Axe Skills

Axe skills are the know-how for using an axe safely and well: choosing the right axe, holding and carrying it properly and splitting wood for a fire. It's a core bushcraft skill that people have relied on for thousands of years. Learning it teaches respect for tools, care for others and a real sense of achievement.

A hatchet is a small, light axe with a short handle, made to be used with one hand. It's the classic bushcraft axe for splitting kindling and small logs, and it's the one beginners usually start with.

A splitting axe has a heavy, wedge-shaped head that pushes wood fibres apart, which makes it good for bigger logs. A splitting maul is its even heavier cousin.

A felling axe has a thinner, sharper blade for cutting across the grain, which is how trees were traditionally cut down.

Every axe has the same basic parts. The head is the metal part, the bit is the sharp edge, the poll is the blunt back and the handle is sometimes called the haft.

It always starts with safety. Your Activity Leader shows you how to carry an axe with the head pointing down and the blade covered, how to pass it handle first and how to keep a clear space around you, so nobody is within reach of a swing.

Then it's time to split. You work on a chopping block, a sturdy stump that keeps the wood at a safe height. You learn to read the grain, look for natural cracks and aim so the axe follows through into the block, never towards your legs. With smaller pieces, many people rest the blade on the wood and tap both down onto the block together. Bit by bit, a log becomes a neat pile of kindling. Fitting, really.

Yes, when they're taught carefully. Learning to handle a real tool builds confidence and responsibility, and children are often very proud to be trusted with it. Your Activity Leader works closely with everyone, using small hatchets and slow, steady technique. It's a lovely one to do alongside your child too, and the kindling you make is genuinely useful for a campfire.

Closed-toe shoes are a must, ideally sturdy ones like trainers or boots. Long trousers help protect your legs. Avoid loose sleeves or scarves that could get in the way of your swing, and tie back long hair.

You might also like Fire Lighting, Wood Whittling and Axe Throwing.

See all Camp Kindling activities