Ive been doing " bushcraft " since 1968. Ive pretty much seen it all. Ill admit though, that trick shaving the body of the bic lighter made me smile, nevercsaw that before. We NEVER stop learning!😅
This is not bushcraft. It's a nice trick from knowledge, experience and very good mind, but it's not bushcraft. Bush craft= made from nature No modern tools allowed, only native people knowledge or every knowledge to solute things out of nature. You are a modern hunter with lot of tricks? You are absolutely doing a good job in sharing, but that's not bushcraft guys. What we see today is a mix of people adaptations and a lot of good ideas, but it's not bushcraft. Just call it outdoors tricks for survival and it's better. Let's not make mistakes please
Something I find more reliable than a bic lighter is TWO bic lighters. On the freakishly rare event that that both of them fail, it's still quite possible that one still has a spark and the other still has gas.
@@cloudbase7799what did our predecessors do? Are we that weak? Brings up a good point though. There's a balance that animals find in their habitat. Some humans are immune to some baddies in the water because they've drank it for generations. I'd have to agree with you on that basis. My guess is that a neon light office worker should use Charmin because He's weak and unacclimated.
If you swap your Bic for a Clipper, both the fuel and flint are refillable. The striker is also designed to remove from the lighter for standalone use. Pro tip, disposable lighters have really long flints. You find them everywhere and can remove the extra flint as a refill for your Clipper or Zippo.
@@raven_glassgo check out an old IMCO lighter, liquid fuel but doesn't dry out quick like a Zippo, plus the fuel reservoir comes out once lit and you can use it like a candle
TIP : That spent lighter isnt as spent as you think it is. Pull the metal cap off like you did hold the gas button down with other hand spin the strike wheel and you will get a tiny flame, might get 20 extra lights out of it. Cant have windy conditions though, the metal guard keeps last bit of fuel from igniting.Also if in a cold climate keep the lighter close to your body so it is warm, cold butane dont expand much but if warm you have better chances of a lite.
Do not do this: With the metal cover off, carefully stretch the mechanism and disengage the gears between the valve and lever, slip the lever back over to the other side (kinda like a ratchet), and the valve can now be opened further (and can turn a normal lighter into a mini flamethrower). Edit: When I said "don't do this" that was meant to serve as a disclaimer because I know some jackwagon is gonna do it and do something stupid then blame me. 😑
Good tips. To keep your axe from getting stuck in a log, stop aiming at the “bullseye.” The center of a log isn’t what holds it together. Aim for just a blade width in from the edge and logs split quick without binding your axe head.
Mr. Hayes is obviously the man, and getting guidance from him is priceless and greatly appreciated. That having been said, I'd just like to share my experience with using paracord as laces. I first heard about this practice about 15 years ago, when I started getting into long distance hiking/bushcraft. It seemed useful, easy to do, and pretty "tacticool", so I did it right away. For the next couple of years, constantly re-tying my boots became just... part of hiking. As mentioned in this video, they tend to be slick, and come undone. Constantly. I was using mil-spec 550 cord, and the slickness never went away for me, even after a few years of heavy use. Only half-thinking about it, I think I told myself that this was just the cost of having easy-access paracord at my fingertips, should I ever need it. Meanwhile, I had a 100ft bundle of the same mil-spec paracord in my backpack, on every single outing. Plus, of course, the few extra feet available to me in my constantly untying boots... "should I ever need it". I eventually recognized the error in my thinking, and went back to regular laces. I've never broken laces in a quality boot, and not to burst bubbles, but after 15 years of hiking, rafting, camping, and hunting, there hasn't been a single instance when I went - this 100ft paracord line isn't enough; I wish I had that extra FOUR feet of it in my boots! That would be totally worth constantly re-tying my boots! :)
That was my thought as well after trying paracord laces for some time. It's neat, and paracord is tacticool and all that, but I came to a similar conclusion as you. If I'm going out on a hike or something outdoors, I tend to bring along paracord with me anyway. And I also have never had a normal shoelace break.
You could use a plastic slider/lock device that's often used on hoodie cords and such. I have a pair of sneakers that came that way, and I love how quickly I could get my shoes on, and it holds very well.
I highly recommend you do your best to not inhale the smoke from duct tape and plastic shavings from the lighter...pretty toxic dioxin fumes. And of course, if it is an emergency situation that is a totally different situation. Same goes for burning your trash. ;-) Fun tips Clay, thank you. And yes, bend at the knees when swinging an ax!
@@mattmarzula: I like the shrink tubing because I find the consistent tube shape is easier to get through the eyelets - when you burn the end they tend to form a lump that's harder to insert through. Just my experience.
Add a short piece of cord to the o-rig with a stop knot as a pull tab. Handy for cold/gloved/slippery/injured fingers. I try and keep the cord oriented under the fuel button of the lighter, but it's helpful regardless of where it ends up.
You can also use a zip tie which has the same width as the groove between the tail of the button and the body of the lighter. To undo just twist the "lock" of the zip tie from the metal to the groove and then you can slide it down.
I use a hair tie or rubber band. Don't last long, but very easy. All they need is enough resistance to stop accidental discharge, I don't even take mine off, can push through the elastic and still get it started. 20yr smoker here, use my lighter all day 😅
@@clayhayeshunter Sir , you're the real deal . Thanks for all your hard work, honour and integrity. Kind regards from England ( where only criminals have guns) 😂
As someone who works in safety, don't turn your axe off slightly. You will hurt yourself. An axe is a wedge. And as an engineer, the straight vertical force exerted downwards would become circular causing torsion. The impact will either ricochet or force exerted by axe wielder will lose balance. ... And the other reason to split your legs when swinging is for stability... like a baseball player.
