<![CDATA[MILES OF ALASKA -'THINGS FROM THE LAND' - Alaska Blog]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:43:30 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Tucson Show Information]]>Mon, 21 Feb 2022 23:33:36 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/tucson-show-information​The show was intense, exciting as usual. I could not keep up the pace but for 3 weeks it’s quite a ride. As usual I made a years wages. Sold 600 pounds of fossil ivory, COVID issues, Price increases,  supply shortages world-wide… Video link to show footage...
​Half our income is before the show when the big wholesale buyers show up. Some of us set up 4-5 days early for this. I sold my fossil mammoth skull.  I took a chance and bought $10,000 worth of Russian ivory to get the killer price. Scary, but it meant I had a monopoly and cornered the entire fossil mammoth ivory market here for a week. I recovered my investment in 2 days. 
            I got invited to join a prestigious paleontology group.  Usually you need a degree. I’m the one in the field doing the work and this got recognized that I am an expert. Interesting talking to other experts in the business and we agreed there are issues in the future with the entire fossil trade. Universities and governments  feel in general all fossils belong in museums and not to be sold on the market. They belong to the people. This includes found treasures, arrowheads, shells, artifacts, and ice age finds as I deal in. There could be a time none of this will be available on the market. Without going into details of what we see and has happened already.  
            COVID was not a huge direct issue. Business went on and no word that there was an increase in cases due to the show. However many dealers could not show up. No one from China for example. Many dealers had last years inventory brought out of storage to offer nothing new. Prices of most everything has gone up. Shipping has effected all of us. The price of overseas containers has doubled. Much has to do with COVID. 
            Some items will be hard to get and going up in price, especially blue lapis. Those who can invest in it by getting inventory should.  Looks like plenty of money around, but man agree the rich look richer the poor more poor and the middle class is paying the bills.  There were a great many homeless near my show, three times what I saw in the past. Theft was not a huge problem however.
            I got toast and coffee at the local restaurant and it was $6.50. Not long ago that bought an entire big meal. So interesting changes. Hotel, shows fees, and advertising  will all go up by a 3rd next year. I myself wonder about inflation, a depression, so hedged with my money investments in general. I did not get as many supplies to produce more art. I do have a lot built up ad can use my own fossils, but did not get amber, cut stones, opal as I am used to getting. Want to make sure alI have enough $ set aside to pay the bills over the next year. 
            I met with my book partner for the first time! Met here in Tucson. He has been handling edits, new covers and advertising. Book income over the past year has doubled as a result. The old way of selling physical books is outdated. 90% of sales is kindle downloads. Marketing this is out of my league. 
 Am working on audio books now.. We worked on a template for setting up recording with garage band in the computer. I learned some tricks and requirements to help me. I look forward to audio books. Dubbing in some sound effects. Looks like first will be previously unpublished collection of short stories, as a test. A book is a big undertaking! I think I want to do audio beginning with book 9 not published in print yet. I feel book 1 is not as popular these days with the changing times. Reality does not sell, dreams do.  
            So I am here in Tucson until April. I have been working with some of the high graded fossil ivory I acquired, to create knife scales for the add on value. All I need here is my bandsaw and belt sander. I’ll be adding lots of knife scales to my web site soon. Custom knives sold well. Not so much art, however had some good wholesale deals on my art with stores, but had to come way down on prices. Raw materials sold best, thinking many customers are turning to production of their own crafts to supplement incomes.  Not spending on luxuries like jewelry. Knife is a survival tool so selling. So this sums up what has gone on during and since the big show.   Picture with a customer interested in my mammoth tusk.   
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]]><![CDATA[Article in coin magazine]]>Fri, 21 Jan 2022 15:00:01 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/article-in-coin-magazine​A HOMEMADE MEDAL FOR NENANA’S 100TH BIRTHDAY 
Editors comments on page 1 
Miles Martin of Nenana hand cast medals for Nenana’s 100th birthday. Obviously, a labor of love. A very limited edition, these were presented to those thought to be worthy. We do not have any of these to offer to subscribers. See page 18. 
Picture

by Miles Martin 
The 100th anniversary of the city of Nenana,
Alaska was coming up. My artistic friend
Kat McElroy wanted a medallion created,
“Something that might be around in another
hundred years.” All other medallion makers
she consulted would be outsourcing to China.
“But Miles,” she said, “I’d prefer something local that said something about us, not China.” 
I have never made a medallion but know a lot about lost wax casting jewelry. When I said, “I can cast using Nenana metals - bronze from our barge line propellers, and 1940s copper from under the school,” Kat was excited. But I said no at first. Kat wanted 500 medallions. “I might try making 50.” 
“Who would they go to, make a list” said Kat. “I want to give them to everyone.” I did not like the idea of all that work, heart and soul going out to ‘everyone.’ We agreed on a limited edition. I added, “No city involvement, no committee, no voting on design, no politics, no seeking funding.” She agreed, “A work of love and passion.” Kat is the money staker. 
I had no instructions, consulted no one, looked up nothing. Our plan evolved. I began with the concept of a 2 D drawing, or combining pictures, and having a round 2 inch rubber stamp made. I could make a reverse silicon rubber mold to pour the wax, then plaster, lost wax cast the metal. The simple method would be a one sided item, easy to pour wax into. I realized if I did two rubber stamps, took them off the block, glued them back to back, I could make a two sided mold, and inject the wax. More complicated, but more cool! 
Kat supplied a copy of an old city seal with our tripod on the ice, our famous “Ice Classic” that Nenana is so well known for since 1916. The seal has a plane, dog team and train. Too much detail for what I can do. This did not work. I start over. 
I have a free picture program in the computer. I downloaded some train pictures and a rope circle (to represent the barge line). I made the pictures black and white and high contrast, then printed them. Magic marker accented the lines I need most. With scissors and tape I arranged the cut outs on a the of paper, a collage with a rope circle. This was re-photographed and edited to get the tape marks out. I hand wrote the words. I chose, “A good place to meet.” Nenana has always been known as a crossroads of two rivers and dog trails, and later rail, roads and an airport. There was a tad of politics involved over the wording as expected, another reason I was not excited at first to get involved. 
The hardest part was the word getting out I am creating a medallion, which I have never done before - “Let’s enjoy watching Miles fail!” If I can come up with a wax, I am confident I can cast it. 
One issue at a time. I have never dealt with casting letters in my art. I’m a wildlife artist. It turns out I have to start all over again because I have to have a reverse mirror image rubber stamps made! It does not matter if an animal faces right or left, but it sure matters with letters. I have the stamps made, and the silicone mold rubber did not like the stamp rubber and made bubbles. I had to spray the stamp so the silicone would not recognize it. Some detail was lost. 
“Kat, I know these finished medallions will never look like a factory stamped Franklin Mint product. They will look like a pirate treasure doubloon!” Kat is happily ecstatic.
There is the copper issue. Casting copper is an art, not a science. Too many factors to control. Mass of metal, exact temperature of copper, crucible, mold, slinging force. I have an educated guess based on 30 years of slinging molten metal. So keep the copper super hot, the plaster mold, maybe 100 degrees cooler than normal, say 600 degrees kiln hold. A normal sling. For a medallion, a slow sling. As the copper destroys the plaster that cannot handle the molten copper temperatures, the metal is cooling enough to hold its form. If done perfect, no detail is lost. However, the plaster has bonded with the copper. It’s another learned process to remove this residue off the surface. 
I add cold water quench at the appropriate time, just as the copper stops glowing red. The plaster explodes. Cast copper icons, behold and be amazed. Done with $100 worth of equipment. 
As I said, “Looking like ancient coins.” I end up with half an hour time into each medallion. I would guess it is not even possible to create these in a factory with employees, using our metal! They could not work with unknown metal. Who would put an unknown metal with an unknown melting point in their high end equipment? How can you offer a medallion without stamping the metal grade someplace? Would ‘unknown metal’ work? I think not. 
So here we are with pirate doubloons. Proudly, “metal content unknown, process unknown, by magic.” Just like the creation of Nenana, or for that matter, Alaska! I think of proud old timers wanting a medallion and approaching the local blacksmith. Creativity, process unknown, with no help from ‘outside.’ Using local gold, or what-ever they had. No approval from anyone. Alaska is not for the faint of heart, nor about ‘how it is usually done.’ A State full of characters. Our Nenana medallion says all that. It is not much, I suppose. Just 60 warped medallions. I never tried it before, said I think I could, and went for it. I may never make another medallion. 
Editor’s note: The full process of making this medal can be found on Miles’ website: www.milesof alaska.com/alaska.blog. Be sure to view the two videos. The brochure is shown below.

 (Brochure does not copy well so left out)
]]><![CDATA[Headed for Tucson]]>Sun, 12 Dec 2021 15:34:47 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/headed-for-tucson​Headed for Tucson for the winter Mid Dec – early April
 
A heads up for buyers and those following. I’m a snowbird with home in 
Tucson where I do shows, mostly the big fossil gem show, end Jan till Feb 14. I’ll be in room 127 at Days Inn st Mary’s and I-10. I have a gun show Dec 18th at Tucson Expo Center. 
            I just sent 660 pounds of fossils and goods to sell. I have a full mammoth skull, custom knives, fossil, bones, lots of art and Alaska raw wood and stones. If you can make the show I have best prices, since I do not have to photo and list. I have lots of choices. Starting with 500 pounds of fossil mammoth ivory. I can sell wholesale from 5 to 100 pounds. Some customers write the trip off as business. 
 

