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

[Kortoso]

That's great! It's one thing to be able to melt and cast bronze kit items, it's another thing to do the whole (?) process as it was done back then. Kudos!

[Greg]

How's everyone coming along with this? We're nigh approaching fall, which is when most of us, I believe, go into Ranger high gear.

I've completed my extra goal, which was meeting another forum member for the first time, in kit. Manveruon and I had a lovely hike in Colorado this past February.
Meanwhile, since our last Indiana group trek, I've gone a little nuts with collecting materials for several projects that are in-process, working towards that full-kit-published goal. I now likely have far too many irons in the fire to complete them all by the end of the year, but I'm going to give it a darned good effort. I have a bag of linen with me at work every day, and stitch on various projects during breaks at work.

How're we coming along?

[Elleth]

Great prodding!

Let's see:

WMA / NMA:
Make at least six "real" arrows from shaft and feather, horn, hide glue, thread, point and pitch (I've never done anything besides mounting points on existing arrows with 3Rivers glue). Learn to get those new arrows in a basketball sized area from (I'll make it easy this year) 15 yards.

Sadly, I've not done much at all on this. I have most of the materials, but haven't taken the time to taper the shafts and fit the horn. I've got a good template for my fletching cut from copper sheet at least, which is a nice help - I find using the two together helps trim the base of the feather properly as well.

I've got no excuse for not getting out and practicing more with the bow I have though. Bad me!

I did manage to get my quiver laid out in posterboard though - sometime before next spring I hope to have the leather ordered, cut, dyed, and sewn. Everything takes so long!

merf-quiver-template-assembled.jpg (75.01 KiB) Viewed 13169 times

Crafts & Skills:
Herbalism: I've never done anything significant along herbalist lines. This year I want to learn enough to make a period "boo boo salve" from comfrey, etc. - and a "buoy up the spirit" cordial from I don't know what yet - but specifically aimed at deep body fatigue and mood.

As documented - I think I've managed this one. I haven't progressed very far through the books I've gotten I confess, but at least now I'm comfortable making tinctures and salves.. I even have a larger batch of my favorite "woodland cordial" about a week from finishing. This time I made it without the nettle seeds, so I can see if the energy pop was especially due to those. If so, I'll probably just throw the seeds in after the fact, as they're so tiny they should blend in fine.

WoodCraft:
Learn to reliably identify (or even plant) and use at least one new edible or medicinal plant in my ranging area. I've had this idea since we moved out to the new place, but I've been so busy with the garden I've not done it. So this year for sure.

I think I made this one to - I now recognize plantain whereever I go. I also early this year planted some walnut trees and broadcast seeds for cress, more plantain, berries, and nettles in the woodland part of our property. Now I just need to get away long enough to check up on them.

Dunedain Culture:
Despite 10-year-old me getting lost in the RoTK appendices, I've not messed with Tengwar or Sindarin in probably over ten years. I want to re-learn both enough for a short calligraphy/illumination project. (Also new: I've done a little calligraphy, but never illumination).

Sadly, I've not even touched this one. Once winter sets in and the chores slow down, I hope to have a chance.

[Greg]

A note on tossing in the nettle seeds or other shenanigans after-the-fact with Cordials: This is a legit technique, which I didn't mention in my process because I didn't bother with it. This is the final, optional step in the process, referred to as Ageing. The person I got the initial process from recommended something distinct from the already present flavors, such as a single vanilla bean with a slice cut down the side placed in the jar after sweetening for a few weeks to add additional complexity, or to tone down flavors that became too robust (or other similar issues) during the long sit. You might try this with the nettle seeds, and compare the flavoring results of adding them in different stages and see which you like, assuming the energy kick testing goes the way you'd like it to.

On arrows: Are you using your copper template, and then cutting the excess off with a knife? If you have two identical halves, you might try sandwiching them tightly over the feather with a c-clamp, and then lighting the feather on fire (outdoors). The part you want to keep is kept from burning by the oxygen lack, and they'll be perfect every time.

Sounds like you're having a grand old time! Liking the quiver profile thus far...diameter looks very practical, too.

[Elleth]

nettle seeds - awesome, I'll try that!
I think I'll split the tincture in half, and see if it makes a difference adding the seeds after the honey or if they need to soak in the tincture a bit before that. I don't *think* it will make a difference, but it's worth the experiment.

