To's | The Filson Journal (2024)

Tips and tricks that just might save your life.

How-To's

How to Make a Pole Spear Just under the surface of the frigid ocean is a bounty of saltwater fish to be foraged. Many an outdoors person would agree that, in a survival scenario, the ocean can often be a far more productive source of food than the land, especially the cold, nutrient-rich waters that circulate around our shores. But how to pursue these fish? Here, we’ll show you how to build a pole-spear, a time-tested, simple tool that is incredibly effective for putting fish on your dinner plate. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

How To Select and Care for a Stetson Hat Filson’s own Clark Gilbert walks you through the choice of buying a new Stetson hat and how to properly care for it depending on your choice and the life you lead. Read more 3 Min

How-To's

DIY 3 Legged Camp Stool One of the best items to have on any outdoor excursion is a good seat. A seat can help keep you dry in wet weather, provide a spot to rest your legs for a bit, help keep you warm if it’s cold out, and, let’s be honest, it’s just more comfortable than sitting on hard rocks or snow. One of the simplest forms of a seat is a folding tripod. These are small because they fold when not in use, so they don’t take up much room in your pack or truck. It’s a great option for lunch breaks on the river during a day of fly fishing, a solid place to sit while glassing up wild game, or just a spot to take a load off around the campfire. Read more 3 Min

How-To's

DIY Wooden Landing Net A wooden landing net is not only one of the angler’s best tools to ensure the swift catch—and, where necessary, release—of a fish, but also a durable part of the kit that can be passed down from generation to generation. Read more 6 Min

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How-To's

How to Buy a Fire Lookout Tower If you’ve ever seen a fire lookout tower and thought to yourself, “I wish I had one of those,” that dream might not be as far from reality as you first thought. Whether you’re looking for a unique get-away, or maybe even a new cabin, we break-down how to go about finding and potentially buying a surplus lookout. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

Shop Class: The Shipwright’s Tool Tote The Shipwright’s Tool Tote was traditionally made by shipwrights themselves to carry the tools of their trade while they were working on wooden boats. It had to be a very versatile and portable tool tote—for a wooden boat builder, time was money so a shipwright had to be able to carry the tools he needed around the boat to accomplish his day’s work. Running back and forth to the shop just wouldn’t do.The tote had to big enough to carry a core group of tools but not be so heavy that once loaded it could not be picked up and carried with ease. To accomplish this the shipwright would use whatever strong but lightweight wood that was at hand. The wood joinery was kept simple for ease of construction and repair if needed. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

Wet Weather Fire Starters Cold and wet at camp? Dry out and warm up quickly by starting a fire with these four items that are most likely around your campsite. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

How to Build an Overland Camp Kitchen Brendon and I have been traveling by motorcycle for just over a decade. We’ve ridden on many different style bikes—from a sport bike, to a cruiser, to a big adventure bike. Recently, we’ve moved on to a simpler, and separate, set of Honda dual sports. Our motorcycle travels have taken us through parts of western USA, most of Canada, and an additional 14 countries—with trips lasting anywhere from three hours to three years. Currently, you can find us wintering on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, prepping for the next overlanding adventure. Along with our motorcycles, our goals and priorities have changed over the years. Living close to nature and feeling a strong connection to it is one of our main pursuits. As we explore and experience new places, the methods have evolved to reflect a more sustainable version of travel. Hotels—and, more importantly, restaurants—have been happily substituted for longer trips where we camp and cook for ourselves. Every day brings a new experience, and eating meals packed full of nutrients in order to restore our energy and keep us well fueled is essential. Read more 3 Min

How-To's

DIY: Ammo Can Panniers The objective of this build is to come up with a low-cost solution to the more expensive factory-produced or aftermarket panniers used on adventure touring bikes. Most factory-produced pannier racks have become inexpensive enough and a homemade one takes considerable time to build. So we will concentrate on just the Ammo Can part of the build. The bike used in this installation came used with the factory racks installed, but the installation could be easily modified to fit almost any rack, including homemade. I chose easily available and inexpensive hardware to keep the cost down. You can substitute whatever is available locally. Also, the length of the hardware can easily be modified; if only longer bolts are available, simply cut down the excess threads. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

How to Ice Fish: learn from fishing guide Walleye Dan Walleye Dan has been ice fishing for more than 40 years. He’s seen the sport change dramatically from his early days out on Round Lake in Minnesota, trying his luck with nothing but a jiggle stick and a handful of wax worms. Today, he’s one of the most sought after fishing guides in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, happily sharing his knowledge of the region and love for all things fishing. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

Filson Fundamentals: Field Chainsaw Maintenance Whether felling, bucking and limbing, or cutting up logs for firewood, it doesn’t take long to burn through a tank of fuel when running a saw at full throttle. A finely tuned, sharp saw is a pleasure to own and a life-long tool — only if properly maintained. Every re-fuel and oil is the perfect time to do a quick once-over to make sure your saw is in top running condition. Anyone who’s put their time into a chainsaw knows a sharp, well-oiled and finely tuned machine is an absolute must for reducing the time it takes to get the job done. These are the basics. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

Winter Upland Hunting Guide + 5 Game Birds Many game-bird seasons in the Northwest, Midwest, and Northeast extend well into winter— those cold, even icy days can be great times to hunt. Upland birds often fall into fairly predictable cold-weather patterns, and vegetation and other cover have dwindled. Further, cooler temperatures mean ideal conditions for vigorous walking and dog work. That doesn’t mean winter bird hunting is easy, though. Weather conditions can be challenging, and some species of birds have been hunted for weeks or months, leaving the survivors adept at avoiding human predators. Read more 5 Min

