the big bushcraft question

[Tantalus]

just for fun, imagine you woke up on a deserted island with only in the clothes you have on ( or any of the other "end of the world as we know it" scenarios) and one other item

what would that one item be ?

and how would it help you to survive better than any of the other "possible" items?

Tant

[den]

It would have to be the Mrs.

She keeps me warm at night
I could use her long hair for fishing line
If you Get her mad enough and she spits fire
With the amont of rings and necklaces she has on at one time i'd be able to make a whole selection of tools and hooks

[jamesdevine]

It would have to be the Mrs.

:rolmao:

A simple Frost Mora. Tin can would be nice but I sure I could find on of does now days anywhere in the world. :cry:

James

[Tantalus]

lolol den

so those of us who are single are stuffed?

anyway i'm sure the mrs would get tired of you pulling her hair out and tell ya to grow your own :-P with accompanied fire breathings no doubt

Tant

[Realgar]

A cutting tool - preferably a bill hook but I'd settle for an axe,

[Tony]

Heck, this is hard, I'm presuming that we can't really have people, if we could it would be Mr Mears or another very capable person. If it's just an item I'd want the survival and bushcraft compendium with all 100 volumes rolled into one...but it's not been published yet :roll: So, maybe a good survival book, Lofty's springs to mind, as this would help with the visual concepts of what’s needed and how to approach things.

Other than that, a good blade. I'll give it more thought....

[TheViking]

Hi...

Definately a leuku! I big one... :shock: :wink:

[ScottC]

A knife with a field sharpening stone in a pocket on the sheath and a firesteel in a loop also on the sheath.

[Andy]

since I have cutting tools on me I'd have to say a container that can hoold water and I can cook in

[Moonraker]

A condom. You can never be too careful

[Ed]

I suppose it would depend on the climate and what the island was like.... if it was in the arctic circle a big red down sleeping bag would be first on my list!!!

Has anyone ever spent any time on a deserted island? I'm just wondering as on my travels I've ended up on a couple in the tropics (not alone btw... normally with local drunk fishermen who want a couple of days away) and found that islands that have not been raped by man have all the resources you need to live. Palm trees give you food, shelter, bowls (half coconuts), cordage, the beach and the sea can provide all the shell fish and fish you could ever want. As long as you can make fire (by friction) life is just bliss.

A small blade can help, but nothing a broken pebble can't do...... so for me, it would be either (a)a first aid kit, (b) suncream (c)someone to share the expierence with.

Ed

[SquirrelBoy]

Just to be different - an EPERB

[RovingArcher]

Hmm, a deserted island is deserted for a reason. No food, no water, or it is always in line with typhoons or something. There has to be a good reason though. That said, it depends on climate etc., as to which tool is most important.

So, in the tool department, if it's a tropical island, I'd want a cutting edge. Whether it's stone, glass or a modern knife doesn't matter. If it's a cold northern island, I'd want fire.

Then in the natural resource department, fresh water. Can only go a few days without fresh water.

[Seagull]

Cor! theres some brave souls on here,tonight.

For my tenpennorth, that one item would have to be, the contents of Tesco.

How about that now?

Seagull

[Paganwolf]

Kim :wink:

[Kim]

The contents of tesco is a very good answer Seagull, but I much prefer Pagan's.

And a knife, of course, but Pagan Wolf comes with those as standard, so I best take him!.

[Tony]

Looks like a big welcome is in order: Hi Kim and welcome to bcuk, it's great having you. :biggthump

Does he always have a knife :wink:

[Kim]

Fraid so,

He's like a walking Leatherman's, only far more useful and a darn site more attractive.

(do you know any self help groups for knife obsessed bushcaft devotees?)

[Tantalus]

thought this would get more response but no worries, thanks all who did post

i guess for me it would have to be a knife, and not a sak or combat weapon either lol

lets face it if the climate is too extreme chances of survival are slim anyway
down jackets or bottled water may only prolong the process

i guess it was a bit of a trick question that way

sure knives and axes culd be scrounged from nature by knapping but to help me get set up i think it would be the most important

fashioning a shelter, fire drills or ploughs can be made much easier with a good knife

its use in skinning game and fish , digging tasks, and fashioning tools such as spoons and fishooks, even axe handles

the only other thing i can think of that would be almost as useful would be a plastic sheet for collecting water if there was no water to be found but again if water is that scarce what are my chances anyway?

Tant

[Adi007]

Would have to be a knive - machete or parang type. If it is a desert island than chances are it's going to have coconut trees that can be used for a variety of things - as long as you have a good knife!

[Tantalus]

gotta disagree a little adi, machete or parang would be too big for some of the smaler tasks like spoons bowls or fishooks wouldnt they?

Tant

[Adi007]

Not if you augment it with sharpened shells and stones and use them as cutting tools. I find it easier to carry out light tasks with a big knife than heavy tasks with a small knife.

[TheViking]

Not if you augment it with sharpened shells and stones and use them as cutting tools. I find it easier to carry out light tasks with a big knife than heavy tasks with a small knife.

I agree on that. A medium sized big knife would be good IMO. Something like a 25 cm. blade. It's easy to chop with, but still it's better for small tasks than a 50 cm. machete. :biggthump :wink:

[Simon]

ONE ... BIG ... KNIFE!!! \\: :wink: :uu:

[Paganwolf]

:rolmao: :rolmao: Kim you are simply the best :rolmao: :rolmao: :wave:

[Moonraker]

nice happy Island. Think you may need my item :wink:

[Andrew Middleton]

A helicopter

[Les Marshall]

I'd have to say that my SFA would be my preffered item as I would have my knife and fire kit on my belt. Being a squaddy, my pockets would be bulging with the stuff that comes under the heading "That might come in handy", Dept. Good question though. :-P

[Squidders]

A sattelite phone.

[ESpy]

Being a squaddy, my pockets would be bulging with the stuff that comes under the heading..

"Shiny"
):