How are your skills?

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:34 am

This is a subject that I have been batting around for a week or more and have just sat down to write it up. I have been thinking of the list of skills essential to a ranger that Andy has listed on his site. I'm sure there are other skills that could be added to the list. What I am aiming at is this, what skills are you good at and what skills are you deficient at? With those that are deficient, how are you working to improve them?
I'll go ahead and clear the air now. I'm deficient in all of them. So, I'm taking a handful at the time and working on them. Here's where I stand:
Primative hunting- I've never been a hunter, but this year I will be taking it up. But I doubt seriously that I'll be good enough with my bow by hunting season to take it into the woods, even if it is deemed strong enough to take down game. So, this year I will probably hunt with a gun (and all the purists said, "whut's a gun?").
That leads to the second skill. Archery- Soon my arrows will be here and I will make the heads for them. Then I will begin practicing my archery skills.
Weapon care- I have limited knowledge on weapon care, but it is expanding a bit as I try to keep my small collection of swords from rusting.
Fire craft- This coming weekend, if not this week, I'll be working with my flint and steel to try to make fire.
Shelter Construction- Within a couple of weeks, my son and I are going to hit the woods behind our house to guard the path from and to the pond. Shelter construction will be emphasized during that outing.

So, where are you with your skills? If anybody has a good way to do something - make fire, shelters whatever, post it here or start another thread for it.
I look forward to hearing from everyone. This could be a wonderful opportunity to share the wealth of experience a bit. I'll certainly post as I learn and experience the obstacles in the wilds over the next few weeks.[/b]

mcapanelli · Post by **mcapanelli** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:40 am

I have the fighting part down. I do need to get back to the range as soon as the new bow gets here to get feel for her and just to start shooting again. I can maintain the weapons very well. The areas I need to work on our primitive survival and wood and leather craft. I REALLY need to get outdoors with some experienced people and start some simple craft projects as well. I guess if you need to engage the enemy in mortal combat I'm your man. I can also cook something fierce. Ask me to sew or build you a shelter and your on your own.

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:16 am

Well, I can sew something that is fairly simple. I'm working on basic leather craft. Some of the leather for my new boots is sitting in my room waiting for me to get to the leather store to buy the rest of what I need.
Cooking? We can at least eat what I cook, but it could use some work.

mcapanelli · Post by **mcapanelli** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:40 pm

Here's a link to help you with your cooking. It's a collection of 15th century recipes, translated to modern english of course. I've already made the meat pies and if I get a chance this weekend I'm going to teach my Daughter to render and roast a goose. So far the recipes have been great I've done from it. You'll have to go out and find some of the spices, but with a little leg work you'll have what I think are flavors that would have been present in Tolkiens world for sure. I think Sam took some spices on their departure from Bag end if memory serves.

http://www.godecookery.com/

Enjoy!

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:11 am

Thanks for the site. I'll have to try some of those out as I camp this year. I started working on broadheads today after work, so that is one more skill added to the list. I'll have pics of the heads with and without the arrows soon.

Post by **Peter Remling** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:09 am

Eric C wrote:Well, I can sew something that is fairly simple. I'm working on basic leather craft. Some of the leather for my new boots is sitting in my room waiting for me to get to the leather store to buy the rest of what I need.
Cooking? We can at least eat what I cook, but it could use some work.

Eric: What things do you need from the leather store ? I generally have some extra stuff and useable leather scraps laying around.

As to the topic here: I can sh*t in the woods with the best of them.

Fire starting- ok, cooking in the open- ok, basic leather work-ok, archery- ok, basic arrow making-ok, basic armor repair- ok, riding (been a long time)- but ok, primitive weapon making- ok, .

Things I lack a great deal on knowledge in: swordsmanship, plant identification, herb medicinal lore,

Lots more pros and cons I'm sure but these are the ones that spring to mind.

mcapanelli · Post by **mcapanelli** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 3:45 am

Then we need to meet up Pete. I can help you with swordsmanship, plant identification AND herbal medicine. Man do I ever need the to learn to s@#$ in the woods with the best of 'em. I'm not much of a ranger till I can learn the survival skills. Where should I start?

Post by **Peter Remling** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 12:32 pm

Mike,

When I send you the pack I'll include a few other accessories: flint and steel, some leather (for small projects), artificial sinew, needles and whatever else I can find. Once I finish the pack I was going to do the tutorial which I've started to outline in my head. It will contain not only basic how tos, but how to do it without a lot of expense.

Some of the things I plan on emphasising are making do without buying a lot of tools intially. Nothing frustrates me more than when I want to start a new hobby and the set up cost is prohibitive. Leather working can be one of those if you let it.

Some things you can make or improvise on your own:

sewing chisels- this is a small chisel for puncturing the leather in preperation to sewing: Solution: grind or file a finishing nail to a v point, this will save you about $5 for a single headed point chisel

mallet: use an existing mallet (rubber or plastic) or even an old wooden meat tenderizer (grind or sand one side flat) , failing that, take several layers of leather (unuseable pieces) and wrap them around the head of a regular hammer (the leather will have to be replaced periodically) This can save you $20 plus

Clamps for glueing two pieces of leather together: regular clamps or even spring activated clothes pins. If you think these clamps will leave a mark on the outside, take a long thin piece of wood (a wood ruler will do the trick)and put it between the "clamp" and your leather, allowing the clamp to put an even amount of pressure along a larger area. This trick can save about $ 10

All of the above mentioned tools are basics for a leather working kit and should be eventually bought, however if you don't know if you're going to like leather working, start as cheaply as you can.

I hope to have these and similar cost saving suggestions listed in the backpack and scabbard making (on a shoestring) tutorials.

Chris, Eric and Everyone else, I have extra small piecs of leather, primarily 2-3 oz in a wide variety of colors. Let me know what you need or plan on making and I'll be more than happy to send you some.

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:45 am

Eric: What things do you need from the leather store ? I generally have some extra stuff and useable leather scraps laying around.

Let me check my instructions and materials list for the plans and get back with you. I have the leather that will become the exterior of the boots. I do not have anything like pigskin suitable for lining. I also don't have anything suitable for the soles. I'll need to pick up some artificial sinew also. That's off the top of my head.

BTW, the arrowheads are coming along nicely. Got a lot of work done on them today. They are annealing between two firebricks as we speak. 15N20 is bad for hardening at the first sign of heat.

mcapanelli · Post by **mcapanelli** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:46 pm

Peter Remling wrote:Mike,

When I send you the pack I'll include a few other accessories: flint and steel, some leather (for small projects), artificial sinew, needles and whatever else I can find.

Thank you Peter. I already have flint and steel so you don't have to send that. As for the craft supplies it's really much appreciated.

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:06 am

So, events beyond our control have made it necessary for us to cancel the family camping trip this weekend.

But hopefully we can get out there next weekend. Soon after, my son adn I are still planning to get out to the pond which is about 3/4 of a mile behind my house. It'll be different for us.

Post by **Eledhwen** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:26 pm

My composite bow needs shooting so I can get a better feel for it.

I backpack and hike a lot so that part is fine. I grow and wild harvest some herbs (read weeds in wild harvesting), and I hunt to boot, so those skills are decent but as always could be improved upon some.

Mostly for me its weapons training of a non-sca nature; I do what I can but at the moment I haven't the ability to join an organization or contract a trainer. Life happens.

Eric C · Post by **Eric C** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:32 am

Siani wrote: Life happens.

Ya! Tell me about it! Though the move is necessary and welcome, it has really slowed me down this year. I have missed the local hunter safety course , but maybe I can pick one up before the season starts.

I am working on fire craft, just not primitive yet.
I actually fixed field tips to my arrows because of the type of shooting I am doing at the present. But I DO like the way those arrows look streaking toward the target! ( Or over it . . . or under it . . . or- well you get the idea

)

hesinraca · Post by **hesinraca** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 5:49 pm

Oye. So tired. Just got back From Chaos Wars XII, and I am exhausted. Sadly, although my lethal combat skills are moderate, I'm not allowed to use them, so with the influx of fighters from idaho, oregon, califiornia, utah, iowa, and new york even, I was definitly low on the ladder for skill. Did some good practice though and have a few hookups for further training.

I'll use a 1-10 scale, 10 being expert, 1 being just atarted.

My camping, cooking, firestarting, and packing skills are moderate, 5-6.
I am 6-7 in non-weapon combat, and about 4-6 in weapons.
My archery is probably a 7-8 on foot and a 4 on horse.
Riding is currently a 4-5.
Leather crafts 4, metalsmithing 8, sewing 6-7.
Herblore and gathering is about a 3, whereas my practical herbalism is a 6.
Silent movement and covert work is about a 4-6 depending on terrain.

I want to work on anything I am at a 4-5, but I have a few lower that need help.
HUnting 1, meaning I've read and understand the theory but have no expierence.
Falconry - 2, only because I've read much more about it.
First aid 2-3.
FIeld awareness in battle 3-4.
Navigation 3 (this not counting intuitive naviagation, because I can generally bs my way really well)

And that's all I know for now.

I am OCD enough that this came to mind:
What if we design a scale, say a 1-10 scale or a attribute point building system, and put specific references to each number, so that the scale is an easy reference to know a person's specific level. Then we can classify ourselves and know what we each are good at and aren't. It would serve to both give people an idea of whom to talk to, as well as what they need to work on. Then certain skill sets/groups and levels could be given titles, apprentice, journeyman, expert, marksman, hunter, survivalist. Just a way for us to make standard goals that others can recognize, so that if I make a simple comment like "I'm currenlty a 5 point apprentice as a hunter, I want to get to journeyman" we'll all know that means that I need 6 points in bows, 6 points in skinning, 6 points in tanning, 6 points in silent mvement, and so forth. If this is a little to D&D for anyone just stab me with a fork

Post by **Peter Remling** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:54 pm

Cedric:

The main issue I see is how to establish a ranking. If you or I are the best (in this small group) at one particular skill, that still doesn't mean that we are a 10 or even qualified to teach others. Just like other people, we all learn things at our own speed and have different interests which help dictate how fast and well we learn something. Not all rangers are going to even have an active interest in all things that we might consider "rangerish". That's part of what makes each of us unique. Ranks seem to be kind of merit badgish and might detract from our own natural interests, pushing some to seek ranks as opposed to the knowledge and fun (if that makes any sense?).

A fair analogy would be someone wanting his/her black belt instead of the skill, disipline and confidence that a martial art can infer.

As time goes by and we all get to know each other better we will all pick those we feel are knowledgable in a certain subject when we start asking specific questions. The good thing about asking those questions here is that everyone else has the benefit of hearing both question and answer.

So how do you like "So Dies the Fire" ?