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Read The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler!
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SOE Load-Out

Studying load‑out lists is often educational.
Sometimes I pick up a new or improved idea. Other times my jaw drops in amazement!
One example of the latter resulted in my recent series on Bug‑Out Bag recommendations.
Recently I have been reading “SOE Syllabus : Lessons in Ungentlemanly Warfare”. Lots of interesting information on a wide variety of topics.
Around page 306, the section on clothing choice is followed by:
Personal equipment.
Nothing must be carried which is unnecessary. Personal equipment must be cut down to a minimum, and unnecessary objects mean extra bulk, weight, noise and possible loss of security. The following are always useful, and should be carried independent of personal taste or the necessities of the particular operation decided by the recce.
i) A knife, capable of being used either as a utility or offensive weapon. As an offensive weapon the ordinary clasp knife can be improved by sharpening the back of the blade for a short distance below the point.
ii) A match-box, full, because a half-empty box rattles. If there are only a few matches in the box the lower part of the box should be filled out with grass or other material.
iii) Some money – paper when possible – because coins in the pocket are noisy.
iv) A length of at least four yards of stout string. This may be used for any purpose from tieing [sic] up a man to preparing a booby trap or stretching across a path to give warning of a man’s approach.
v) A watch, worn on the wrist, where it will not get crushed when crawling.
vi) A compass, worn on a string round the neck, but carried down the back, where it will not cause discomfort when crawling.
vii) Some first-aid equipment on the lines of the British First Field Dressing.
The length of the operation and the type of ground will decide what type of quantity of food (or water) should be carried.”
One seldom encounters a load‑out list of such brevity, nor of such modest means.
With the exception of the compass, and possibly the knife, most of these recommendations might be considered common household items. No gadgets or gizmos!
The above list nicely compliments that given in my article “Seven Tools of EDC”, even consisting of seven recommendations.
As the first paragraph explains, these items are carried in addition to mission specific items such as small arms, binoculars or explosives.
A later section on night operations recommends adding:
• A small pocket torch with spare battery. The torch may be encased in a section of bicycle tube to avoid noise, or it can be bound with rags.
• Stick encased in old bicycle tube for carefully feeling the ground ahead. The stick may also have a lead-loaded head as a weapon of silent offence.
• Watch and compass to have luminous dials. The watch is best worn on the wrist, with face against the skin instead of outwards. Compass worn as recommended above.
• Cough lozenges to prevent coughing.

Observations

i) A Swiss Army Knife is my usual EDC choice. SOE operatives might have a more serious and urgent need for their blades, so a more substantial folder was likely.
Other publications make it clear a dagger was likely to be carried for more deliberate operations.
Given the option, I would add at least one fixed blade knife to an outfit.
ii) In a modern context, carry a butane lighter, as recommended elsewhere in this blog.
Grass, thistle down or similar used to prevent matches rattling should be completely dry.
iii) Money is a useful tool. Look into ways in which coins (or keys) can be carried to minimize noise. If nothing else, stack them and wrap in duct tape.
iv) Four yards of stout string is the minimum. Elsewhere, the book notes several strings may be tied together to create guide‑ or contact‑lines.
A greater variety of cordage may be carried with very little additional encumbrance. For example, a pair of two metre lengths of paracord or bootlace, a three span length of braided fishing line, a two span length of comms‑cord, roll of dental floss and some cotton string easily may be distributed across your trouser pockets.
The cotton string may be used as tinder and for applications where biodegradable cordage is more appropriate.
v) The next section of the book stresses the necessity of timing and coordination, hence the emphasis on the watch.
Included in that topic is allowing adequate and realistic travel times and allowing time for unexpected occurrences.
A watch that may easily be synchronized with others may be most useful.
vi) While very small compasses have their uses (I am seldom without my Suunto Clipper), a larger compass that is easier to read should be carried if you are out of town. These may often be found for less cost than some button compasses.
Adding a whistle to a compass neck cord is a good idea.
vii) You should have some medical items for minor boo-boos. Aspirin, plasters and alcohol wipes meet most needs.
The SOE expected to be shot at, so a couple of field dressings was prudent.
If there are guns, bows or large tools about, have the means to deal with any injuries, such as a few “Israeli Dressings”.
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Mora Eldris

