took this information onboard or not.
Many times I have read primary accounts of woodsmen making strange choices or doing something that seems to me really stupid. But not all were like Boone or Gist, not all were that intelligent. These are the ones that did not make it into the history books, because they did not survive.
Keith.
What about ground cloths? Period or no?
From the research I have done so far I would say no Mike. The blanket was a favourite all round bed or shelter, though obviously many also used the oilcloth as shelter & retained the blanket for bedding. I have found no mention anywhere so far of using a ground cloth, though I have found mention of using various vegetation/flora for making a bed off the wet or cold ground.
Keith.
Keith H. Burgess So, if it's cold and wet on the ground, then it's a cold and wet night ahead,huh?
Mike Thebushcrafter I use whatever is available, usually I make a bed of sticks, but I have also used tree bark & bracken fern. Anything to get me up off the ground.
Keith.
What do I do about snakes trying to hop into bed with me?
Good question IG 88. I have no idea. I do not camp too close to creeks, rivers or header streams, these are popular places for snakes to hunt for food. High places are good for setting up camp, also in stick laden forests. Snakes of course will go anywhere, you can only do the best you can with what you have.
I have never had a snake in my bedroll, though once in the Territory I did wake up in the night with a weight on my chest. I threw the blanket one way & rolled in the opposite direction. It was very dark, & I never did find out what it was.
Take care out there.
Regards, Keith.
Hey keith, been watching your videos for a while now. I was also involved in living history reenactments before i joined the navy, been away from it for about three years, any way i was wondering if they might have had something like a tick mattress or just a linen bag they could have stuffed with grass or pine needles to make a mattress to keep them from losing heat to the ground. im trying to go for a longhunter or trapper persona so any imput would be helpful, thanks!
Good day Andy, good to hear from you. No I am not aware of anything like that being used. I remember the tick from my childhood camping days. I simply lay down a bed of sticks, if there are furns around then I may pick those to lay on top of the sticks, My blanket goes on top of the sticks so I lay on half & pull the other half over me.
Regards, Keith.
Did not get anything out of this. Probably just me.
Sorry to hear that Don, I guess it depends on one's interests. This should have either educated you or confirmed what you already know. Perhaps 18th century living history is not your thing.
Regards, Keith.
Aren't you a little old for the Halloween day? Das ist bescheuert.
Martin Von Ingersleben moron