Jon Mac.Spoon Carving First Steps: 16/12/2012 - 23/12/2012

Sunday 16 December 2012

MacEndy Ranger Beads.

This afternoon I supplied my good friend Kevin Endicott with

the latest batch of MacEndy Ranger Beads.

As you can tell, he's one happy chap...

These beads are a useful 'Aid Memoir' for all you navigators out on the hill.

A length of paracord with ten beads one end and four beads the other.

When walking on a bearing you will be counting your paces so as to determine distance travelled

along the bearing.

I will count 58/64 double paces for each 100 meters, approx.

You will need to find out what you own ratio is, I am very tall with long legs.

At 100 meters, move a bead.

At 200 meters, move a bead.

And so on until you reach a point when all ten beads are moved.

Time to move one of the upper four.

A great addition to your navigation kit.

I used to use this system when navigating at night or in bad weather with the Search and Rescue Team.

The MacEndy Ranger beads can be bought online from Kevin Endicott at

Or call him on

01392 433331

The price ?

£4.95

+pp

Enjoy.

J.

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Jon Mac.

Folk Artist.

Photographer.

Jon has worked with his hands all his life. He has learnt many traditional working skills, from construction to carving beautiful wooden spoons and drinking vessels. He has spent much time on Dartmoor teaching outdoor pursuits, such as Ten Tors team training and working with private companies providing team building/survival resources. He is a retired member of Mountain Rescue and spent seven years on the active call out list with his local team.

( D.R.G.Ashburton).

He has spent many years exploring the Devon countryside perusing his other interest in photography, industrial archaeology and local history. He recently used his local knowledge and field craft skills to great advantage when acting as field assistant to researchers investigating bat habitats and behaviour here on Dartmoor.

Jon runs tailor made courses both here in Devon and occasionally in Scotland, for anyone interested in spoon carving and woodcraft skills. Using traditional hand tools, Axe, hook knife and knife, he teaches the techniques for the fast and safe removal of waste wood, shaping and designing. He also teaches how to attain a super sharp cutting edge with the use of Japanese water stones.These skills are key to making anything you wish out of wood.

He is also a knife designer and has had his designs fabricated by top blade smiths.

Jon believes passionately that the skills of both using and maintaining knife and axe blades are ones which need to be shared, in order that we do not loose these important techniques. Jon particularly enjoys sharing these skills with those who have little or no experience of using edge tools.