Liking the quiver profile thus far...diameter looks very practical, too.

I learned it by watching you Greg! *sniff* I learned it by watching you.

Seriously, it's not quite as svelte as it looks - some of the apparent size is due to the fact it's carrying those monster war arrow shafts:

merf-quiver-compare.jpg (24.42 KiB) Viewed 13159 times

I still tried to follow your advice and trade some capacity for weight / ease of carrying.

[Elleth]

In between other projects, I've been hurrying to get all my leather projects for this winter properly darkened in the sun while we still have some. Included is - finally - my quiver.
(As well as a "seconds" one with some errors that will still be good enough to use)

merf-quiver-walnut-dye-drying.jpg (83.63 KiB) Viewed 13102 times

After I finish some snapsack d-rings and get that project off my plate, I'll carve up the masters for hardware for these, and have a nice winter project sewing the things up.
Come spring after (mumbledy-mumble-way-too-many) seasons of woods tromping with an off the shelf 3-rivers quiver full of target arrows, I'll finally have a real *Ranger* one. Woot!

[Greg]

There's nothing quite as satisfying as seeing all those holes punched in a big project, is there? Outstanding.

Then again...there's always the final product, I suppose.

[Manveruon]

Looking great so far, Elleth! I can't wait to see the end result! I'm sure you've touched upon this elsewhere, but I'm having difficulty remembering just now: what is the method you're using for darkening the leather? Are you just leaving it out in the sun, or are you oiling it first? Or something else entirely?

[Elleth]

1. Order a pound or two of walnut hull powder
2. Check the weather for the following day - don't even bother if it will be overcast or rainy. But if you're expecting full sun...
3. Heat a large stockpot of water on the stove to *just* shy of boiling, and stir in the powder. Ideally you want a light soupy consitency, but you can get fairly watery and it will still work okay. Denser is better, and warmer is better.
4. I let the mixture cool until I can *just* put a finger in it. You want it fairly warm, but not so hot you cook the leather.
5. submerge your project in the water and leave it overnight
6. The next morning, lay all your pieces out in full sun somewhere they won't blow away.

Keep an eye on the leather - you can let it get just sun-dry enough it starts to curl a bit, but don't let it get fried in the sun. The longer it sits out there, the darker it will get.

You may need to repeat this process a few times to get the shade you want - the picture above one quiver piece has been soaked once already and is on its second go-round, the second is on its first drying cycle. If you get so dark you're almost black, another soaking will actually reset you a bit.

Keep going until you're about a half shade darker than you want the final piece - then finish with neatsfoot oil and wax dubbin.

It may well get a bit darker over the years as it gets natural sun, but probably slowly enough you won't really notice.

[Manveruon]

Good to know, thanks for sharing! The complicated nature of the process puts me off a bit, but I may have to try this on something smaller, like a belt pouch or some archery bracers.

[Elleth]

Okay! the year is up, time to review..

WMA / NMA:
Make at least six "real" arrows from shaft and feather, horn, hide glue, thread, point and pitch (I've never done anything besides mounting points on existing arrows with 3Rivers glue). Learn to get those new arrows in a basketball sized area from (I'll make it easy this year) 15 yards.

FAIL.
My arrow shafts are sitting untouched in the workshop. I've gotten out a few times with my bow, but not enough to even stay current, much less improve.
I'll give myself one point of five for getting the shafts, preparing the nock reinforcements, making fletching templates, and getting the bow out at least occasionally.
1/5

Crafts & Skills:
Herbalism: I've never done anything significant along herbalist lines. This year I want to learn enough to make a period "boo boo salve" from comfrey, etc. - and a "buoy up the spirit" cordial from I don't know what yet - but specifically aimed at deep body fatigue and mood.

STRONG SUCCESS
I've learned quite a bit on this front, and shook out a cordial recipe I'm really happy with.
5/5

WoodCraft:
Learn to reliably identify (or even plant) and use at least one new edible or medicinal plant in my ranging area. I've had this idea since we moved out to the new place, but I've been so busy with the garden I've not done it. So this year for sure.