Signature Materials

Recommended Care for Mackinaw Wool Mackinaw Wool has been our most-trusted cold-weather protection for over a century, and these easy-maintenance tips will ensure yours provides reliable service for years to come. Read more 3 Min

How-To's

How to Build Your Own Cross-Country Skis The journey of making your own skis begins with a tree. Where and at what point you begin your engagement with it depends on what resources you have available. Ideally, the relationship begins in the forest, where you can see the tree, meet the tree, understand where it is growing and how healthy it is. If you can’t access a woodlot, then the next best source would be a logger or a sawmill operator. The type of tree you seek depends on which species live near you; traditionally, skis were made out of what was available. Here in Northern Minnesota we prefer to use birch. It is a light, flexible wood that carves easily and bends reliably well. The tree you are seeking (or board) is straight as an arrow, with no knots, and is in good health. I typically begin by purchasing logs of ideal quality and bring them to a sawmill and instruct the operator on how I want the boards cut. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

How to Train Your Dog to Pull a Sled Luna Lobos Dog Sledding is a family-owned dog sledding operation based in Peoa, Utah. Owners Fernando and Dana Ramirez believe that dog sledding is a work of art, and that all the pieces have to work together to create a successful team. Fernando has raced professionally, competing in both the Pedigree Stage Stop Race and the World Championships, the dog-sledding counterpart of the world series. His dog sled team comprises an interesting mix of professional racers as well as rescues. Below, he shares his experience in training a dog to mush. Read more 3 Min

How-To's

How to Make Farmer’s Cheese If cheesemaking sounds a little outside of your wheelhouse, rest assured that we’ve got the perfect way to get started.Farmer’s Cheese is widely enjoyed across Europe and can be easily made with the tools you likely already have in your kitchen. We recently stopped by Venison Valley to learn how to make this farmhouse staple. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

How to Make a Canvas Bedroll Bedrolls are the original bivy and have been used for centuries to keep their occupants warm and dry after a long day of travel. If you’re not concerned about a bit of weight, they are a perfect way to pack your bed, shelter, and some extra gear in one bundle. What you relinquish in poundage, you’ll make up for in durability and comfort.If you can get your hands on some canvas, here is a simple design that can take a beating and still protect you from the elements. Feel free to waterproof to your liking by waxing the canvas, or with a little leather work you can customize the way you secure your roll internally and externally. Read more

How-To's

The Official Rules of Horseshoes The game of horseshoes, for the most part, is pretty simple. All you need to get started is two stakes, four horseshoes, a hammer, and some level ground. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

DIY: Campfire Smoked Venison Jerky When it comes to classic trail foods, jerky is always on the list. Whether purchased at a gas station on the way to the trailhead or made from a deer killed on a family hunting trip, jerky provides a great protein-rich, flavorful, shelf-stable snack for road trips, cold ridgeline glassing, or drinking beer around the campfire. In this article, i’ll run through how i make jerky, give an idea for a marinade, and show how to make a field-expedient jerky smoker to cure meat in the backcountry. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

DIY: Car Jack Cider Press Nothing says autumn like some fresh pressed apple cider in the orchard. Apple presses come in all shapes and sizes and can get very expensive and complex. Here is one design that you can build on a dime and requires some basic items one can find around the yard and house. Any work you put into this will be well rewarded with a jug of homemade cider. Drink it fresh, chill it, or heat it up with some brown liquor and cinnamon and enjoy by the fire. Read more

How-To's

Ruffed Grouse Hunting Basics The ruffed grouse is affectionately called the king of game birds by those who enjoy hunting them on crisp autumn days. As their nickname hints, the ruffed grouse is challenging prey for new and seasoned hunters alike. They are swift fliers, wary, and learn by experience the fine art of avoiding predators of all kinds. But by using a few basic principles you can start off on good footing, and with any luck, bring home a few ruffs for the table. Read more 5 Min

How-To's

Hafting an axe: DIY Found in most any woodshed or canoe pack, or on the floorboard of most farm trucks, the axe is one of the most versatile tools available to the outdoors adventurer. A good axe can fell a tree, split kindling, hammer in a tent stake, butcher an animal, and, in the right hands, perform delicate tasks such as carving or food prep. Occasionally, Axe handles break, and replacing the handle can keep a well-worn axe-head in service and keep you from having to purchase a replacement. In this how we show you how to haft and axe Read more 10 Min

How-To's

DIY Stock Tank Hot Tub In this how-to, we show you how to make your very own wood-fired hot tub with simple materials you can get right at the hardware store. You’ll be up and running in just a couple hours for about $200. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

DIY Camp Chuck Box One of the biggest challenges of any camping trip is having a proper cooking loadout. The solution is one that dates back to the 1800s Oregon Trail: the chuck box.A chuck box is essentially a kitchen in a box. It stores your cooking stove, fuel, pots, pans, utensils, and food. When open, it offers a flat prep surface for a proper fireside meal and helps keep all of your kitchen items neatly organized in one place. Since a chuck box is portable, it’s very versatile as you can leave it the trunk of your rig or set it up on any flat surface. In this how-to, we’ve teamed up with Peter Capar to provide you with a full build design for a simple, customizable, chuck box using a single sheet of plywood. Read more 10 Min

How-To's

How to Build a Backyard Sawmill My family comes from a proud tradition of loggers and woodworkers. My great-grandfather left his home in Norway and emigrated to Washington to work as a logger. My grandfather followed in his footsteps to work in the lumber industry, and my father has worked with wood for as long as I can remember. When my wife asked me to make some raised garden beds with her, I saw this season of quarantine as an opportunity to tap into my roots, expand my DIY skillset, and explore milling my own lumber with my chainsaw. If you have your own saw and a few standard tools, you can get started for a few hundred bucks. Read more 10 Min