I know that wood processing systems change depending on what your doing when you need the wood (backpacking, car camping, canoe camping, ect.) What is your favorite way to process fire wood while backpacking? If you want you can include car camping and canoe camping systems, but I would really appreciate backpacking wood processing systems. I realize that the term "backpacking" includes day hikes along with extended stay backpacking trips. Thanks in advance!
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Wood processing systems
- Thread starter G.Moll
- Start date
In order of efficiency verses weight:
1: Collect wood by hand without tools. Works most places I've ever needed a fire in most seasons, though it limits your choices. Use a knife to shave course and fine tinder.
2: Small folding or fixed blade pruning saw. Lets you cut branches too large to break by hand. I prefer the fixed blade saws by far.
3: Add a small axe to the saw. Works better for some cuts and less likely to go tango-uniform than the saw.
4: Larger buck saw and a larger axe. Something I only bother carrying in my airplane or if it's going to be real, real cold.
Most of the time if you're spending a lot of effort processing firewood you're not doing a very good job of finding and collecting suitable pieces in the first place. Some areas don't give you a lot of choices and you might have to reduce large pieces to smaller sizes, but it's a very inefficient way to collect wood if you don't have to. Of course it's a good way to stay warm before you light the fire...
1: Collect wood by hand without tools. Works most places I've ever needed a fire in most seasons, though it limits your choices. Use a knife to shave course and fine tinder.
2: Small folding or fixed blade pruning saw. Lets you cut branches too large to break by hand. I prefer the fixed blade saws by far.
3: Add a small axe to the saw. Works better for some cuts and less likely to go tango-uniform than the saw.
4: Larger buck saw and a larger axe. Something I only bother carrying in my airplane or if it's going to be real, real cold.
Most of the time if you're spending a lot of effort processing firewood you're not doing a very good job of finding and collecting suitable pieces in the first place. Some areas don't give you a lot of choices and you might have to reduce large pieces to smaller sizes, but it's a very inefficient way to collect wood if you don't have to. Of course it's a good way to stay warm before you light the fire...
Exactly the response I was looking for! Thank you.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2008
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- 483
Here's a couple of combo that work for me...
Thanks for the pictures, Coyote. I have the same Eastwing hatchet. Your second picture is looking similar to what i use. I use a larger blade in my system than in yours, but with a saw and hatchet a larger blade isn't always needed. The larger blade i like for the ease of splitting wood.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
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- 11,601
I do not have any prepared photos, but generally when I know I am going to be making a fire or fires, these are what I have with me. In the photos are examples of some wood I have processed with these tools...I assure you processing wood for fires is no difficult task for these tools.
Though often I am lucky enough to happen upon wood that was already partially processed for me
Though often I am lucky enough to happen upon wood that was already partially processed for me
I do not have any prepared photos, but generally when I know I am going to be making a fire or fires, these are what I have with me. In the photos are examples of some wood I have processed with these tools...I assure you processing wood for fires is no difficult task for these tools.
Though often I am lucky enough to happen upon wood that was already partially processed for me
Fantactic woodwork. How did you make the chain?
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Messages
- 11,601
Start with a stick and a good comfortable knife then carve away whatever ain't a chain
Look up some tutorials its not magical but it's pretty hard to describe in words. Basically turn a round cross section into a + shaped cross section then start forming links. I doubt that makes sense. It takes a lot of time to do...I worked a few hours here and there. I think it took about 2 months to get to what you see there.
For good firewood sources, I start with:
* Dead wood that is low-hanging and still attached to trees. This means it is up off the ground and usually well dried, especially if living branches above are shielding it from direct precipitation.
* Dead wood that is INSIDE toward the center of dead/rotting stumps.
* Small pieces off of downed trees and branches
For "processing" it, I'm pretty low-tech:
* Pick up or break off whatever I can--and often this suffices without having to cut a single thing.
* When needed to saw off pieces, I use a Silky "Top gun" folding saw; has a 9" blade but only weight about 8 oz and cuts incredibly fast. I don't bring an axe at all, anymore. I'm not AGAINST axes, they are probably the ideal tool for the job. For carving a living out of the wilderness, LIttle House on the Prairie style, I'd definitely want an axe. However for my camping needs, they are just too heavy, the risk of injury is greater, and the fact is, I just plain don't NEED one just to start a fire.
* I do VERY little batoning. When I do, I use a 4.5" to 5" fixed blade with a piece of wood to split larger chunks of usually 3" to 5" in diameter, into a set of smaller pieces. Current favorite knife for batoning is my Swamp Rat Ratmandu, it's perfect for that. I HAVE a good-size Condor machete and an ESEE Junglas, but mostly use those around home. I rarely bring such large blades camping, though I admit I'm addicted to chopping with them just for fun.
For starting the fire, I usually use a combination of:
* Cotton balls that I pre-soak in vaseline and bring along in a ziplock bag.
* Occasionally I will make a feather-stick, just because I want to keep up the practice.
* Use my Swedish steel to get the sparks. Again, to keep up the skill. If I'm in a hurry I just use a lighter.
* Dead wood that is low-hanging and still attached to trees. This means it is up off the ground and usually well dried, especially if living branches above are shielding it from direct precipitation.
* Dead wood that is INSIDE toward the center of dead/rotting stumps.
* Small pieces off of downed trees and branches
For "processing" it, I'm pretty low-tech:
* Pick up or break off whatever I can--and often this suffices without having to cut a single thing.
* When needed to saw off pieces, I use a Silky "Top gun" folding saw; has a 9" blade but only weight about 8 oz and cuts incredibly fast. I don't bring an axe at all, anymore. I'm not AGAINST axes, they are probably the ideal tool for the job. For carving a living out of the wilderness, LIttle House on the Prairie style, I'd definitely want an axe. However for my camping needs, they are just too heavy, the risk of injury is greater, and the fact is, I just plain don't NEED one just to start a fire.
* I do VERY little batoning. When I do, I use a 4.5" to 5" fixed blade with a piece of wood to split larger chunks of usually 3" to 5" in diameter, into a set of smaller pieces. Current favorite knife for batoning is my Swamp Rat Ratmandu, it's perfect for that. I HAVE a good-size Condor machete and an ESEE Junglas, but mostly use those around home. I rarely bring such large blades camping, though I admit I'm addicted to chopping with them just for fun.
For starting the fire, I usually use a combination of:
* Cotton balls that I pre-soak in vaseline and bring along in a ziplock bag.
* Occasionally I will make a feather-stick, just because I want to keep up the practice.
* Use my Swedish steel to get the sparks. Again, to keep up the skill. If I'm in a hurry I just use a lighter.