fbhjr | Skills Swap II (Reply)

Last year we got together with a group that does early American historical reenacting and had a skills exchange.
We had such a good time, that we decided to do it again this year.

I had my new costume as did our two newest members.

This event started when one of the guys where I work, Ed, found out about Phoenix Swords and wanted our two groups to get together.

He is very into it, making his own traps and snares.

He showed us how to weave our own cord to make it then make the rest out of things found in the forest.

We also saw a rope weaving machine made out of a couple of blocks of wood and some coat hangers.

It made a good length of rope in a very short time.

Everyone likes rope, from Romans to us now.

Ed also showed us how to make a very effective washing machine out of simple (if not historical) parts.

He also showed us how to put up a tripod in a very short time. (Using that cordage he made earlier.)

Then we had a demonstration of a prehistoric spear thrower known as an Atlatl. The guy doing it had done his best to make a reproduction of the outfit worn by that guy they found in the Alps a while ago. But, he didn’t wear the fur cape today as it was very hot.

I’ve read about Atlatl’s before, but never seen or used one before.

Our people were very impressed with it. It seems like one of their people might have been impressed with one of our people too...

We did get to try it, which was very cool.

It took very little effort to really get that spear going.

Then, Ed did a demonstration of knives, tomahawks, spears and spear like things.

He also demoed throwing the spears.

He did a really good job with that.

But, for throwing the tomahawks, he turned it over to the person who won their club’s contest.

He also covered throwing knives.

(I will point out the iPad in the background is NOT mine. I didn’t bring my iPad to a historical skills exchange. OK, I did. But, I kept it in the car.)

Then Jamie did a demonstration of making your own fishing nets. This is again with the cordage made at the start of the day.

Yes, I did look at making fish nets while the black powder shooting was going on. I’m not much for shooting guns. And, I started historical events with a revolutionary group that did a lot of black powder, so I’m happy to learn things I don’t know over things I did 35 years ago.
And, it was cool that Jamie made his own net out only out of things found around the camp site.

(He’s pretty hardcore anyhow. He goes fishing in canoes he makes out of tree bark.)

Then, we had a demo of some stick fighting techniques from the Philippines.

And a young woman demonstrating a karate technique that is the same as one from an Italian manual from 1400.

And, before lunch, a banjo performance.

Jerry did his fire starting demo again this year.

Sadly we were running late, so he made it very short. But, that man seems to be able to set fire to anything, quickly.

I told him it was sad he didn’t get more time as his fire starting demo last year was my favorite part of the skills swap.
“Lunch time, needed to start the fire,” he said. I couldn’t argue.

There was almost a lunch disaster. Just before we ate, Ed gave a short demonstration saying “These two types of sticks are poisonous. Never use them too cook food in an way.” He then threw the sample sticks in the trash.
Some guy came along, fished them out of the trash, put a sausage on one and cooked it over the fire.
As he took the first bite, Ed saw the stick he was using and ran over and stopped him.
Good thing too. There are cases of people dying from eating stuff cooked on that type of branch.

The afternoon started with a demonstration of turning hide into leather. Apparently you use the brains of the animal to cure it.

He said it takes about 12 hours of hard work to turn a hide into useable leather.

I have to admit, I thought “that’s why we have machines”, but that wasn’t the point of today. I’m just glad I don’t have to do that to make clothes.

Then, we did our show.

I had forgotten our throwing spears at home. But, Ed loaned us his.

perrin_o_ravnos promised to hit it with the flat of the sword. I think he did a VERY good job of that.

I’m not totally sure about this move.

But the rest of the fight was very good.

I always think I turn pretty slow in the move. But, I guess the head of a pole weapon moves fast no mater what.

After us was a demonstration on how with a sharp rock and come cordage you could make everything else you need.

Then, it was down to the range for some sling demonstrations.

They could launch some really big rocks.

And, when this guy sent them, they went through the targets.

At least once there was a whip like crack from his sling showing just how fast he got the end of it going.

I admit, when he picked up the one that he said wasn’t too accurate, I stood behind our youngest troupe member.

But, that’s how I got to be an old troupe member, right?

Then, the roman legion gave a demonstration.

It made a big impression on our people.

Honestly, when I found this photo I couldn’t stop laughing. But, we do get to see roman stuff fairly often...

We don’t normally get to see the roman musical instruments.