​I packed my web inventory, or most of it. I can ship from there. I have raw material I can cut sand then list on the web, mostly mammoth knife scales, my biggest seller. I spend more time on the computer in Tucson since I have no shop. I will finish up books 9-10, work on audio books, and edit video, so likely post more you-tube.  
 
I will do shows, travel locally like Quartzite, down into Mexico and trade for more non Alaska inventory. I usually get ironwood. I am meeting with a miner who has some ounce to 2 ounce size natural gold nuggets I should sell at the show, but may list on my web. Or inquire if interested. I never know what I will find a deal on. I specialize in opal and semi-precious stone. Once the show begins I can get about anything. If customers ask it is mostly about remembering who wants what, things get pretty hectic. I reward loyalty and regulars. I should have some meteorite slices for knife blades. 
 
Winter is not a good time to ask me for Alaska items. It is a time to ask for turquoise etc. Not jade. It’s a time to look ot computer generated product. New videos. I have a lot of footage to edit. Working on some new ‘how to,’ as I get customers asking for advice on how to work raw materials, how it is priced what will work for them etc. I have pictures and could do some shorts on ‘how to spot fakes,’ Amber, and artifacts are two topics I know about. 
 
Tucson is a nice change to keep me on my toes. I’m out in the yard planting landscaping feeding the birds and wildlife. Wife and I do swap meets, more to buy then sell. We buy foods in quantity and I dehydrate to bring back to Alaska! Last season we got 30 pounds of tomatoes at a swap meet for $8. I support , encourage try to teach, how to live on less, save, not be wasteful, how to recycle, put up foods, an effort to ‘save the planet,’ but in these hard times, how to not have it so hard! I tell people I sell a lifestyle through my art and raw materials. 
 
This past year I learned to ‘cast in place,’ cut gem stones. So have some art with nice synthetic rubies, aquamarine, that came out nice mixed with my custom ivory and local rough stone necklaces. Mostly at the show I may get some listed on the web. I have items for sale and working on an ETSY site. I much prefer the freedoms on my own site. I am trying to understand a facebook business page. I have items listed but so far cant find my selling site. (roll my eyes up) Maybe you can find it.  
 
I have a  partner friend working on editing selling my books . I mostly do not have the time and he has more skill with search words and internet promotions but sales are increasing, doubled since he started to help so a new look to my books and edited better. Unsure when books 9-10 will come out. This winter? Hands full with promoting the first 8. Trying to work on blogs and a landing page, an email list with followers with deals offered, updates information etc. In truth I enjoy shop time, being out in the wilds finding fossils. Not as much the hundreds of hours at the computer. It’s hard to do it all as a one man business. So! This is the latest!
]]><![CDATA[Nenana commemorative coin part 3 the finish]]>Wed, 03 Nov 2021 21:21:17 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/nenana-commemorative-coin-part-3-the-finish this is part 3, no video yet. ​I posted the design phase, then the  casting phase, and now the final product coin is done to talk about. I created 3 youtube videos to show how a coin is made part 1, then part 2 part 3. Links to post one the design and mold, post two, the casting. Like pirate pieces of 8! 

​As expected I had about a quarter loss in production. That seems like such a high failure rate! Who would admit to this! How embarrassing and unprofessional! Bragging about, laughing about  it, borders on insanity! The project is more art than science. Each coin is hand done with simple primitive methods and equipment. Much is eyeballed, guessed at. I have a friend who does commercial lost wax casting, much as I do , only on a commercial scale. I asked about the possibility of simply farming the project out, and the cost- time -frame etc.  “Use my metals… I’d ship it to you, give me an estimate.” 
            “No want to do! No can do, not legal!” He has special valuable equipment he does not want unknow metals in. There are safety liability issues. The metals could contain lead for example. Melting points and properties are unknown, so how would he dial it in with the computer? He’d have to experiment, his insurance does not allow experimenting. That’s also lots of unknown shop time hours. 
 
A high loss is not hurting me. The metals are free. I have no employees to be concerned about. No safety issues to factor in. No permits or inspections to wait on or pay for. My costs are relatively low. Coins are different then my usual jewelry casting however. The value of finished jewelry is much higher. I could lose 90% of my jewelry castings, and still make a profit, but not with coins! 
 
I end up with half an hour total time per coin. So making more than about 100 would not work well. What I offer is low production, unique, each different and ‘rare.’ I mention this for artists  interested in taking on such a project. Keep in mind what you can offer, the strengths and then what can not be offered very easily. 
The concept from the beginning was to have a product that looks ‘old,’ like it might have been done 100 years ago in Alaska, as part of commemorating our history. Having never made a coin I only guessed at the end result. I knew for sure this would have a primitive look. I had issues from the beginning but knew I would. A design that works, and mold that reproduces right, with some casting unknowns. 
 
I had to order a new better sonic cleaner. I also use an unknown tool in my trade, a water jet, designed to clean spots out of laundry by commercial cleaners. A $20 tool if you know about it. 
 
With ‘safe,’ being the priority and moving right along…cut the sprues off, do a rough sand, put in the roughest tumble grit for a day. Well, better to just see the video. Sand better, then next grit, look at closer, sort, fix, move to a more final  shine, call it an end product. A few are mixed metals… I learned how to turn an oops into a more valuable product. When being asked, “How do you do that?” Where do I begin, if it’s an honest conversation? “Go back to square one and start all over?”  Usually first questions are, “Is that safe?” “Is his recommended?” “Who or where did you learn this?” The pat short reply to it all is,  “magic!” “Meet OZ! The great and powerful! Do not pay attention to that man behind the curtain! Step right this way and be amazed!” I hear “A humbug!” I reply “Correct!” With pride. 
 
So, here we have a finished product. Important is that the words on the coin be readable. 
I did consider there could be a lot of issues, so agreed to a low run, not the 500  requested. I figured I could come up with 50. This is an agreement between two people, no contract, just a handshake. No payment unless satisfied. I in fact asked for a lot of money! I wanted an understanding what this will be worth to me when done. Call it a test, to see if there is an agreement and willingness to pay full value. It’s not about the money, but neither do I wish to be played for a sucker. 
            There is a committee in charge of this grand celebration, involving the city council. Kat is on this council! Word gets out about some coin project  and we hear, “It can be done cheaper in China!” Is Nenana about cheap cheap and cheaper overseas? Mis Stake- the ‘secret’ ‘Kat’ is not discussing cost! Nor about donating, giving away the coins. The committee may expect a design submission, a vote, a plan, involvement, credit. There might be liability questions, proper permits, submitted bids.  I in fact did not want this project, turned it down. To much politics. To much heartache with anticipated questions. To many hurt feelings if I left out the airplane, or proper exact Indian translations. 
 
            Kat and I stare at the final product and it is everything she dreamed of, as the ‘metal man of magic,’ said was possible. I did not count my hours, but  a couple of hundred, and guessing a  half an hour hand work into each coin. It’s time to get paid. 
            My real payment was, “it’s all I expected and more, they are beautiful Miles!” Flattery? I do need some amount of $ to cover my costs. I suggest some trades we could work out. She makes glass beads I use in my art,  garden produce she puts up. There is art I have, that  she needs she could buy. We are and always have been a subsistence village. Subsistence is about trades, helping and looking out for each other as a tradition. This is part of what Kat and I are celebrating, not the value of the almighty dollar! 
 
This Project is a labor of love. Would someone get up at 4:00 am and eagerly jump out of bed to solve problems, on salary? I tell Kat how it was for me and what Nenana means….
            . 
            “In the end I settled on Nenana for the same reason many did, and still do. A good place to camp” I add “But also a good place to settle - call home, care about.”  Nenana is a border line between the wilderness and civilization. This road and rail bridge here is still the only  River crossing and end of the road system for 1,000 river miles to the ocean. It is the end of the line for the barge system from the ocean. Nenana is a port. From here dog winter trails go all the way to Nome with no roads, with 800 miles by trail. 
Yet Fairbanks, the second largest city in Alaska is an easy  55 miles, hour away. In Nenana I can have cheap utilities, be hooked into the civilized systems with phone, internet, mail, so a way to sell my art, get supplies fast and cheap. I sell wilderness to civilization.  One of the few communities not in a borough, that owns it’s  airport.  There is some economic opportunity and a civilized standard of life compared to most similar remote villages. 
            The best of both worlds. Cheap property, low taxes. Yes, in reality, also the worse of both worlds. All the rules and regulations civilization wishes to impose on all of us. All the weekend warrior hunters and wanna-be survivalists showing up as tourists with easy access to our wilds. Without the knowledge or wilderness ethics. The rich show up to shoot our trophy moose, catch our salmon, harvest our timber, suck our oil up. Now we are not as rich in resources as we once were. When I arrived, 1,000 residence. Now reduced to a struggling 300.  Raped and plundered and bowing the value of the dollar. However we have always been a feast famine,  boom bust, community and state.   
 
