Building an Old-Style Algonquin Toboggan using Traditional Tools | PIONEER LIFE CIRCA 1700'S

In preparation for venturing alone into the winter wilderness Peter builds an old-style native Algonquin toboggan using tools and techniques from the 1700's. He discusses the toboggan as an essential tool for carrying loads in the winter. He splits out the planks using axe, wedges and fro. He finishes the planks and the cross members on his shaving horse, using a draw knife and crooked knife, then steams them on the open fire, in preparation for bending. He uses snare wire to fasten the cross pieces to the planks.
Featuring - Peter Kelly
Cinematography - Catherine Wolfe
Producer & Editor - Shane Kelly
SOCIAL MEDIA
KZbin - / @thewoodlandescape
Instagram - / the.woodland.escape
Facebook - / the.woodland.escape
MUSIC
The amazing fiddle music is graciously provided by Chris from PeakFiddler - please check out his channel and his music here - / peakfiddler
#offgrid #selfreliance #alone #livingarchaeology #wildernesssurvival #primitiveskills #logcabin #18thcenturyskills #historictrekking #nativeskills #cabinbuild #selfsufficiency #sustainableliving #canadianwilderness

[@jameshoey525]

I'm86 now but I was a child in Northern NH a lifetime ago.Everybody had sleds of course, but my dad also got us a toboggan. It sat six, and we didn't have a chute, but we all had a pile of fun on that toboggan!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I love NH. I spent a lot of time in the White Mountains in my youth. Wow, holds 6, must have been a lot of fun, except pulling it back up the hill.

[@campkillemall]

Your channel has become my go to when I need to relax and just enjoy what you show. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge along with wee bits of history to learn from. History class was never this interesting.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Wow, thank you, we’re very flattered.

[@ethanporter3179]

0:01 Love the Fiddle

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Glad you enjoyed.

[@gplourdes]

Beautiful to see items made by hand. Well done.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thank you so much 😀

[@tinachambers4887]

I'm learning so much about this era

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Don’t quite know why but, I find 18th century North America history the most fascinating era.

[@lawrencekeller6029]

I watched this 18 months ago or so and never thought of what cabin you are in LOL this your air B&B isn't it? When I found you you had your final logs on the settlers cabin and starting the veranda. Love these videos Peter and Cathy be safe!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It is indeed the Airbnb cabin my friend.

[@markaugustus621]

I learn something everytime I watch. Another great video.

[@harrymason1053]

Find two trees maybe 3" in diameter that are growing close enough to touch or nearly so. Each stave, heat over a quick fire of small wood. When the wood is hot where you want the bend, stick the end between the trees and bend slowly more and more until it cools. Keep repeating until it is bent a little more than you want. Then scrape the charred wood away and shape it into a toboggan.

[@jantrewitt4058]

You certainly are a very talented man, and strong! I have enjoyed all the videos I have watched! Thank you for sharing!!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thank you Jan, glad you’re enjoying.

[@richardschafer7858]

We used the toboggan when I was a paratrooper stationed in Vicenza (We trained in the Dolomites alot). We used the term ahkio, which is of Finnish origin I believe. It enabled us to carry much more supplies with us. The tough part was going downhill with it, as it had to lead the way down. I seem to remember it was actually harder in cross country skis than snow shoes. Invaluable piece of equipment overall.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

If snow conditions are right skis are not hard, if poor conditions it is awful. If we have a second person not pulling we attach a rear tether to hold back the sped of dissent.

[@richardschafer7858]

@TheWoodlandEscape Yes! I totally forgot about the rear tether. It's been a couple decades! 😆

[@throwback336]

Well done. I really appreciate your history lesson as well. Very nice channel & I look forward to watching them in order.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thank you.

[@jeepking1510]

Hey peak fiddler I thought it sounded familiar. Great music

[@leithashowers4420]

I find your videos fascinating and interesting as well as educational thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge and teaching history.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

So nice of you, it is indeed our pleasure.

[@thatsthewayitgoes9]

Yes, in my winter trekking experience with a sled, tipping over is something that happens often on side hills and like you said human tracks imperfect

[@loribell6646]

Re: 21:14 - Brick laying friend of mine once said, "The work's not blessed until you bleed!" :)

[@bobmiller4383]

Wow ! Just at the right time . I 've been planning to make one to replace the more modern one I've been using. Thanks Peter.

