Axe Workshop
Bushcraft Knives and Axes - The Tools of the Backwoods
I always like to have an axe nearby... for it reminds me of simple things in a city world of mad and whirling things (Mason, B.)
During this weekend course you will acquire the time-honoured skills of Axemanship. You will begin by learning all of the safe stances and grips, before moving on to accomplish all of the tricks of the trade required to safely fell a tree, limb it, section it and split it. As you begin to earn your calluses, we move onto the more advanced skills of maintaining and repairing your axe – from honing the blade to a razor finish to repairing a broken handle. This lost skill will require you to carve a new helve from seasoned ash and learn how to snugly fit the head using hard wood wedges. Skill, accuracy, proficiency, power and energy efficiency with an axe are all the benchmarks of the seasoned woodsman – this course will set you firmly on the path to mastering this most versatile of tools.
‘The axe is the most important of all the basic bush tools. Outside of fire, little else can contribute more to living comfortably in the wilderness than knowing how to properly use a well chosen axe.’ - Mors L. Kochanski.
During this weekend course you will be working from a lightweight base camp; you will learn about the essential bushcraft tools for life on the trail.
- Axe design & size
- Bushcraft knives
- Timber properties
- Re-handling a broken axe
- Axe care & sharpening
- Axe safety & etiquette
- Bushcraft tools
- Tree felling
- Limbing & sectioning
- Splitting techniques
- Advanced knife grasps
- Advanced saw craft
- Improvised backwoods tools
Heads Up... Whilst not essential, if you are keen on doing a bit of pre-course reading, we would recommend the following books - 'The Axe Manual' by Peter McLaren (free e-book)
'Woodsmanship' by Bernard Mason (free e-book)
Please Note: This course is fully catered.
Documents for download
- axe_manual_by_p_mclaran.pdf (22/03/2009)
- woodsmanship_by_b_mason.pdf (22/03/2009)