            Our coin is not about what it cost, nor to be closely examined for it’s perfection or lack of. Kat and I created a coin with a message we want to endure. I tell her my view…
            “It’s about recycling and repurposing.” She nods and replies, “And trust, protecting our resources, a way of life where we help each other, trade, barter, provide necessities, value pride.” “Kat, not pride in a perfect job! Pride in giving of time and heart, to share. Loving each other for who we are, being self-reliant.” We did not wish to get overly sentimental!  Two Nenana characters  decided to do something. Made it happen. Like those who first put up a tripod on our ice, or built an impossible bridge across a river…”Kat, no one knew what cement would do at 60 below zero, so it was decided to span the river with no supports in the water, never been done before.” Imagine the liability issues and what committees had to say! People with a dream built the roads, the bridge, the rail, the trails, the oil pipeline, and came to Alaska for homestead land, gold, freedom, Dreams. A Jack London and Robert Service life, the Natives were already living.  We want our coin to say all this. This post began with phase one the design, with the video . Progressed to another post, phase 2, the casting and a video. This might be the last, the end product with a video. 
            Yes I agree, it’s just a stupid coin. All these words, all the hoop-la, all this heart and emotion. I just hope, well that you enjoy what it is you do for fun and a living. Love life, give it your best…. Anyhow, wave my hand in dismissal, project over, time to move along to another idea. I have a few concepts  for custom knives I want to get going on. Never been done before. Have a nice day. 
             

]]><![CDATA[Coin project part 2]]>Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:05:01 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/coin-project-part-2​A lot going on, read first blog post. just a matter of what anyone might like to know, how much time you have.  This is a city commemorative coin, with the idea coming from, and being paid for, by a single individual. I did point out. “Who else could use local barge propeller bronze, and copper from under the school?”  video 
​The project has a life of it’s own. I am sure this will not look like a silver dollar from a mint. More like a pirate piece of 8 doubloon made one at a time with a hammer. So last report, I sent off for new rubber stamps with correct mirror image. Stamps arrived!  Eagerly made silicone mold and cast the first wax.  However for some reason the wax lacks fine detail. I traced the issue, after several hours,  to the mold itself. It’s not a stamp problem. I’m using a new kind of untried silicone. Looked similar, might be to thick to pick up detail, or is reacting with the rubber stamp. I never made an image from rubber before. 
I have another silicone product I meant to play with one day and now is the time. Plan B- or C or D or whatever plan now.  More of a liquid, harder to use.  Appears so far like it picked up more stamp detail. Once I have a good detailed wax I feel confident I can reproduce it exactly in bronze. Even more cool, copper. Because I it impossible to cast copper by lost wax method, because no known casting plaster can withstand the temperatures of molten copper. I love doing the impossible. I lost wax cast copper all the time. 
 
I have a friend in the lost wax casting business I trust who could make this project happen if I had more time, and was at my wits end.  I could even have him just make a mold and the wax’s, let me do the metal casting, so my local metals can be used. In the past he has said he does not wish to mess with my unknown metals, as he does not want to experiment. What he does is closer to being a science then an art form. He is not going to ‘guess,’ at temperatures with his fancy equipment. I eyeball it with a torch. “Dealing in unknowns,” should be my motto on a business card. The specialist. Come to think of it, I have never in my life found myself without another option.  
 
The one paying me is an artist, and has no issues with experimenting, solving issues that come up one at a time as they come up. I’m not overwhelmed, discouraged, upset or feel bad. It’s
 all a learning process.  I know all the ways now that it does not work.  The basic concept could be interesting for other artists thinking of making art that resembles a coin, with little equipment or knowledge.  
 
The one who is fronting the money- henceforth referred to as ‘Miss Backer,’ informs me of the results of a meeting with the various people involved in producing the Nenana centennial celebration. On the subject of the coin update, Miss Backer says she was told,
“I could get this done for far less in China!” Miss Money had a fit. She and I just stare at each other deep in our own thoughts. She does adds, 
. What to reply? I did point out. “Who else could use local barge propeller bronze, and copper from under the school?” 
 
 
In truth I did not ask for the project, or even want it. I could see the future. I could design my own coin, like a mammoth on a coin that says, “Tucson Fossil show,” make 200, get $45 each, $9,000, minus $200 my cost to produce. Get told that is a bargain, “American made, in a log cabin in Nenana Alaska from barge propellers off the Yukon River, by a fossil dealer at the show…” Add “Hand made limited edition of just 200.” I guarantee a lot of people would say, “Why so cheap , should be $145” Why do I need to compete with slave labor in China? And get insulted doing so? 
 
Why? I suddenly realize the whole story of creating the coin is the ‘Nenana,’ we are commemorating! 
Miss Backer came  to me in the beginning,
            “I have a dream!” Being an artist, I share the dream. In a remote community of 300 people, two people will make it happen, produce a commemorative coin. In a one room log cabin, and $100 worth of outdated equipment. On a handshake, no contract, no money down, no agreement. Doing the best we can for a cause we believe in. A proud community going broke, barely able to pay it’s bills, population down from 1,000 to 300 within my memory. 
 
The official community began as a boom bust community. A group of people had a dream to put in a railroad, crossing 500 miles of Alaska tundra wilderness to connect two isolated communities. Told it couldn’t be done, never been done.  Biggest obstacle was crossing the Tanana River at Nenana. So a railroad camp was set up. Little money, no political clout, 90% guts and dreams. No one knew how a cement pillar in water would do at 70 below zero, so they spanned the river with no support in the water. Never been done before, ever. 
 
History of our state. Dream of gold. Prospectors  ran out of gold in California. Some dreamers walked with a backpack all the way to Alaska with nothing but a dream of finding gold. More died and went broke then ever found gold. Like following the Yellow Brick Road, some found a heart, or a home, or courage. “Go forth young man!” No permit, insurance, funding, help, no Walmart. What they all had in common was not giving up, and not doing things the usual way with instructions. The oil pipeline got built, never been done before, a gamble, potential to get rich or go bust. It could not have been done legally, so in truth a history of outlaws. The country needed oil, or so we were told. Built in record time, unique in the world.  
 
History of the American dream! Who first arrived to build America? The rich? Who was on the Mayflower? Dreamers. Get away from an oppressive government, be able to farm, own a home, practice their religious beliefs. Independent free thinkers, making it on their own by their own resources, depending on small community, little funding from ‘back where they came from.’  Get it done yourself, or do without.  
 
Our US railroad was built with Chinese slave labor. Nenana as a city, began as a boom and bust community built in a hurry. Handshake deals, nothing recorded, no paperwork, isolated subsistence people, with dreams.   Much like OZ and his yellow road! Sending lost people off on missions with pieces of bogus paper, awards, medallions, certificates, handed out with speeches! “You too can own a piece of the magic! Step right this way and be amazed! ” Just bring me the ruby slipper! Produce the impossible! I am one of the village characters, storytellers.  Oz the Wizard, at the same time, what a humbug! I sigh, I smile.  But Gifted.
 
In truth, I doubt I will attend the big celebration. I am guessing 100 years ago there were a lot of locals who preferred to keep to themselves. I will be found in my shop at  4:00 am up to ‘something or other.” I have a 200 pound mammoth tusk to cut up. Parts of it, if I handle right will be worth $100 an ounce. I just created a video of that. What will I do with the other 99%? I have some ideas. I might be making burger from my hanging moose, 500 pounds of sausage to make. I already cut up the $1,000 opal I invested in. A bust, slices might be worth a total of $100, all the color disappeared . I’m optimistic I can do better with the next $1,000 opal I have not touched yet. I do not mind. I’d rather not make much profit. Then I’d owe taxes. I do not like supporting… well never mind. I’d rather be poor. Having fun, investing unwisely. 
 
I could be working on book 10. I have some new ideas for writing, never tried before. It may or may not sell. It took 20 years to get my first book in print. I had a dream.  Oh, and want to begin reading all my books into audio books, with sound effects. Do it with no money. Or editing video. I have been creating ‘how to,’ and YouTube footage.  More ideas then I can list of what I might be doing on any 4:00 am morning. I have little time for celebrations. 
 
This morning, I could not sleep. I have an idea for the coin mold I think will work. I’m up to play around. I’ll spend all day on it. No I do not need the money. Miss Backer at first wanted 500 coins with plans to give them away, hand them out to anyone who wanted one. Someone else outside the community made an offer. It was a lot of money, and she was paying. I hesitated when she asked if I could do this. I’d rather not have the project get outsourced to China. 
 
Nenana, community of 300 is like a big family. 40 years here. I’ve seen boom and bust. More than one flood, forest fires, personally involved in political wars over our resources. We are a crossroads, river, air, road, all meet here. The serum run began here by dog sled to get serum to Nome, 800 miles, still no road. The ice tripod is here, so we bet on the ice going out. President Harding drove a gold spike here. We are a rare community with both tribal and city government overlapping, as has always been so. We have lot of memories to review! 
 
All told in a simple story of creating a commemorative coin. My community, state, country, indeed the human race. 
            “For you? A special deal!” When will it be done? Um, I’m still working on it, overcoming some  glitches, learning as I go. I have less then a month now. I produced  a first casting in metal, but it needs improving. Here is the YouTube I made part two--  casting the coin
]]><![CDATA[Bush Etiquette]]>Sat, 09 Oct 2021 16:18:36 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/bush-etiquetteOr “How to be a visitor in the wilds.”  
​“Hello the cabin!” I holler to the wilderness cabin from the property line. Smoke curls from the log cabin chimney. I have set the ice hook and the sled dogs stare ahead at the cabin. It’s five minutes before a face appears out the door.
            “Is that you Miles? Come on up and have some coffee” We are ninety miles from any road, and this is a trapline cabin along a remote river in interior Alaska. 
​Many people who stumble onto remote occupied cabins are not so well received and the visitor wonders why, and thinks bush folk in general are hermits, cantankerous, dangerous, and to be avoided. Sometimes this is true, but most often not. More often, the well-meaning civilized person does not understand bush etiquette. 
            For example it is extremely rude- even dangerous, to walk up to a wilderness occupied cabin and knock on the door as an announcement of your arrival. The sense of ‘personal space’ is different than in civilization. This would be similar to getting your face a few inches from someone else’s face with a smile saying “Hi” generating a response of “I don’t think so! Who the heck are you!” The property line is the equivalent of being two ft away in civilization. Bush folks are used to space. In the wild three people is a crowd, five might be  the population of the valley. It is just good manners to stop at the property, line, or 100 ft or so away, and hail the cabin- in plain view so they can inspect you from the window. This allows those who are not used to visitors, or who have not seen anyone in a while to adjust to the idea, to get ready, to glance around and pick up a few things, to tie up the dog,  put away the personal diary, make sure there are two clean coffee cups,  hide the pot to piss in, get dressed, and other ‘stuff,’ that prepares a long unvisited cabin for company. 
            Also, when one lives remote the mind works different. There are bears, for example. An unexpected sound at the door may not register as something friendly from a fellow human. The first instinct might be, ‘bear at the door!’ It can sound the same, as bears often gently scratch, poke, push at a door while exploring it. The answer can be ‘Blam!’ from a gun. The bottom line might be that we may not need to understand why! It’s simply polite, it’s how it’s done, and anything else is out of line. 
            My friend and I ramble about the subject of ‘tourists,’ visits as we sip coffee. 
            “Yup Miles, in the old days cabins were left open for travelers to use, but folks don’t understand anymore how that was, there were rules. It was not just open to anyone for any reason!” I consider the possibility that folks were not even any more friendly in the old days, just ‘different.’ When you came upon an empty cabin with an unlocked door you could use it – if you followed the rules. It was not quite ‘free.’ You were expected to leave extra firewood, a note, leave extra cans of food if you had any, or in some way do an exchange, usually of services, if not goods. Folks helped each other out, but it may have been as much out of necessity and self-preservation as kindness. In earlier days folks depended on each other more, and this still holds true in some remote areas, and it can help modern visitors understand what to expect, what is acceptable behavior, what is ‘proper’ concerning using an empty cabin. In the old days, a visitor who did not behave correctly could be killed. It was acceptable to use an empty cabin overnight, maybe a few days, but not to move in, no to use up their supplies if this is not an emergency and you have a way to obtain your own supplies. Perpetually incompetent people were never welcome . Ideally you arrive with more supplies then you need and leave something behind by way of showing respect, paying your way. 
            It is ‘polite’ when passing through someone’s territory, to stop and pay tribute so to speak. In the old days there were tolls for the use of private roads. One big issue is the civilized person may not understand the sense of territory in the same way. It may be incomprehensible to someone who has no private space except the bathroom, how anyone can possibly consider 100 square miles ‘their turf.’ The entire white race did not understand as he invaded Indian country. 
“Look around! Where is everyone? If it belongs to someone, why haven’t they made any improvements on the land they call theirs?” Yet to the Native, and to the bush person, the puzzle is how does one ‘improve’ upon nature, on the land as God created it? Isn’t it good enough as it is? 
            Yet civilization defines ownership as making alterations, such as roads land clearing, proof being this is how you get to own a homestead, ‘make improvements.’  I tell my friend, 
            “Ya had an issue on just this subject not long ago.” I had permission from the owner of a remote one room trap cabin to use the place as my trap camp since they were not around and had not been in it in twenty years or more. I’d give an update on things going on in the area, keep the place repaired. Dry it out when I was there with a wood fire and such. It was a useful cabin at the end of a 120-mile dog sled trail – about 200 dog trail miles from civilization. 
“I depended on the supplies here after a week’s travel living out of the dog sled.” My friend understands, as he has lived the same way, so nods when I speak of the importance of every empty tin can, every outdated can of nuts. A rancid jar of peanut butter can be a luxury at the end of the trail. So, I press on with the story. “I had trails, cut firewood, and picked berries here in summer. I had a small garden on the river sandbar, set out fish nets in the places I learned produced fish for the sled dogs, had spots to go hunt ducks. I knew the area and utilized it, but nothing ‘showed.’ It never occurred to me to clear any land or ‘destroy the land,’ and call it an ‘improvement.’ 
            I show up one winter at about thirty below. It is my first trip to the cabin after a weeks travel. There is a lock on the door and I cant get in. There is a pile of ‘my stuff’ out in the front as if it were so much garbage.” My friend whispers 
            “Dang!”  I nod this is my sentiment as well. 
            “But it is not my property so what can I do, like from a legal standpoint? Turns out the owner sold the cabin without telling me. The new owner established their rights by tossing my stuff out and putting a lock on. When I contacted the new owner, the new owner turned out to be a very respected person in the city. His reply was: 
            “I bought it, so it’s mine. What do you mean you have rights to the area? You didn’t make any improvements” He had a map out and named the creek, named the dips in the shore where he hunted a duck once. As if it was all his discovery, and this is how he sees it. I see it as, 
“Ok, he bought three acres of land and this is his, not the whole lake, trapline, fishing spots, duck blinds a mile away. Civilized folk discover that which has been occupied for thousands of years. Much is just a misunderstanding or different perspective or different set of standards. “We can fight and argue and be enemies, or we can try to be in the others shoes and see why they feel as they do.”
            My friend and I agree it is wise when traveling through, to understand how those who live there think, if we expect to get along and have a good experience. So the bush person feels he has ‘rights’ not necessarily civilized ownership. Rights to trap fur, rights to fish, to pick berries to tie up a boat, to feed sled dogs, to pitch a camp in what is called his stomping grounds.  It can be a huge area! Others are welcome to use the land too, as long as they are respectful of who was there first, and acknowledge that. This acknowledgement is stopping by to announce who you are, why you are here, how long you are staying. In the same way in civilization, you might get asked for ID, for similar reasons. 
            Many civilized people think this is an infringement and information that is private, not to be shared, wanting to hold their cards close. I explain to my friend who has not had experience in town. 
            “There is identify theft for example, folks who try to gather personal information in order to pretend they are you and access your reputation and money.” In the wild this is an incomprehensible concept. My friend is puzzled: 
            “No one can pretend they are us! How absurd! Ha!” Because we all know each other, or have friends in common. We could go a thousand miles and still, we could give the family name, and someone will say, “Ah yes I knew your father- you look like him” We cant hide well. It’s not possible to steal our identity. It is normal in the outback to say “Oh yes your mother is so and so and your family owned such and such and your child is married to so and so and related to this village, and that trapper went in business with so and so related by blood…. And on and on. In a sense it is a substitute for that ID in civilization, substitute for pedigree and who you know. So instead of offering up your drivers license for ID, you offer up ‘connections’ that can be verified. One good reason is, if there is trouble, and you are the suspect, those who you gave as reference are contacted and held responsible. In the same way a person says they have a degree from someplace, or work for the electric company. If there is an issue, your boss can be contacted., even to verify that yes, you are who you say you are. To not reply when asked is the equivalent of not showing your ID where required, saying you don’t have to and you have rights. 
 Ok fine we have rights, but it’s not how to get along. The only rights we have in civilization are the rights of the laws of the land if we followed them. In the wild the right’s are in the hands of those who own it, meaning those who live there, know it, and operate in the environment. Upsetting the controllers of the environment is like upsetting the police or local government. In a sense. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” As a tourist, you are a guest on someone else’s turf. We want to know who you are and why you are here. Bush folk are nice enough, just live by different rules. Sometimes scared and resentful of the civilized rules forced upon them.  
            Thus an appropriate way to get along when you greet a wild local is 
            “Hi I’m Miles, nice country you got here, I can see why you are here!  I’m just passing through, on my way to visit the (name family or person) in (name the village)” . Or “Here fishing, hope to latch on to one big one to show my friends” Or “Working for (name a village person company) doing (name the reason- surveying- harvesting etc) and should be out of here (give an approximate time frame). Ideally followed by “Hey I got some extra (fish , matches, gas, bullets, -- useful bush stuff) can you use some?”   Call it a toll fee. A polite way to acknowledge you are on someone else’s turf and wish to pay for the inconvenience and damage you are causing. In civilization it is like tipping the waiter, cab driver. Remember -  someone other then you  cut this trail in the wilds, maybe killed the man eating bear for you- tamed the wild so it is not really wild, it’s now habitable for visitors.  You are using what is a big help to you that did not get paid for out of your taxes. Someone’s trapline trail, or access to homesteads etc., that someone brushes and keeps clear of logs etc. In civilization a city employee gets paid to plow the roads. In the wilds no one gets paid, beyond others who use the area chip in to help and tankful visitors show their thanks in some way.   
            “Yes Miles, so often visitors arrive and instead of offering anything they arrive with a need!” Need directions, need gas, need to burrow tools to fix the boat engine, need to know where the fish or the moose are. “Give me, give me!” I reply,
 “ For sure if someone offers something instead of having a need, it sure helps!” 
My friend wants to get caught up on the news, says, 
“Hey, heard you had a friendly run in with The Pike Eater clan, As a White Man how did you pull that off, especially the Starr family!” I chuckle. 
“Well I did not sneak by. I stopped to visit. I had my traditional sled dogs and not a machine, which they respected. I paid for some beaver carcasses for dog feed so they could make a little money. I offered a jar of local fresh honey as a gift. Before I told them what they already knew. “I’d like to pass through using your trapline trail, headed for Minchumina for mail, might like to come past a couple of times a winter if it is ok? I’ll see nothing and know nothing.” 
 My friend smiles because he knows why I added the last line. Because I am just passing through, not interested in trouble, and a lot of remote people have their own views on things like running stills, growing pot, hunting- trapping at convenient times instead of the civilized seasons, using local but illegal bait to trap, stuff like this. 
“Like that gay couple over by….” I interrupt,
“I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
 “Me neither.” 
            “Oh hey, I see you are reading that famous book, ‘Mad Trapper of Rat River,’ about that trapper that got shot after a long chase! What did you think of the beginning and how it all got started?” He sees my point right off.
 “Yea Miles, Mounties go right up to the cabin door, then hammer on it, by way of announcing their presence. I’d have shot through the door if that happen to me!” I nod sagely without saying if I would or not, but many, maybe most remote people would, have the right to anyhow, it’s trespassing. “Same as if someone broke into some civilized home and hammered on your bedroom door.” It’s way beyond just not having manners and being rude!
“Got any mail going out?” I get up to leave. This is also polite, offering to pick up or bring out mail. If you are not known and trusted they may say no, but it is polite to ask. “Thanks for the coffee!” The dog team had a nice rest, and all dog are eager to go. “Hike!” I have several days of dog travel before I get to my homestead.  
             
]]><![CDATA[Creating a collector coin]]>Wed, 06 Oct 2021 20:58:20 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/creating-a-collector-coin​Nenana Alaska is due to have it’s centennial celebration, population 300 people. I’ve been asked to create a commemorative coin.  Link to video. link to part 2 and link to the video, link to post 3 
​The project was conceived of by Kat Maclroy, who wanted this historical event to be preserved in some way that would last another 100 years! Kat asks local artist Miles Martin to work with her to make the coin a reality. (I raise my hand and jump into the bright camera  lights.) Video link. Another coin option involved farming the work out to China, with no local metal, and lacking a true Nenana Alaska connection. My coins would be local bronze from Yutana barge propellers, copper from under our school.
            This is post 1 out of 3. Here are links to youtube video part 2 then blog  post 2 -the casting and  then post 3 the finished coin, and it’s video. Video not done yet) 
 
Nenana Alaska is a crossroads, of road, rail, air, and river travel. We are also mixture of cultures. ‘Nenana’ in the old local Athabascan Native language translates into “A good place to camp between two rivers.”    The coin should have  a tripod for our well known ‘Ice Classic,’ betting on when the ice will go out. Nenana is well known  for this famous raffle, winners getting  in the $300,000 range.   The river and barge line should be represented. We want a  dog team for our network of winter trails used for mail, and our Native influence.  The train of course, that changed Nenana. Room for a road and plane? 
We have two levels of overlapping governments that work together to form a single community of tribe, and city.  We consider ourselves unique in the world. 
            I was given an early city seal to use as a design by Kat, but had to leave the airplane out, and the detail in the train was not working in early trials. I have to work with what will show up on a coin by my primitive lost wax casting methods. I did not want the project at first, and declined. Both Kat and I are known for ‘not playing well in the sandbox with others.’ A tad ‘out there.’ Artistically I cannot have tons of restrictions imposed, requiring approvals for changes, permits, insurance, bla bla. Kat understands. 
 
            Produced  by artists, not engineers. “Looking like coins might have been made 100 years ago!” I joke,  “They might look more like pirate treasure pieces of 8, then coins produced by the Franklin Mint!” Kat’s plan is to give the coins away, as treasures. This is phase one of the project, the designing  and creating a mold stage. I joke again about the two of us, 
            “Born in fire, dealing in the red hot, and joy if seeing things melt! To be reborn again of magic!” She has a passion for melting glass. I’m known as a dog and pony show, who loves to sell, or turn garbage into gold, wearing many hats. Am I a  writer? I do have 10 books written. “Step right this way folks and be amazed!” Clark Kent by day….. 
 
I’ll be using the lost wax process for reproduction from a mold I create. I need to create one original to make the mold from. Exciting is, I can use local metals!
            I have had an idea in the back of my mind for years, of how to get a coin design to use for a mold. My plan A is to create a black and white picture from a drawing I make, or any photo with good contrast. I send this image off to a custom rubber stamp company. One design offered, is a round 2 inches across, the size – shape of a coin. In the original plan I had thought to stamp slices I cut of round wax tube, with the surface made soft with a flame. Perhaps with a bronze heated stamp I cast? But difficult to stamp both sides! Create a  one sided medallion ?  See the video of how this works. I was not sure what the rubber stamp would look like, and if I might need to make a reverse image of the stamp! If so, how much detail will get lost? See pictures below. 
            I order one rubber stamp and think this will work, but do not like loss of detail in the tiny writing! Dang! I rework the design with bigger letters. I get another stamp made. No. I need two stamps, one for each side. A one sided coin would not be cool. Kat envisions a coin, and is covering all the costs.  I have to create a 3-D mold. I am letting the design work itself out. Creativity can be like this. We move along, and discover what is possible, simply begin, and take it one step at a time. I get two stamps and plan to peel the rubber part of each stamp from the wood block,  then glue them back to back as a single 2 sided finished rubber coin to create a mold from. 
            I frown. No matter how I work the stamp I can not create a correct reverse. I have done this with scenery and never noticed, in the reverse, the animals face the other direction. Not a big deal. However, with writing it is a big deal, as the writing now is the mirror image! I  have to have another set of stamps made, for the 3rd time. I have never done writing before, because my specialty is wildlife, and I have a rule not to do anything civilized. I’m proud to be… a savage. 
            How am I going to get a reverse mirror image? I thought of holding the original up to  mirror and getting a photo in the mirror! No, not going to work. I recalled seeing in one of my computer photo programs the ability to create a mirror image. I forgot what old program I had that does this. I hunted around and found an option to create a ‘reflection,’ using one of my free outdated programs. 
            I am in the program and able to tweak the stretched reflection, and later crop it for my mirror image in another free program. I download a workable train drawing, and search for barge related designs, deciding on a border rope. I do not know how to fit all this together in a picture edit program. I have no program capable of this. So I print all the designs, use scissors and paper, tape them all together and take a picture. This worked creating the cover of one of my books,  so not totally experimental. Creating workable rubber stamps based on the picture is more of a guess. I do know I have to create high black and white contrast. 
 
Finally a mirror image of both sides in the form of two rubber stamps are glued together as a coin to create a rubber mold from. This process, how and why is best understood by watching the video.  
 
A lot going on, just a matter of what anyone might like to know, how much time you have.  
I could write a book, would you still be here, 100, 000 words from now? 
The project has a life of it’s own. I was always  sure this will not look like a silver dollar from a mint. More like that pirate piece of 8 doubloon made one at a time with a hammer. I eagerly made silicone molds and cast the first wax.  For some reason the wax lacks fine detail. I traced the issue, after several hours,  to the mold itself. It’s not a stamp problem. I’m using a new kind of untried silicone. Looked similar to my usual, but might be to thick to pick up detail, or is reacting with the rubber in the stamp. I never made an image from rubber before. Due to COVID, my usually material is not able to be ordered. I’ll use something else. 
            
I have another silicone product I meant to play with one day, and now is a good time. Plan B- or C or D or whatever plan now.  More of a liquid, harder to use.  Appears  it picks up more stamp detail. Once I have a good detailed wax I feel confident I can reproduce it exactly in bronze. Even more cool, copper. You’ll understand in the next blog post. 
 
