Emergency shelter's building test with my Fox Parang Bushcraft

[martineden]

Some time ago I was fascinated by the description of an emergency shelter I found on the very nice and famous book “Woodcraft and camping” by Nessmuk. Building an emergency/survival shelter is also a classic bushcraft task.
So, I spent this WE testing my ability to build two different emergency shelters, and the performance of my Parang Bushcraft doing it.

My test’s field is San Martino Valley


Is a nice place, as you may see


Some inhabitants of the valley


Let’s go ahead



On 1918 an Austro-ungarian soldier fallen to dead right here, and two boys of the village decided to carve this small cross on the stone


Again on the valley




Until an old “calchera”: it’s a sort of cupola-furnace for the lime production, it was used 1950 circa



This is a area rich in waterfalls


Lets’ speak now about the first shelter. Past days I modified my emergency blanket as you may see below



Now I’m here with my today’s knives, I have two of them


But of course for this shelter I will use just my Parang




Done. My Parang was used to carve some woods, nothing special, any sharp knife could do this. I spent some 15 minutes to build the shelter. It’s of course just for emergency, let’s say if you broke your ankle and need to spent the night in the woods, or similar situation. A fire in front of it, some warm garments, and I guess you will arrive at the next morning in good health. Pros: quick to build, don’t need special efforts to be done, good as a windscreen and probably can take some light rain . Cons: it’s very fragile, a strong wind or some falling branch, can destroy easily your cover.

to be continued

[martineden]

Ok, let’s change scenery


This time I want to build a shelter using pine woods and branches. I will use roughly the shape as described in the very famous book “Woodcraft and camping” by Nessmuk.
I start cutting the main branch, it’s long 4,5 metres more or less



The main branch is placed diagonally versus a pine tree


I carve a seat on the pine tree, to place safely the main branch


After that, I cut down several smaller pine’s branches (unfortunately this area is poor of accessible branches, just few are low enough to be cutted)


Then, the branches are placed across on one side of the main branch



Walking on the woods, I found an old oil container



Will use the container as a fire reflector; for this, I need to cut it whit my Parang, doing some batoning



Not significant damages on the blade, pretty good


The reflector is done now, and my shelter is finished


To be honest, I’ll never could do this shelter without my Parang or an axe. In fact cutting all those branches whit a “normal” knife should take too much time and a very big effort. I spent some 30 minutes to build the shelter. This shelter is just for emergency as the previous one, no more than one night in the woods in my opinion. As per the previous shelter, a fire in front of it, some warm garments, and I guess you will arrive at the next morning in good health. Pros: strong construction, is good as a windscreen and (if branches are at least doubled) can take some light rain. You also had some more space compared to the previous shelter. Cons: not quick to build, need efforts and time to be done.

As a side note, if you want to build a pine’s branches shelter, gloves are obligatory, or you need to be prepared for some for some damages to your hands.


Ok guys, it’s time to come back home, here some shots of my small town




Regards, ciao,
Alfredo

[Arclightuk]

Nice pics my friend I like the use of the parang nice to see it can take abuse. Good shelters too

Gav

[ANDYLASER]

Excellent shelters and a beautiful valley.

[JonathanD]

I really do have to check one of those little fellas out Alfredo. Great pics as usual.

[lucky 67]

well done again Alfredo,as usual good testing,nice pictures also !

[earthman]

Thanks for posting all that, great pictures.

[Claire Grills]

I think the first shelter would have offered more protection if it had been wrapped around yourself.
Not too sure that the second one would provide much protection either, but the thing that irks me most is that you cut down one healthy tree and damaged another for your personal amusement.
Sorry for raining on your parade...

[Ru Titley]

Lovely pics Alfredo .
The main support branch that Alfredo cut looks very dead from those pics Claire , and a little bark removal for the support aint gonna hurt it to much in the long term .and Lower branches are often thined out too to encourage growth .

[martineden]

Nice pics my friend I like the use of the parang nice to see it can take abuse. Good shelters too

Gav

Hi Gav, many thanks. Al

[martineden]

Excellent shelters and a beautiful valley.

Thanks mate. Al

[martineden]

I really do have to check one of those little fellas out Alfredo. Great pics as usual.

Thanks JD. I really hope you will do one of your amazing test about my Parang on the next future! For a confortable use of it, I suggest a pair of gloves if you want to cut with it for long time. Al

[martineden]

well done again Alfredo,as usual good testing,nice pictures also !

Thanks, mate!

[martineden]

Thanks for posting all that, great pictures.

Thanks mate, Al

[martineden]

I think the first shelter would have offered more protection if it had been wrapped around yourself.
Not too sure that the second one would provide much protection either, but the thing that irks me most is that you cut down one healthy tree and damaged another for your personal amusement.
Sorry for raining on your parade...

You're welcome, mate.
I agree with you about wrapping around the emergency blanket, to be honest, I guess the best way could be wrapping myself on the emergency blanket AND cover me whit the pine tree shelter...but my purpose was to training myself on shelter building, and hve some fun :-) About what irks you, if you look better at the pics, you may see that the main branch was a dead pine tree, the bark removal was so small that it can't hurt the tree, and I cutted down just one or two green branches fron any single tree. Hope this may calm your sense of irritation. Peace, Al