I was wondering how far down id get before someone pointed this out! Not to mention various other problems with how hes splitting wood! Ive split would every year of my life since I was 6 and i wouldn't recommend any part of what he's doing in the video! The whole stance, hand placement and way he swings. They all scream injury waiting to happen! 🤦♂️😔 honestly though if i made videos id make one just detailing all the issues with his way and explain a much better format that wont hurt your back or exhaust you nearly as fast! Meanwhile increasing your impact force and minimizing the area of potential axe hitting human thus reducing your risk of injury! Id love to go over it all with the CC if he would be interested in learning another way! But i hate being on camera! 😳
I worked in the metal trades for over 20 yrs - now I work with racehorses - every safety man I've ever met was a safety man cause he couldn't work in the industry
I would like to caution you about using paracord for boot laces. Although they are quite useful and resilient, they will eventually cause the metal portions of the boot's lace eyelets to become sharp due to the constant rubbing back and forth against the paracord and eventually begin to cut the paracord resulting in frequent failures due to being sliced and weakened. I have found that removing the guts from the paracord beforehand helps to mitigate this but then again, you're practically removing the advantages of just using the regular laces. Also, once the eyelets become sharpened by the paracord they will cut through regular laces rather quickly.
@@BlueGorillaInTheMist yes, eventually it wears it down to a sharpened edge. I've only noticed this on Whites brand boots though, so maybe there's a difference in the metal used for the eyelets. Anyhoo... just a heads up :)
That trick with the mud on the flat end of a stick is clever. I once got a usable edge on a case knife by running it across a rubber tie down strap. I was surprised how well it worked. That's why I tend to buy blades with softer steels.
The back of a saucer rules for sharpening knives and I have whetstones, and sharpening steels and grinding wheels and other sharpening tools galore!! Rocks, cardboard, paper all can dull knives but also sharpen them! Water leading to rust dulls knives and razor blades so keep them dry!
I loved every second of your podcast , I'm just a big city boy that loves the outdoors , I will remember your tips on survival , especially if a nuclear weapon hits nearby.
Yes please! More. Straightforward but charismatic. Good tips. Didn't know about sharpening a blade with mud like that! Now I'm thinking mud on a stone might be better than a stone?
Already knew the first tip but kept on watching. The following is not what you tipically see. So thanks for sharing your personnal tips. They are valuable !
Another idea for boot laces is to use automotive wire - the kind that runs to your taillights. It is readily available, easy to work with, pulls tight and stays tight, easy to remove and the tie doesn't freeze up. I started using it for my wading boots 20 years ago. In a survival situation it gives you snare wire. On my axes I always run #19 galvanized wire from the axe eye back about 4-6" wrapped around the handle. Pin the end of the wire to a shed, stick the other end in the eye or tack to the handle - walk back from the shed and put good tension on the wire then start rolling the handle as you walk to the wall. Every now and then take an axe file and tap the wraps together nice and neat. When you have it all on just tack the end to the handle - gives your axe extra years of life and gives you a great source of wire when you are in the woods.
@MarkJamesRobertEssex69 Well, yah. Most of those thousands was spent learning to stop saying "ugh ugh ooah ooah", developing an alphabet, shedding body hair, and learning to put the fork to the left of the plate.
I loved the tip about nature's TP. At about age 10, I found out the hard way (no pun intended) that dried leaves don't work any better than pine cones. I'm 58 now, and I think I can still feel an itch or two. One of my uncles told me, "At least it wasn't dried poison ivy."
I personally prefer to hank cordage in a figure eight, around the thumb and pinkie of my outstretched hand. Since you make a backwards half turn after every half turn you introduce basically no twist to the cordage, meaning it´s way less likely to get tangled. It also appears to be faster than the normal wrapping technique. When you want to saw through a branch and don´t have anything to brace against, instead of kneeling down and sawing on one knee I found it`s way more stable to squat down while you clamp the branch with the back of your knees. You´d then saw on the outside next to your knee. I found it makes a difference especially with material thicker than your wrist.
Duct tape is a great babysitter too... Great vid. You can never bring too many ways of starting a fire. I usually have a lighter, flint and steel or ferro rod, and waterproof matches on me. If all else fails, those waterproof matches that are coated with phosphorus will get the job done.
Being retired from the AF, we got miles of aged paracord from the parachute shop, but age doesn't seem to matter much. I have some that is 40 years old and it still seems to work like new. I am past the deep woods hiking and camping, but still enjoy videos like this.
Very good video bro. I didn't think I would really learn anything but I did. Not that I'm some Know-it-all but I spent a lot of time in the woods growing up and as an adult. I didn't know the ax turn or the neat way u wrapped the Paracord. I will definitely tune into more if u got in which I'm sure u do... thank you.
I learned the Paracord/Rope trick by seeing when the Rope is new unstrung how that is sometimes sold in the style of how Clay does the wrap for it. Usually, the better brands do this technique.
From the north 🇨🇦 do a lot of this kinda stuff up here in the snow love the vid you got some skills very informative and to the point great job subscribe and liked 😎🇨🇦
Another tip about using the 550 cord in your boots . Take 36 or 80 grit sandpaper and rough up the top part of the laces where you tie them. Not where the lace goes through eyelets so as not to cause premature wear. I’ve made many many parachute jumps with 550 laces with no problems. Just double tie them and pull the loops so hard like you’re try to break them. That tight and they don’t come loose
@@murdocschannel2761great idea for camping. We just roughed them up . Don’t want any wax on your hands in a military setting every time you tie your boots
that's actually the only thing you need in the woods... SHTF or even just hiking... knowledge!... not special gear!... and you Mr.Hayes have plenty to share... thank you!