This morning, I could not sleep. I have an idea for the coin mold I think will work. I’m up to play around. I’ll spend all day on it. I try spraying mold release on the rubber stamp before the silicone. Hmmm. I think I have a bubble problem. It’s like playing with silly putty. I read someplace long ago, some silicone products need to be vacuumed. I’m not big on following  instructions.  I vacuum the air out, hmmm. I put dye in one layer and let it get hard and put the next layer so I know where to create the seam. Hmmm. Nothing is a cure all, but may things help a little. I learn as I go. Nothing I have is perfect, not my rubber coin, the mold material. The wax, the outdated equipment.  About 12 molds later I have what I feel will do the job. Given another month or more, I could learn even more. I decide no matter how crude this ends up, we must be able to read the writing, see the dates, read the city name. That’s a minimum goal to meet. And produce at least 50. I already have 100 hours into this, and not one finished coin yet. We will not discuss my various negative nicknames here. It’s not, “Man of magic.”    
 
The casting should be the easy part! I have about a month to fill the order. I’ll keep you posted. 
More posts to follow. Part 2, the casting. Part 2 video  Part 3, the finish work and distribution. Part 3 video. 
            The pictures below show the first designs  and rubber stamps 
Continued with post part 2 'the casting.'
             
]]><![CDATA[Simple ways to test knife steel]]>Wed, 06 Oct 2021 17:04:36 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/simple-ways-to-test-knife-steel​There is a simple way to test knife sharpness and toughness that compares your blade to a standard. It is called ‘The Brass Rod Test.’ 
​We are swiping the edge across a brass rod. I use a brazing rod. I count how many swipes I get and am still able to cut newspaper without it tearing. I begin by putting a good edge on the blade, maybe not a perfect or the best edge, just a standard uniform consistent edge on all knives I compare. I do this myself by using a 600 grit belt on my sander. This produces an edge I feel the average person would call sharp. It will shave hair. Now the blade is ready. 
 
I use a brass brazing rod, usually 1/8th. Be sure it is brass and not a specialty harder bronze, or if so , understand this effects comparing your numbers to what someone else is doing. Swipe the full length of the blade. A pressure as if you were slicing bread. Not hard, but more than just the weight of the blade. Swipe as if you were trying to cut the rod in half. Count a forward stoke and a backstroke. I go at least 30 swipes before running the edge across newspaper held in the other hand. 
 
A standard factory blade like Buck, Gerber, Leatherman,  will usually get 30 to 50 strokes before tearing the paper instead of cutting.  Just as some numbers to begin comparing with. I began getting 100 stokes when I first started treating steel, but soon got to 200 and use this as my own minimum requirement on a working knife. I sometimes get 400 and sometimes get over this and simply quit. I talk to just a couple of other knife makers who generally get 300 stokes on a good custom blade they turn out. This could be your goal. 
 
So if you are a new knife maker, these numbers get you in the ballpark of what to expect. Take note, it is easy to get numbers better than normal factory, twice to three times as good at edge holding. 
 
There are other factors to a good blade. I do a quick cheap hardness test by running a file across the edge as if I were using the file to sharpen. There is a set of hardness test files if you like. I began with this set but any file tells me what I need to know. With practice it is not hard to tell by sound, feel, and look ‘where you are,’ on the harness scale. You could learn by using the file on a known blade harness. Just a light drag is all that is needed. I like the file to slide off with a high hiss sound, leaving no mark. This means the edge is close to as hard as a file. In the 60-62 park. Actually a huge difference between 60 and 62, but this gets you a rough idea. If the file leaves a mark, makes a flat shhhhh, instead of ssssss, this usually indicates under 58 Rockwell. Possibly be ok, but at least know. Some knives you’d want to be able to sharpen with a file. Much depends on kind of steal and type of knife. If the file cuts deep and digs in, this indicates maybe 55 rockwell and this is usually getting into ‘did not take the heat treatment correctly.’  Keep an eye working  the length of the blade and see if it is consistent. Do both sides as well. If not consistent, this could mean the blade was not evenly hot in the heat process or the steel has some inconstancies, internal stress. I want to control the edge and have the tip not as hard so tip less likely to break if dropped or stabbed into stuff.

]]><![CDATA[My first fur in a survival lifestyle]]>Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:24:54 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/my-first-fur-in-a-survival-lifestyleMy First Fur 
Adapted from Miles ‘book 1,’ Going Wild. 
By Miles Martin © 11/20/21 

The year is 1973. The Alaska Trappers association has just formed, the Iditarod is just getting started. There are no terms coined yet called ‘survivalist,’ ‘preppers,’ even the word ‘conservation,’ is not part of normal conversation. Mountain Man is a known group of outdoor types. If you want to bug out, be self-sufficient, go off grid, or be a homesteader, it is a good idea to know how to catch wild game, even fur, as you may need to keep warm, without depending on civilization. How to trap for food, make a simple living for basic supplies, is worth hearing and knowing something about…

The years of Ron Long’s presence as a fur buyer in Fairbanks are historical. Many now old timers I meet as a greenhorn from the city, with the big dream of being an Alaska Trapper mountain man. I’ve been out on the Yukon River here for a few months now. The pipeline haul road is just crossing the Yukon. I’m trapping near the Ray River. I walk out to Livengood in spring, about 50 miles after being alone all winter. This is what I have to say about my first fur and experiences…

All the books tell me the sets I’m making to catch fur should work. All I have is drawings to go by. The main animal that should be here, I read, is the ‘Marten.’ This is a lot like the Russian Sable, and since Alaska is only 50 miles from Russia, it could be the same animal. I think I recognize the tracks from the pictures, but have no sense of ‘size.’ Something is wrong with what I understand, but I do not know what. The animals are just not stepping into my traps. Hours are spent going over books, and going out to try some new idea, with enthusiasm and optimism.

“I’ve finally figured it out!” But I have not! Once again I go back to design the ‘perfect set.’ Yet so far, the animals are smarter than I am. My civilized concern had been being careful not to over harvest, take Nature out of her delicate balance. Considering what devastating monsters humans are, how innocent animals are.

I’m out on the trail trying a new trap set out. I am explaining it to my conscience. I talk to myself a lot, since I am not used to being so alone. If I tie this fish-bait to a piece of string, then hang the bait from a tree branch so it hangs invitingly just out of reach, I can put the trap right under it. Right where the Marten will have to stand to look up at it longingly! This is so ingenious and devious, I almost feel sorry for the poor sucker.

Next day, bright and early (more like dark, and early), at 5:00 am, I eagerly go out to check the set. This is what it’s all about. This is how I’m going to make my living; what I dreamed about all my life.

A Marten had visited. The bait is gone. The Marten didn’t bother going under the fish. He realized he couldn’t quite reach it. He wasn’t stupid, so wasn’t going to look longingly from underneath. He went up the tree, out on the branch, pulled the string up, ate the fish in the tree, climbed down, then laughed at me. Every day my diary is filled with a new idea, optimism, followed by failure.

Diary Nov. 16: I’m running three lines, 10 miles each. All 25 traps are out now. Still haven’t caught anything, and it’s been a month.

It is now time for ‘plan z,’ but I’m unsure what that plan is. A red ribbon is used to mark the spot where a trap goes, in case the trail blows in. I think I’m being clever, with the red ribbon idea. I do not know everyone uses red surveyor tape to mark things in the woods. I learn to check for traps at the set with a stick, or with my fingers curled up in the mitten, after pinching my fingers enough times. Each day that I go out, I think this will be the day I catch my first fur.

“Where is the darn trap?” I find the chain under the snow and pull on it. No fur. Snowshoes are put back on and it’s off to the next set. Traps jingle in a canvas pack on my back that I made from an old tarp. Frozen fish for bait is in a separate compartment. Military green down filled pants and parka keep me warm. My fox hat has the tail still on it. This is a hat I tanned and made from my first fox in Canada. Military surplus mukluks and mitts keep hands and feet warm. With the ‘snowshoe shuffle,’ I waddle down the trail (it’s like walking like a duck).

Dig—dig—dig. Wish. Dig—dig. Pause. Dig... but no fur. Hope. But no. Move on to the next set.

“Here comes the hardy Mountain Man checking on his traps in the Alaska wilderness; But wait, what is wrong with this picture. Hark! Do I hear this mountain man speaking of not catching his first fur yet?”

“This is no time to get funny on me!” I’m crestfallen. Next set. Dig—dig (this is getting old) Wish, dig. Snow flies. Tug pull. A tuff of fur! Dig—pull—dig. “Here she be! Our first fur!” Holding it up, so proud. But wait…

It’s so little. I frown.

“How come it’s so little? This is what Mountain men lived and died for?” We both look at the fur. It must be a Marten. But it could be a sewer rat, no, smaller than a sewer rat. Not much bigger than a baseball, all curled up and frozen. “Where’s all the excitement? The ‘close encounters of the third kind?’ Entries in the diary that speak of one day having no time to skin all the furs? This really sucks.” If you weren’t so stupid and young, you’d think this was hard work!

“What’s this ‘you’ stuff, huh? What happened to ‘We?’ I notice you do that when something goes wrong. Anyway, what other kind of job can a young, healthy, smart guy find where he gets to work 7 days a week, 10 hours a day without a day off, no vacation, pension, security…”

Don’t forget, a whole month without pay!

“Oh yes, did I forget to add that?”

