Compass

[Chris Hayes]

Does anyone own one of the brass compass' that TOTW sells? I use the modern stuff, but more and more i am trying to go more H/C. Do you use the sundial with the compass to tell time?

 

[atki]

I use the Lewis and Clark compass sold by Garrett Wade.

WB

 

[flintlock75]

I have both the brass one w/sundial and the wooden L/C compass, The sundial does not work in Alaska so i only use it for basic direction. The wood compass works better and is more accurate.

 

[necchi]

The sundail on that is pretty much going to be a neat little gadget to look at and not very functional.
A Sundail needs to be pointed True North not magnetic north, and a bunch of other location specific placements for it to really tell time acurately.
In other words a portable sundail on a trek isn't going to do you much good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundial

Your better off buying a pocket watch and use it as a compass, :wink:

 

[LRB]

With practice, you can learn to be within 15 minutes of real time.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I agree with Wick, I have and use both. I carry a time piece when acting as a sergeant, but when I am acting as a rifleman or in a relaxed setting, the sundials work easily for half hour increments, and you can learn to do fifteen minute increments.

You have to know the declination (the error between true and magnetic north) of your location OR you need to compare the sundial to an accurate time piece, once.

You line up the compass with magnetic north, and if you were actually going to navigate with it you'd need to know the declination anyway...,
..., so you line up the compass with magnetic north. Then compare the sundial mark and the time it indicates, to the actual time. Next, rotate the sundial until it shows the proper time (hint this is best done on the hour), and you will know the "error" of your compas at magnetic north, and if you note how far right or left of magnetic north that you have to hold the compass, you will then be able to do so later in the day when using the sundial without cross checking on a time piece. Once you have that for the area where you normally do your historic stuff, you don't need to do it again, especially if you mark the compass, unless you change your geography by a good amount East or West.

OH don't forget to apply daylight savings time when that's in effect. :shocked2:

LD

 

[Robert Egler]

In other words a portable sundail on a trek isn't going to do you much good.

Well, that depends on how accurate you need the time. Often what you need is an idea of how long until sunset, or noon, and even a small portable sundial and a compass pointing to magnetic north without corrections will be good enough for that.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Does anyone own one of the brass compass' that TOTW sells? I use the modern stuff, but more and more i am trying to go more H/C. Do you use the sundial with the compass to tell time?

Yes, I have one and like it. Supposedly they are a replica of one found in a fort.
Depending on time of year and location I can get a fairly accurate time reading from the sundial. Always under an hour off of actual, less with practice.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I sold mine , but my brass compass with sundial was within 15 minutes of standard time. :idunno:

 

[Robby]

The sundial compass has and still does work well for me. I have even inlet them into powder horn butt's for people. No complaints yet, except during DST. :idunno:
Robby

 

[hobowonkanobe]

I carry the wee brass jobby w sun dial. Have for over 10 years now w out issue.

 

[Chris Hayes]

You were talking about the difference. The declination line I believe. I remember something from my ROTC days about 17 degrees. I don't know why that number just jumps out at me

 

[tenngun]

yes I do, find it works very good at its job. It is not a watch, it came from a time when to the nearest hour was ok. Remember at this time hours were 1/12 of the daylight time, and so was longer in the summer then winter.Another thing was local time, it was noon when the noon was at its high point, about every mile west noon came a second later,a minute evey 45 to 60 miles in the lower 48,more north shorter distance.I live in the ozarks and in stanard time its within 1/4 hour of clock time.As a compass its small but works good,it aint gps,but your flinter aint a moderen gun :thumbsup:

 

[pargent]

Yes I have one and have used a couple for some basic bush nav. Be very carefull because they are very sensetive to the presence of steel, so when you take a bearing keep your gun wellaway from you .Do a simple test lay your gun down on the ground and slowly arc the compass over it and see if the needle behaves as it should .

 

[Robert Egler]

s a compass its small but works good,it aint gps,but your flinter aint a moderen gun :thumbsup:

Great way of putting it! :hatsoff:

 

[Robby]

Robby

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The declination angle changes due to your geography. If you are in Washington State..., the magnetic pole is in Northern Canada above Hudson's Bay, so you might have a 30° error, while if you are in say Western Minnesota or Western Montana, you might be looking at an error of 5°, so could ignore it entirely, because from your position you could draw a line to true north, and come very close, if not bisect, magnetic north.

The other problem is that the magnetic pole moves, though it is currently moving toward true north. Magnetic North
Movement. So the error also changes over time. You may not want to use maps that note declination from say, WWII, for example.

LD

 

[hobowonkanobe]

Bloody Gorgeous! And :redface: something I wld have never thought of till seein it. Thanks for posting this.

 

[hobowonkanobe]

Yup, bout sums it up, huh? Tho, I'll admit to carrying all of the above when I travel; it's all about "back ups" when yer on the move.
Fire, Zippo, Swede fire steel and flint n steel.
Head lights on bicycle; No. 350 Lucas B.S.A. carbide lamp converted to led and 3 watt halogen, Nightsun 10 and 20 watt halogens and a P&H 1892 "The Revenge" bicycle carbide lamp that works quite nicely as intended.
Nav; gps on the phone, compass and dead reckoning.
But, this is after the better part of 30 years on the road. I have learned (the hard way many times) to do it thus. It IS lighter to carry one option, but WHEN, not if, that breaks...

 

[Chris Hayes]

Robby, that is one hell of an idea! Would you mind if I borrowed that? :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: