My Mentor, My Friend and the BEST Survival Instructor I Know

David Wendell

He is the mind, the passion and the expertise behind Bushcraftonfire

With well over 300 videos, David gives you quite simply the best survival information you can get anywhere, and all for free.

With my Marine Corps training, I have always been somewhat arrogant in my approach to learning survival techniques from others. SHOCKER I KNOW. When I met David, I almost immediately understood that here is the real deal. Unassuming and humble, David almost never uses terms like, "You have to", "This is the only way", "This is what you must have", no David simply shows you how it works for him and even shows you alternative methods that may work better for you.

In the short few years I have now known David and his wife Tam, I feel I have learned more than all my years in the Marines. Trust me, that is not easy to say..

From his expertise in "Firestarting" especially with the "Bowdrill", to shelter building, budget bushcrafting and minimalist camps, David and Tam are always sharing with us their knowledge.



When David came on the All Things Survival Radio Show, he instantly changed the show forever. With his vast knowledge in survival and bushcrafting and just plain old common sense living tips, David is not only someone you learn from, he is very enjoyable to listen to as well.

I count David, Tam and their entire family as my family as well. I have met with them, worked with them, learned from them and most of all, came to love them as well.

I think you will also.

Check out his videos on his channel I linked to above and of course listen to him on All Things Survival Radio on Thursday's from 8pm to 11pm EST

This is just a little tribute to a man that gives without any expectation of reward and who has become my mentor without even knowing it.

Love ya Dave

Semper

reply to post by semperfortis

There are so many people out there with the ability to teach us volumes. I don't always adopt everything taught ... but I have learned to respect there are several ways to 'skin a cat' and if you keep your mouth shut, you'll absorb far more than you thought you did.

Semper ... thanks for making the introduction! I am never able to catch an All Things Survival broadcast, but this video is a GREAT lead.

reply to post by semperfortis


Yep, that needed saying.

David is definitely dedicated to sharing his knowledge with anyone who is willing to listen and learn.

I add my appreciation to the pot.

BT

I like the magnesium fire starter. The price isn't that high, considering it lasts for quite a while.

I watched one of the videos, it is well made. I bookmarked it and will be watching more.

I know a lot about living in the woods but everyone can learn more. I am definitely no exception to that rule.

reply to post by rickymouse


Just something else Dave taught me

Spend the extra and get the GOOD Mag Fire Starters... The cheap ones just don't function as well and are a huge disappointment

reply to post by semperfortis


They have some for sixteen bucks and some for twenty five bucks. I was wondering which would be better....come to think of it, I never paid attention to whether they were dollars or Euros.

reply to post by rickymouse


I actually prefer just the Ferro Rod without the Magnesium

I get better results then trying to shave the Mag by just using some good, dry tinder

reply to post by semperfortis


I have some rocks here that the old residents piled up. They are good for starting fire. Just rub two of some of the rocks together and red sparks are seen. I'm thinking they are a quartzite and a little good fuzz in between could catch fire.

They also had rocks containing flint. I found a rectangular one with what looked like melted spots on it. I was looking at the silver metals in it with a friend, they were very pliable and I thought they may be valuable...so I took a hatchet to it....sparks flying everywhere. Now I could have sold that thing if I hadn't been so bull headed into trying to figure out what the metals were. It WAS worth about a hundred bucks I guess....now I own some broken rock. I laughed when I figured out what it was after the last blow with the axe that broke it. I guess a hundred bucks is worth it to gain the knowledge of a rock.

Flint isn't from around here usually, that rock was probably hauled here many years ago from Lower Michigan or somewhere else. I like learning the hard way sometimes. If my curiosity was not there I would have just tossed the rock back on the rock pile around the garden never knowing what it was. I am going to try a cotton ball to test the quartzite, I don't know if the red sparks will ignite it or not. Nice if you could just pick up a couple of rocks to rub together to start a fire. Maybe that was what the Indians stacked rocks up for, maybe they left stacked rocks of the right kind to start fires with.

reply to post by rickymouse


Quartz will give you enough of a spark to light "Char-Cloth", prefer it to flint actually

Easy to make

I am truly humbled and honored my Brother!!

Thank you so much for such a warm and glowing tribute. I don't know that "I am all that," but I do know that the people that we know and help along their Survival Bushcraft path are so willing and receptive that it make teaching them enjoyable and rewarding. The words that you have printed here have encouraged and blessed Tam & I richly Garth... and they will continue to ring in our hearts no matter where this life takes us.

It's people like yourself (although you are "one of a kind") that make it worth the effort, time, and finances to do what we do. And while we consider each and every supporter to be friends.. You and Naomi are truly family. We love and appreciate you Garth.. and pray all blessings on your life.

Thank you Again..

D

reply to post by BushcraftOnFire


I meant every word and e very word is true

Love you guys too

Give the girls a BIG HUG from Uncle Garth

From looking in here the cynic in me wants to say that he forgot to mail out a knife. But I know that is not the case. When we started the show, we had one goal in mind. To teach others what we knew the best we could through a live audio format, but most importantly to inspire people to get out there and try things themselves so they fully learned how to do some of the same and would in turn teach others around them. One of my personal motivations was that I was afraid that some simple knowledge of how things used to be done was soon going to become a lost art.

One day we were sitting around after a show discussing some ideas as to what to do next. And the idea was passed around about maybe having a guest come on, say hello and share some things. In turn we would plug the heck out of whatever their thing was be it books, youtube videos or wilderness camps. We sent out some invites to some guys on youtube that had been doing some good videos and it just so happened that the one I really wanted to talk with the most responded. From there we had a little phone call to see if he was interested and if he needed help setting up Skype. And based off of that short phone call I told Semper that he wouldn't want him as a guest, he would want him on as often as he would like to come on air as a full member of the crew. All based on a short conversation and something that was said on a video let me know that David was indeed genuine. And that his philosophies were similar to ours in that preservation of these lost arts and passing them down are important.

I encourage anyone to watch the videos, but more importantly I challenge you to try the things you see in them to see how it works for you.

reply to post by Ahabstar

I encourage anyone to watch the videos, but more importantly I challenge you to try the things you see in them to see how it works for you.

Kind'a like golf. You can read about it, watch it on TV, listen to your friends ... but until you swing the club at the ball, you're not really gonna get it.

This is David telling you who he is



Enjoy