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Post by paranger on May 21, 2021 11:21:19 GMT -7
The knife sharpening thread got me thinking about a separate (but related) subject. One of those most important decisions each of us makes on a trek/camp/hunt/etc. is what to take or not to take. Realizing that first and foremost this is a function of context (e.g. day trek vs. week long hunting camp, trekking vs. static base camp), I am willing to bet that most of us started out carrying things that we no longer routinely include in our kit.
Thinking this might be a fun exercise (and potentially useful one for folks starting out), I pose this question:
What did you once include in your kit that you no longer routinely carry and why?
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Post by Black Hand on May 21, 2021 11:25:13 GMT -7
Bullet-board: can't be documented for the 18th century.
Other than that - not enough stuff....(read - I carry too much)
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Post by spence on May 21, 2021 12:20:08 GMT -7
I've always kept the contents of my shot pouch to things needed in shooting the gun, but carried other stuff in an over the shoulder bag, a 'haversack', on the other side. I carried a bag mold and some small lead bars for casting balls in camp in that for quite a while. Now I do that only when I plan to actually cast some balls.
Spence
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Post by paranger on May 21, 2021 14:17:52 GMT -7
Bullet-board: can't be documented for the 18th century. Other than that - not enough stuff....(read - I carry too much) Good one. Agreed: I have yet to see any primary source documentation on that, either. On a related note, evidence for priming horns is sparse at best. |
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Post by paranger on May 21, 2021 14:19:09 GMT -7
I've always kept the contents of my shot pouch to things needed in shooting the gun, but carried other stuff in an over the shoulder bag, a 'haversack', on the other side. I carried a bag mold and some small lead bars for casting balls in camp in that for quite a while. Now I do that only when I plan to actually cast some balls. Spence Good one, Spence. I think there are situations when a ball mold makes sense, but not all of the time, IMO. |
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Post by Black Hand on May 21, 2021 16:17:28 GMT -7
Bullet-board: can't be documented for the 18th century. Other than that - not enough stuff....(read - I carry too much) Good one. Agreed: I have yet to see any primary source documentation on that, either. There appears to be support for bullet boards being used in the latter half of 19th century in the smaller caliber rifles (Many different boards were part of the Tom Wnuck estate) in the eastern part of the US. |
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Post by Black Hand on May 21, 2021 16:21:12 GMT -7
On a related note, evidence for priming horns is sparse at best. I could see this being a point of contention - how small does a horn need to be to be considered a "priming" horn? I personally made one from a small pronghorn horn years ago (before I knew better), but don't use it. |
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Post by brokennock on May 21, 2021 16:24:34 GMT -7
Bullet board, short/ball starter, modern quick foodstuff like instant oatmeal, modern fire starting items like those blocks of who knows what impregnated with more who knows what else.
I'm sure if I think on it I could probably come up with a lot more. Most of it was dumped for either not being documented to my time and place, or completely modern, or some items just were not getting used enough to justify the space and weight. And, some items if found to be of negligible utility, such as ball starter and bullet boars. Which bring us to the reasoning of, things being a combination of reasons. Not only is the board and starter not documented to my time and place, but, I found the board totally useless without the short starter, and really not very useful with it when compared to a load that I can start with either my thumb or part of my knife.
Also, as was mentioned, the duration of the outing could make a difference. I rarely get out for a full day, sun up to sun down, anymore, much less overnight. If I don't plan to use it, like fishing kit or ball casting stuff, if it isn't part of the outings mission profile, it gets left home. With the obvious exception of some basic 1st aid items and things of that nature that I hope not to need, but could be in a lot of trouble without.
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Post by hawkeyes on May 21, 2021 19:16:52 GMT -7
I've dumbed probably 90% of the guts and junk over the years... Now if I literally cannot survive more than three days without it, doesn't come along.
Shooting bag reserved strictly to feeding the firelock. Haversack stores miscellaneous personal accoutrements and tools. Bedding roll with spare shirt, wool stockings, wool monmouth cap and wool fingerless gloves. Market wallet for food reserves.
My personal mindset revolves around being light on the feet. If I can't move quickly and comfortably with my packed gear I must re-evaluate. Even in a stationary camp I hate luggage... I will say the biggest advantage to have is continually learning to utilize what nature provides. This certainly helps lighten the load.
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Post by Black Hand on May 22, 2021 6:17:47 GMT -7
The biggest encumbrance are the blankets. I dislike being cold, so 2 blankets usually travel with me in colder times of the year. All the rest of the stuff goes in a knapsack with handy items going in a small haversack. I still carry too much stuff, but I'm not able to justify dumping more since the rest is used regularly...
I agree with discarding the short-starter. It is a useless 1-trick pony...
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Post by hawkeyes on May 22, 2021 7:03:00 GMT -7
Blankets are indeed cumbersome and something that always gives me a hassle. I usually carry two as well, for comfort. Fussing with my bedding and how I choose to pack it is always a work in progress.
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Post by Black Hand on May 22, 2021 7:34:54 GMT -7
I use the knapsack for stuff and the blanket(s) on a tumpline. Works OK for me but isn't as useful as having a single unit with blankets tied to the knapsack - I tried, but it is awkward and cumbersome.
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Post by spence on May 22, 2021 8:03:00 GMT -7
I don't carry a short-starter when I'm trying to be really HC/PC, but that's because my area of interest is 1780-ish. Thirty years later there is documentation from England for their use, with a drawing. From Scloppeteria by Henry Beaufroy, 1808: "As it always happens, that the greatest difficulty in loading, is in first forcing the ball into the barrel, most riflemen carry either a small mallet, or what is called a rammer, either of wood or brass, a little countersunk at the end so as to obviate the possibility of injuring the front sight, by its slipping off the convex sphere of the ball."  Spence |
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Keith
Hunter
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 1,002 
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Post by Keith on May 22, 2021 20:38:49 GMT -7
Many years ago I used to use a larger oilcloth, now I only have a very small one, just large enough if I bend my knees to get my feet under cover. I will be removing or changing more items soon though, not because they are wrong, but because I am getting older & those old wounds are starting to give me a hard time in winter. I need to lessen the weight to make my journeys easier. This will not compromise my ability to be self reliant, it just means that I will be more reliant on skills than equipment. Equipment is all about comfort, if you are willing to sacrifice a little comfort & ease of living, then it can make your journey a little easier on the trail. It is all about personal priorities.
Keith.
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Post by Sicilianhunter on May 25, 2021 20:55:44 GMT -7
I can say my load started to lighten by doing more research and less impulse buying.
I stopped carrying things like a corn boiler for instance.
Also I began to realize my modern mindset was still creeping in when it came to certain things, like feeling that I needed plenty of ammo, a bag mold and the lead to make more.
The old boys did way more, with way less.
I once mentioned this ammo fetish to Gerry Barker and he told me that he spent weeks in the bush on less than a handful of ball and no bag mold.
I began to question everything I carried after that advice...
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