Many years ago, I read an observation that a shorter blade offered more control. I thought about the possibilities of a short, fixed blade on a full-sized handle.
There are, of course, a number of knife designs that use this strategy. Many wood-carving knives have blades much shorter than their grips. The familiar “Stanley”‑type knife might be included here, although the replaceable blades do sacrifice some potential strength.
And there are, of course, many tasks where a long blade is more suitable. If I want to quickly build a shelter, or turn wood into kindling, bigger is generally better.
Regular readers are well aware I am a big Mora knife fan. I own a couple of Mora 860 Companions, a 511 and a Pro Robust.
Recently, I came across the Mora Eldris. A similar, short bladed knife had featured in an episode of the Netflix production of “Ronja, The Robber’s Daughter”.
Time for an early birthday present!
Eldris Knife with whistle and fire-starter added
This is not going to be a full review of the Eldris.
There are a number of those on-line already and I have not had this knife very long. I will record some of my initial impressions and related thoughts.
I chose the green model. The colour is actually a yellowish-green and possibly a little vivid to be considered a camouflage shade. Rather resembles grass in the summer sun.
Some gear you want low-profile, other items you want highly visible so you are unlikely to lose them. I think my Eldris is more the latter.
Mora call this their “pocket knife” and I have even seen it ironically referred to as “the Mora pocket folder”.
It doesn’t fold, but it is small enough for many pockets, and does weigh a lot less than many pen knives and multi-tools. Certain legislations will prohibit carrying a fixed blade knife without good reason, no matter how short the blade.

The Blade

As one might expect from Mora, The knife is very well designed and very good quality.
Some reviews have listed the blade as 63 mm, while the box description claims 59 mm. Several different measuring instruments I used make it closer to 54 mm.
The blade is actually shorter than the main blade on many penknives.
The blade is short but broad. The blade is 2 mm thick, but one gets an impression of a very sturdy item.
Blade material is stainless steel, which is my personal preference for knives that may be used for messy jobs a long way from home.
At time of writing, I am not aware of any carbon steel variants of the Eldris, an option that Mora have offered for some other models.
In addition to the Eldris, an Eldris Light Duty is available. The main difference, other than the colour choice and price tag, is that the Eldris has its backspine ground to act as a ferro‑rod striker.
The forward part has a wider bevel and thinner edge than that nearer the grip. This is a feature also seen on the Mora Kansbol knife. The blade has a Scandi-grind.
Out of the box, the knife felt very sharp. Many reviews talk about it seeming razor sharp straight out of the box. I used it to cut some cordage I was using, and the ends appeared very feathered.
I ran it down some crocksticks I had set up at 20 degrees. The knife did not feel so sharp to the fingertips, but cut a lot better.
I suspect a wire edge may have been the culprit, which is to be expected on a blade straight from the factory.
I suggest that new owners at least strop the Eldris before serious use.

The Grip

The grip is oval in both cross-section and shape. For some reason it reminds me of a Russian Doll!
Brand new, the grip surface has a slight tackiness. There are textured sections for increased grip retention.
I have relatively slender, skinny hands. The pommel of the grip sits within my palm. I suppose if you have really big hands this may or may not not be a good fit, so try before you buy.
It is possible to insert the knife into the sheath butt first if you really need a longer grip.
For most of us, however, the grip is quite frankly, excellent,
I am pleased to see the design includes a generously designed lanyard hole.
If Mora offered the companion blade on this grip, I would be very happy!
One of the reasons for the grip shape is that the sheath is intended to be ambidextrous. You may insert the blade with the edge either to the left or the right. Like other plastic Mora sheaths, the knife clicks securely into place and won’t be coming out until you want it.
The only thing the knife lacks is a belt hanger. This is a separate component, if you want one.
The belt hanger does not have a retention strap, but in genuine Scandinavian fashion, may be hung from a button instead of a belt (or a belt with a button?)

