Good blog, enjoyed reading some of your posts, I know most of what you posted but you did give me several new ideas, I thank you for that… Looks like you live in my area of the country maybe… I grew up on a farm on swampy river bottom land, I had to be a jack of all trades as most farm boys do, I have hunted and fished and practiced survival most of my life, over thirty years, sounds like you and I are similar, I will look forward to new posts; have a good and blessed day.
NIce website and lots of good information. Only one thing I would like to mention. Even though people have eaten Sassafras for years (the original Root Beer) it is now a proven carcinogen. You might just ought to mention that in the Sassafras page. I like your website though and I am into this same kind of stuff. Thanks.
I just wanted to thank you for creating this blog. I’ve been researching homesteading and bushcraft for a while now but most of that information is based on more northern areas where the plants and things are different. I’m so grateful that I found your site because you’re in east Texas like me :). Keep up the good work and again, thank you so much.
From your description, this seems to be a celt as is seems to have no bindings. I wonder if you have made a celt, and can tell us any more about how the forces are controlled to avoid splitting the haft in use.
Mark,
I have not yet made a celt but a friend of mine who has made several described overcoming just the problem that you are asking about. As you know, the celt head is wedged through a slot in the wooden handle. My friend said that the trick is to make the slot slightly wider than the celt head but to make it a snug fit on the top and bottom. This way the forces that are created when the celt strikes an object are directed up and down in the handle rather than out to the sides. This keeps the celt head from acting as a wedge to split the handle in half length-wise. Hope this is understandable and helps answer your question.
Hank
Hello Hank…hope theis finds you and yourn well…i found your page about a year or so ago ..didnt know it was you at first …but some of the things you were presenting like yacca bow drill and flint knapping looked very formiliar in their presentation…i knew it had to be you or another student you taught…anyhow…hope you had a good thanksgiving sir and wish a merry Christmas on you…hope you keep teaching these skills sir as i still practice what you have taught me and have taught others…have a good day sir and a good week
just read Hank Buchmeyers article on seed bank—seeds must be hermetically sealed -with oxygen still in the container–you must not remove the oxygen,the seed is alive–during y2k seeds were sold and vacuum packed -and are now dead–you should not use a oxygen absorber–just freeze in a sealed container-like a canning jar with a lid that seals so there will not be an exchange of air in nor out–quart jar about an inch of air at the top-20–30 years storage is common
Hank- I very much enjoyed your article on bowmaking in the latest BWM. I am going to follow you instructions and make my own. My issues are finding the proper wood as I live in Michigans eastern upper Penninsula and most of our forests are conifers. I have a buddy who has an ironwood tree which he thought would make for a good bow. Nevertheless, I will be on the search this spring and summer. I know of a good stand of maple…
Sorry to ramble, just wanted to say thanks and give my appreciation to your fine article.
Regards,
Doug McFarlane
Doug,
Thanks for reading. I have a bow that I made out of ironwood and it shoots good. I did put a sinew backing on it, so I’m not sure how ironwood works as a self bow. Good luck with your bow making. It’s a great hobby.
Hank
Read an article of yours in Backwoodsman magazine, referencing this webpage for information on working with real sinew. Can’t find the information, where should I look?
Sewing with real sinew is under “Primitive Tools” here’s the URL https://sensiblesurvival.org/2012/06/03/how-to-sew-with-real-sinew/ can’t seem to turn it into a link so you’ll have to copy and paste in you browser
There are also 3 posts on sinew backing a bow under “Archery, Primitive”
I have some “seed banks” that I bought that are (supposedly) filled with heirloom varieties – several in fact – but they are not locally proven varieties. I wonder if you would share your “East Texas” proven varieties they you have found to work for you. I currently live on the southwest side of Houston, but I have many family connections to Silsbee vicinity and eventual plans to move to the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area.
Hello Hank. I have read several of your articles in the Backwoodsman magazine with your suggestion to check out your blog. So I did yesterday and today I am still reading it. And learning new things. I think its great. Thanks for your time to post your knowledge.
I see in live in East Tx. I have always loved that area and almost moved there. We had friends how lived in Jacksonville and Longview. Plus I worked that area as an Insurance adjuster after Hurricane Rita went through. What nice folks live there. I would love to get away from Burleson Tx. Too crowded.
Thanks again and I will be spending a lot more time here.
Sensible Survival
Good blog, enjoyed reading some of your posts, I know most of what you posted but you did give me several new ideas, I thank you for that… Looks like you live in my area of the country maybe… I grew up on a farm on swampy river bottom land, I had to be a jack of all trades as most farm boys do, I have hunted and fished and practiced survival most of my life, over thirty years, sounds like you and I are similar, I will look forward to new posts; have a good and blessed day.