Paracord is the best boot lace.(round and tighten nice). I have laced boots with paracord, 7 years later the boots are junk and the cord was still good. I found dead lighters (biks) to have enough fuel if kept warm in cold weather by helping it in the 5th pocket. Pining the pad down and striking the flint with my other hand, this only works in no wind conditions. You can exxentally "charge the gas in a "dead lighter". It's vapor lighters need. Good stuff Clay. Been on my Rader since alone. FYI, for any doing yourselfers out there with a power tool that requires pulling a string to start... re-wind the coil unit with paracord and a good knot. Don't buy a knock off at Wal-Mart. Real paracord is amazing. Great fire starter too.
Good vid thanks for the share. On the Boot Lace if you are doing it at home and not a repair in the woods, use a piece of shrink tube on the ends to shrink and seal.
A tip on paracord boot laces. Lace them in a spiderweb pattern. You can carry much more cordage in the same space. I have approx 12ft per boot with this lacing pattern.
Big lighters are refillable. Just put a sort of blade or trimmed matches. ( hope you get the Idea) underneath the nozzle to lift It, then fill It via the nozzle. You can replace any part on a Big lighter forever. The spring, the flint, and the wheel from empty lighters. You can also use a normal plastic cooldrink straw to shrinkwrap any string or boot lace end by using a lighter. However, you have taught me many other things. Thank you.
Hey Clay how are you , I just want to know that I love ur videos and admire your work so much and it inspired me into the world of archery and survival, thank you for everything ❤.
Good idea about the paracord boot laces. When my new boots' shoe laces broke I could not find replacement ones of the length I like so I made some up using paracord. Been doing that for some years now. However, I use shrink tubing in addition to melting the ends. Great demonstrations on your hacks. I love them.
Living in Indiana now but was born and raised in and around the Appalachian Mountains. I've used a stone/rock for sharpening a knife before but the gritty mud on a stick is a new one for me. Makes a lot of sense given the use of "compounds" on sharpening strops since the stone/rock is the same principle as ceramic rods or that old crock you used to turn up to use the unglazed part of the bottom. Good calls. Liked/Subbed, off to watch some of your other vids!
Great advice today Clay. Thank you. We live beside the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, so, your setting is quite appropriate. Really appreciate the advice. Especially the Paracord boot laces. I recently received a bundle of the 'survival Paracord' with the additional 'specialist' strands. Fishing line, sewing line, and tinder strands accompany the customary Paracord core strands. Thanks again Clay. GL at Elk Camp.
Years ago, I read somewhere about the 4-stick-chair ( how many sticks were part of the unknown), but I couldn't recall how it was done. You just resolved a very old mystery for me. Thanks, Clay.
Nice One; some Excellent ideas there, thanks. I've used paracord for boot laces, but I found that the outer sheath chaffed after a while and it would bunch up on the eyes and not pull through. So I tried #36 bank line instead and found that to be absolutely amazing - it never chaffed and broke, and the tar coating meant that the knot stayed secure right from the start and never slipped.
Great tips , please do more like this . Some are new to me , others I use regularly. The ones I knew in theory , but haven’t tried yet , like the lighter out of fuel . I am going to give it a go. Thanks and keep ‘em Coming Clay .
Love your videos. Just remember that people love watching you do stuff so don’t worry about putting out redundant content because it takes a while for people to learn. We have to be told more than once
This little ole' lady from Maine, the wildest part of Maine, thought she had seen it all. This is the best tips I have ever seen. Most get all carried away with elaborate crap. Good job!
Great stuff Clay! Love the magic stool and the fire with a spent lighter! Oh and a long time ago I had an action figure called Big Josh who split a log with one blow, just like you did here... 😁
At 7:05 you have a split vertical piece of wood holding the wood you are shaving. This setup can be used to create an upward directed thin wooden edge resembling the thin edge of bamboo used to do the bamboo friction fire method. You can create friction fire this way too.
Bamboo has as many,ok,almost, as duct tape. For friction fire making, nothing better. You can also make a bed,a raft,fooks,spoons,pressure cookers for rice etc, canteens, cups, furniture, traps, etc. I wish I cook remember all the uses taught me by the Phillipines aborigines of jungle survival. So many diff types,the vine kine have water inside, . They make scaffolding 5 stories high😮! Stronger than steel in some cases.
Hi, been looking for a channel with serious bush primitive/ survival lessons. Love what you taught in this video, never thought to use clay on a stick to sharpen a knife.... I cannot tell you how many times I've needed a quick edge when in the bush! Thanks for he tip, gonna go watch more of your videos now LMAO
Just watched your season of Alone. You have been the most impressive contestant that I have seen. The way you handled the mountain lion ON DAY 1 told me everything I needed to know about your mentally. Every decision you made and every thing you built was incredible.
When making a paracord "hank", use a figure 8 wrap with your thumb and little finger. Save a good amount to wrap around but at the end, simply make the last wrap over your thumb. Now pass some of the cord under the loop made with your thumb but pass a loop through not the end and tighten the cord. Now you can unwrap the hank of paracord by pulling out either the end, as it's basically a slip knot or you can pull out cord using the other end if you leave a piece longer when you start your figure of 8 wrap. Sorry it sounds complicated but it's very simple to do.
