Backwoods MacGyver Update
Posted on February 14th, 2007 by Gavin M.
People always ask questions like this: “If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one book with you, what book would it be?”
It would be a book on how to survive on a desert island, okay? Jeez.
That established, this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. It’s an ancient-tech fire-starting tool, used by tribes in Southeast Asia (and perhaps elsewhere), that ignites a little wad of tinder via the same principle as the Diesel engine. You whack it with your hand, and the air pressure inside produces heat up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Small vid file here.)
Diesel power! Talk about a car-go cult! [ha ha chuckle ahem]
Seriously though, don’t get me started on atlatls. I’m really digging the atlatl.
Oh, Gavin. For the last time, put down the bong and walk away.
What about axolotls? How do you feel about them?
Speaking of bongs, check out Atlatl Bob.
What about axolotls? How do you feel about them?
Dunno, but I really like Capybara — the Brazilian martial art.
Jeez, Gavin, if you and I walked into an REI, we’d NEVER come out…
mikey
Yeah, atlatls are cool. I have half of a bannerstone around here somewhere.
BTW (and to pique your envy), I’m supposed to help a friend slaughter and butcher two bison sometime this month. Want some jerky?
Jeez, Gavin, if you and I walked into an REI, we’d NEVER come out…
You mean REI, the store?
Gavin MacGyver—by night, Sadly, No! Poster, by day, Master Flint Knapper.
Dunno, but I really like Capybara — the Brazilian martial art.
I hear it’s a tasteful way to grill an opponent.
we stand on the shoulders of giants
Brazilian martial art? Or World’s Largest Rodent?
http://www.capybara.com/
Brazilian martial art? Or World’s Largest Rodent?
Both!
You mean REI, the store?
That’s the one. Just the climbing department will keep you occupied for a couple daze. One entire wall of carabiners, cams, draws, descenders, belays, expansion bolts. Then there’s the ice axes, rope, harnesses, shoes and chalk bags. But the coolest part is all the gadgets, matchboxes, firestarters, compasses, first aid, lanterns, cookstoves and packs. I’m tellin ya, you could just camp right there…
mikey
More cool toys to waste money on! Hooray!
When I’m not wasting money on drugs and booze, you mean…
mikey
Just the climbing department will keep you occupied for a couple daze. One entire wall of carabiners, cams, draws, descenders, belays, expansion bolts. Then there’s the ice axes, rope, harnesses, shoes and chalk bags. But the coolest part is all the gadgets, matchboxes, firestarters, compasses, first aid, lanterns, cookstoves and packs.
Mikey, the irony of my also getting trapped in REI:
“We condition the masses to hate the country,” concluded the Director. “But simultaneously we condition them to love all country sports. At the same time, we see to it that all country sports shall entail the use of elaborate apparatus. So that they consume manufactured articles as well as transport. Hence those electric shocks.” — Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Did you mean Capoeira, Gavin?
I’ve gotten into a lot of trouble whacking my fire piston with my hand in public.
Did you mean Capoeira, Gavin?
No, silly. That’s a bird!
No, silly. That’s a bird!
Um, it’s a kind of salad delicacy.
I thought it was a drink.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caipirinha
But then, I’m easily confused.
One of my friends brought me a bottle of Cachaça from Brasil, so I could make Caipirinhas.
I thought they tasted just awful. Maybe I didn’t do it right, though.
That seems to be a constant thread running through my life…
I’m pretty sure it’s a six-eyed spider…
mikey
Dang, some ifthethunderdontgetya imposteranator didn’t use gratuitous ASCII trimming?
You have much to learn, young Jediâ„¢!
It would be a book on how to survive on a desert island, okay? Jeez.
Beats the pop-up KamaSutra I had packed.
Don’t you think “How to get Rescued from a desert island” would be more useful?
Cool! The atlatl site even has ‘Authentic Replicas’!
You’d probably get a kick from Zen Stoves, a bunch of cool-do-it-yourself stoves made from cans and other found technology.Ä
To Gentlewoman, if your caipirinha came out terrible it could have been the cachaca that you were using…. It’s like trying to make a good martini and maybe your friend just brought you back some St. Cheapo Russian Vodka….. Limes and sugar are pretty much the same the world over, if it tasted awful it’s was the cheap cachaca.
But if you could only have one record on the desert island, what would it be?
Me, it’d be the World Long Distance Swimming Record.
Caipirinhas can be so delicious.
Somebody turned me on to them when I was working in Paris.
Try caipiroska: same as caiprinha, substitute vodka for the cachaça.
It would be a book on how to survive on a desert island, okay? Jeez.
Seems like a no-brainer to me. The version I heard asked for five books rather than one. I was accused of being “no fun” for choosing books like how to make a dugout canoe and how to navigate by the stars. Seemed like a no-brainer to me.
Here’s a cool Mac Gyver T-Shirt from T-Shirt from Shirtcity. – What would MacGyver do?