SUCCESS
I see plantain and nettle both now, and seeded a fair amount of both on the property. (As Udwin I think noted, the former was hardly necessary! ) I also planted some walnut and cress in the back 40, but we had a dry year and I'm not certain if any of those took - I don't think the cress did. Still, happy with my progress.
4/5

Dunedain Culture:
Despite 10-year-old me getting lost in the RoTK appendices, I've not messed with Tengwar or Sindarin in probably over ten years. I want to re-learn both enough for a short calligraphy/illumination project. (Also new: I've done a little calligraphy, but never illumination).

SUCCESS
I didn't get my original project past the planning stages, but I HAVE done quite a bit of work in Middle Earth languages this year on another big project, and also got started finally on illumination. So I think I'm going to be Christmas generous and give myself another 4/5.

merf-yearly-goals.jpg (52.61 KiB) Viewed 12878 times

So... overall that averages out to (eek!) a 2.8. Not the best average, but I think I'm still pretty happy with progress this year.
And I've got some ideas on how to shore up that 1/5 next time out.

Onward!

[Greg]

I was just thinking about this thread!

WMA / NMA:
Find and attend 'regularly' an organized study/training group for Western Martial Arts. Regularly should be, at minimum, once a month, but weekly would be preferable. I've spent plenty of time studying the manuscripts on my own, but I know for a fact that bookwork cannot replace hands-on learning with experienced individuals. Time to get on it.

FAIL. Move across the country. Stuff happened. I'll try again, but don't expect this one to happen anytime soon now.

Crafts & Skills:
I still have that yew stave that keeps getting put on the back-burner. I've never finished a bow in a historical fashion with 100% hand tools before; getting that bow finished up and working (preferably without exploding) needs to happen this year.

FAIL. Just pulled it back out this week after catching up on other projects...almost done scraping the back, and will begin shaping the belly and two profile tapers in the coming months. Not going to finish by the 31st, but back at it.

WoodCraft:
I'll treat this category a bit more as "trek-craft" than just woodcraft. My "do it out in the woods" category, if you will. This year, preferably on a planned overnighter, I intend to take live wild game of some kind, and process+cook+consume it on the same trip, using only the Tolkien-correct tools at my disposal. Method of take may vary.

FAIL. Didn't have a chance to trek during a legal hunting season this year. Too bad.

Dunedain Culture:
I want to finish fleshing out my kit references and details, and get a completed kit posted. You know...for the first time in the seven years I've spent on this forum. I've got a few select kit pieces I need to finish, which will include waiting for Ernie to finish my sword, but I believe by the end of the year I should be able to get this done.

FAIL. But I'll be darned if I'm not a heck of a lot closer, and far more reference-able, than I was at the start of the year. 2017 here we come!

I'm gonna throw up one more goal, for grins, in what I'll call Forum Culture
Meet, in kit, and trek (preferably overnight, if possible) with at least one forum member I haven't met before. I've got a nice list of folks I've connected with in a few states already, which I'd like to continue expanding.

SUCCESS! Mike, it was a pleasure. More to come!


Just goes to show...sometimes our plans aren't the best, but MAN I still feel accomplished this year.

[Eric C]

So, I was thinking I was a total failure at this. But as I looked at it, I have cut out some of my sugar intake. I have (I think) improved on my knifemaking skills. Also, my wearable kit is pretty much functional again. I'll have to plan to test it and improve it next year as necessary. I may have found someone who will teach actual fighting skills, but getting the money to take his classes could be a problem.

If we continue this next year, it will be interesting to see where we all end up.

[Udwin]

Not a bad year for me By Any Means, I just didn't get as much done on my stated goals as had hoped. But made great progress in other areas!

WMA / NMA: I definitely want to get some regular archery practice under my belt. three blunts for small game...need breaking in...would like to make up some new arrows with bodkin or target points instead of hunting broadheads. In the next month I hope to get a proper iron spearhead forged, so I might then have a reason to look into polearm exercises.

1/4--Archery practice not nearly as frequent as I would like--once or twice a month during the fall months (helping coach archery club at school, so modern low-poundage bows to boot. But any practice is better than none!). I took my blunts into the yard to shoot at fox squirrels a time or two, but my heart is never in it. Spearhead is still yet-to-be-forged.

Crafts & Skills: stack of 14? deer- and goatskins that will need to be softened and smoked come spring...at least a couple of those I'll demonstrate at a local history event at the end of April... make a map of Wilderland and the Anduin river valley to put in my pack.

