The Patina on carbon steel Opinel knives is a common thing to happen. Here is how to prevent them, or force them! A Patina on carbon steel knives is a form of corrosion that tends to happen when handling the knife in wet or humid conditions. With Opinel knives that tend to happen from being in a sweaty pocket. Or cutting something with acids or tannins in it. For example, cutting a hazel branch tends to discolor Carbon Steel Opinel knives quite a bit. Quick Jump Guide Preventing a Patina on Opinel knives Forcing a Patina on Opinel knives Conclusion on Patina’s It can bother some people to have their…

Alcohol stoves are a great lightweight option for any hiker, using one requires some more attention than other options like gas or cartridge stoves. Here is how to effectively use Alcohol stoves on your next hike! Using an alcohol stove can be done in many different ways according to the stove type, and can be boiled down to the following steps: Alcohol stoves themselves come in many different configurations and types. They can be broken down into the following two main categories: Commercial Alcohol stoves, Trangia, Vango, etc. Homemade DIY alcohol stoves And for all the different types they can be broken down into the following: Depending on your needs…

Windscreens for alcohol stoves are easy to construct yourself and offer a great boost to performance for almost any Alcohol stove. Here are some options. For many of the windscreens that I will be covering you can make it the DIY route. And for others, you can get them cheaply. The difference they make is night and day. Since almost all Alcohol stoves are not pressurized they are very susceptible to the slightest gust of wind. Trangia integrated windscreen When you decide to go for a Trangia alcohol stove the Windscreen that you need is already integrated into the stove. With their windscreen, you have a contained cookset. With potholders…

Mora knives are a popular choice for bushcraft knives, hiking, and any outdoor activity. The choice between Stainless and Carbon is an easy one. Here is why. Knives of any sort come in a great variety of different steel types. Carbon steel or Stainless steel is a broad spectrum even to choose between. In the case of Mora knives, it comes down to three different steel types. Carbon steel, Stainless steel, or laminated steel knives. Each with its own properties and characteristics. In this article, I explore the three different steel types that Mora has to offer, and explain when to choose what steel type. In any case, this is…

Opinel and Mora knives are a staple in the outdoor community. For every cutting task, they are at the ready. In this article, we discuss the differences and choices between the two knives. When getting started in hiking, bushcrafting, or just looking for a knife for cutting chores around the house. The names Opinel and Mora are often recognized in articles and videos. They are old brands that have gained quite the following in the different outdoor communities. Reliable, affordable, and easy to sharpen for first-timers. Let’s dive deeper into the choice of deciding between the two. Quick jump list Opinel Knives Mora Knives Steel types for Mora and Opinel…

The Trangia Alcohol stoves have been around for a long time, bombproof and super simple to use. Let’s go over all its up and downsides in this review. After playing around with homemade alcohol stoves a lot I finally got a Trangia alcohol stove for my first backpacking trips. I knew about the ups and downsides of the stoves and decided that the Trangia stove was going to be my choice for trips to Sweden, the Netherlands, and Scotland. Having an Alcohol stove in Europe is great since the fuel is cheap and readily available. The stoves don’t make a sound like a jet engine, and for camp cooking for…

As far as outdoor cooking and eating utensils go a Spork is a great way combined with a pocket knife to eat out on the trail. All you need is in there. As Sporks go I have tested quite a few, from the free ones you get in different grocery stores. To metal an plastic ones. Cooking and eating out on trail wile hiking is confined in most cases to a single pot or mug. The Titanium Spork by light my fire is one of the best Sporks out there on the market and has been for a long time. Since its first launch with a mealkit in 2005 the…

Alcohol stoves are great lightweight stoves to take hiking. Fuel availability, price, and DIY advantages are some of their perks. Here is how to cook with them. As a long-time user of Alcohol stoves, they have accompanied me on many hikes in the past and will do so in the future. With their great fuel availability, you can go pretty much anywhere with these stoves and not have to worry about the right gas cartridges. Stored in a simple plastic bottle or fancier alternative the fuel can last for a good time if you know how to cook with alcohol stoves. How to cook with an Alcohol stove This answer…

Esbit is a common first stove for many boyscouts, hikers and backpackers. Lets take a look at all the Esbit stove features and what makes them a blast to use! Esbit or stoves of its nature are a common sight along many hiking trails, not only are they very affordable, but also no fuss and easy to operate. Fold it out, put a tab in and light it. And finally set your pot on. That is about as complicated as it gets. Quick jump guide Features and specifications Different kinds of Esbit stoves Ways to modify an Esbit stove for multi fuel use Different types of solid fuels for Esbit…

The Sawyer Mini water filter is an excellent lightweight and affordable option for water filtration. Here are the reasons for picking one up for your next hike. Water filters are a must have when wandering about on trails and in the woods. Drinking the wrong water can cause some serious problems. Best to avoid those things. But then how do you filter the water that your going to be drinking? The Sawyer Mini or Squeeze come in to play there. Quick jump guide Specifications of the Sawyer Mini water filter Using the water filter Protecting the Sawyer Mini water filter from freezing Affordable water filter solution that works No longer…