Yes indeed!

So this is how I occupy my hours on the trail, talking to myself.

“It keeps us sane!” We both laugh. It’s not so much the gold, as the looking for it!

“Sounds so noble when Robert Service writes it, doesn’t it? Do you think he might have been full of doo doo?” We look at the marten again as we snowshoe home. It takes a full day to skin it from instructions in the book. I have to make a stretcher for it too, also from book drawings; by bending a willow stick. I’m beginning to think being a Mountain Man isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

But does he give up!? “No!” Did Joe meek give up after being mauled by the bear? Didn’t he crawl 200 miles on his hands and knees to the fort? Can we do any less!

I know now why it took so long to catch my first fur. I had no idea how small he was. My sets were all wrong, having made them for a bigger animal! I have to file the triggers, make them have a lighter touch, and set them closer to the bait. All the sets get drastically changed and I start catching Marten regularly. One problem is solved, but it seems 5 more are always popping up. My equipment starts to fail me. When the temperature drops below zero, problems show up with the stove. It is made of thin tin, which can be all right, but this stove has the wood feed from the front. Most stoves I had seen like this had the feed from the top, and now I see why. The salesman had talked me into this one. When the stove gets hot, it warps. The door no longer fits the frame, and leaks air. This means the fire can’t be controlled. The fire roars too hot, burns up the wood, then goes out after about 3 hours maximum. With a top feed tin lid, the bad fit would not suck air across the flames. I never get more than 3 hours of sleep at a time the rest of the winter. Because the stove gets hot, the hinges to the door overheat and break. Bailing wire fixes it, but it doesn’t line up even ‘close’ now. It surprises me that products can be made and sold that do not work, can’t possibly work. Anyone who ever used a stove wouldn’t design one like this.

Some idiot who doesn’t ever have to use it designed it. This begins a general distrust of depending on products, believing salesman, believing what I read about products, or that ‘the way it’s done’ is best. Don’t forget Depending on warranties!

At the same time my stove goes bonkers, the seams of my clothes rip out. Almost all my clothes have to be re-sewn. Anything made of ‘plastic’ shatters in the cold, like handles of tools and buckets. Fire starters sold to campers, don’t start, chemicals don’t chemical. So many things turn out to be a ‘joke,’ sold with pictures of people going out in the wilderness with confidence, endorsed by rugged individuals. The reality is a bunch of hooey. 

Someone needs to write the truth! What happened to pride in the American product! If I am to die out here, is it to be because products I depend on failed me? Will I be making a pile of all this crap and leaving a note behind for society to see?

“It wasn’t the cold, it wasn’t starvation. It wasn’t bears. It was a hundred American products that failed me!”

Many years later I realize good products can be had, for ten times the price, from reputable companies I must discover, as they do not advertise. Products real mountain climbers depend on. Even later in life, I can recognize what works and make it, or find it at garage or estate sales ‘cheap.’ I even buy good equipment I do not need right now if the price is good, because hen when I need it I have it, so I am not in a bind having to get it new. If an item in a store says, “For survival use!” This means “We hope you never need to use it! It might work one time, maybe.”

Another store bought shirt seam gives out.

 “Ho ho! Fooled again! Those slippery con men!” Where’s my warranty card! I want my money back! My conscience says indignantly. We both think this is hilarious. We, of course, can’t get in to town to say anything to anyone, so warranties are pretty useless. In the middle of laughing, I’m feeding the stove again. Just as I load it, the legs fall off. We both pause, and then burst out laughing. Like a three stooges skit, I shuffle off for the fix it tools. Tra la la la... I scuttle back. My conscience has been studying the job while I was gone, but I, the master, take over when I get back.

“Bailing wire!” I demand with a hand out.

Bailing wire! My conscience echoes, like a surgeon’s assistant.

“Pliers!”. Hand out again.

Pliers!

The legs are back on. “Masterful job, sir!” With a curt nod, I acknowledge the compliment and remove my surgical gloves. The crowd observing in the bleachers roars. I nod to the right- nod to the left.

Diary Middle of December: The sunlight is so dim there is little color to see. Everything now is in black and white. The temperature drops, and I’ve seen minus 30 below in the cabin—and 70 below outside. I’m not getting more than 3 hours of sleep at a time because of the stove. The quiet and great alone screams in my head. There is little to do now when I’m not trapping. The cheese whiz light is not enough to do any work by.

The ‘light’ referred to is a lantern I made from an empty ‘cheese whiz’ jar. There is a hole in the lid with string down in the diesel fuel. This is very smoky and has about as much light as a candle. The skylight is given up on. Snow drifts across it faster than I can clear it off. Anyhow, there is very little light down in this valley now. My candles had given out. I hadn’t realized how many hours of burning there would be, nor did I know how long a candle burns. I didn’t know anything about ‘lanterns,’ or assumed they put out about as much light as a candle.

Hey, if Abe Lincoln could live by candlelight and get all that studying done... could I do any less? Wouldn’t it be good enough for me? Well, now I know why Abe needed glasses! And was assassinated! Don’t forget that! The first time I light the diesel fuel in the ‘jar light,’ I said

“Gee whizz! Light!” just as the jar label said, so it became my ‘gee whiz light.’ (Or cheese whiz light). Light is not something the average town person dwells on. There is a switch, you flip it. There’s light. If it goes out for more than an hour or so a ‘National emergency’ is declared. I spent a lot of time thinking about ‘light.’ Where it comes from, and various ways to get some of it.

Diary date entries are meaningless now. I’ve lost track of time—do not even know for sure within a month what time it is. The moon is supposed to get full once a month, but whoever thinks about it, or depends on it, or checks it out. But maybe this will be a way to know when a month goes by. I yawn lazily between chapters in my book (one of the Tarzan books by Boroughs). I have to lean closer to the light to read, with the lantern only inches away from the words.

Hey, what’s that smell? I smell something burning too, so sniff the air. Maybe some trash on the stove. There is a sound like bacon frying. Hey our hair is on fire again! There is a lot of slapping my head and laughter. This becomes a common entry in my diary,

“Hair caught on fire again!” The light is not very transportable. If moved, the wick wants to fall down into the jar.

When the wick falls in the jar, the light goes out. It means finding the wick at the bottom of the jar through the fuel. Usually I have to empty the jar, first finding a container in the dark to put the fuel in. My fingers are wet from fuel, cold and numb, because the fuel is kept on the floor, and the floor is below freezing. With fingers that can’t feel I have to find the wick, and not drop it in the bark and dirt on the floor, or I will never find it till spring light. Once I have the wick, there is a tight fit getting it threaded through the hole in the lid. Often I have to put it in my mouth to get the wick to a ‘point,’ spitting the fuel out, sometimes several times, till it threads through. Finding the matches in the dark can be a project in itself. By the time it is all done, this is something I do not want to do again, so ‘the condition of the light’ where, and ‘how it is doing,’ becomes a fairly major concern. Even so, now and then I knock it over in the confined spaces, adding more diesel to the dirt on the floor.

Five gallons of rotten pee I’m tanning hides with falls over. How such a thing can happen involves a lot of understanding how life is, and could take a book to explain. I had to set the bucket on a box to get behind it to find something or other. Goods are stacked to the ceiling in cardboard boxes, on slanting pole shelves lashed with hide; uneven and rickety. I shrug my shoulders. There are a lot of things going on I doubt I can ever explain. Meanwhile, the place is smelling pretty ripe. There’s nothing to see. I simply accept being blind. I learn where everything is that I need, by feel. ‘Being involved in projects’ is a joke. Try ‘just staying alive.’

No, I do not consider it ‘hell.’ There is optimism for ‘next year.’ “Wait till I get a real lantern! More books to read! A watch!” They were all fairly simple, inexpensive things that I know will make life so much easier, and are easy to get. So I know all I have to do is ‘sit tight,’ survive this winter. There are a lot of positive things going on. The knife I created works. The soap I made, the leather I tanned, and made things out of all work. I learn how to trap and how to shoot. Most important of all I know I’ve got what it takes. I know I am not afraid of this, nor is there anything I will not accept. Many of the books I read are about primitive life, and now I understand a lot more about it. I can see ancient people with new insight, and it is a very positive thing to truly understand how it was 200 years ago.

For sure, accepting killing things, taking animals' meat and fur is a big part of understanding how life in the wilds can be. We do not always decide how being at one with nature will be.

