Hope everyone’s having a great week! We’ve fallen a little behind on the weekly Bushcraft Fundamentals how-to series (usually out every Thursday), but we’re setting aside more time to get these back on track. Expect more to be sent soon!
This week we’re kicking things off with a quick overview on using sharps safely.
In a formal or classroom setting during a course, we need to assess potential risks and put suitable safeguards in place. However, this often goes out the window when we’re on our own or in a familiar environment, where our performance may be hindered by a number of external or even internal influences.
We all have a war story or scar that can be put down to poor safety management. My left hand is peppered with nicks and marks from bad knife practice over the years—all of which could have been avoided by using a few simple safeguards and not pretending to be Rambo, a Ninja Turtle, or some knife-throwing circus act.
I like to use acronyms when instructing or coaching, and one of my favourites for knife safety is S.A.S!
Using knives on a stable surface, while standing firmly, is a good place to start, as for the majority of cutting techniques it keeps the blade away from the body.
The sitting position is also a favourite of whittlers, but always make sure to keep your elbows locked onto your knees so the blade edge stays away from your very important femoral artery. If you’re anything like me, though, your back will start to ache after a while in this position, and you may get lazy—leaning back, lifting your elbows, and getting dangerously close to that ‘triangle of death’ area!
The third position, often favoured by forest school practitioners, is the ‘off to the side’ method. This involves bringing your workpiece over to your dominant side, always keeping the knife to the side of your hip—well away from the ‘triangle of death’ area.
Kneeling is also an extremely stable position and a great way to reduce the chance of trips, slips, or falls. It’s especially useful for creating longer, more controlled cuts, such as when making feathersticks. Rather than bending your arm, the kneeling position allows you to lock your arm out and instead use your body weight with a slight bend at the hips to deliver a very controlled yet powerful cut.
The ‘off to the side’ technique is excellent for experienced bushcrafters, but it also gives novices a much higher level of safety. It’s important to remember that the final cutting position should always be considered and thought through before you even take the blade out.
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Photo by @WildWayBushcraft |
Before every cut, ask yourself: where will the knife edge end up? If the answer is “away from any body part — mine or anyone else’s,” you’re likely to keep things blood-free. I appreciate that a few advanced carving techniques involve cutting toward yourself; if you do that, think about the blade’s travel and add safeguards (very small, controlled movements, for example). This is the safety check I use most.
Sheathed or shut. A sheathed knife can’t harm you, and building the habit of covering all sharp tools when not in use keeps you — and those around you — safe, while also protecting the tools themselves. Be strict with this one; it quickly becomes second nature. And if you spot someone walking around camp with an unsheathed blade, share the tip before they slip and skewer themselves.
