False Idols

**durulz** · 05-06-2009, 19:14

Just been watching Ray on Dave TV. Actually, it's still on.
It's that episode where he's in the Russian forest. A couple of things have occured to me.
Firstly, he has that saw blade in a tin. He then goes on to make a saw handle for it USING ANOTHER SAW! Which begs the question, why does he bother making a saw when he already has one!?
Also, he cuts that massive log and then whittles a little spoon out of it. What was that about not wasting natural resources?
What a berk. Or am I not supposed to be thinking these heretical thoughts?

**Greg** · 05-06-2009, 19:16

All you have to do now is wait for the death threats!

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 19:20

Originally Posted by durulz

Just been watching Ray on Dave TV. Actually, it's still on.
It's that episode where he's in the Russian forest. A couple of things have occured to me.
Firstly, he has that saw blade in a tin. He then goes on to make a saw handle for it USING ANOTHER SAW! Which begs the question, why does he bother making a saw when he already has one!?
Also, he cuts that massive log and then whittles a little spoon out of it. What was that about not wasting natural resources?
What a berk. Or am I not supposed to be thinking these heretical thoughts?

Day you get your **** as skilled, as well known, and as rich as him and have all the TV time you want, plus a fantastic bushcraft school and be revered the world over, then, then you might be able to commet.

Till then, your opinion? counts as much as a grain of sand in the desert.

Oh and you know who Mr mears is teaching bushcraft and survival skills to now? find that out, then wonder if he still is as shoddy as you think he is.

**Greg** · 05-06-2009, 19:24

Told you!!!

**John Fenna** · 05-06-2009, 19:25

**Apac** · 05-06-2009, 19:27

i personally think ray is ok, ok but abit over rated! ther are alot of people who dont get the recognition who know alot more! i dont think he needs as much smoke blown up his ****!

**durulz** · 05-06-2009, 19:27

Crikey!
In for a penny, in for a pound...
...that Bear, what a great guy!

**Peter_t** · 05-06-2009, 19:29

Originally Posted by durulz

Also, he cuts that massive log and then whittles a little spoon out of it. What was that about not wasting natural resources?

he probably used the waste as firewood, is that a waste of resources?

pete

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 19:30

Originally Posted by durulz

Crikey!
In for a penny, in for a pound...
...that Bear, what a great guy!

Nice guy, talented mountaineer, fit as a butchers dog, makes oodles of cash from a TV show thats entertainment, not educational, oh, and his signature on a reasonable knife makes him a tidy sum too.

However, Ray Mears - good enough to teach special forces, good enough to teach the rest of us.

**Greg** · 05-06-2009, 19:34

The phrase "You have opened up another can of worms!" springs to mind!!

**woof** · 05-06-2009, 19:39

Come on admit it AJ55,

YOU ARE RAY MEARS !

**jimford** · 05-06-2009, 19:52

Originally Posted by IJ55

However, Ray Mears - good enough to teach special forces, good enough to teach the rest of us.

Why would the Army employ a civilian to teach them?

Jim

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 19:56

Originally Posted by jimford

Why would the Army employ a civilian to teach them?

Jim

You have got to be taking the mickey mate - surely? lets have a wee think about this one then.

A world famous, superbly talented, richly experienced survival expert is approached to teach some special forces advanced wilderness survival.

Is this a good or bad thing? oh let me think a while on that one. There are a few civilians teaching SF survival skills - each one has a seperate area of expertise. The doddery little old lady who teaches plants and wild medicine lol is about 300 years old. Yet, she is such an expert as to be unmatched. hence why the Army employed her services too.

**southey** · 05-06-2009, 19:59

they go to the people with the depth knowledge to teach, and the skills in instruction to get the point across,

to the op, did he make a bigger saw for larger work around camp, so as to make the cutting of larger logs easyer,

**Greg** · 05-06-2009, 20:02

Can't argue with that one although I never met RM!

**Barn Owl** · 05-06-2009, 20:21

Ray's not a berk.
The guys been doing what he does since a boy and with knowledge comes the confidence to teach and be a presenter on tv.

Of course there are others like him but he got in there with his school and the chance to get on tv,that was his lucky breaks.

Of course I don't know him but his programmes and seeing him do a talk have made me respect the fella a lot.

If I had to,I too would utilise available resources to teach.

In fact I made a tripod for our fire the other day from trees that in taking would benefit the woods.(Ash,plentiful and growing beside sessile oak,so more a benefit than a waste).

**Ahjno** · 05-06-2009, 20:27

Originally Posted by IJ55

<snip> The doddery little old lady who teaches plants and wild medicine lol is about 300 years old. Yet, she is such an expert as to be unmatched. hence why the Army employed her services too.

