Hatchet and Saw for camping trip.

[Nuts]

LNT should be a simple practical application not green fascism..(imo) nothing more.

In fact there are still places where fires can be 'legally' lit (wTAS) not 'passe' at all..

He hasn't mentioned parks or reserves.. I don't see too many people complain about (for example) posting a photo of someone camping on Mt Ossa.. Its a little precious to judge Moonies ethics from a few paragraphs, especially as he specifically mentions a preference for woodstoves (even pre-trial) and 'firewood collection areas' ..

John, just find somewhere 'legal' to give this a go if you feel the urge..

(Minor moderator edits have been made to this post)

[Moondog55]

Do you mean all of us at once every time?
or as the OP asked
Some of us every now and again??

The answer is it depends on where you choose to do this.
In fragile Alpine areas ( where there are few or no trees ) NO
in the Snowgum woodlands? Perhaps if there is a lot of fallen timber and you are far away from the tracks
In mountain forest where there are literally thousands on fallen Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash saplings to play with? Yes
In Box-Ironbark or Stringybark woodland with lots of scrub Yes No problem at all
In the Myrtle Beech forests No These remnants are too fragile and too small to absorb any impact away from the existing tracks
A little thinking will tell any reasonable experienced person which areas are OK to play around in and which areas should be left as natural as possible. Bearing in mind that there are almost NO natural areas left on the mainland, almost all of Australia has been heavily modified over the last 10,000 years.
This assumes you are in National Parks.
If you are in other areas, such as the designated firewood collection areas of Victoria then I see little problem in even a thousand people doing so all at once, because these areas will be burnt over before aerial sowing of seeds to replace the clear felled forest.
On private land of course you should and must do as the land-holder requests.
Dead timber is dead timber, it has no feelings and does not mind being cut and trimmed, and again I have to say that making use of dead and fallen trees to build a temporary shelter has no long term effects on the bush, so long as the shelter is broken down and the material scattered.
As for the use of wood fires to cook on or for pleasure, I see that as an emotional issue and will never be resolved on this forum as members have such disparate views.
My own views on enclosed twig fires ( the A10 hobo stove ) is well known here.

[PeterJ]

With respect PeterJ ( and I have no real opinion on this topic) other than that we really need saws and such ,tents are for those of us on this forum only for fun.
corvus

Well given the choice of a tent or a saw for a few days in the bush, I would take the tent every time. Yep I think it would be more fun in a tent than sheltering under a saw.

[corvus]

With respect PeterJ ( and I have no real opinion on this topic) other than that we really need saws and such ,tents are for those of us on this forum only for fun.
corvus

Well given the choice of a tent or a saw for a few days in the bush, I would take the tent every time. Yep I think it would be more fun in a tent than sheltering under a saw.

As would I my point was( as you well know I suspect ) that we need tools for everyday existence, tents are for fun and for only a minority of the population.
corvus

[walkinTas]

Bearing in mind that there are almost NO natural areas left on the mainland, almost all of Australia has been heavily modified over the last 10,000 years.

Not true (e.g. Palm Valley) ...and when it's nature that is doing the "modifying" then its still natural. Way too big a topic to discuss here, but if you are referring to the Aboriginal influence -- "While there are records indicating change in fire occurrence, just how important the influence of people was in the evolution and dynamics of Australian vegetation is much more uncertain." (online source). You'll find lots and lots of discussion on this in scientific literature.

A little thinking will tell any reasonable experienced person which areas are OK to play around in and which areas should be left as natural as possible.

So there's the rub! How to discourage the not so "reasonable experienced" who can't discern "which areas should be left as natural as possible". Basically, LNT says "A little thinking" isn't enough - it demands A LOT of thinking.

[Moondog55]

Well the last time I was in Palm Valley was in 1979 and it wasn't exactly untouched even then. Still it is as "natural" as you get in this country I 'spose. and there were parts on FNQ that hadn't seen many people as far back as 1950.
Only untouched part of the world as far as I know is Antarctica and even that shows signs of man in a lot of places ( or so i believe from people who have been there )

[Moondog55]

So there's the rub! How to discourage the not so "reasonable experienced" who can't discern "which areas should be left as natural as possible". Basically, LNT says "A little thinking" isn't enough - it demands A LOT of thinking.

Let's face it those people are only going to walk to the end of the car-park and talk about how "Pretty"nature is before going back to Maccas for lunch

[John Sheridan]

I was thinking of buy this Hatchet, Gränsfors Mini Belt Hatchet, it's only 400 grams, you wont be cutting trees down with it, but I can cut some wood up for my Vargo wood stove with it and it would help in making shelters and other camp chores

What ya think, it's like a toy axe.

http://www.macwood.com.au/index.php?mai ... ucts_id=16

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZaGzUeeWFQ


Have a look and let me know what you think, anything better I can get ??

Cheers.

[ninjapuppet]

$235 is alot of dough for a mini axe!

I'm sure it oozes quality and all, but how many gerber paxes and bahco saws can you get with that sort of cash?
At that price, you'd expect it to be the best in its class!

Ive got a gransfors small forest axe and it seems to do the job for my kifaru wood heater. picked it up for only $100

[John Sheridan]

Was that new and in Australian dollars and if so where ??

Cheers.

[ninjapuppet]

yeh it was new, in Australian dollars delivered and it was from some guy on a bushcraft forum. top notch.


they are still around about that price on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GRANSFORS-BRUKS-SMALL-FOREST-BUSHCRAFT-AXE-/280742560693?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item415d8f83b5

[John Sheridan]

That's not the axe I was talking about, it's this one, the mini. Gransfors Bruks Mini Hatchet.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gransfors-Bruks ... 53ed6176ee

And it's 160 bucks on ebay, I paid 200 bucks in an Aussie Store, probably the same price when you factor in shipping from the United states.

Cheers.

[John Sheridan]

I have my hatchet and knife all I need now is my saw, anyone heard of silky saw's they ate from Japan and manypeple think they are the best folding saws there is.

I. Am looking for a saw that is about 15 to 20 cms and I lightlike 200g or less.


Any recommendations.

Cheers.

[Gusto]

http://www.qiwiz.net/saws.html

Those saws seem to fit your request

[John Sheridan]

This looks like a good folding saw too, easy to change blades and blades are light

Cheers.

[John Sheridan]

I just got me a Fiskers Folding saw from Big W 19 cm I think it is, about the size I wanted, yet to try it out and it's only about 250 grams, so about the weight I was looking for, going to have to make a sheath for it like my Mini axe when I get around to it.

Yet to try it out in the bush, but it cuts some indoor wood pretty good , I wont be sitting on that chair again :p


Cheers.

/pS it only cost like 8 bucks too, but no replacement blades were to be seen