This
is a list of basic skills in which I personally would expect an 18th
century woodsman or woods-woman to have some experience with.
·
Flint
& steel fire lighting
·
Wet
weather fire lighting
·
Fire-bow
fire lighting
·
Flintlock
fire lighting
·
Flintlock
use, service & repair
·
Field
dressing & butchering game
·
Blade
sharpening
·
Tomahawk
throwing
·
Making
rawhide
·
Brain
tanning
·
Primitive
shelter construction
·
How
to stay warm in winter with only one blanket
·
Cordage
manufacture
·
Moccasin
construction and repair
·
Sewing
·
Axe
and tomahawk helve making
·
Fishing
·
Hunting
·
Evasion
·
Tracking
·
Reading
sign
·
Woods
lore
·
Navigation
·
Primitive
trap construction & trapping
·
Open
fire cooking
·
Fireplace
construction
·
Clothing
manufacture
·
Drying
meat & other foods
·
Knowledge
of plant tinders & preparation
·
Knowledge
of native foods & preparation
·
Knowledge
of native plants in the area and their uses for other than tinder and food.
·
Scouting/Ranging.
·
Basic
first aid.
·
Finding
and treating water.
·
General
leather work.
The only one I'd question would be throwing axes and tomahawks. I'd generally want to hang onto mine, though the skill couldn't hurt.
ReplyDeleteYes Gorges, a personal choice I guess, but the original Rangers in the 18th century apparently practiced it, & I think it is a good skill to have.
ReplyDeleteKeith.
Pardon the intrusion Keith, but as far as learning those skills, where would/should someone start? I've purchased your book and it should be shipping within a week. But there's a lot more to learn and I am certainly a novice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time.
Todd
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Todd. I had to do a lot of research for these skills, & I started a long time ago. I have made some primitive skills DVDs, perhaps you could start with these:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.trepstar.com/purchase.asp?idpub=30560&mode=all
Regards, Keith.
Contact me again if you need more info Todd.