Reflections

I have to warn my readers, this post is not going to focus on bushcraft. In fact this blog will not focus on the outdoors at all. This blog post is going to be a summary of what this blog has taught me over a 10 week period.  This will most likely be my last blog post on this user channel. I set out to write seven blog posts in seven to ten weeks or so as part of a personal branding project. I am happy to announce I accomplished this task.

As I have mentioned in my first post, I am a business professional. More specifically, I am a marketer. Truthfully, the purpose of this blog (for me) was about learning the importance of branding and learning how to integrate multiple social media platforms to market a brand. The use of outdoors content allowed me to write about something that would not bore me to death and would also focus on something I am passionate about.

I would like to thank you for reading this blog and investing your time with me. I appreciate the comments and feedback, and I hope that I was able to teach you a thing or two about getting into bushcraft. I would like to express to you, my readers, what this blog has taught me and what I wish I could have done differently. During this time frame the most significant things I learned about were the importance of brand image consistency, content creation and driving/monitoring traffic.

• Brand Image Consistency: This blog has the same logo, and profile picture across all 3 platforms.This way people can associate the "Beardless Caveman" brand to an image and style. Additionally, all of my platforms link to each other and have a relatively easy flow between them. 
• Content Creation: Possibly the toughest part of this blog project was generating consistent content that would capture a readers attention. It is a time consuming task that is not as easy as you might think it is. Captivating content is what keeps readers and brand participants drawn in, and if you are not producing it, they will not remain loyal.
• Driving/Monitoring Traffic: Bringing people from the outside communities to an American bushcrafting blog (where bushcraft is essentially non-existent) is wicked tough. It required several tweets and updates on my all social media channels.

My biggest regret with this project was simply being spread too thin. With all of the projects and things I balance between my two jobs, full course load, personal life and still finding time to sleep, it was hard to dedicate as much time to this project as I would have ideally liked.

In conclusion I thank you for the time and interest you have dedicated into reading my blog. I hope I was able to shed a little light into the world of outdoors bushcrafting and survival. Please remember to conserve wildlife where ever and whenever possible!

Firecraft: The Standard Bow Drill

Fire is one of the most valuable assets a human can possess in any wilderness scenario. Fire keeps you warm, provides light, cooks food, keeps away bugs, signals help and prevents unwanted visitors (larger predatory animals). Realizing the importance of this element, I spent last summer learning how to start fire's using multiple different techniques. Of all the techniques I practiced, the most efficient method of starting a fire (except for a good old fashion match or lighter) is using what is called a bow drill. The bow drill consists of a bow, spindle, handhold, and flat board.

• Bow: A curved branch with cordage tied to each end (I told you the para cord will com in handy)
• Spindle: The spindle should be a straight piece of wood, cylindrical in shape roughly 6-8 inches long and 1inch in diameter slightly pointed on one end and flat (maybe a slight bevel) on the other end.
• Handhold: This is a piece of wood that you will apply downward pressure on the spindle with
• Flatboard: This should be a flat piece of wood the same species as your spindle, with a shallow hole carved into it 1 inch in diameter and 1/8th of an inch deep. Then take a small v shaped notch out of the hole.

Now if have these items assembled, please watch the following video for the proper technique, by the great Ray Mears.

I have personally created fire this way on multiple occasions just for the shear fun of it. Bow drills take some time and practice to get the technique down. However once you do it is a rewarding experience and I can guarantee you will never take another match for granted.

Multi-Tool Madness!

So this past week I have been stuck in the "great indoors". School, work and Mothers Day prevented me from getting out into the woods, however my mom was happy to have me home all day, so it was worth it. I digress. While stuck inside this week pouring over books and straining my eye's in front of a computer screen, I was struggling to come up with a clever or insightful topic to write about for the blog. It wasn't until I finalized my social media marketing class presentation that it dawned on me.

My presentation was over a company that produces one of my favorite every-day-carry (EDC) items, my Leatherman. Leatherman produces multi-tools, which are pretty much pocket knives on steroids. My personal Leatherman is the Wave and has 17 tools on it. This post is going to show how a multi-tool (my personal one) is useful in bushcrafting or survival scenarios.

• Plain Knife: This knife is too small for wood prep, however the edge is one of my sharpest making it excellent for processing wild game
• Serrated Knife: Cutting rope and cordage for shelter making can be a pain in the rear end on a plain edge knife, the serrated edge allows more traction for easier cuts through flexible material 
• Saw: Cutting precise clean lengths of flexible greenwood for shelter making. Game processing
• Pliers: I like to carry fishing line and a few hooks in my hat. Needle nose pliers are always handy when fishing. Additionally they can help tie tighter knots while shelter making.
• Scissors: Cutting cord, game processing, first aid (not primary recommendation due to lack of sterilization)
• Can Opener: If you have packed canned non perishables or sea rations, the can opener is a God send   so you can keep your knife sharp.

Just from the few examples listed above. It is evident that a good multi-tool can be a valuable asset to your outdoors kit.

Bow To Your Sensei: Ray Mears

If you were to ask the typical American who the most knowledgeable and skillful survivalist is, you would most likely be given back 4 names.

• Bear Grylls (Man vs. Wild)
• Les Stroud (Survivorman)
• David Canterbury or Cody Lundin (Dual Survival)

I will whole heartedly agree that these individuals possess a wealth of skill and knowledge that would surpass me and the average bushcrafter hobbiest by miles. However, I will disagree that any of those men are the best at taming mother nature. This is simply because none of these men hold a candle to the great Ray Mears. 

Ray Mears is a largely popular TV personality in the U.K. He is the leader of Woodlore (a prestigious bushcrafting academy), hosted a wide variety of bushcrafting/survival shows, and even trained military personnel on how to stay alive in the wild. Watching Ray work in the woods, to me, is like watching Van Gogh or Monet paint. This guy knows his stuff. Please enjoy the video below of the wonderful work of Ray Mears!