Learn essential knife and outdoor tool safety, including responsible handling, safe working practices, storage, maintenance and appropriate use in outdoor activities.
Batoning is one of those bushcraft skills that looks fairly simple when you first see it. You put a knife into a piece of wood and use another piece of wood to tap the knife through it. In practice, there is a little more to it than that. The choice of wood, the knife you…
A sharp knife is generally easier and more controlled to use than a blunt one, but sharpening is a skill in its own right. A blunt blade often encourages people to use more force, which can make slips more likely and makes simple camp tasks harder than they need to be. You don’t need complicated…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor woodcraft or campfire areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Axe safety, woodcraft, fire preparation, tool control, concentration Quick Answer Splitting firewood means using a suitable hand axe to divide small pieces of prepared wood into smaller sections for a campfire. For Scouts, this is an advanced practical skill…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Designated outdoor woodcraft areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Tool safety, woodcraft, cutting techniques, concentration, risk management A saw should be used in a clear, controlled area with the timber securely supported. Check the saw before use, keep your free hand away from the blade, use steady controlled strokes, and…
Activity Overview Difficulty: AdvancedTime: 30–60 minutesLocation: Designated axe area or suitable outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and Explorers, with appropriate adult supervisionSkills: Tool safety, woodcraft, cutting techniques, risk management, concentration A hatchet should only be used in a controlled area with suitable supervision, a stable chopping surface and a clear safety zone. Check the hatchet…
Learning to use outdoor tools can be an important part of developing practical Scout skills. Knives, saws and other hand tools can help Scouts learn about woodcraft, campcraft, shelter building and practical problem-solving. They also introduce risks that need to be taken seriously. Good tool safety isn’t about being afraid of tools. It is about…
