When it comes to pieces of essential kit for the discriminating Bushcrafter the axe makes the list in the number two spot, just after a good knife. Over the last several years there are some brands that have become very popular. There are two problems with the “popular” brands though, high price and often limited availability. I’ve used and owned several of them over the years. While they are nice I tend to keep going back to an axe that I don’t seem to worry about because of it’s cost.

Normally I carry a boy scout hatchet when out in the woods. I love these hatchets. They are cheap, tough and good quality but are getting hard to find. They are also heavy. So three years ago I found myself looking for a mini axe that I could carry and would reduce my base weight. After looking at all the “popular” brands and choking at their cost I came across the axe you see in the pictures above.

Its the Vaughan Supersportsman’s Sub-Zero Axe and is often sold as a sounding axe for forest service or tree surgery work. This tiny little guy weighs in at a mere 1 pound. That’s 8oz for the head and 8oz for everything else. It comes with a flame treated 10″ hickory handle and a has a 2-1/4″  cutting edge that is covered by a leather sheath. The factory edge is decent but can be made much better with less than 5 minutes on the belt sander. The handles that have come on the 3 Vaughan’s I own have been good with a nice tight, properly oriented straight grain. I’ve yet to break one but I have refinished them all. When they were received they had a clear varnish finish that got a bit slick when my hands got wet from sweat. A bit of sanding, some boiled linseed oil and a bit of beeswax took care of that problem though. I now keep one in my bushcraft kit, paddling gear and garage toolbox. I’ll probably add one to a BoB in the future.

All in all, the Vaughan is a great little axe and well worth the ~$20 investment. It cuts extremely well for it’s weight and can even be used for carving or game processing activities. I’ve found that it holds a good edge than can be honed sharp enough to shave with easily and will stay that way a through extensive use. The overall quality of the metal and temper is also good considering it is a mass production item. You would not go wrong with this purchase if for no other reason than learning just how useful a small axe can be in your kit.

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About Ratings

Last year Mora of Sweden decided to discontinue the Mora #510 and #545 model knives from their line. Since then they have still been fairly easy to find but have finally started disappearing from all the stores. This is bad news for the Bushcraft community since these were the two knives of choice for most outdoor schools and a favorite of individuals. It was compact, comfortable, durable and perfectly suited for all types of bushcraft activities.

What’s Next?

Mora of Sweden has seen fit to put a replacement product out there but I’m not sure they hit the mark. The new knives are the #511 in Carbon and #546 (#546-G) in Stainless. This new series of 5xx knives have a prominent guard molded into the grip. This guard poses several disadvantacges when compaired to the old #510 from my perspective. While the addition of this guard makes the new #5xx series safer to handle it also makes it feel odd in my hand. When carving or slicing with it the guard can get in the way. The other disadvantage I see with the guard on the #5xx series is not actually with the knife but with the sheath. Because of the added guard the sheath is now directional. This means that it is no longer ambidextrous and left handed users will find it draws backwards when worn on their left side. There is not the option to order a left handed sheath for these knives so you will have to make your own or find one somewhere else.

This does not mean that we, as bushcrafters, must now start using our high end Fallniven F1 to split wood or other mundane but potentually knife destroying tasks. It simply means that we need to address the problems with the new #5xx series and make it better suited for our use. So, I will be putting together a video series that will take you through the process of customizing the Mora #511 and making it a bit more friendly.  Stay Tuned.

Weighing in at a mere 0.2 oz and a diminutive 3.5″ x 1.4″ this little jewel of a utensil is simply not even noticed in your pack. I must admit that I am not a huge fan of the spork but I’m not sure that this item is actually a spork. It has a full spoon and a full fork but it’s missing the handle portion, sort of. The Bambu Bamboo Reusable Spork is responsibly made in China, through the Bambu Co-Op, from a sustainable resource.

Review: This little spork (?) is a great item to add to your kit or even replace your Titanium spork with. It has a more natural feel to it and does not get hot like metals do when it is used as a cooking implement. My only complaint about it is it’s length. If it was an inch or so longer it would be much better for cooking operations. Other than that, I like it and certainly can’t complain about the price of $1.99 each. Just make sure you don’t order the disposable version of them.

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About Ratings

There is a nearly indestructible plastic tube that has recently started to become popular for all kinds of things ranging from being used as test tubes for kids to carrying a minimalist first aid or survival kit. These plastic tubes come from companies that manufacture soda and water bottles out of PET plastic. You may have heard them called baby soda bottles or preforms, they are technically called Parison Tubes. These tubes are the middle stage of the three stage process used to manufacture 2 liter soda bottles, well technically all soda bottles. These just happen to be for 2 liter bottles. A standard soda bottle cap fits them and they are water proof and air tight. That alone a makes them perfect for all kinds of things that I can think of… tinder storage, loose tea or pipe tobacco container, mini first aid kits, water sample collection or even a test tube.

Review: I’m not sure that there is a bad thing I can say about these little guys. I love them. They are a great item for just storing crap in or carrying that one thing you don’t want destroyed in. They are light at only 1.8oz empty, unless you are an ultralight speed freak. They are nearly indestructible and last but not least they are really cheap. At 40¢ to 70¢ each, depending on where you get them and how many you purchase, they are well worth owning a few or perhaps a few dozen. I know you will find a use or ten for them.

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About Ratings

With all the discussion about water bottles and what is good and what is not, not to mention the stink with SIGG and BPA, its tough to decide what to use for a water bottle. A lot of people are leaning toward other metal bottles, usually stainless steel, while the Ultralight guys tend to just use soda bottles. I’ve tried my share of them too but usually end up back at the good old original white Nalgene bottle. They are nearly indestructible, fairly light weight, and very cheap. I lean toward the 1 quart bottle with the wide mouth but this is a compromise. I’d prefer the narrow mouth bottles because they are easier to drink from but they are more difficult to clean, especially in the dishwasher. Humangear has recently come out with a product that eliminates this issue as far as I am concerned. It’s called the capCAP.

The capCAP is essentially just a replacement cap that has a smaller hole with a cap in it. Simply take off the original Nalgene; or Camelbak, Cyclone, Stansport; cap and replace it with the capCAP. It’s that simple.

Review: This is short and sweet. It’s awesome! I’ll probably have 2 or 3 before all is said and done which is OK since they are only $5.95 each at REI and possibly cheaper online.

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