Review: Condor Bushlore bushcraft knife

Hi everyone

Today I will be giving you a written review of my Condor Bushlore Knife.

Practice makes perfect

No matter how good you are in bushcraft or survival theory, a lot of the knowledge will be practically useless unless you are practicing the skills regularly. And bushcraft is all about being outside enjoying what nature has to show and to give.

You should find an area close to your home where you can spend time outside as often as possible. Not only when the weather is good because some skills are needed the most when the weather is against you like shelterbuilding and firemaking. But bear in mind that you will need permission to build shelters and make fires unless you are in an actual emergency situation.

I'm blessed in having a forest within 5 minutes walk from my apartment where I can just pack some equipment, food and water and spend time there as often as I like due to Norwegian law that says all outside properties that is not part of agriculture is free for everyone to stay in. There I can practice skill, make an outside meal, camp or simply just have a walk and sit next to the lake for a while.

The more time you spend outside, the more comfortable you will be there. So get out and practice skill as often as possible.

See you soon!

Bushcraft kit

Everyone that is into bushcraft and survival are just like me, we obsess over kits! And for good reason, because a well constructed kit made out from quality gear can make your life a whole lot easier for both when you are out practicing bushcraft and for when you are lost and have to survive. In this article I will show you my kit and what the different items are used for. For the most part i like items that can be used for multiple uses as this reduces weight on your back and gives you more options.

So here are my items:

Backpack: A good and versatile pack is what makes you able to carry all your life giving equipment. It should be just big enough for your equipment because if it is too big it will rattle around and wear you out much faster than necessary.

Axe and saw: Out here in the Norwegian woods especially during winter the axe is one of the most important pieces of kit that you can carry. This will enable you to get into the dry wood inside the stems of dead standing trees, lets you cut wood that is large enough to keep you warm all night even during sub-zero temperatures and it also enables you to build strong and sturdy lean-to shelters. The axe should be super-sharp and kept like this. During the warmer, but still wet months a folding saw will suffice as you can cut wood of a smaller diameter and use your knife and a baton to split it.

Knife: I already wrote an article about the importance of a good knife here. This piece of kit should never be undervalued and should be on your hip or around your neck at all times as long as you are out in the wild.

Cordage: With cordage and a knife you can make just about anything you will need to live comfortably out in the wilderness. 550 paracord is my personal favourite, but any cord is way better than no cord. With this you have bowstring for fire and hunting, you can make nets, shelter and much much more.

Billy Can: This is THE bushcraft cooking pot! It is a simple tin with a lid and a handle made out of metal and can be used for transporting and boiling water to make it safe, you can make dinner, transport fire and use it when gathering. A truly versatile piece of kit. In the billy can I keep my firesteel, instant coffee, a spork and also collect tinder in it sometimes.

Hammock: As long as you have trees nearby, the most comfortable way to sleep out in the wild is by sleeping in a hammock. It gets you of the ground, can be used for collecting, fish traps and the cordage on it can be used for other things as well.

Tarp: There are as many ways on setting up a tarp as there is people, it can be a roof over your hammock, reflect heat, serve as a groundsheet, collect water and so on. It does not take a lot of space so always try to have one with you in your backpack.

Hat: You loose a lot of heat from you head when it is cold outside so then you need a warm hat, during summer you need something to protect your head and eyes from the sun and rain. It can also be used to collect things in.

Ferrocerium rod: The firesteel is a brilliant piece of kit and one of few that only has one function, it helps you make fire and will throw sparks no matter how the weather is like. It is good to have matches and knowledge of what rocks you can use and how to make friction fire but when the weather is against you this little piece of kit still work. I carry one on my body and one in my pack so that I am never without it when in in then woods.

Small first aid kit: In this I have equipment that can be used for small cuts, bleeds, strains and sprains, scalpel and painkillers to help the head to work properly when migrenes sets in.

Waterbottle: I use a camelback waterbottle made out of plastic. It has a wide top so that it can be used for gathering and since I have the billy can and the knowledge to stoneboil water it does not have to be fireproof.

Parts of my bushcraft kit

Pen and paper: This is brilliant for taking down all sorts of notes as you try new things or observe something. You can write down new local woods that works for friction fire, take notes on how a footprint changes during different weather and over time and so on.