I've read that book too

**xylaria** · 05-06-2009, 20:33

Ray is not a berk,
But, when I watched the wild food progam, he whittled this pestle log to crush I don't remember acorns or something. He did what blokes do which is use his arms and shoudlers to bring it up and down. Yet when you watch afican women do the same thing they use teamwork and a bouncing movement, they also use a tool that sits inside a house so it is dry wood. He used heavy fresh wood and didn't think his tecneque was wrong yet said at the end of it that he didn't think the a said food source was a good staple as it took too energy to make, he didn't think maybe his method was off.

Other than that he is good and inspiring, but he ain't a god. He would be first to admit he does stuff clumsy.

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 21:00

Originally Posted by Ahjno

I've read that book too

'Aunty 'G' ' has done alot of written work too - lots of herbology and toxicology papers and a marvelous recollection of times gone by. The poisons unit in London have some of her work, such is its depth and knowlege.

**Treemonk** · 05-06-2009, 21:11

Originally Posted by durulz

Just been watching Ray on Dave TV. Actually, it's still on.
It's that episode where he's in the Russian forest. A couple of things have occured to me.
Firstly, he has that saw blade in a tin. He then goes on to make a saw handle for it USING ANOTHER SAW! Which begs the question, why does he bother making a saw when he already has one!?
Also, he cuts that massive log and then whittles a little spoon out of it. What was that about not wasting natural resources?
What a berk. Or am I not supposed to be thinking these heretical thoughts?

You sit there on a computer, most likely in a electrically lit and heated house and you bleat on about wasting natural resources?
Think about that and stop trolling.

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 21:12

Originally Posted by Treemonk

You sit there on a computer, most likely in a electrically lit and heated house and you bleat on about wasting natural resources?
Think about that and stop trolling.

Winning quote. Pure internet Gold slap down. Made my day. Cheers.

**Rob Tangtent** · 05-06-2009, 21:34

thing is, im sure he is very good at what he does. but i hate his TV series, all the way through you barely learn anything bar a couple of historic facs.

every episode is pretty much the same, hes always banging on about the same thing and its kinda gets boring.

anyway my opinion on the best guy to look up to as a bushcrafting idol is a bloke off youtube called fredde, his screenname is hobbexp.

In my opinion he's far better than Ray

**locum76** · 05-06-2009, 21:42

clapton is god. mears is god. whats the difference?

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 21:47

hobbexp.

He di an amazing bow and arrow demonstration - was very enjoyabel, and then a testing video. well worth dropping by his channel to have a look.

**Peter_t** · 05-06-2009, 21:51

Originally Posted by IJ55

hobbexp.

He di an amazing bow and arrow demonstration - was very enjoyabel, and then a testing video. well worth dropping by his channel to have a look.

i'l seccond that! very skilled
also andy price, the guy who did the A to Z of bushcraft, another one well worth watching

pete

**Rob Tangtent** · 05-06-2009, 21:58

Originally Posted by IJ55

hobbexp.

He di an amazing bow and arrow demonstration - was very enjoyabel, and then a testing video. well worth dropping by his channel to have a look.

yes, have you seen his videos about making a bow drill fire with damp wood, or making a bow drill fire in the rain...
thats very cool!

**IJ55** · 05-06-2009, 22:09

yeah I enjoy flicking through his youtube channel - very educational and can pick up some 'no frills' real living skills.

Also, he has a 'favorite' saved about kite fishing. I used it off a boat in the loch and it works better than any fishing trick i have ever seen - period.

**John Fenna** · 05-06-2009, 22:11

Originally Posted by Peter_t

also andy price, the guy who did the A to Z of bushcraft, another one well worth watching

pete

Ah - the man who did a multi-page magazine article on how to turn an office filing cabinet into a camp oven......
But redeemed himself with his BG take off vid!

**Twoflower** · 05-06-2009, 22:35

I'm amused by this thread but it does beg the general question ... do you spend too much time reading/watching/surfing the net for 'bushcraft' instead of actually getting out and putting all these skills (some of which you will never need) into practice?

Ray Mears god? probably not .. but he is damn good at communicating his vast knowledge.

Incidently, the question isn't aimed at anyone in particular .. but you do need to ask yourself it sometimes, I know I have.

**Wayland** · 05-06-2009, 22:50

****************************** ** BREAKING NEWS ****************************** ********

Ray Mears is just a human being that has to make a living just like the rest of us.

I like his programs and I also think he's done a lot for the public perception of what we do, but I don't think he's god. Heck I don't even think "God" is god for that matter.

I think this personality worship lark is wearing pretty thin in my opinion.

I'm sure if you met him out of the public arena he would turn out to be just an ordinary guy with a good knowledge of his chosen interest. I'm sure he's just the sort of person I would get on well with sat round a fire with a pint.

So what, I meet people like that in just about every walk of life, I'm sure you, reading this now, have an equally good knowledge in some field you are interested in. I'm sure you don't feel god like because of it do you?

One of the things that has been a constant source of enjoyment to me when attending meet ups has been the skill and enthusiasm demonstrated even by people who consider themselves to be "newbies"

The sooner people realise that gods don't exist the better off we'll all be as far as I'm concerned.

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False Idols

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