Of my stated goals: 1/2--I DID soften up most of last season's deer, but only got 6ish smoked (making a higher-capacity smoking setup is on the to-do list this winter); I did get Elleth's 2 goats finished fully, and had a successful demo in April despite the rain...although I wound up sacrificing one skin to the resident god of Fourteen Mile Creek in a flash flood during the night.
I didn't make the map (highly considered basing it off the MERP one of Rhovanion), since I never decided which section of the river to cover, how to depict the meanders of a mostly straight path without making stuff up, as well as finding a quality parchment-type paper. Next year, perhaps.
HOWEVER/That Said: I crafted up a helluva bunch of kit this year. Linen Shire jacket, oak comb, needlefelted shoulderpadding, Another Period Watercraft, Beorning's long knife, FOUR pairs of Thorsberg trousers, an 'Otzi'-type beltpouch, bronze tweezers, assorted coldweather gear (*tease*), Yule gifts, the list goes on...

WoodCraft: ...I need to bone up on wild greens for salad--something beyond young dandelion! ...get more familiar with identifying animal tracks. ...get away from using charcloth and try charred wood or fungus instead.

1.5/3
Until my intended plants came up and took over my garden, I actually managed to eat a fair amount of Chenopodium and Amaranth greens throughout this spring/summer, plus Rumex and Urticas before they got too tough. Only got in one afternoon of intentional Tracking this winter unfortunately. I'm getting better at identifying prints, not so much 'reading' them. One step at a time (pun!).

Dunedain Culture: I'm kicking around the idea of doing some how-to videos on Middle-earth-y/historic lifeway skills...

0/1. Nope. Not even close to happening, with a key piece or two of kit still to make. BUT, I did help get the MERS' Edge of the Wild journal off the ground, got out and about with forum members Twice(!), and deepened friendships. Wins all around!

[Taurinor]

Mixed bag for me, but I'll definitely try to roll some of the ones I didn't manage over to this year's challenge!

WMA/NMA:
I’ve got a buddy with some experience in Viking-style combat and a little bit of longsword experience, so I need to work with him to get some WMA learnin’. We’ve got some other friends who are also interested, so a small group/class of sorts could be possible. I also need to get out to the archery range more often when spring rolls around.

Didn't manage as much archery as I'd like, and I have no excuse now. I moved out to the country and can shoot on my own property, so this year I'll have to make good on that part. I have been working with my buddy and some other folks in my local group on sword and shield. We can't afford much in the way of protective gear, though, so we've been hitting each other with pool noodle-covered oak dowels and plywood shields. Not the most realistic practice weapons... It's given me a chance to work on my footwork, practice working angles and distance, and get comfortable with clashing with someone, though, so I don't think it's been a complete waste of time.

Crafts and Skills:
I have a few components of my kit that need re-working or re-making. They’re in that dangerous place of “good enough”, where they function but I’m not completely happy with them, but I have trouble motivating myself to improve them because they function. My shirt is machine sewn and too big, so I need to pull it apart, cut it down, and hand sew it. My costrel is also not quite right, and needs to be tweaked or possibly remade. I’d like to replace my belt pouch with a kidney pouch. I’ve also made one arrow that I like and one that I don’t, so I need to remake one and make at least four more.

Made a new, handsewn shirt, didn't get to the costrel, and made a kidney pouch, but it ended up being a hair too small (fortunately Ringulf's Yule gift took care of the pouch issue!). I cheated and bought some arrows that were on sale for Amazon Prime Day - I've come to the conclusion that, while I could probably manage fletching if I had to, it's one of those things I think I'm willing to pay to have an expert do well than struggle to do it myself and have it come out just "okay". Maybe not the most appropriate mindset for a ranger, but we all have our gifts (and fletching is not one of mine).

Woodcraft:
I’d like to do a proper dispersed camping-style overnighter. The overnighters that I’ve done have had predetermined tent-pad sites, so I’d like to do a trek where I choose where to set up.

I just failed this one. Definitely going to try again this year.

Dunedain Culture:
I’d like to get my Breelander kit to a point where I can do a complete write up for the wiki. I don’t know that I’ll be able to document everything I carry, but I’d like to do what I can.

Failed this one, too. I could have written something up, but I decided I'd rather wait until I get a bean boiler and remake my costrel. Again, definitely going to try again this year.