Hey, congrats again! Well wishes to all!

Needle case
Thread winder with one of my pork bone needles
Buttons weren't in wide use yet for me, and fabric can be cut with my utility knife. So essentially, a needle, thread, and watertight container.

While it's surely a fun skill to have, I know of no medieval reference to the use of a bow drill and the methods of fire starting written by Tolken include matches and a tinderbox. There are several points which I feel make it inferior to flint and steel. 1. It is a definite skill, it takes much mor...

I didn't have issues using rawhide in the past, but I wouldn't use it for a knife sheath. It's going to constrict far more than you want, will make your knife wet (which would be very rust-prone iron in period), will hold water on the knife if it gets wet, and probably more if I sat to think about i...

I've had a couple people ask me about sewing my kit and a couple stitches I've used so here's a couple videos I put together.

Backstitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwsl5zqq ... e=youtu.be

Run and Fell stitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LV3VI5o ... e=youtu.be

What do you mean by improve? The issue I see with it right off is that the grip is formed of scales. Do my knowledge scales weren't really used for most of a millennium after the heyday of the seax, and then not in they way shown here. I know of a 15th century baselard with scales, but then the uppe...

I did when I was like 13. I swiftly decided they were rubbish for everything besides putting little holes in soft targets.

No worries, I got your meaning. I'm ready to eat my words if that paragraph doesn't stand up in practice.

I really doubt that cutting at the haft of a spear to sever the head is as easy as that, it's flexible and tough wood which is held in the hands which provides more give. Then a sword isn't designed for chopping wood. I think it'd be something like trying to cut a tree branch several feet away from ...

My halberd is six feet long, I am 6'3" tall, I can get a good thrust with my halbard at more than 8' away from my front foot. Greg brought his short training sword, a range of probably under 5'. That's a large deficiency in range which is in the advantage of the polearm. I'm used to fighting ag...

Shameless double post, I may as well give you guys a decent picture of me standing up after giving a peek on the Walk thread. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19219622/100_0619.jpg I finished my second shirt, the trunk and arms are unfortunately bigger around than was was intended to be the outer layer of my...

Yesterday a trend of boredom gave way to some fun when myself and Greg went on a bit of an outing into the cold woods of Brown County Indiana. Even before we stepped past the treeline we were dogged by a creature with the most extraordinary coat, the colors of leaves, shadow, and bark were woven int...

On the topic of sacks! I bought some canvas weight linen a few weeks back with the intent of making a tarp. The weave turned out to be far too sparse to be waterproof so now I have 6 yards of 60" heavy linen sitting in my linen drawer. This is what I've made from it so far. http://dl.dropbox.co...

Well I can share this I suppose. I'm currently lacking any knife to go with my kit and went around the internet looking for somewhere to obtain one. I was quickly disheartened by the (admittedly understandable) pricetags on handmade whittle tang knives and decided to just make my own. I promptly wen...

Looks like good stuff and a place to look for chert. I hope I can make it next time.