Survival Blog

I recently received a shipment of chert. In the video I make sparks using a steel striker and a piece of chert. I used this chert to practice primitive fire with a group of kids from Kansas City who were staying at a camp in Stony Lake, MI. I will also be using this chert … Read more

Today (April 2024) I did a video on the edible and medicinal uses of Purple Dead Nettle (PDN) as part of my series on Youtube called the Bushcrafter’s Pharmacy. PDN is an early plant, usually arriving in April. Due to it being an early plant it is a harbinger of spring. PDN usually is seen … Read more

Today I got to thinking about the many uses of Cattail. I have been to many survival schools and at one of them, the survival instructor pulled up a Cattail, peeled off the long leaves and had us eat the raw stalk. I actually did not mind the taste; I put some salt on my … Read more

This winter season, fight the flu with these must-have herbal medicines. Disclaimer, I am not a doctor or pharmacist; this information is for educational purposes only. Try them at your own risk. Now, let’s dive into it. A couple of weeks ago I had the flu pass through my household. As a result, I am … Read more

Over time I have experimented with various different tinder material while out in the wild. Most tinders in the wild can fit into 1 of three categories: inner/outer bark of trees, woody stalks/outer fibers, light fluffy material/seed heads. In the first category of inner and outer tree barks, in particular I like: cedar, willow, paper … Read more

When carving feathersticks for fire lighting, I have found that the best woods to use are similar to wood you would use for a bowdrill set. Like with a bow drill set, I have had good luck making feathersticks from cedar, willow and certain types of pine. I have been told that Sweet Chestnut, Sycamore … Read more

Over time, I have tried numerous different materials when experimenting with char cloth. Some of the materials I have used include: punk wood, cattail leaves, pampas grass, cut up t-shirts, cut up bandannas, rolled up cotton balls, dried mullein leaves and a variety of dead plant material. What I have learned with char cloth is … Read more

2023 was my first commercial year with APSI, and I must say, it exceeded my expectations. While I held a few classes in 2022, 2023 is when I went “live.” If 2023 is the beginning, I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I held several classes throughout the spring, summer and fall of … Read more