TAOutdoor: Bushcraft Skills – 1000 Year Old Traditional Techniques (Axe, Saw, Billhook)

Bushcraft skills will be important and can be helpful in moving one towards the 18th century skills and sustainable technology that can establish and maintain a community in austere environments. It will take a community effort to get it done. Even if I do not have all the knowledge and skills of this fellow today, processing the fundamentals in terms of tools and basic skills that can evolve, once challenged, can be an adequate strategy.

Necessity is the Mother of invention and a ‘Can Do’ attitude. Establishing ourselves or others with shelter and a small farm operation, can be done in layers. For example, we could use a chain saw to speed the construction of a tiny cabin and pile up wood for several years, and to construct fencing at the on set. Once the gas is gone, or the chain saw is broken, I can make or use a small, or large D saw, and use a two-man, or one man crosscut saw I purchased years ago at an antique store cheap. The last time one of my saws was sharpen and used was over 100 years ago, yet it cuts surprisingly well. To wit, it was not so long ago that the USFS used these old cross cut saws, about 50 years ago, to clear and establish trails. Yet we should have the files, and the know how to keep these saws cutting efficiently as we would keep our chainsaw chain sharp, and the saw running. Low tech is the most sustainable tech. Today, I must fix one of my chainsaws if I have the parts, while one the many cross cut saws hanging on the wall wait for their turn. Fire, and a wood stove, are necessary for life here in Montana, however, knowledge without the requisite tools, is not as valuable. Of course, yes, I can chop down a tree with an AK, but it takes a lot of ammo to make fire wood.

Brushcraft as popularly defined, has it’s limits. It would be tough to cut wood with stone tools. Therefore, acquire the basic tools that the pioneers used to conquer the West. While food should be of primary concern at this time, yet to sustain life in austere and hostile environment, there needs to be a sensible balance of tools and skills. During WW1, the German army stuck in Africa, was cut off from resupply. Because their General learned to live off the land and used the knowledge of the local natives, they fought on for years. Mac Author did the same when he used combined U.S forces and Filipino troops to create an effective guerilla resistance in the mountains. They used low tech and crude means to sustain the operation, along side a few essential high tech tools of the day, namely HF radio, to get the job done. They served mainly as the necessary intelligence effort that made Mac Author’s return to the Philippines possible.

Without the combined knowledge, skills, and tools of the Filipinos, and U.S. troops, Navy, Army and Marines, it would not have happened. Mac Arthur retired with 52 years of service, and was one of our greatest Generals. We won WW2 because of his earliest, and his continued efforts through out that war. Save for a very few rare examples, one of whom I actually know, and whom fought on Iwo Jima, sadly, our greatest generation is now gone. I can happily report however, that he is currently fight mad today.