I solved the new 550 boot lace slippage buy using toggles instead of tying , simply thread both laces through a toggle ( like the type used for cinching the inner sack of a ruck shut) then pull your laces tight and slide the toggle and release the the button, I then wrap the excess around my calf and tuck it into my boot (I wear mostly combat boots ) and now you're ready to go, this method saved me time when getting ready in a hurry in Afghanistan.
Great video! Keep it up. Good realistic advice. 2 things..... First, he left out dental floss. A small box with 100 yards of high tensile strength string. It's always in my kit when back packing. Used it many times in stead of 550 cord. Second, he's in Colorado, down south here our mosquitoes or occasionally mistaken for turkeys, not sure if his home remedy will work on them LOL
Thank You Clay, I sent my New Wife to be Your video so that she is learning about being in the outdoors without my being there. She's in Texas right now with her Mom and Family taking care of her Mom's business before she comes to me. More videos would be nice to send her. God Bless You and Your Family. I see that You are having to deal with that troubled yout.
You always think you know alot about camping,survival until you watch a great video like this one.i learned so much more simple hacks in this 1 video then I thought I would. thanks 4 the tips n hacks..
Ive been doing " bushcraft " since 1968. Ive pretty much seen it all. Ill admit though, that trick shaving the body of the bic lighter made me smile, nevercsaw that before. We NEVER stop learning!😅
Never stop learning is very true! I was taught to stay away from anyone that "thinks" they know everything.
This is not bushcraft.
It's a nice trick from knowledge, experience and very good mind, but it's not bushcraft.
Bush craft= made from nature
No modern tools allowed, only native people knowledge or every knowledge to solute things out of nature.
You are a modern hunter with lot of tricks? You are absolutely doing a good job in sharing, but that's not bushcraft guys.
What we see today is a mix of people adaptations and a lot of good ideas, but it's not bushcraft.
Just call it outdoors tricks for survival and it's better.
Let's not make mistakes please
@UmdogTR haha. Based on that definition everything on the earth is "natural," because it's all derived in one way or another from the planet
Something I find more reliable than a bic lighter is TWO bic lighters. On the freakishly rare event that that both of them fail, it's still quite possible that one still has a spark and the other still has gas.
@@TheWolfalpinoyour papi never loved you
Using mud packed onto the end of a branch as an improvised knife sharpener? Brilliant hack.
So glad I found this video just moments before reaching for a pinecone. What a life saver, lol!
Wiping moss down south though...who knows what tiny hitch hikers are along for the ride. Seems like a possible bad way to get ill. 😬
I like mullein for this job......
@@cloudbase7799what did our predecessors do? Are we that weak? Brings up a good point though. There's a balance that animals find in their habitat. Some humans are immune to some baddies in the water because they've drank it for generations. I'd have to agree with you on that basis. My guess is that a neon light office worker should use Charmin because He's weak and unacclimated.
I been kicking around the bush all my life, more than 50 years, and this is chock full of excellent ideas that translate to real world use. Well Done!
If you swap your Bic for a Clipper, both the fuel and flint are refillable. The striker is also designed to remove from the lighter for standalone use. Pro tip, disposable lighters have really long flints. You find them everywhere and can remove the extra flint as a refill for your Clipper or Zippo.
Wish Clippers could take liquid fuel and/or that Zippos didn't dry up over time even with a ranger band.
Done that for years....but I found a rare vintage lighter and tried to use one of these flints..it got stuck..it was too wide
pro tip: remove the striker from a clipper and pack tamp down a joint
@@zachsabe pro-tip: buy a Toker Poker (for a clipper lighter) and it's even better
@@raven_glassgo check out an old IMCO lighter, liquid fuel but doesn't dry out quick like a Zippo, plus the fuel reservoir comes out once lit and you can use it like a candle
TIP : That spent lighter isnt as spent as you think it is. Pull the metal cap off like you did hold the gas button down with other hand spin the strike wheel and you will get a tiny flame, might get 20 extra lights out of it. Cant have windy conditions though, the metal guard keeps last bit of fuel from igniting.Also if in a cold climate keep the lighter close to your body so it is warm, cold butane dont expand much but if warm you have better chances of a lite.
Yes that's true jay 😊
As a smoker I concur.
You can also do it without pliers if your not a pussy
❤ I been doing this for years with all my lighters lol😂 as a smoker this has saved many others lives for me
Do not do this: With the metal cover off, carefully stretch the mechanism and disengage the gears between the valve and lever, slip the lever back over to the other side (kinda like a ratchet), and the valve can now be opened further (and can turn a normal lighter into a mini flamethrower).
Edit: When I said "don't do this" that was meant to serve as a disclaimer because I know some jackwagon is gonna do it and do something stupid then blame me. 😑
The knife sharpening trick is a new one to me. The mud on the end of the stick is like using a lapping plate. Genius!! Thank you!!
yes, if you can find mud.
@@kalfaxplays7899how about drawing a snowman in the dirt. If that makes sense.
Any rough flat stone makes a good sharpener.
@@gerryboudreaultboudreault2608 nice. 😁👍
Good tips. To keep your axe from getting stuck in a log, stop aiming at the “bullseye.” The center of a log isn’t what holds it together. Aim for just a blade width in from the edge and logs split quick without binding your axe head.
Maybe use a splitting axe instead of a chopping axe. The head is too thin for splitting
@@frostriver4547use what you got
My spork is broken now... thanks a lot.
