Bushcraft Knife and Axe Safety, Working Safely Alone in the Forest, Log Cabin Life

#bushcraft #wilderness #survival Processing firewood or bushcrafting with a knife and axe can be dangerous, especially when working alone in the forest here at the log cabin, so I need to make sure I m doing it as safely as possible at all times, remembering basic safety procedures. Using a knife to split wood is potentially dangerous and the risk of sustaining a severe cut to the fingers or palm of the hand is very real, particularly using the method I see too many bushcrafters use. Slamming a knife point down into a piece of wood is risky - one slip and the hand slides down the blade of the knife. A better method would be to baton the back of the knife, keeping it horizontal and the hand well away from the blade. However, it is effective to hammer the point of a full tang bushcraft knife into the wood on a chopping block and then prying the wood sideways to split it. To do this safely, a makeshift mallet should be used to hammer the butt of the knife, the steel pommel ideally so as not to damage the softer handle, into the wood from above. Regardless of what method is used, I highly recommend wearing leather gloves with a good grip as well as safety glasses. For the past decade or two, I wear glasses all of the time when in the bush or on the water, especially if I m doing bushcraft. Eventually everyone who works in the forest will get branches, debris or wood chips in their eyes, which is easily prevented by using a good pair of high impact glasses. I wear Oakley Flak Jacket glasses because they are sturdy and the lenses are easily switched out. I wear dark polarized glasses on sunny days or any day out on the lake or river, and I wear yellow shooting lenses when hunting, shooting targets of walking in the forest on a dull day. When using an axe, especially when splitting firewood, it s essential to pay close attention to the path of the axe, the arc as you swing it into the wood. Inevitably, an axe will glance off the firewood and/or chopping block, or will pass through the piece of wood, continuing on the path. Especially with a short handled axe, that path will be back towards your legs or feet. It s critical to swing with mostly downward momentum, vertically with the arms and axe horizontal. This way, when the axe passes through the wood or glances off, it will bury itself in the chopping block or ground rather than a body part. Products I recommend; Mora Garberg Bushcraft Knife https://amzn.to/2H3va88 Oakley Flak Jacket sunglasses https://amzn.to/2IXSDnH Axes http://www.torontoblacksmith.com/ Leather gloves https://amzn.to/2IXwc22 Tilley Hat https://amzn.to/2EN5uXs Fjallraven Vidda Pro pants https://amzn.to/2HByAvJ To see what I’m up to during the rest of the week, please follow me on my other online channels; Website: http://myselfreliance.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ My Mailing Address: P.O. Box 20042 Barrie, Ontario L4M 6E9 Canada