 

I wrote 8 survival books, here is the link: Books by Miles on Amazon

Here is a video about my books: Miles books

]]><![CDATA[Mammoth ivory buyers]]>Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:36:33 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/mammoth-ivory-buyersMy biggest market is the knife makers. I have been getting ahead on inventory offered on my web site. Now is a good time to take a look at fossil mammoth ivory.
I am a snowbird, spending winters now in Tucson where  I set up at  the biggest show in the world. (check out Tucson show blog ) In Tucson I have not shop to work in. I am not doing any artwork or working m ivory. My inventory is more limited. I do have sets I have not had time to add or that I bought (I get a deal by spending several thousand at a time with other suppliers). However much of this is meant to sell at the show I am here for. I myself do major wholesale if a hundred pounds or more. My web store is not as big a focus in winter. So a suggestion I to do your knife scale shopping now for largest and best selection. It will be next April before I am in Alaska back from the fossil show, seriously entering new material I bought, I will also be working my own raw ivory that has been drying over the winter.  
]]><![CDATA[New books and audio]]>Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:04:17 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/new-books-and-audioIs the focus these days on reading?  Or is it video and audio? In my, ‘wonder why,’ I have been exploring reading my books! A new powerful apple laptop with garage band allows me to create huge files, not possible just a couple of years ago. Or has it just got more affordable?  I tried years ago and there were simply to many obstacles!
​In reading my own books I can do it how I wish. I want to have at least a few sound effects for action. I’m having fun learning how (!) I am unsure how to offer or market audio, but tried a sample as a YouTube that has video, but the focus is on the spoken story. Here is the link https://youtu.be/nDNOKaA5RbE
 
The actual books? New covers new edit new marketing with a friend who owns Alaska dream. My part has been to create these blogs – linking all I do together! The books, knives, art etc. I am working on books 9-10. Possibly different, as it takes us back to 40,000  years ago during the ice age, trips back and forth in time. Many may call it science fiction!  I wish to call it a continuation of my biography, already so out of this world. Does time travel really change much? I go out, no human sign for weeks and months… I may as well be back in time right? So I say I am. (smile) Does an old man have Alzheimer’s and we indulge him and enjoy the deluded story? I can get into this more later. But hey, give a comment if this seems do-able and would be accepted from a writer who started out as a mountain man!? I have always said throughout my books, 
“I never saw myself as stuck in the 1800’s era. I saw myself as cutting edge future. Like out of Star Trek searching out new worlds for civilization.” Well yes escaping civilization… but more enjoying being away as part of ‘the mission, or my social purpose.’ I feel those who eventually go to Mars should understand my books. Living an isolated life,  being adaptable, resourceful, knowing how to survive etc. or if we see hard times, we may all have to go back to simpler self sufficient lives growing our own food, fetching out own water. It’s possible. So what is wrong with hearing some of the basics from  someone who has done it. 
 
]]><![CDATA[Rare bird and unknown flower]]>Tue, 28 Sep 2021 14:16:14 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/rare-bird-and-unknown-flower​,New bird new bird! I forgot. Looked it up, a Orange Breasted Nuthatcher. Not known to come to the interior of Alaska often. I read how this bird comes north if there are forest fires or loss of their  conifer forests they depend on further south. I see more then one for over. Month and most birds have left to go south so the implication is this will be a winger bird. Seems to hang around with and get along with chickadees similar size. update Oct 15th 21 I created a YouTube  Nuthatcher 
So I collect footage with no thought how to use it until I get enough footage to give me an idea. I did post a YouTube of a flower that does not exist. So far no one can tell me what it is or even what family it belongs to and no it is not wormwood!
​Here is the link mammoth flower. 
This flower grows only in areas of ice age soil near mammoth remains.it gets up to 8 ft tall and can have a stem bigger in diameter then a finger.  No I am not interested in involving the authorities or university because my initial contact was about how the area needs to be blocked off and how I am a criminal. I would not be able to fossil hunt here.  It is locally  called a mammoth flower. No local seems interested that it is undiscovered. In general we all hope, us and our entire life, remains undiscovered. I in fact end up with a lot of regrets for being so open and talkative. Those who love animals and all things forest and wilderness may understand. Oh, here is one picture of the mammoth flower. ​
]]><![CDATA[Fossil ivory- can it be worked wet?]]>Sat, 25 Sep 2021 14:13:45 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/fossil-ivory-can-it-be-worked-wetI got asked this question on my YouTube about working fossils: 
Don't get it wet? Why? People boil horn to shape it. Same collagen base. What's the difference?
REPLY

I am not a scientist  so 'why,' would be an opinion. I do know horn and ivory is not in fact the same material.  You could do your own experiments and get it wet, then wonder why it cracked and warped. Or simply believe me.
It could be possible under understood conditions to wet when working ivory. However when you work the ivory and get it warm like drilling,  sanding, there is a temperature difference created within the material and expanding contracting   going on, so already internal stress issues. 'Wet,' in my opinion adds to the issue, as wet means expanded material swelling. If you dry the ivory even slightly on the surface when working it, this wishes to shrink while the inside is still wet expanded. Something has to give. Crack warp.

I think fossil ivory could be boiled and shaped! "If" if one did this for a reason. Evenly wet evenly hot bend slow dry, as in 6 months. It's possible I think. I have taken wet ivory right out of the ground and bend it to flatten pieces between boards and clamps in order to get flat knife scale sets. (keep clamped a month) So possibly dry ivory could be wet again. One issue is, I find it, for free. if it goes bonkers I say 'Whoops that didn't work!" Most people bought it and would  get to say "There just went $500 out the window!" is that ok? The easier answer is try not to get it wet if you do not know what you are doing. For example do not use a wet sander to keep dust down when sanding ivory. There is a reason those in the know want ivory out of the ground a year and ask if it is dry. Keep in mind I speak from 40 years experiences and thousands of pounds of ivory. 

Yes I have bent horn. Horn has hair -like structure and is related more to our fingernail, when an ivory product has no structural strength in the same way. Horn can also crack if dried incorrectly.  I think as well, when boiling horn, something is removed and will never come back. The dry horn is not the same exact product anymore. I think what leaves is a gelatin as is in skin. The gelatin helps hold the hairs together so remove some, get the rest soft and the fibers bend. 

Ivory is simply different. No hairs no gelatin.  I used to boil walrus ivory ivory and it is not the same after drying, something is gone. it is more brittle ,looks a tad different. Just getting it wet did not help with bending. Feel free to comment or ask a related question I have dealt with a variety of products over the years and am glad to help or even learn if anyone knows more than I do, had a different experience. 
 
 

]]><![CDATA[Tucson fossil gem mineral show]]>Tue, 21 Sep 2021 20:55:41 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/tucson-fossil-gem-mineral-show
This is reputed to be the biggest show in the world. 70,000 venders and a million customers come from all over the world. I've been attending for over 20 years. Yes the show is on for 2022, and I will be in my usual spot in the Days Inn, on 1-10 at St. Mary's in room 127. Jan 28th -Feb 12th. 2022I have a 400 pound mammoth skull with matching tusk as simply something cool to see. have not decided on a price yet, I still have to clean it up. 

Keep in mind attending is a good way to have a business write off if you acquire inventory. This is a way to pick out material and art in person, especially if you own a gift shop, or need raw materials like a custom knife maker. I do sell wholesale. I usually have over 100 pounds of fossil mammoth ivory at the show and way more then I could ever list on the web site. At lower prices. Email me if you hope to attend and I can give my cell number for an appointment and latest update. It's a fast pace adrenalin rush. I general make a years wages in a week, 
and buy raw I need for the rest of the year, like the biggest supplier in the world of sliced meteorites sets up in the room next to me so I get knife blade material  and offer raw meteorite on my web site (out right now- he did not attend in 2021) I like most opal - boulder or Peruvian ​. I sell most of what you see on my web site . I specialize in Alaska, but am a wheeler dealer trader and have connections and offer 'things from the land' in the way of raw materials from all over the world. Semi precious stones, wood, fossils, amber, meteorite, I sell only my own art and custom knives. I'm usually there set up at least 3 days early, the best often sells before the official opening. In comments you can ask a question concerning the show. I should get back with reply. My reply to John below 
uReply Oct 12th
Hey John, No not this Mexican Dave guy you refer to. But forget the name, I only see them once a year. What I like is, they have a lot of knife meteorite material at affordable prices. One nice thing about this show is, meeting up with people who are not on the internet , have no shop, no way to get hold of them. This is common with materials at the source, these people are not into marketing. Those who buy big time know how to reach them, meet up at the show. One year he sold out in one day. People show up, do $10,000 deals and are gone. That's the beauty of the show as a seller. As a buyer yo get to see 100's of pounds of stuff I could never list on the web. Knife makers can buy their year supply of fossil handle material  at a fraction of retail costs. You can write the Tucson  trip off as a business expense! (smile) In Costa Rica huh? Pretty butterflies there, some cool wood, nice people. I hope you have a boat and get out fishing! If you can make it to Tucson, bring me some trade-ables. 
]]><![CDATA[Fossils]]>Thu, 05 Mar 2015 06:32:30 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/remote-income-how-to-make-a-living
I have been an ice age fossil hunter since 1972 and have found over a dozen mammoth tusks and hundreds of pounds of Alaska fossils. Here is a place to ask questions, share pictures, and information on identification, preservation, marketing, anything fossil related. Some of my web links fossil information, fossils for sale, mammoth ivory scales I have a book series out which covers a lifestyle  of fossil hunting . books I have YouTube videos fossil hunting = finding mammoth skull and how to work mammoth ivory  and stabilizing  raw fossils 
]]><![CDATA[deleted]]>Thu, 05 Mar 2015 04:48:40 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/knives<![CDATA[deleted]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2015 20:25:05 GMThttps://www.milesofalaska.com/alaska-blog/wilderness-survival-choices