@@WhoThisMonkey ROFL 🤣🤪😆
@@WhoThisMonkey😂
Mr. Hayes is obviously the man, and getting guidance from him is priceless and greatly appreciated. That having been said, I'd just like to share my experience with using paracord as laces. I first heard about this practice about 15 years ago, when I started getting into long distance hiking/bushcraft. It seemed useful, easy to do, and pretty "tacticool", so I did it right away. For the next couple of years, constantly re-tying my boots became just... part of hiking. As mentioned in this video, they tend to be slick, and come undone. Constantly. I was using mil-spec 550 cord, and the slickness never went away for me, even after a few years of heavy use. Only half-thinking about it, I think I told myself that this was just the cost of having easy-access paracord at my fingertips, should I ever need it. Meanwhile, I had a 100ft bundle of the same mil-spec paracord in my backpack, on every single outing. Plus, of course, the few extra feet available to me in my constantly untying boots... "should I ever need it". I eventually recognized the error in my thinking, and went back to regular laces. I've never broken laces in a quality boot, and not to burst bubbles, but after 15 years of hiking, rafting, camping, and hunting, there hasn't been a single instance when I went - this 100ft paracord line isn't enough; I wish I had that extra FOUR feet of it in my boots! That would be totally worth constantly re-tying my boots! :)
That was my thought as well after trying paracord laces for some time. It's neat, and paracord is tacticool and all that, but I came to a similar conclusion as you. If I'm going out on a hike or something outdoors, I tend to bring along paracord with me anyway. And I also have never had a normal shoelace break.
I had the same experience but I didn't have the patience to ride it out. I went back to the old strings on day 2.
@@01kilik10 You're obviously much more intelligent than me. Don't rub it in. :P
You could use a plastic slider/lock device that's often used on hoodie cords and such. I have a pair of sneakers that came that way, and I love how quickly I could get my shoes on, and it holds very well.
@@LazyIRanch Won't work on boots.
Prbly the coolest fire starting hack I've seen with the empty lighter and plastic shavings from the lighter
The sparking 'rod' on the lighter is called a flint. You can spark a fire with the right stones..
I highly recommend you do your best to not inhale the smoke from duct tape and plastic shavings from the lighter...pretty toxic dioxin fumes. And of course, if it is an emergency situation that is a totally different situation. Same goes for burning your trash. ;-) Fun tips Clay, thank you. And yes, bend at the knees when swinging an ax!
I too try to avoid inhaling smoke from fire -regardless of the fuel.😁
Another tip for paracord boot laces is to use shrink tubing on the ends to make it easier to re-lace the boot
Great suggestion!
@@terry_williswe l😅o❤😂o🎉 of our 😊
@@terry_willisis it? You just burn the end of the cord like the video shows.
@@mattmarzula
Yes, it is a great suggestion.
Just because you have an alternative, doesn't diminish that.
@@mattmarzula: I like the shrink tubing because I find the consistent tube shape is easier to get through the eyelets - when you burn the end they tend to form a lump that's harder to insert through. Just my experience.
An o ring run up on the lighter underneath fuel trigger to stop loss of fuel in a bag or pocket.
Add a short piece of cord to the o-rig with a stop knot as a pull tab. Handy for cold/gloved/slippery/injured fingers. I try and keep the cord oriented under the fuel button of the lighter, but it's helpful regardless of where it ends up.
You can also use a zip tie which has the same width as the groove between the tail of the button and the body of the lighter. To undo just twist the "lock" of the zip tie from the metal to the groove and then you can slide it down.
@@davidaxman how do you easily, without fiddling get a zip tie undone? I usually have to use the tip of a knife or maybe a flat head screw driver.
I use a hair tie or rubber band. Don't last long, but very easy.
All they need is enough resistance to stop accidental discharge, I don't even take mine off, can push through the elastic and still get it started.
20yr smoker here, use my lighter all day 😅
Yepper .. in my Kits i use a Zip tie .. but O ring for occasional use is great idea
Learned some new tricks.
Thanks for that.
You've gotta be the first outdoorsman who showed some bushcraft hacks that weren't boring so now I hit that follow bell . Thank you for sharing .
Thank ya
@@clayhayeshunter
Sir , you're the real deal .
Thanks for all your hard work, honour and integrity.
Kind regards from England ( where only criminals have guns)
😂
As someone who works in safety, don't turn your axe off slightly. You will hurt yourself. An axe is a wedge. And as an engineer, the straight vertical force exerted downwards would become circular causing torsion. The impact will either ricochet or force exerted by axe wielder will lose balance. ... And the other reason to split your legs when swinging is for stability... like a baseball player.
When I was in scouts (100 years ago) we had a kid almost cut his foot off that way. Several of us got our first aid merit badge on that one.
Gotta love engineers and their stats
I was wondering how far down id get before someone pointed this out! Not to mention various other problems with how hes splitting wood! Ive split would every year of my life since I was 6 and i wouldn't recommend any part of what he's doing in the video! The whole stance, hand placement and way he swings. They all scream injury waiting to happen! 🤦♂️😔 honestly though if i made videos id make one just detailing all the issues with his way and explain a much better format that wont hurt your back or exhaust you nearly as fast! Meanwhile increasing your impact force and minimizing the area of potential axe hitting human thus reducing your risk of injury! Id love to go over it all with the CC if he would be interested in learning another way! But i hate being on camera! 😳
@@deadpyrat2243 Tell us in a comment then :)
I worked in the metal trades for over 20 yrs - now I work with racehorses - every safety man I've ever met was a safety man cause he couldn't work in the industry
Great tips Clay! Keep them coming!
Good stuff man keep it coming!
Well done and informative.
I would like to caution you about using paracord for boot laces. Although they are quite useful and resilient, they will eventually cause the metal portions of the boot's lace eyelets to become sharp due to the constant rubbing back and forth against the paracord and eventually begin to cut the paracord resulting in frequent failures due to being sliced and weakened. I have found that removing the guts from the paracord beforehand helps to mitigate this but then again, you're practically removing the advantages of just using the regular laces. Also, once the eyelets become sharpened by the paracord they will cut through regular laces rather quickly.