[@cathywolfe1038]

Good time of the year for such projects.

[@wildnistourer2991]

Love this wonderful Old Style

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It can be pretty darn relaxing. We appreciate your interest.

[@dianegranger6864]

Love watching and learning, from all of your videos.

[@michaelbishop6831]

Looks like a good trout stream.

[@tropifiori]

Very nice video. Frank

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thank you very much!

[@stephenfox1238]

Really cool. Never heard of the cedar rip trick before. I thought I was the only trekker in Ontario until I found this video series.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

And all along, I thought I was the only one ... pleased to meet you a Stephen. What part of the province do you live at?

[@stephenfox1238]

I’m down in Brantford on the Grand River. What about you guys? I really like the trade silver on your shit bag.

[@toguidver9841]

We used a 50 gallon barrel to boil the ribs on our 18 ft boat.. It worked great.

[@patrickmills3416]

Thanks for the history lesson and the effort involved in keeping history alive very interested to watch and much appreciated greetings from Ireland

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

We have a son named Patrick … a fine name indeed! We are glad you’re enjoying. Cheers from Canada.

[@unpredictable913]

I love your history lessons, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. You rock!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks Emsol.

[@lindaSee89]

👏 great job

[@alanpinn2266]

Another great episode Peter. I hope you get some snow to try it out.

[@cathywolfe1038]

Lots of freezing rain right now. Happy new year my friend.

[@ronnieahman6958]

Thank you for these series of videos, I just love them. Glad I found these channel. Greetings from Finland.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

As are we Ronnie, thank you!

[@FrontierTradingCompany]

Love it! Well done! I want to do something similar on my own channel... maybe next winter!

[@joeygutierrez5311]

I love this

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Glad you’re enjoying, Joey.

[@seneraydogmus7560]

Süper çok güzel

[@gumbootmama3]

Thankyou so much for this. HOW LONG did you keep the planks in the boiling water ? My dad would trap, and I saw him do this steaming when I was a kid.

[@cathywolfe1038]

Boil time depends on the thickness, so for these planks about 20 minutes.

[@gumbootmama3]

@@cathywolfe1038 Ahhh, thankyou Cathy. After I posted my question, I was talking to my son, and he said that it's good for the cells of the wood to SOAK the wood ahead of time, before you boil it. Maybe that was said in the video and I missed it.....

[@freeholdtacticalmed]

When you next prep the toboggan bottom, try using pine tar on the sled base to seal/waterproof the wood and get better binding to the wax. When you wax (then hot iron it) and thin scrape the wax. You can polish the wax with either a piece of cork or the heel of your hand. Treat the wood just like old-style cross country skis. It’ll be a durable, slick sled bottom.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Oh my, I so remember doing that with my cross country skis as a kid.

[@freeholdtacticalmed]

It’ll pull a lot easier and last longer. Nice sled. I’ve done winter treks before. Great stuff!

[@mariedmitrieff6829]

Way back in the 60ties I had a sled like this.

[@plainsimple442]

I have the details for a hunting sled very similar to yours. Two hand-hewn maple, ash, or birch boards about half an inch thick, held in place by four crosspieces with rawhide lashings and curved up about 4 inches in the front. Seven to eight feet long and about a foot wide. There are loops at the end of the three crosspieces for lashing thru to hold the load. Pulled with a long trump line across the chest or forehead. This hunting sled was owned by Chief Tibeash, a Cree Indian, early in 1900's from Shining Tree Lake near the Manitoupeepagee River in Canada. Regards, Rick

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks Rick, very interesting stuff.

[@robertboyd650]

Pretty good for 68 years of age Fine Dresser

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks, but I don’t think I’m setting any fashion trends with my 18 century garb, lol.

[@edmundosantos3812]

👍👍👍

[@stephenhodges5162]

Great video! About how thick did you make the long running planks? Thank you in advance

[@cathywolfe1038]

They are rather crude, but I would say on average about 3/8 of an inch.

[@stephenhodges5162]

Thank you! This would be a neat project to do

[@flatlander6734]

What/where is the cabin in the scene where you wax the bottom. Very different construction. How about comparing/contrasting the two, and the benefits/drawbacks of each.

[@fermecocosabot]

5:53 ....look at the water in upper left screen....

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Actually it is not water but, snow on the trail. Now that you mention it, it does look like flowing water.

[@keithmartin9002]

Great sled how come you don’t drill the holes with brace and bit ? Super great series like 17th and 18th

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I didn't have a bit small enough bit. Appreciate your interest, Keith.

[@sandydaviswhytelewis5387]

Thank-you Tansai Aho Masi Cho Migwech U'Siyam Hiy Hiy

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Migwech Sandy, I’m glad your enjoying our step back in time.

[@sandydaviswhytelewis5387]

@@TheWoodlandEscape Carpenter for most of my life ,The only way is the way of your teachings❣

[@jtsterry]

❤😊😊

[@kevlash41]

Just recently subscribed to your channel. Very good videos. love watching them. I would like to know where did you get your hat in this video? Thanks

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Can’t rightly say. I’ve had that hat for 20 plus years. I do recall ordering it from the USA, from a company that specializes in historic hats. Wish I could be more specific.

[@RyanLutz-vt6ob]

Love the muzzleloaders, ive been into black powder since i was 12yr. If you have a spare you'd like to donate I'd be much obliged. I'm living strong with stage 4 pancreas cancer.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Oh my, I’m so sorry . Thanks for your interest.

[@donnanorman340]

Am I the only one who's thinking, where did that cabin at the end come from?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

That is a small cabin that we have on Airbnb. You can check it out on Airbnb and is listed as The Woodland Escape, go figure. If you go to our playlist we did an episode called A aTour of Our 21st Century Home. Thanks for your interest.

[@sheilamiller5316]

Hi! My husband and I are from Ohio and love woodland escape, you guys are an inspiration ! We’ve been wondering where you get the music for your show? We love it!

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Hi Sheila. The music is provided by two good friends. Funny you should ask this question today, as Cathy and I are on a 2 day, 1100 mile road trip to Nova Scotia to visit them. I’m a wee bit of a musician myself and the three of us will be jamming soon.

[@sheilamiller5316]

If you guys made this music available for purchase, we would be your first customers! Happy trails!

[@abbasharun4525]

👍👌✋

[@antoniescargo1529]

2 inches =5.08 cm.

[@user-gy1st3cb3m]

Хорошая постановка

[@tropifiori]

Could I do this with a eastern red cedar (Juniperas virginianas)?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I don’t think it would work but, I’ve never tried. Ash was the most common material used.

[@Ilikeit616]

What did you use to drill the holes ? spoon drill ? or Ryobi battery drill ...LOL Have you ever watched The Wood Right Shop ? Roy use only 17 century tools and lathe built all kinds of things Roy Underhill

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I haven’t. I’ll look him up. Thanks.

[@outdoorsurvival3658]

The pliers your using in the video. I was wondering where I can get a pair for my kit. Thanks

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

I make my own but, I’m sure if you find a local blacksmith and draw a small sketch, they could be custom made. I keep mine really small (. 3” long” as to fit in my shooting bag.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Try Callahan bag molds, I believe he has them for sale.

[@outdoorsurvival3658]

Thank you

[@JohnSmith-il4wi]

It's interesting how much Europeans dislike the Standard unit of measure, but halving things is one of the easiest things to do. (Ironically counting to ten with Metric is pretty easy to do also hahahaha)

[@robertfisher7949]

That's why sinew or rawhide soaked in hide glue is best. No sharp edges

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

It is indeed

[@johnhempsall4644]

Would it be possible to use spruce roots or similar

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Black spruce was the most commonly used root, but any spruce works. The only pine that works is jack pine.

[@kentfreier5705]

wait. The cross members, when in the log cabin, were on the underside. Now the cross members are on the top side. What happened?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Not sure I understand. The cross members have to be on the top side.

[@kentfreier5705]

@@TheWoodlandEscape you turned it over, so I'm good.

[@waynebayer3144]

splitting the wrong way

[@christopherfisher128]

"Hey Chris what did you do today?" "Me? Oh I spent the day watching a year old video of a guy sewing wire into bent pieces of wood so he could drag his stuff through the snow" "Ummm.. ok..??" "I know awesome right!! I can't wait to build one for the kid!!"

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Get the kids involved, they will love it when they hit the slopes.

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

Thanks for your interest in our step back in time efforts.

[@robbullis5025]

Did the natives use pine tar, or was that a technology on the Europeans?

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

They did use pine tar for different uses but, I not sure it was used on the wood like Europeans used on wooden skis.