can all of you in the north make your own snowshoe?
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can all of you in the north make your own snowshoe?
Well I can, but for the amount of work involved to do a really good job, I'd rather lay out the 100 bucks.
I talking about in a survival stiution like if the snows up passed knees an you have along way to go
Yes it takes a little time but a pair can be made out of bent limbs, evergreen boughs, and rope. Will not last long and are not pretty, but will help you stay up on the snow.
I've made survival showshoes lots of times by just lashing my boots to pine boughs with some twine or rope. They work ok. But, I wouldn't want to walk to far in them.
I also bought a kit several years ago to make my own traditional Huron snowshoes. They work pretty well, and are nice. But, I rarely use them.
However, on my dog sled, and my snow machine I carry a pair of modern Yukon Charlies for situations that require them.
Yes, I make them, $350 a pair (can you tell I don't care to make them for sale?). I actually have a couple of orders outstanding.
Moose hide babiche, black ash frame, moggasin snowshoes (as vs boot snowshoes). My favorites are woven so tight you can't get a pencil through the weaving.
In a survival situation, I could make some to get by, but this is not as easy as some of the "how to" pages would have you believe. I've seen people demonstrate making these and they look fairly nice, but go to pieces in a couple hundred yards.
Better is to have some canvas you can stretch over a two cross piece frame. Without that, you could tie a series of cross pieces to the frame, or try to fashion a solid (one piece) shoe out of a standing white pine stump.
I think I'd probably go with the last if materials were available.
Emergency yes, nice as RBB's not likely, its a learn't skill that takes time and patience to (shall I say it) master.
When we were little kids we used to strap old tennis rackets to our winter boots....seemed to work pretty good for little kids.
I want to see pics of those RBB! Does the tight lacing become and issue in heavier snow conditions?
Maggasin? What that?
My g-g-g-grandmother was a renowned snowshoe maker. I have a photo of her with some of the 47 pair of snowshoes she made for the US Forest Service the year she was 97. She lived to be 105 - oldest woman in Minnesota at the time. Never wore shoes. Never spoke English, though she could understand it. I have a pair of her snowshoes.Quote:
Originally Posted by tsitenha
If you ever drive up Lake Superior's north shore, stop at the Satellite Cafe. There are photos of her. She loved her life, living wild, and it shows in the photos. She is a legend in our family, because she took all the kids in the family off the rez in Wisconsin and up in the Minnesota woods so they wouldn't get sent to gov't school.
My g-grandfather was a large man. His winter snowshoes were seven feet long. I was supposed to inherit a pair from my g-aunt, but one of my second cousins burned them - and a lot else besides (the XXXXXXX).
As to snowshoe making, he taught my grandfather what he'd learned from G-ma Artichone and my grandfather taught me.
Moggasin (moccasin?)Quote:
Originally Posted by red lake
In heavy wet snow, any type of weaving becomes an issue. You just have to knock off the ice that forms under your foot. In cold dry snow - no issue.
I believe I put this photo up before. I currently have nine pair, but taking new photos and uploading them is almost more technology than I can handle.
These would be three distinct types of shoes and lacing. From left to right: 16" X 48" - short and wide for working brush or swamp where you need a lot of support.
12" X 42" for early or late snow - or really hard snow - or for kids.
14" X 54" - what I use most of the time.
I have some trail shoes as well, long and narrow, but I don't use them much as they are only good for trails.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...owshoes001.jpg
Truly beutiful RBB. I am in awe... thank you for posting that picture. Would it be ok if I nipped that shot for my desktop background? Please??
Go for it!Quote:
Originally Posted by laughing beetle
Ooohh!!! Thank you, thank you!!
Nice work. Those are great
I wonder if in a survival situation, do you think you could make some sort of frame and tie on some material instead of a wieve? OR even a piece of plywood cut to shape? Or even for home use? (Can you tell i don't care to buy stuff i might be able to make?)
RBB, once again, another good story. I recently received the book on how to make snowshoes. Cutting and bending the wood is not a problem. I look forward to this. However, lacing! I'll get it eventually. I wont be happy in the process. Are there any short cuts? ( I can't imagine any).
Yea. I read that some guy used the mats from his truck to make snowshoes in a survival situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by flandersander
There are no short-cuts.Quote:
Originally Posted by rebel
What book? The Gill Gilpatrick book (very good) uses an overcomplicated three wrap knot for fastening to the frame. If you keep tension on when the lace is still wet - you can do a two wrap knot.
You need to keep tension on the lace all the time (carpel tunnel issues!) and you need to do each section (toe, tail, center) in one sitting (while lace is still wet) or your lace will lay funny. With a tight weave this can be a big job. To splice, make a slit in the lace and a slit in the piece you are adding. Run the end of the new piece through the slit in the old piece - and back through the slit in the new piece. Try to do this at the frame, not in the center of the weave.
To set the bend in frames (like - if you want the toe to slant upward), after steaming and bending, hit the frame with a torch while it is still in the jig. Be careful not to burn up your frame.
Yes, you could do both of those things.Quote:
Originally Posted by flandersander