Wow, nylon can sharpen metal like that?
@@BlueGorillaInTheMist yes, eventually it wears it down to a sharpened edge. I've only noticed this on Whites brand boots though, so maybe there's a difference in the metal used for the eyelets. Anyhoo... just a heads up :)
That was a good lighter trick well done
At 7:32 what kind of saw are you are using? I have seen it on other bushcraft type videos. It looks to use less effort than a simple folding saw.
That trick with the mud on the flat end of a stick is clever. I once got a usable edge on a case knife by running it across a rubber tie down strap. I was surprised how well it worked. That's why I tend to buy blades with softer steels.
Second that kinda obvious when you think about it but GENIUS before hand 😅✊️🔥✌️💚
Like the barbershop use to do.
The back of a saucer rules for sharpening knives and I have whetstones, and sharpening steels and grinding wheels and other sharpening tools galore!! Rocks, cardboard, paper all can dull knives but also sharpen them! Water leading to rust dulls knives and razor blades so keep them dry!
I loved every second of your podcast , I'm just a big city boy that loves the outdoors , I will remember your tips on survival , especially if a nuclear weapon hits nearby.
Nice hack with the old lighter
Yes please! More. Straightforward but charismatic. Good tips. Didn't know about sharpening a blade with mud like that! Now I'm thinking mud on a stone might be better than a stone?
The pine cone says “I’m sticking around!”
So do the critters on the moss. Probably. 😅
Already knew the first tip but kept on watching. The following is not what you tipically see.
So thanks for sharing your personnal tips. They are valuable !
Another idea for boot laces is to use automotive wire - the kind that runs to your taillights. It is readily available, easy to work with, pulls tight and stays tight, easy to remove and the tie doesn't freeze up. I started using it for my wading boots 20 years ago. In a survival situation it gives you snare wire. On my axes I always run #19 galvanized wire from the axe eye back about 4-6" wrapped around the handle. Pin the end of the wire to a shed, stick the other end in the eye or tack to the handle - walk back from the shed and put good tension on the wire then start rolling the handle as you walk to the wall. Every now and then take an axe file and tap the wraps together nice and neat. When you have it all on just tack the end to the handle - gives your axe extra years of life and gives you a great source of wire when you are in the woods.
Thousands of years of evolution and this your best advice?
These are really cool tips !
I'll do one boot with wire, one with paracord 👍
@@edwardfletcher7790 Why?? So stupid just take braided 100lb fishing string. It just extra for chores etc.
@MarkJamesRobertEssex69 Well, yah. Most of those thousands was spent learning to stop saying "ugh ugh ooah ooah", developing an alphabet, shedding body hair, and learning to put the fork to the left of the plate.
@@kmiller5808 Just saying using wire and 550 cord is bad advice when you need laces. This guy to me just gave dumbest information information.
Great tips thanks Clay
I loved the tip about nature's TP. At about age 10, I found out the hard way (no pun intended) that dried leaves don't work any better than pine cones. I'm 58 now, and I think I can still feel an itch or two. One of my uncles told me, "At least it wasn't dried poison ivy."
Apparently smooth rocks are the ultimate back up TP according to one source. Luckily I haven't had to test that theory in real life.
My older brother college educated n biologist wiped his as$ with PI. 😊
Thank man, that was excellent info. Especially the plastic and the ferrous dust and duct tape. 67 yo and did not know that. Thank you
Thanks for sharing your Bushcraft tips/ knowledge. Keep them reeling in !!!
This was great!❤
I personally prefer to hank cordage in a figure eight, around the thumb and pinkie of my outstretched hand. Since you make a backwards half turn after every half turn you introduce basically no twist to the cordage, meaning it´s way less likely to get tangled. It also appears to be faster than the normal wrapping technique.
When you want to saw through a branch and don´t have anything to brace against, instead of kneeling down and sawing on one knee I found it`s way more stable to squat down while you clamp the branch with the back of your knees. You´d then saw on the outside next to your knee. I found it makes a difference especially with material thicker than your wrist.
this vid could actully save your life lol I'm now sticking to ur survival hacks.
Duct tape is a great babysitter too...
Great vid.
You can never bring too many ways of starting a fire. I usually have a lighter, flint and steel or ferro rod, and waterproof matches on me. If all else fails, those waterproof matches that are coated with phosphorus will get the job done.
Duct tape - turning, "Blah blah blah" to "Mmm-mmm-mmm" since 1943
Being retired from the AF, we got miles of aged paracord from the parachute shop, but age doesn't seem to matter much. I have some that is 40 years old and it still seems to work like new. I am past the deep woods hiking and camping, but still enjoy videos like this.
Very good video bro. I didn't think I would really learn anything but I did. Not that I'm some Know-it-all but I spent a lot of time in the woods growing up and as an adult. I didn't know the ax turn or the neat way u wrapped the Paracord. I will definitely tune into more if u got in which I'm sure u do... thank you.
I learned the Paracord/Rope trick by seeing when the Rope is new unstrung how that is sometimes sold in the style of how Clay does the wrap for it. Usually, the better brands do this technique.
Definitely would like to see more tips and tricks. Cheers 🇨🇦
From the north 🇨🇦 do a lot of this kinda stuff up here in the snow love the vid you got some skills very informative and to the point great job subscribe and liked 😎🇨🇦
The lighter to tinder fire was great! Also, Woolly Mullein is the natural TP champ.
