Wolf Wilds › Tools and Blades

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Axe and saw work

Cutting wood without cutting yourself, and keeping the edges alive.

What you need

How

  1. Clear the swing first. Look up for widow makers and behind you for people, then check nothing is in the arc of the handle.
  2. Saw what you can saw. A saw cuts across the grain safer and faster than an axe does, and it wastes nothing.
  3. Split on a block, never on the ground and never on rock. Stand the round up, aim for the far edge of it, and let the weight of the head do the work.
  4. Kneel to split small stuff. If the axe misses, it hits the ground and not your leg.
  5. Baton small kindling with a knife and a stick instead of swinging at it.
  6. Sheath the edge the second you stop. A loose axe in camp finds a foot.

Watch for

Danger
  • A dull edge glances. Most axe wounds come off a blunt tool.
  • A loose head is done until it is wedged. Do not swing it.
  • Frozen wood throws chips and frozen steel chips too. Warm the head before you work it hard in the cold.

Notes

Dry the steel and wipe it with oil before it goes in the pack. Rust takes an edge off faster than use does.

axesawfirewoodsafety

Updated 2026-09-05

Related

Sharpening an axe Tools and Blades A file to shape the edge, a stone to finish it, and a few strokes with the stone every day in camp to keep it biting. Batoning and feather sticks Tools and Blades Splitting small wood with a knife and a stick, and carving curls that catch a flame when everything else is wet. Carving camp gear Tools and Blades Tent pegs, a pot hook, a spoon and a pot lifter, made with a knife and a bit of wood. Choosing a knife Tools and Blades The one knife that does most camp and field work, what to look for, and how to use it without cutting yourself.