I was making yucca fishing line and got lost,help.I cant get fibers to make cord!
Surly one of your neighbors has a decorative yucca plant that you could “borrow” a couple of leaves off of.
You’re a wealth of information. Love that you made your own yaupon coffee… I am growing a bull thistle out to try, based on your post. Thanks!
NIce website and lots of good information. Only one thing I would like to mention. Even though people have eaten Sassafras for years (the original Root Beer) it is now a proven carcinogen. You might just ought to mention that in the Sassafras page. I like your website though and I am into this same kind of stuff. Thanks.
I just wanted to thank you for creating this blog. I’ve been researching homesteading and bushcraft for a while now but most of that information is based on more northern areas where the plants and things are different. I’m so grateful that I found your site because you’re in east Texas like me :). Keep up the good work and again, thank you so much.
Great stuff here! I’m glad I found this blog, best part…not blocked at work! Thanks for the great information!
Hi, I found your fascinating blog when searching for info on stone axes after reading of a superbly preserved neolithic axe found in Denmark, here: http://irisharchaeology.ie/2014/11/neolithic-flint-axe-and-preserved-wooden-handle-discovered-in-denmark/
From your description, this seems to be a celt as is seems to have no bindings. I wonder if you have made a celt, and can tell us any more about how the forces are controlled to avoid splitting the haft in use.
Mark,
I have not yet made a celt but a friend of mine who has made several described overcoming just the problem that you are asking about. As you know, the celt head is wedged through a slot in the wooden handle. My friend said that the trick is to make the slot slightly wider than the celt head but to make it a snug fit on the top and bottom. This way the forces that are created when the celt strikes an object are directed up and down in the handle rather than out to the sides. This keeps the celt head from acting as a wedge to split the handle in half length-wise. Hope this is understandable and helps answer your question.
Hank
Thanks for the information. I know a lot but I still enjoy reading about other folk’s perspectives.
Hello Hank…hope theis finds you and yourn well…i found your page about a year or so ago ..didnt know it was you at first …but some of the things you were presenting like yacca bow drill and flint knapping looked very formiliar in their presentation…i knew it had to be you or another student you taught…anyhow…hope you had a good thanksgiving sir and wish a merry Christmas on you…hope you keep teaching these skills sir as i still practice what you have taught me and have taught others…have a good day sir and a good week
just read Hank Buchmeyers article on seed bank—seeds must be hermetically sealed -with oxygen still in the container–you must not remove the oxygen,the seed is alive–during y2k seeds were sold and vacuum packed -and are now dead–you should not use a oxygen absorber–just freeze in a sealed container-like a canning jar with a lid that seals so there will not be an exchange of air in nor out–quart jar about an inch of air at the top-20–30 years storage is common
thanks for the comment. good to know.
Hank
Hank- I very much enjoyed your article on bowmaking in the latest BWM. I am going to follow you instructions and make my own. My issues are finding the proper wood as I live in Michigans eastern upper Penninsula and most of our forests are conifers. I have a buddy who has an ironwood tree which he thought would make for a good bow. Nevertheless, I will be on the search this spring and summer. I know of a good stand of maple…
Sorry to ramble, just wanted to say thanks and give my appreciation to your fine article.
Regards,
Doug McFarlane
Doug,
Thanks for reading. I have a bow that I made out of ironwood and it shoots good. I did put a sinew backing on it, so I’m not sure how ironwood works as a self bow. Good luck with your bow making. It’s a great hobby.
Hank
Read an article of yours in Backwoodsman magazine, referencing this webpage for information on working with real sinew. Can’t find the information, where should I look?
Sewing with real sinew is under “Primitive Tools” here’s the URL https://sensiblesurvival.org/2012/06/03/how-to-sew-with-real-sinew/ can’t seem to turn it into a link so you’ll have to copy and paste in you browser
There are also 3 posts on sinew backing a bow under “Archery, Primitive”
I have some “seed banks” that I bought that are (supposedly) filled with heirloom varieties – several in fact – but they are not locally proven varieties. I wonder if you would share your “East Texas” proven varieties they you have found to work for you. I currently live on the southwest side of Houston, but I have many family connections to Silsbee vicinity and eventual plans to move to the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area.
Hello Hank. I have read several of your articles in the Backwoodsman magazine with your suggestion to check out your blog. So I did yesterday and today I am still reading it. And learning new things. I think its great. Thanks for your time to post your knowledge.
I see in live in East Tx. I have always loved that area and almost moved there. We had friends how lived in Jacksonville and Longview. Plus I worked that area as an Insurance adjuster after Hurricane Rita went through. What nice folks live there. I would love to get away from Burleson Tx. Too crowded.
Thanks again and I will be spending a lot more time here.