Magnificent work, or fun. Love this. Some of this can still function in city dwelling.
Another tip about using the 550 cord in your boots . Take 36 or 80 grit sandpaper and rough up the top part of the laces where you tie them. Not where the lace goes through eyelets so as not to cause premature wear. I’ve made many many parachute jumps with 550 laces with no problems. Just double tie them and pull the loops so hard like you’re try to break them. That tight and they don’t come loose
If you can apply some of your bodyweight to the cord, that helps for getting it really really tight.
@@WhoThisMonkey maybe you should do that just make sure you used something higher than a chair as it dose have a little stretch
Rub some beeswax on the laces and it gives it some friction for staying tied and some waterproofness.
@@murdocschannel2761great idea for camping. We just roughed them up . Don’t want any wax on your hands in a military setting every time you tie your boots
I had the "pleasure" of hand-splitting wood for stoves as a teenager and I never knew the axe-tilt trick! Great video, throw some more at us!
Glad you enjoyed it!
that's actually the only thing you need in the woods... SHTF or even just hiking... knowledge!... not special gear!... and you Mr.Hayes have plenty to share... thank you!
Paracord is the best boot lace.(round and tighten nice). I have laced boots with paracord, 7 years later the boots are junk and the cord was still good. I found dead lighters (biks) to have enough fuel if kept warm in cold weather by helping it in the 5th pocket. Pining the pad down and striking the flint with my other hand, this only works in no wind conditions. You can exxentally "charge the gas in a "dead lighter". It's vapor lighters need.
Good stuff Clay. Been on my Rader since alone.
FYI, for any doing yourselfers out there with a power tool that requires pulling a string to start... re-wind the coil unit with paracord and a good knot. Don't buy a knock off at Wal-Mart. Real paracord is amazing. Great fire starter too.
I love the lighter tip.
Thanks! Great info
These were very neat!! And useful!!!! Definitely more please ;)
"bug dope" had me dying.🤣🤣🤣
Good vid thanks for the share. On the Boot Lace if you are doing it at home and not a repair in the woods, use a piece of shrink tube on the ends to shrink and seal.
After burning it
Nice collection of unique tips. I'm looking forward to trying out the axe technique.
A tip on paracord boot laces. Lace them in a spiderweb pattern. You can carry much more cordage in the same space. I have approx 12ft per boot with this lacing pattern.
how long does it take you to put your boots on though?
It's just priceless when someone who truly knows just shares the knowledge. Many thanks😊
The chair absolutely dumbfounded me. All these years I’ve never seen something like that. Brilliant.
Big lighters are refillable. Just put a sort of blade or trimmed matches. ( hope you get the Idea) underneath the nozzle to lift It, then fill It via the nozzle. You can replace any part on a Big lighter forever. The spring, the flint, and the wheel from empty lighters. You can also use a normal plastic cooldrink straw to shrinkwrap any string or boot lace end by using a lighter. However, you have taught me many other things. Thank you.
Great tips
Always nice to learn something new. Even for a old guy.
i.e. Heating up a 1/2" of the the paracord shoelace to create an "aglet".
Good job as usual.
You are one of the few people I've encountered who knows what that part of a shoe-lace is actually called. Kudos!
I have 550 Paracord/Firecord with a Ferro Rod inside , I can light a Fire 🔥 with my Boots 🥾🥾 !
I have before !
@@cuivre2004 When you're old, you know stuff.
@@Colonel__Angus I know, right? It's hard not to show off sometimes though, right?
that lighter trick... that's great.
I would certainly watch more like this. You had some new tips others don't have such as the wood splitting tip or the four log stool.
Clay, I really dig your hunting and survival videos, keep up the good work.
That stool is magic
Thanks All Good to Know Wish I Knew More
Hey Clay how are you , I just want to know that I love ur videos and admire your work so much and it inspired me into the world of archery and survival, thank you for everything ❤.
Good idea about the paracord boot laces. When my new boots' shoe laces broke I could not find replacement ones of the length I like so I made some up using paracord. Been doing that for some years now. However, I use shrink tubing in addition to melting the ends.
Great demonstrations on your hacks. I love them.
Come on clay who wouldn't want to use a pine cone 😂😂😂
It’s actually an old trick. I’ve tried it and really not bad. Obviously take off the seeds and you can even soften in a rock.
Living in Indiana now but was born and raised in and around the Appalachian Mountains. I've used a stone/rock for sharpening a knife before but the gritty mud on a stick is a new one for me. Makes a lot of sense given the use of "compounds" on sharpening strops since the stone/rock is the same principle as ceramic rods or that old crock you used to turn up to use the unglazed part of the bottom.
Good calls. Liked/Subbed, off to watch some of your other vids!
Great advice today Clay. Thank you. We live beside the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, so, your setting is quite appropriate.
Really appreciate the advice. Especially the Paracord boot laces. I recently received a bundle of the 'survival Paracord' with the additional 'specialist' strands.
Fishing line, sewing line, and tinder strands accompany the customary Paracord core strands.
Thanks again Clay.
GL at Elk Camp.
❤keep these coming. Love the neat tips
Years ago, I read somewhere about the 4-stick-chair ( how many sticks were part of the unknown), but I couldn't recall how it was done. You just resolved a very old mystery for me. Thanks, Clay.
Nice One; some Excellent ideas there, thanks.
I've used paracord for boot laces, but I found that the outer sheath chaffed after a while and it would bunch up on the eyes and not pull through. So I tried #36 bank line instead and found that to be absolutely amazing - it never chaffed and broke, and the tar coating meant that the knot stayed secure right from the start and never slipped.
