Happy New Year: 2016 New Skill Challenge- anyone wanna play?

[Elleth]

Ursus: I like it - neat!
(I also never did stitched edges to leather before seeing your stuff: now I see why y'all do it. Stiffens everything up nicely!)


In addition to herbalism, I got a little WMA-ish learning in today, though not with arrows.
I took a spear along for a short afternoon hike today, just to see how much of a chore it was in the woods. Not terrible at all - but then, there's not much undergrowth this time of year. I'd always pictured people using them as walking sticks, but in practice found just carrying the thing either over a shoulder (in open country) or in two hands "port arms" (in the woods) worked better. Makes a nice extra bit of bracing descending hills though!

I also got to play with the sword a bit - I tried the "water bottle cutting" thing I've seen done. Clearly my edge alignment (and perhaps edge sharpness) needs some work, I was batting the darn things like crazy! Backing up and trying tip cuts went spectacularly though - it was just like in the movies!

*slash*
*nothing moves*

...

*post is soaked in water from deep fine gash*


okay, that was fun.


Back to sewing now. I've got some pants to finish.

[Greg]

Ditch the water bottles for a little while during this early part of your training...they don't have enough weight to be forgiving of poor technique (though it could be argued that this is a good thing). I'd recommend you use gallon-sized milk jugs instead. Much heavier; they'll sit still for you through just about anything short of slapping with the flat. They won't teach you perfect technique, but it gives you a target while you're building those arm muscles. After you get some confidence going, come back to the water bottles, start hitting a little faster, and work on your edge alignment in earnest. A small increase in blade speed will make all the difference on the lighter targets, as will a gentle resharpening.

[Peter Remling]

In my experience, most beginners who bat their bottles, do it because there is no follow through. Focus about 2" past your target and you should see much better results.

[Manveruon]

Great stuff all around! Ursus: I LOVE the embellishment! It really brings a new level of authenticity to an item that was already extremely well suited to your kit. And Elleth - that's interesting info. I want to start doing some backyard cutting with both of my swords, so I'll have to bear what Greg and Peter said in mind.

[caedmon]

Ok, two month's in but here's what I will do:


WMA / NMA:
Learn to forge broad-head and bodkin arrowheads, and make a dozen arrows.

Crafts & Skills:
I want to up my game with casting this year. Make a furnace capable of melting bronze. Start casting buckles.

WoodCraft:
Go on at least two in-kit multiple day hunts this summer, take small game. (ok, this one does dual duty with St. Hubert's)

Dunedain Culture:
Develop design language based on Tolkien's Numeorean/Dunedain doodles. Use that in decoration of of dunedain artifacts.

[Elleth]

Dunedain Culture:
Design a series of Numenorean/dunedain artefacts.

Now THAT sounds fascinating! I'm really curious to see what you have in mind!


Peter, Greg - thank you both for your advice! I'll try both!

In my experience, most beginners who bat their bottles, do it because there is no follow through. Focus about 2" past your target and you should see much better results.

I bet you're right! The very first one went swimmingly: after that I definitely noticed I had to control my flinch reflex, and didn't get a single good cut.
I bet I was flinching - at least a little - just before impact and throwing myself off.

[Greg]

Put on some safety glasses, and you'll tend to flinch less. Fact.

[Peter Remling]

Put on some safety glasses, and you'll tend to flinch less. Fact.

Excellent advise !

[caedmon]

Now THAT sounds fascinating! I'm really curious to see what you have in mind!

Well, what I have in mind is...(and I updated my Dunedain Culture skill item to better reflect it)

I want to develop a dunedain design language that breaks down Tolkien's Numenorean decorative motifs and analyses their constituent parts to enable me to easily build completely new Dunedain designs that are stylistically compatible. And then use those to inform my Ranger gear.

For example, the star in the Forum logo was an attempt to follow Tolkien's design language, but I really didn't get it very well. I misinterpreted his lotus patterns among other things.

-Jack

[Udwin]

I want to develop a dunedain design language that breaks down Tolkien's Numenorean decorative motifs and analyses their constituent parts to enable me to easily build completely new Dunedain designs that are stylistically compatible. And then use those to inform my Ranger gear.

YES! I couldn't express it at the time but that is exactly what I hoped folks would do with the collection of motifs. Wonderful!

[Greg]

Project sounds a touch above my head/outside my current direction with my studies...but I'll happily take advantage of it when you're done. *evil grin*

[Manveruon]

What Greg said, haha.

[caedmon]

Hey guys, for any further conversation on Dunedain design, I'm going to co-opt Udwin's Numenorean design motifs topic.

[Kortoso]

WMA/NMA:

• I need to "dial in" my archery marksmanship. It really is sucky. There's an indoor field/proshop near me where I can get some pointers.
• I'd like to learn some Marozzo longsword and "sidesword". It looks very elegant and would be a good way to build on my Fiore knowledge.
• I need to make some videos on test-cutting.

Crafts & Skills:

• I want to camp out in my backyard more to a point where simplicity and comfort become so easy I can do it in the dark.

WoodCraft:

• Learn a new plant every two weeks. Since I usually go to the wild every week, all I have to do is harvest a plant from the field, take it home and identify it, and explore its uses. I'm already drying some hand-collected Mormon tea and chamomile to make tea with (in separate batches of course).

[caedmon]

Oh! I hit part of my Crafts goal this last weekend. The natural draft furnace pictured the update I sent a couple days ago was the furnace I was talking about. I'm mostly happy with it, but it might not be structurally as sound as I'd like...

Definitely melts pewter, will be trying bronze later in the summer.

If I don't trash it an build another.