The fire is a central part in bushcraft. It creates a connection between us and the nature we are visiting. By gathering firewood and getting to know the materials in the forest we create a bond to nature. The better we know our surroundings the stronger the bond gets. And with a stronger bond we feel more responsible towards nature. This is especially important in this time and age when nature is only seen as an object. Objectification happens when there is a lack of bond or feelings towards something. This happens between humans as well. Some look down on certain races, on the other gender, on the rich or on the poor, simply because they don't have a connection to them. This is why it's important that we create a strong bond to nature, and also that we help others create this bond as well. Is a fire an environmentally friendly alternative to stoves? We can bring a propane or alcohol stove on our trip, a lot of people even propose that is better because then we don...

The knife is the most crucial piece of gear in any survival or bushcraft situation. With a good knife you can fell trees, cut branches, chop wood, carve utensils, cut plants and roots, start fires, build wind shields, defend yourself and much more. I bring my knife around in my daily life as well as in the forest. And I can't remember the day it did not come to some use. I use it for everything from cutting an apple to carving spoons. I will start by explaining the different parts of a knife. How the parts affect usage and what you should consider when choosing one. I will then discuss the different types of survival knives before going on to how to use them efficiently, how to care for them and finally comparing some popular models. The different parts of a knife. This is a modified Marttiini knife from Finland. (Click to enlarge.) A kitchen knife is almost impossible to use for carving, while a carving knife throws away your carrot pieces when you cut. (Don't b...