A hatchet is a miniature type of axe that can come in handy when camping. It can as well be a lifesaver when out in the woods. Mostly, a hatchet is described as a beautifully-designed and lightweight tool that works quite effectively in cutting and hammering. You can chop woods and clear paths in the woods without a dime.
A hatchet is scaled down from an ordinary axe that makes it a compact tool for single-handed use. You can do much more with a hatchet, but it may take you a little bit more time and oomph to get things done. It will take a short time than a penknife that would not cut down seasoned stumps or clear out thick vegetation. I will describe herein different ways to use a hatchet on camping and survival, and move you to pick one up and make good use of it.
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Putting up a shelter
Building a shelter out in the jungle has never been this easy with a hatchet. This tool is more than two in one. It can be useful in finding the right materials for setting up shelter when out camping. You can cut down bamboo branches and filter branches with ease. You still can split bamboo into small useful pieces, faster than an ordinary machete. You still can use the hammering side to drive nails into wood.
The hammering side is designed with more force than an ordinary hummer. This makes it even applicable in joining pieces of wood with nails. It will get you making a more strong shelter for camping, without also having to carry a hammer with you, thus reducing your camping luggage. If you have to crush some rocks, the hatchet hammer will do it with a bang!
Splitting wood
Hatchets are ideal in cutting and splitting wood. You can chop off small pieces of wood from a large block to make firewood that can catch fire fast. You only need to hold the hatchet at the right angle to shave the wood and cut out extremely thin splinters. You can use the splinters to light a fire, especially if you do not have access to pieces of paper or grass. You must be careful when swinging the hatchet to avoid injuring your fingers. With safety in mind and practice, splitting wood will be akin to a walk in the park.
The thin pieces of wood can be used in stabilizing a broken limb. Sometimes accidents occur in the jungle. Your friend can trip, fall and sprain a leg or twist his or her arm. This can be painful. The perfect way to deal with this is to stabilize it to prevent further injury or reduce the pain. You can use a hatchet to chop splints nicely and wrap them with bush vines around the injured limb, for maximum stability. Ensure that splints are somewhat the size of the limb and placed on all sides of the limb to boost comfort. This technique can be used as you wait for professional healthcare.
Breaking ice
A hatchet can be a lifesaver when you need to break the ice and access drinking water. It is uniquely designed to cut and curve, which makes it easy for you to dig up a hole in a jiffy and with little effort. The sharp cutting edge comes with different designs, with some hatchets having a hammering side on the other end that you can use to reinforce a shot on crusty ice.
The short and light handle, mostly made of wood, is finely-done. It makes it possible for you to get a good swing that does not match that of a pocket knife. You have to exercise some caution when breaking the ice, especially on a frozen lake or river. A hatchet can do a lot of damage than you expect. It can crack a thick layer of ice, leaving you trapped under water.
Read Also: 10 Reasons Why You Should Keep an Axe While Camping
Curving out essential tools
A hatchet can save you a lot more than you thought, particularly, if you find yourself in the middle of the jungle without any other essential tool in hand but a hatchet. You can cut down branches and stalks, and begin curving a fishing tool. You can as well curve a spear that you will need to protect you as you find your way out of the forest.
The list does not stop there. You can kill boredom by curving a digging tool that will help you uproot edible tubers or even dig to find water in the ground. Nothing will stop you from curving a bowl or plate from a piece of wood that you will use to scope water or tap rainwater in the tropical forest.
Defense tool
You have no reason to worry if you have a hatchet in hand when out camping. A hatchet is designed to give you maximum defense even when you come up-close and personal with an enemy. A hatchet is more effective than a knife based on the extent of damage it can cause to a predator.
With a sudden gust of energy and confidence, you can swing into action, knowing that a single hit can send an attacker sprawling away for its life. A hatchet can inflict a deep and painful cut on the skin of a wild animal, such as a wild pig, leaving it completely immobilized. This can give you some time to escape or scamper for safety.
A hatchet is a handy tool. Of course, camping requires you to carry small and extra light tools that can still perform like other large tools. Sometimes, all you want is a cutting tool that can get you across thick vegetation, to the other end, to your survival. A hatchet makes it less taxing for you to cover great distances in the forest without feeling the weight of your luggage. Other comparable tools can wear you down, further leaving you stranded or at risk.
With minimal safety skills in check, you can use a hatchet to do almost everything in a campsite. Talk of safety, a hatchet can be the only weapon between you and your enemy. Where your pocket knife will fail, your hatchet will hack with a swing!