Accessory Kit

I brought my Eldris with the “Fire Starter, Secondary Lock and Paracord” kit. This came as a separate box stuck on to the bottom of the knife box.
I will call this the “accessory kit”.
The accessory kit, as Herny Ford famously said, is “any colour you want as long as it is black”.
This makes the discussion of the camouflage characteristics of the handle and sheath colour somewhat moot, since black is not a camouflage colour.
The accessory kit is mainly designed to make the Eldris a neck knife.
I have a couple of neck knives. One was once in production by CRKT and may be seen at the top of a photo in this article. Another was made and sent to me by a generous friend. A link I posted in another recent article shows 58mm Swiss Army Knives such as the Classic SD used as neck knives.
In my recent review, I noted that Mors L. Kochanski became well known for carrying a Mora knife on a neck cord.
The Eldris differs from most neck knives, in that it is a full-sized knife, be it one with a short blade.
It is probably a shade lighter than the knives Kochanski carried, but possibly not by that much, since a Companion or 511 are hardly heavyweights!

Secondary Lock

The “secondary lock” is a sort of frog/collar that fits around the sheath and mounts a strap across the butt to keep the knife in place.
The back of the sheath has two dimples which engage with bumps inside the collar section to lock it in place.
The instructions show that it should be pulled up the sheath until it clicks.
Presumably, the belt hanger fitting utilizes the same features.
As I already noted, the knife fits very securely into the sheath already. The secondary lock adds extra security since the knife is intended to be hung handle downwards when in neck knife mode.
When you first go to use it, the retention strap seems to be a little too short. You need to give it a bit of a pull for it to stretch and reach the popper. Whether this will change with use, I do not yet know.

Fire-Starter

The accessory kit also contains a “fire starter”. This is a fairly substantial ferro‑rod mounted on a short loop of cord.
The back of the blade of the Eldris (but not the Eldris Light Duty) is intended to be used as a striker for the fire starter. The user is cautioned not to use parts of the blade other than the back.
There is a little leather tab that according to the instructions is supposed to be folded over and braced against the end of the rod when the fire starter is being used. This is a feature I do not think I have ever seen with ferro‑rod systems.
I prefer to keep the knife blade still and pull the ferro‑rod backwards, and in this mode the tab seems to have no function.
The instructions show two ways to carry your fire starter with your knife.
The first appears to be passing the rod through its loop and securing it to the neck cord with a lark’s head knot. The rod on mine is too long to pass through the loop (or the loop is too short). Either way, I cannot do this with my example.
I later realized that the cord could be so knotted by passing the plastic fob through the loop. This needs to be pulled tight with the fob section as long as possible to prevent the fire starter sliding around. I positioned it so that it is unlikely to create noise by hitting the sheath, but am not confident it will stay there.
That leaves the second mode. The loop is dropped down over the bottom of the inverted sheath and finds a location just above the secondary lock, around the fat section of the sheath. To do this, the loop also needs to pass over the neck cord.
You therefore, cannot remove or stow your fire‑starter without removing the knife from its neck carry.
Like most similar devices, the ferro‑rod comes with a thick protective coating. Your first few strikes will be unimpressive until the coating is worn away.
Potentially, the second mode could cause rattling. Keeping the leather tab between the sheath and the rod seems to reduce this, and the rod mainly hits the compliant material of the secondary lock.
If you are hunting, it may be prudent to remove the fire starter from the knife. Having a neck knife swinging around may not be ideal anyway. Some animals have very acute hearing and what are relatively small noises to us may alert them.

