Advice, Hints and Tips - Looking after your kit !
Keep your rucksack clean to prolong the life of the fabric.

Always empty and clean the rucksack after use.

Check the stitching on the seams of your rucksack.

Turn sack inside out occasionally and brush seams.

Always keep compasses away from magnetic fields such as electrical equipment and cables. 

Check your compass before leaving home.

Never use detergents to clean fabric as it could destroy the waterproofness.

To clean the fabric use only warm water or soap flakes (organic soap).

Do not sit on your rucksack.

Don't carry rucksack by one strap as it puts a strain on the stitching.

If fitted, always use the padded hipbelt.

Don't drag or drop your rucksack.

Store rucksack in a dry ventilated area when not in use.

Helpful hints - fuels

Liquid gas- clean quick & efficient.

Meths- used in Trangia type sets.

Paraffin/Kerosene- a must in remote areas.

Solid fuel blocks- easy to carry. Great for emergency cooking.

Unleaded petrol/White gas- very hot, cheap & efficient.

You can also use - Animal droppings (must be dry & mix with grass/leaves)- Peat- dry thoroughly- Coal (sometimes found on surface in Tundra areas)- Shales- rich in oil.- Combustibles- (such as petrol, hydraulic fluid, engine oils, insect repellent.- Animal fats ( use a tin for a stove and burn with a wick.)
If small bubbles appear in the fluid of liquid filled compasses, this is usually due to high altitude and or cold conditions. They should disappear returning to normal conditions.  

Basic Instructions on using your liquid filled magnetic compass.

Terms/Parts of  a basic liquid filled compass.

Base plate:- the rectangular plastic surround of the compass usually with scale markings.

Capsule:- the rotating dial, (liquid filled)

Instructions

Place the compass on the map with the edge of the base plate along your desired course.

Rotate the capsule until the bottom lines are parallel with the north-south lines on the map. The "N" on the dial now points to north on the map.

Hold the compass horizontally and rotate your body until the red north end of the needle points at the "N" on the dial. The direction arrow on the base plate indicates your course.

Use this set direction to check and adjust along your route.

Silva Type 3 (Ranger), our best selling all round liquid filled compass.

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