Thread: Dustoff for Willie Peters

Originally Posted by Scribe

One of the reasons I was looking it up Rushey is that it never has been in common use and it is hardly ever heard used nowadays.

This is how I have heard it used in the past.... Once one of our boys went out with the axe and took a swing at a Black Maire stump outside the Ohutu Stream hut that over the years had turned as hard as stone. A chip came off of the cutting edge of the axe.
Hence it was said at the time "That boy has gapped the axe"

Sometimes a tree would grow around a sizeable stone which will "gap the Axe"

A hard knot in a piece of wood was known to "gap the axe"

Perhaps the steel of the old often treasured axes like the Kelly mays have been a bit more brittle than what are available now.

That all I know Rushey and like you I would like to know more. I am hoping "Gapped Axe" will come back and explain a bit about his chosen name.

Killed a few mices in that hut and chopped up a few animals outside.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

You can't beat going to bed early with a good book and an apple or carrot to eat. When I can, I try to go to bed early 2100hrs as I never know when I might be called out. By going to bed this way I find that I sleep really well, that is untill the pager or phone wakes me. 'Gapped Axe' Term was usually made in a negative term or derogitry comment, some one who is careless. Normally for a new chum around camp i.e Don't let him do it he will gap your axe. I also heard it once about 25yrs ago on A Dogs Show when the annoucer use it when a collie went around the side of a mob of sheep, and one ewe broke and went the wrong way.Well Gap my Axe. Still got my dads Kelly but got sick of putting new handles on it ,so I now use a fibreglass one. There go's the pager now. Back again, I hate alarms that cry Wolf. In the mid eighties I used to be a Rafting and adventure Guide working in the Nth Island on the Motu, Mohaka, Kaituna, Wairoa rivers. Around the same time I worked in the bush Building huts and camp sites in the Urewera's for a firm that had a walking concession in there. Spent alot of time living with my Grandparents at Totara nth In the Whangaroa Harbour, so i certainly enjoyed that chapter of the book. Peach island must of been one hell of a Pa site.Left there in the mid 60s and hadn't been back till 2yrs ago when I swam across the harbours entrance to rejoin a vessel that had anchored under the old Gun placements after dropping me off on the northern side. Strong currents and big fish. My age early 50s. Keen to get hold of Dustoff for Willie Peters. Mucko is picking up the book on Tuesday

Well Rushey here we have a good explanation for a piece of colourful language from "Gapped Axe" I will have to see if I can find somewhere to use it in my book.

Well "Well Gap Me Bloody Axe" Those big super calibres are out there mutilating the deer population again. Might do it.

When you were rafting the Mohaka "Gapped Axe" did we fly your gear in.... HKK, Mountain Helicopters

I suspect both books are heading "Mucko's" way but I really dont know.

Whangaroa was our favourite harbour in the North Island and you are right Peach island would have been a stunning sight fully fortified as a Pa.

Thanks for that.

Signed
How dead do you want it.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Killed a few mices in that hut and chopped up a few animals outside.

Ohutu Stream. I used to drop into there in the roar or when I had been eating venison to long and wanted a bit of pork. It was a great place to hunt stags under that big podocarp forest. The place used to go mad. The hut only had a dirt floor then and it was always dirty, it was damp in the winter and it was a hard place to get decent fire wood.

Interesting thing my old hunting partner Jim Warren found a Moa skeleton in the stream not far up from the hut. It is the sort of country that gives you the feeling that they are probably still in there.
A friend of mine said he got one of the biggest frights he ever had in this hut. He dropped down from Aorangi and got in after dark, cooked a feed and read for awhile before blowing the candle out. He was lying there contemplating the events of the day as you do when he spotted these two great baleful looking eyes staring at him from under the other bunk and along with that the outline of some sinister creature. His blood ran cold and he was frozen to the spot, mesmorized by these two huge green eyes staring at him. He had in the end to make himself get out of bed and get the matches and light the candle expecting to be sprung on. To his great relief on examination of the creature it turned out to be a half rotten stump that someone had pushed under the bunk and the eyes were two big round patches of Phosphorus in the rotting wood.

Ahh how the mind does play tricks some times. Many a log has looked like a deer and I suspect, many a deer has looked like a log.

Arthur and Christine for the Mohaka and Te Hoe, Dereck lowe for the Hut Building and the Podjursky's boys for the Motu. Have also flown with Helipro for Fire fighting training and the real thing. Have flown with Steve Collins, Silver and a number of others. Also have Good friend who comes down to his Bach in his Raven, and when he arrives we go flying. So Cool

Originally Posted by Scribe

Ohutu Stream. I used to drop into there in the roar or when I had been eating venison to long and wanted a bit of pork. It was a great place to hunt stags under that big podocarp forest. The place used to go mad. The hut only had a dirt floor then and it was always dirty, it was damp in the winter and it was a hard place to get decent fire wood.

Interesting thing my old hunting partner Jim Warren found a Moa skeleton in the stream not far up from the hut. It is the sort of country that gives you the feeling that they are probably still in there.
A friend of mine said he got one of the biggest frights he ever had in this hut. He dropped down from Aorangi and got in after dark, cooked a feed and read for awhile before blowing the candle out. He was lying there contemplating the events of the day as you do when he spotted these two great baleful looking eyes staring at him from under the other bunk and along with that the outline of some sinister creature. His blood ran cold and he was frozen to the spot, mesmorized by these two huge green eyes staring at him. He had in the end to make himself get out of bed and get the matches and light the candle expecting to be sprung on. To his great relief on examination of the creature it turned out to be a half rotten stump that someone had pushed under the bunk and the eyes were two big round patches of Phosphorus in the rotting wood.

You should have been there on Saturday because it was howling. Some good solid wind gusts. Some good heavy horizontal rain and hail at times.

Good read, couldn't put it down. Thanks Graeme for your insight into a Vietnam Vet. Skinny as a Gum Diggers bitch. I could actually visulise that, haha. Who's next??

yep ill get it if its free

You can borrow my one Neckshot

Anyone got the forum copy of this book? Really keen to read.

I sent it to happy

Yes I have it Posted a few times that it's ready to go to next reader. Send me pm address and it ll leave Monday

Cheers

Originally Posted by Happy

Yes I have it Posted a few times that it's ready to go to next reader. Send me pm address and it ll leave Monday

Cheers

Hi Happy, Did 'Savage 1' make contact about the book. His Father served in Vietnam in Victor Six. I have some copies still and I promised him one.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Hi Happy, Did 'Savage 1' make contact about the book. His Father served in Vietnam in Victor Six. I have some copies still and I promised him one.

Hi ya. No its still in my possession along with the other book "Bush Rats " by Neville Tohill. Any one wants to read them let me know and Ill get them away.

Cheers

IM in Happy one if no one else is