The Cord

Last, but by no means least, the cord.
Mora call it paracord, but when is paracord paracord?
I ask this because I recently saw a “credit-card” survival tool that was wrapped with what was claimed to be “paracord”. Since it was about 2 mm in diameter, possibly less,
I am confident to bet this “paracord” is not 550 lb-rated, and very unlikely to be Mil-Spec 550. The cord was, however, perfectly good for the uses that it was intended for.
Worth remembering that real paracord can be too stretchy for many survival applications. That may be why your basha roof always sags!
550 lb paracord is 4 mm in diameter. Admittedly, paracord is made in other sizes. I have a 100 metre roll of 3 mm 425 lb-rated paracord that is more than adequate for the purposes I use it for.
Technically, I suppose it may be claimed to be paracord if it has been used to make parachutes. There is cord of under 2 mm diameter and only 95 lbs that is claimed to be paracord. Several friends will doubtless remind me that cats and beavers have been parachuted!
Mora chose to call the cord in this kit “paracord”. It seems more compressible than other paracord I have to hand. It is 4mm diameter, but does not feel like there are multiple internal cords within. The ends are heat sealed, and evidently there is a white core material. I don’t intend to cut into it to find out if it is “real” paracord or not.
It is, however,  perfectly good cordage for the use it was provided for.
Fit the cord to the sheath exactly as shown in the instruction sheet. Feed one end of the cord into one drainage hole. When it emerges, feed that end back down into the sheath until it sprouts out of the other drainage hole. Pull on the cords until they are roughly equal in length.
Tie the two sections of cord in an overhand knot. The overhand knot near the sheath is supposed to reduce the tendency of the sheath to twist.
I tried a figure-eight knot, but it used up too much of the cord’s length. If you have a thick neck, large head (or big hat!), you may find the length of cord provided insufficient.
The knot suggested to join the ends of the cord is not one I have ever seen before. The instruction sheet calls it a “slipknot”, and no argument can be made that it is not a slipping knot. It is not the knot usually encountered as a slip knot, nor any of the other knots that sometimes use this name. It is not even the jam knot, a slip knot that pretends not to be one!
Eldrtis Safety Knot
This knot, which I will call a safety knot, is simple. Tie a loose overhand knot in one end of the cord. Take the other end, fold it into a bight and place the bight in the eye of the overhand. Pull the overhand tight.
The utility of this knot for a neck knife or similar object is obvious. If the cord catches on something or the knife gets caught in machinery or similar, the knot will undo even when the force is not enough to snap the cord or break the sheath.
During wear, the end bight worked free, resulting in a single cord held firm by the overhand knot. This is an interesting alternative, which seems less likely to come undone when not desired.
You may need more security if climbing or working near water. The safety knot may be quickly modified into a fisherman’s knot.
When I assembled this, the first thing I thought was that the neck cord cries out for a whistle.
Eldris Knife with Accessory Kit and Whistle
Unfortunately, all the whistles I have to hand were orange! The sheath colour really wanted something that complimented it more.
One thing I did find was that attempting to open the popper of the secondary lock pulled the safety knot undone, or loosened it. You will need to hold the sheath in one hand when opening the lock. You will also need to use both hands to draw the knife.

