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Now I'm sure most of us don't need to be told about the hypnotic hold of the fireside after dark, but this looks to be quite interesting. http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/fire-cooked-up-early-human-culture/ "An anthropologist studying current hunter–gatherers finds that...

Yes I know that one will burn with a flame ignition source, the same as prawn crackers. Has anyone got one to go up with just sparks? I am doing another fire lighting demo on Saturday and I like to throw in the odd quirky thing to engage people, especially if the whole subject is new to them...

I have a little bit of an obsession with making wooden mallets. My current collection is here: My latest creation is the one second from right and I think it is my favourite (sad isn't it to have a favourite mallet). Anyway, the competition is to correctly identify all the woods; there are a...

A neighbour of ours is involved with doing some bat surveying on local nature reserves. For his reports to be credible, he needs someone with him to verify the report or somesuch, so me and Mrs Stringmaker expressed an interest. He has some clever sonar directional listening kit and I think...

For those life or death scenarios when you need backup........ :D

Well you can have one, courtesy of the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum who will make you one: "If you’ve ever dreamed of powering through the waves on a Viking longboat like Ragnar Lothbrok, axe at your side, ready to terrorise some unsuspecting Englishmen, then stow away your pillow and dream no...

This afternoon, Mrs Stringmaker and I took our wonderful tabby cat on his final journey: We had known for about a year that he was on borrowed time, but you are never prepared for the final moments. Luckily I was at home, so we could both do our final task for him and his distress was as...

I do a bit of fire lighting with school groups and both adult/family groups. A couple of weeks ago I failed completely with my friction fire bow drill demonstration. I have shown this method many times to many groups, and I have had the odd failure before but this time got me thinking. It has...

If you haven't read this book then on the basis of what I've covered so far you are missing out. The basic narrative is the story of him and a buddy walking the Appalachian Trail, which is a hardcore long distance footpath and covers over 2000 miles up the East coast of America from Georgia to...

No more from me is needed:

I am about to embark upon a journey of pain, frustration, possible blood and the odd profanity. To be honest that has applied to all the traditional skills I've dabbled with, but in this specific case I'm talking about the art of making stone tools. I have been reading various sources and...

I have decided to have another bash(!) at flint working, or lithic technology. When I first got involved in the school volunteering project we were lucky enough to have a day with Will Lord, and I have a copper pressure flaker, small hammerstone and abrader, and a hand pad. I also have some...

Someone up there likes this guy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10738669/Chainsaw-accident-leaves-man-with-large-blade-in-shoulder.html

Like most of us, I love the idea of having my own little bit of woody heaven. Today after work I am going to look at just such a thing, and I need to do some serious thinking. It is a tiny plot in a mature broadleaf woodland and it is affordable (just). I am a cautious chap by nature and if I...

Once again we can watch the progress of these wonderful creatures: http://upp.hawkandowl.org/norwich-peregrines/live-norwich-cathedral-peregrine-web-cam-2014/ This time last year Mrs Peregrine was sitting in snow!

This may seem a touch unusual but having been inspired by the magnificent "bone age" bowdrill set recently posted I would like to do the same thing. I regularly do friction fire demos to beginners, whilst relating that technique to our early living skills, and I quite fancy a rib bone bow and...

"Criticism for lost walker on Snowdon in jeans and trainers" A walker was rescued from Snowdon in Gwynedd overnight after becoming lost in difficult conditions including gales, snow and heavy rain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-25916362?SThisFB I despair. :banghead:

If you yearn for a more historic pointy thing on your PC instead of a dull modern arrow then this is what you need: http://www.knowyourorigins.org/freebies.html Just save the .cur file and then use the control panel on your PC to select that as your cursor.

I recently made these two spoons to give away: It broke my heart actually as they are my best two pieces to date; especially the one at the bottom as the symmetry and proportions are so nice. Anyway, I have never seen birch come up with such an interesting finish before, usually it is much...