Great tip!
Great tips , please do more like this . Some are new to me , others I use regularly. The ones I knew in theory , but haven’t tried yet , like the lighter out of fuel . I am going to give it a go. Thanks and keep ‘em
Coming Clay .
Great vid.!!
I'm telling my kids this what Bear Grylls wishes he was
The sun's going down. I better drink my own pee.
Very good. I can see the sticks going wrong for me tho😅
Ouch!😂
Love your videos. Just remember that people love watching you do stuff so don’t worry about putting out redundant content because it takes a while for people to learn. We have to be told more than once
Good advice is never redundant
@@justme6591 frOm th Dept. Of Redundancy Department ! B.B canadiana bam!
Yeah. Like the four log stool. You could repeat that one in more detail for us slow folk...........
Straight forward comman sense tips, easy to remember and all useful for the day hiker and weekend camp. Definitely want to see more
Great information Clay. Please make more videos like this? I learned a few new tricks I would never thought of. Thanks!
This little ole' lady from Maine, the wildest part of Maine, thought she had seen it all.
This is the best tips I have ever seen.
Most get all carried away with elaborate crap.
Good job!
Great stuff Clay! Love the magic stool and the fire with a spent lighter! Oh and a long time ago I had an action figure called Big Josh who split a log with one blow, just like you did here... 😁
Helps that it's dry pine LOL
@@haroldbleemel8537 sure does!
Dry pine with very straight grain and no knots does split easy.
Thanks Clay. Great survival info. We are all going to need this soon.
At 7:05 you have a split vertical piece of wood holding the wood you are shaving. This setup can be used to create an upward directed thin wooden edge resembling the thin edge of bamboo used to do the bamboo friction fire method. You can create friction fire this way too.
Bamboo has as many,ok,almost, as duct tape. For friction fire making, nothing better. You can also make a bed,a raft,fooks,spoons,pressure cookers for rice etc, canteens, cups, furniture, traps, etc.
I wish I cook remember all the uses taught me by the Phillipines aborigines of jungle survival. So many diff types,the vine kine have water inside, . They make scaffolding 5 stories high😮! Stronger than steel in some cases.
I've seen it used (bamboo friction fire method) on Naked and Afraid Castaway series on Discovery channel.
please keep the tips and tricks videos coming you're a winner of Alone and trusted resource for this kind of information.
Hi, been looking for a channel with serious bush primitive/ survival lessons. Love what you taught in this video, never thought to use clay on a stick to sharpen a knife.... I cannot tell you how many times I've needed a quick edge when in the bush! Thanks for he tip, gonna go watch more of your videos now LMAO
ua-cam.com/video/3gagyHTY4yw/v-deo.htmlsi=t2wuBA5VScYTXiX9
Great info! Forgotten some of this stuff. I use to teach people now I'm getting a memory check!😅
Keep up the great work
Some of the skills you have I learned on my own...A few of them gave me some extra insight so I can be a more useful camper from now on. Thanks!
Just watched your season of Alone. You have been the most impressive contestant that I have seen. The way you handled the mountain lion ON DAY 1 told me everything I needed to know about your mentally. Every decision you made and every thing you built was incredible.
you are really really good. kudos to us all- watching your gift. that was so pleasant on so many levels. yeah
When making a paracord "hank", use a figure 8 wrap with your thumb and little finger. Save a good amount to wrap around but at the end, simply make the last wrap over your thumb. Now pass some of the cord under the loop made with your thumb but pass a loop through not the end and tighten the cord. Now you can unwrap the hank of paracord by pulling out either the end, as it's basically a slip knot or you can pull out cord using the other end if you leave a piece longer when you start your figure of 8 wrap. Sorry it sounds complicated but it's very simple to do.
Just tie a knot !😊 or use duct tape in the end.i like wrapping many things with a couple rounds of duct,why not ? Lol,happy trails.
I solved the new 550 boot lace slippage buy using toggles instead of tying , simply thread both laces through a toggle ( like the type used for cinching the inner sack of a ruck shut) then pull your laces tight and slide the toggle and release the the button, I then wrap the excess around my calf and tuck it into my boot (I wear mostly combat boots ) and now you're ready to go, this method saved me time when getting ready in a hurry in Afghanistan.
Good stuff,thanks.
You bet
I am loving everything so far on this channel
used duck and gorilla tape for a lot of things but would of never thought a fire starter.. one more thing to add to the arsenal.. awesome tips :)
The wood mud combo is an amazing tip. Everything was some mystic zen mastery, Mountain Man.
Great video! Keep it up. Good realistic advice.
2 things.....
First, he left out dental floss. A small box with 100 yards of high tensile strength string. It's always in my kit when back packing. Used it many times in stead of 550 cord.
Second, he's in Colorado, down south here our mosquitoes or occasionally mistaken for turkeys, not sure if his home remedy will work on them LOL
First video of yours that I have seen and I feel like I learned a lot. This video was a treasure trove of info. Subscribed!
Dude, the chair?😂
Friggin BRILLIANT!
Thank You Clay, I sent my New Wife to be Your video so that she is learning about being in the outdoors without my being there. She's in Texas right now with her Mom and Family taking care of her Mom's business before she comes to me. More videos would be nice to send her. God Bless You and Your Family. I see that You are having to deal with that troubled yout.
Nice tips 👍🏻 Please bring me along with you during a zombie apocalypse ✌🏻
Love these types of videos!!!
You always think you know alot about camping,survival until you watch a great video like this one.i learned so much more simple hacks in this 1 video then I thought I would. thanks 4 the tips n hacks..