Conclusions

The Eldris poses several questions.
The first is, perhaps, is the accessory kit worth the money? It is a little pricey for what it is, even if a little cheaper if bought with the knife.
Paracord is pretty easy to acquire, and may be found in colours and patterns that better suit the sheath and grip colour than black.
The fire starter is of good quality, and more robust than some examples. Similar items may be acquired from other sources for a little less, however.
The main feature of this fire starter is that the loop is exactly the right size to fit around the sheath. I find the fob at the end of the cords a little ungainly and obstructive when the fire starter is carried in this mode.
Is this the best position to carry a fire‑starter? Would a butane lighter attached to the sheath with a rubber band (cut from a bicycle inner tube) be more practical? Said band could hold both a lighter and a ferro‑rod.
If you intend to carry the Eldris as an inverted neck knife, the secondary lock has an obvious appeal.
Something similar, however, could easily be constructed from some appropriately coloured webbing strap and a button. popper or Velcro.
The secondary lock may be “belt and braces” since I expect the lock in the sheath will prove to be very effective.
An interesting idea would be to use the lanyard hole to connect the knife to the sheath. Then in the unlikely event the two do part company, your knife will be lost. This precaution may be useful for other modes of carrying the Eldris.
It is a wonderful knife, but what are you going to actually use it for?
For some jobs, a longer blade is better. If gutting a fish or skinning a rabbit, I would be inclined to reach for a Mora Companion rather than an Eldris. The Companion is probably a more versatile knife, which is why one sits in my bug-out kit beside a kukri.
The Eldris has been touted as “the perfect knife for any outdoor activities” but that is clearly clickbait nonsense. Perfect if you also have a machete, saw, axe and Swiss Army Knife handy too, perhaps.
Perhaps it is unfair to compare the Eldris to other sheath knives.
The Eldris has been described as a pocket knife, or as having the virtues of a fixed blade with the convenience of a pocket knife.
It does offer an interesting alternative to many folding knives. It is stronger, simpler, and better suited to messy jobs. Lighter than many folders too.
On the other hand, in daily use, the tools on a pocket knife that tend to get used the most are scissors, screwdrivers and implements other than the knife blade(s).
The Eldris is a supplement to a good penknife, rather than a replacement.
I can see myself carrying an Eldris if heading into the wilds, but it would not be replacing the Companion or any of my other primary tools.
Mora’s main competitor for the Eldris is Mora themselves.
While the Eldris is very reasonably priced compared to many other outdoor knives from other companies, it is about three times the price of many other Mora models.
The Eldris has an obvious superiority in materials and design, but the cheapest Moras are still first class quality and outstanding value for money. Companions or 511 may be more versatile choices than the Eldris.
Within camp or when working, the Eldris might be handy for numerous minor cutting jobs, being handier than fishing out a folding knife.
It is a good choice for the sort of jobs an average belt knife may be a little big and clumsy for.
Personally, I have never really been one for neck knife carry. I may get more used to the idea with time. The cord may be wrapped around the sheath and the whole thing carried in a pocket until the neck knife mode was wanted, of course.
If you are not sure whether to invest in an Eldris, it may be prudent to buy a Eldris Light Duty first and try it for fit.
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Fire-Lighting with Gunpowder

For me, it was an easy leap for me to get from penknives to fire‑lighting.
In a serious situation, gram for gram, you should be carrying at least one butane lighter. Simple, reasonably priced and good for hundreds of fires. Can still be used to light fires once the fuel is exhausted.
That said, striking ferro‑rods is fun!
I was investigating which penknife tools are best for striking sparks with.
The back of the saw blades is the answer.
I also discovered that a better technique than that you usually see is to keep the saw blade or “steel” stationary on the tinder and pull the ferro‑rod backwards towards yourself.
Uses the whole length of the ferro‑rod and does not flick your tinder all over the place.
I looked in wonder at some of the exotic tinder materials available on sale, and their lofty price tags!
I will stick with cottonwool and Vaseline, which works wonderfully with a ferro‑rod, as well as naked flames.