Binoculars: Great for studying nature and wildlife, like sitting for a couple of hours regularly scanning your surroundings and the lens can be used for starting a fire in an emergency.


I probably forgot something while writing this list. I did not include special equipment like hunting weapons, fishing equipment and things like this since this is something I put in my pack when I'm going places where this will be used. A map and compass are a necessity if you are in a new place and belongs in your pack then.

I also carry a cup and some snare wire in my pockets.

If there is something I forgot or should add, please comment :)

See you soon!

Importance of a good knife

A VERY small selection of my bushcraft knives

The number one piece of equipment needed in bushcraft is a cutting edge, and in these modern times that is a good, reliable and razor sharp knife. When out in the woods you should always carry a a solid fixed blade knife that is razor sharp including the means to keep it so. I don't personally like to carry a folding knife as my main bushcraft knife as it has moving parts witch is just one more thing that could fail, leaving you without a knife when you really need it. But a folding knife is a real good item to keep on you as a spare knife and a knife that is always on you in case of an emergency.

There is a number of things you will need your bushcraft knife for. You will be using it to make different tools and utensils for your camp including feathersticks. It will be used for splitting wood that is wet on the outside so that you can get in to the dry combustible wood on the inside, to do this you will use a baton to hammer the knife throu the log. You will also be using it for food preparation, shelter building and a million other uses.

When choosing a knife for buscraft use you must put some thought into it and be careful not to step into the trap that is choosing a knife for its looks and name. You are looking for a knife that is sturdy that can be used for hard and though work for a long period of time. It will need to be able to keep a sharp edge for a long time and be easy to resharpen when necessary, carbon steel knives normally holds all these qualities and then some and should therefore be your natural choice of steel for your bushcraft and survival knife. Most people would say that this is a disadvantage because the knife will be able to rust compared to a stainless steel knife but as long as you take care of a carbon steel knife i will not rust, is much easier to sharpen and is able to create sparks when stricken against a sharp rock.

You will not have to buy an expensive knife that is hand made and so on. A simple Mora knife is easy to sharpen, cheap and razor sharp. All kinds of looks and colors are available in pretty much any outdoor equipment shop and webshops that sells such equipment.

So go out and get yourself a good knife that you will be enjoying for a long time. See you soon!

Animal watching

Most people are amazed when they see a wild animal out in its natural surroundings. Normally we see the animals as stressed and disturbed, mostly because they know we are there. On the other side there is nothing more exhilarating than calm and undisturbed animals out in the wild. To be able to experience this amazing thing, you will need some sets of skills and patience.

You must be able to sit perfectly still for several hours, masking your scent, knowing the art of camouflage and of course you must be able to know where to find the different species of animals.

The reasons for wanting to watch wild animals can be many. You may want to get a picture of what species of animals and the number of them recorded before a coming hunting season. Maybe you would like to get amazing photos of wildlife in their own undisturbed habitat. Or simply just wanting to get more great experiences under your belt.

A calm roe deer captured by my game camera

So lets go on to how this is done. First of all you need to do some preparation work. Animals are normally scared of the human scent which means that your scent needs to be masked. For thousands of years there have always been a lot of forest fires witch has put its scent on the terrain, this has made the animals accustomed to the scent of smoke and fire.  To imitate this, get into your warm, comfortable clothes that are earthly colored or camouflaged. Then you sit closely to the campfire until your clothes smells like smoke.

Then the final thing you need to do is to sit next to a game trail in a comfortable position (leaning towards a tree or a rock etc) and not move at all for several hours. The best time for this is very early morning like for example 4- 5 AM all until noon. Trails made by big game is also used by other small game so you can be prepared to see lots of different animals during the morning.

If you are in luck and your preparations are good enough you may be able to touch a deer or a fox so get out and keep trying!

Have fun and see you soon!

Bushcraft in Norwegian wilderness

Norway is the perfect country for wilderness and bushcraft activities, we have a long coast, deep fjords, barren mountains, huge national parks and pristine forests. Spending time out in the wilderness is part of our heritage as Norwegians, where we are taught about the nature and it's resources already in primary school.

This blog will after a while start to contain tips and tricks, equipment reviews, photos and articles about bushcraft, survival, gathering, fishing and hunting and so on. For this I will need suggestions from my readers what YOU want to read about! So feel free to leave comments!

I'll see you soon!