Gunpowder as Tinder

I began to think about other tinder materials, specifically, gunpowder.
Some may argue that modern firearm propellants are not strictly gunpowder, but for convenience this is the term I will use, although much of the following may also be applicable to black powder and other low‑explosives.
In general, ammunition is precious, and should be reserved for its primary application.
One exception to this is when the immediate need for a quick fire far outweighs the remote possibility of you managing to shoot a hare or large bird sometime in the future.
Cold and wet may kill you in hours, while you can last several days without a meat dinner.
It is quite possible that you have not seen any likely targets. Some hikers manage to blunder through the wilderness never seeing a four‑footted beast or large bird.
The second exception is on a location such as a war‑zone where there may be quite a lot of ammunition available.
The enemy’s ammunition may not be usable in your weapons. One of the practical applications enemy ammunition may be put to is fire‑lighting, assuming a fire is tactically permissible, of course.
If you have pliers or a similar tool, the bullet may be pulled from the case. Most small‑arms cartridges are relatively thin, so may be cut in two with a stout blade, bayonet edge or hatchet.
Firearm propellant is a low‑explosive, so will not explode unless it is confined. It will, however, burn fast.
For this reason, propellant is best used to “season” other forms of slower burning tinder and kindling.
An interesting idea is to lay a powder-train leading to the centre of tinder and kindling.
Propellant not used should be stored in a water‑tight container for later use. You may mix it in with your container of “found” tinder and/or carry a separate supply.
That is all fairly straightforward and makes good use of enemy ammunition as a resource.
Many of these techniques could also be used with blank ammunition, or by utilising other sources of powder such as fireworks.

Firing with Primers

Some of you will doubtless be wondering: Can you light your fire using the cartridge primer?
The primary answer to this is not to try it unless you really, really have to!
Dry powder is easily ignited by a lighter, matches, magnifying glass or sparks. I may have once seen references to combining powder with friction methods such as the fire‑drill or fire thong too!
Lighters, matches, magnifiers and ferro‑rods are relatively safe and reliable mechanisms. You should always use the safer option whenever you have a choice.
Using a bottle of water to light a fire
A couple of well known survival publications do give a method for lighting a fire with a cartridge.
The Survival Handbook” by Anthony Greenbank says:
“Little powder mixed with tinder may prove effective. To try for flame, cut cartridge or bullet leaving a very few grains of powder in shell. Insert a little dry cotton (coat lining) with torn and fuzzy edge. Pack loosely.
“Fire into air. Cloth may float down‑ burning. Grab and light tinder with it.”
I have not tried the above, but it sounds like the burning material will have a fairly wide area to come down in, and will need to be found before it goes out, or starts an unintended fire!
Lofty Wiseman’s “SAS Survival Handbook” has:
“Break open the round and pour the gunpowder on to your tinder before using your flint, or remove only half the powder and stuff a piece of cloth into the cartridge case.
“Chamber the round and fire as usual, into the ground.
“The cloth will be ejected smouldering. Place it on tinder with the remaining propellant and you will soon have a fire going.”
Shooting into the ground at least seems a little more practical.
Then there is “Survival” by Len Calcutt:
“The powder contents of the cartridge can be used to help fire your tinder. You can also wedge a cloth in the cartridge once the ball or projectiles have been removed and chamber the round into your weapon. Aim at the tinder and fire. The cloth will be shot out smouldering.”
And, I suspect, your carefully gathered tinder and fire materials will be scattered over a large area by the muzzle blast!
The same article insists that aluminium foil and shavings may be used as tinder. Good luck with that!
If you have a moment, go to your kitchen, take a strip of aluminium cooking foil and try to light it on the stove.
I would be very cautious about attempting to use these methods unless you really have to.
I have to wonder just how old this technique of firing a cloth from a firearm is? Is it an old idea that has been passed on without consideration on how weapons have changed?
If you have a large bore muzzle‑loading weapon, it seems feasible. It is just the normal round, without the lead ball. If the weapon is earlier than a percussion lock, it is simpler to place the lock right next to the tinder.
Firing a bit of cloth from a bottlenecked case down a 5.56mm calibre barrel sounds like a good way to block your barrel.
I would not, personally be inclined to try this with anything smaller than a 20‑bore shotgun.
Cutting the cartridge open and lighting the powder by some other means seems simpler and safer!

No Other Choice?

But what if the only means to light a fire you have is a cartridge?
Full disclosure: I have not personally done this, and have no intention of trying.
If the situation did arrive, here is how I would consider going about it.
Use at your own risk, and preferably don’t use at all and use safer methods instead.

Handgun Method

If you have a handgun:
Pull or cut off the bullet. Empty as much powder as possible on your tinder. Insert the rear half of the cartridge directly into the chamber.
Place the muzzle near the tinder and fire. Only the primer and a few remaining grains of powder will ignite, but this should create enough of a flame to light the powder in the tinder.
Probably will not work with long‑guns and may not work with longer barrelled pistols.

Without a Gun

If you do not have a suitable gun:
Make a sturdy tripod of sticks over your tinder, with your other fire materials nearby.
Cut the cartridge and empty out all the propellant. Add some to the tinder and save any you do not use.
Split the bottom section of one of the tripod legs and place the rear of the cartridge case between, mouth towards the tinder. Ideally you would bore a hole, but you are unlikely to have the means to bore a large enough hole with you.
Take a stick about a foot or more long. Carve one end into a blunt point smaller than the primer.
Hold the stick as far from the point as practical.
If you have gloves, wear them. If you do not have gloves, wrap your nearer hand with a bandana, keffiyeh etc.
Wear any eye‑protection (sunglasses, goggles etc) and face covering that you may have.
Ideally, look downward to the ground when hitting the primer, rather than at the cartridge.
A helmet or brimmed hat will provide added protection as you look down.
Place the stick point on the primer and hit the other end. This may ignite the emptied cartridge and light the tinder.
The same methods should work for rimfire cartridges, but you will need an implement that crushes the brass rim of the cartridge rather than hitting a central primer.
You can try carving the point of the stick as a wedge. You may need to add a stone or similar to the tip.
The above techniques are theoretical, untested and should not be attempted unless in a genuine dire situation.
I know someone on Youtube will be trying this.
Some of this information has been out there for decades. SAS and other special forces will have been taught some of the above methods. We cannot know if they ever have had cause to use them.
Be Careful!
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Fishing with a Soda Bottle, Done Right!

As mentioned in my previous review, the section on fish traps was one of the more deficient sections of “The Official John Wayne Handy Book of Bushcraft”. There is a mention that one of the means you can make a fish trap from is from a water bottle. It is also stated that traps will only catch very small fish.
A friend of mine recently mentioned using soda bottles as fish traps.
Typical plastic soda bottle fish trap
The way this is usually shown, a cut is made just below the conical section of the bottle. This part is inverted and inserted into the rest of the bottle.
Obviously, only fish small enough to swim through the nozzle can enter the trap.
Not much of a meal!
I began to think about ways to improve on this. The obvious one was to cut off the nozzle and provide the trap with a bigger entrance.
Keep the neck to make a useful clip.
Before I could think too long on this, I was reminded of one of my favourite youtube channels.
This features a very ingenious lady in Cambodia.
Check out some of her other videos, which feature PVC fishing bows, recipes and many other varieties of traps.
◦ Note that the screw‑threaded part is removed and the area around the new opening cut into “petals”. In this video the petals are clearly shown being cut into points.
◦ Holes have been made in the base of the trap so water flows through. This lets the smell of the bait out to attract fish. This also allows them to drain as they are removed from the water.
◦ Each trap has a closed smaller bottle attached to it to act as a float and suspend the trap clear of the bottom.
If aiming for bottom dwelling fish, you may need to weight the trap.
◦ The funnel part of the bottle is secured to the larger part. This is a good precaution if aiming for larger fish.
When I first started watching this I thought she was cutting “V” shaped tabs in the outer part to hold the funnel in. That should work.
What she is actually doing is making holes and securing the two parts with cord [or you could use grass or plant stems].
Reaming matching holes and using wooden pegs carved from a stick would make the trap easier to take apart to remove the fish.
This site shows the innovation of a flap cut in the funnel for easy removal of fish.
Such a trap can easily be made with just a penknife with a reamer.
Four good‑sized fish from three traps is pretty good going!
For many other uses for plastic bottles, take a look at Plastic Bottle Cutter's channel!