Basic knowledge of knives useful for camping, taught by Mora knife evangelist Shuhei Nagano

It would be a little cool if you could use a outdoor knife in case of emergency at camp. However, since there are various types, I don’t know what to buy, and I don’t really know how to use it when I bought it. For such lost lambs, knife specialist Shuhei Nagano will teach you the basic techniques of knives that can be used in camping.

Basic knife techniques that campers should remember

As I mentioned in the previous article, how to choose a knife that is useful for camping. This time, I will go one step further and tell you the basics of practical techniques that are useful in the camping scene if you remember.

Basic knowledge of knives useful for camping, taught by Mora knife evangelist Shuhei Nagano.

Mr. Nagano, a master of knives, teaches techniques useful for camping

Mr. Shuhei Nagano will continue to teach us. He is also active as a Japanese and Taiwanese ambassador for the Swedish knife maker “Mora Knife”, and is a master of knives who holds workshops all over the country as a craft writer using natural materials at work.

Many people don’t know how to use a knife correctly. I’m also my own style (laughs). If you start with the three basic techniques, you will be able to apply them in various ways.

Let’s start with the basic techniques.

The first basic technique you want to learn is “drop”, “cut”, and “shave”.

There are many things you can do with a knife, but the first thing to remember is the three types introduced here. Pick up the branches that have fallen in the campsite and practice!

Technique to drop branches

The branches of the tree have fibers in a wedge shape that points downwards, so the direction in which the knife is pointed is important. With the branch upside down as shown in the photo, put the blade on the root of the branch you want to drop.

At that time, you should pay attention to the position of your feet. A large artery runs through the inner thigh, so if the blade accidentally hits it, it can cause serious life-threatening injuries. Place the branches on the outside of your foot so that the knife blade does not hit your foot.

The trick is to put your weight on the knife with the blade facing down, and pull the branches toward you. It is easier to transmit the force because it is closer to the grip if you do it at the root instead of the tip of the blade.

Technique to cut branches

First, place the branch you want to cut on a flat surface as much as possible. Ideally, the branches do not float and stick together. Once the branches are fixed, just place the base of the blade where you want to cut it and tap the back of the knife with firewood or a mallet. If it is a branch with a diameter of about 2 cm, it can be cut quickly with one or two shots.

Even at this time, you need to pay attention to the position of your body when working. It depends on the hardness and thickness of the branch, but if you fail, it is dangerous when the knife comes off completely. Instead of working in the center of your body, try to move away from your body.

Technique to cut wood

There are two main methods of shaving. Either “fix the material” or “fix the knife” is a good idea. If you want to “fix the material”, place the branch on your foot to stabilize it.

The knife has a firm grip, so you can work with the base of the blade. This method is also the easiest to do when making feather sticks. Make sure that there are no people in the direction of the knife before working.

If you have a harder wood, want to shave deeper, or want to shave flat, a good way to do this is to “fix the knife”. This is an example of fixing at the chest. Hold the knife with your thumb pointing up and the fist on your body.

It is easier to work if you push the chest forward while moving the material.

Use the tip of the blade for finer and more delicate cutting. At this time, change the grip and put your thumb on your back to make it easier to control the knife.

The blade can be cut thinner by hitting it diagonally than by hitting it perpendicular to the material. When making skewers and chopsticks from branches, this delicate movement is important, so it’s a good idea to practice.

Now that you have learned the three basic methods of shaving, let’s try “battoning” that can be used more practically in the field!

Let’s master the correct “battoning”

Batoning is the work of breaking firewood with a knife. I learned how to do it easily even for beginners without damaging the cutting edge.

Check if there are any knots

The most important task in batoning is the confirmation of “sections”. If the knot is in the middle, it will get caught even if the knife is inserted, and the cut end will bend. If there is a knot, avoid it and decide where to insert the knife.

Tap the back of the knife to make it bite.

Place the base of the knife in a position where it will not get caught in the knot, and tap the back lightly. It is OK if the cutting-edge bites into the firewood.

Gently tap the tip of the knife

Next, hit the tip of the knife coming out of the firewood. At this time, you don’t have to put too much force. You can also prevent the blade from chipping by tapping it with a certain amount of force.

Hit to the root with a constant rhythm

If there is no “knot”, it will crack cleanly with a light tap. If you miss it and find a knot, don’t hit it with force, pull out the knife and try again to avoid the knot.

What kind of knife is suitable for batoning?

Since batoning causes the blade of the knife to bite into the firewood, it is easier to do with a knife with a thickness of 3.2 mm or more.

I used a model called “Garberg” from Mora Knife. It is sturdy because it has a full tongue structure in which the blade penetrates to the back of the handle. It is hard to bend or break even if you twist or hit it, so it is recommended if you use it for batoning main.

There are two types of “Garberg” blades, stainless steel and carbon steel. The price is a few dollars, but considering the ease of maintenance, stainless steel is easier for beginners to handle, says Nagano.

If you want to do batoning at the campsite anyway, let’s refer to it.

Mora knife Garberg multi-mount

Blade length: Approximately 109mm
Overall length: Approximately 229 mm
Blade thickness: Approximately 3.2mm
Weight: Approximately 170g (weight of knife only)

If you master the basic tech, you can custom something like this

These works are woodworking craft works made by Mr. Nagano at workshops. It is made from the fallen branches by making full use of the basic techniques of cutting, shaving, and tying.

From the left, there are various shapes and purposes such as mallets for batoning, skewers for BBQ, spatula, shuriken, chopsticks, clips, hangers, hooks, but anyone who knows the basics of knives can make it immediately. world.

It would be really cool if I could go to a campsite and custom something like this from the fallen branches! This has no choice but to practice!

If you can master the knife, the fun of camping will expand.

There are many nice knives that can be used in camping, but the basic technique is the same for all knives. First of all, why not get one of your favorites and practice various things during the camp?

He would be a little cool if he could use a knife in the event of a camp. However, since there are various types, I don’t know what to buy, and I don’t really know how to use it when I bought it. For such lost lambs, we asked knife specialist Shuhei Nagano about the basic knowledge of knives that can be used in camping.

The basic “key” of a knife that campers want to remember

Hand image of handling a knife “I hesitate to buy a knife because it seems difficult to handle …”. Or, isn’t there a surprisingly large number of people who say, “I bought it, but I haven’t used it so much and it has become a decoration”? The author like this is also a group who bought it but couldn’t use it.

Therefore, this time, Mr. Shuhei Nagano, who is familiar with knives every day as a craft writer, will give a lecture on the basics of knives that are useful for camping. We will deliver plenty of basic knowledge [Introduction] and techniques [Practice], before and after.

He is also a Swedish official ambassador, Mr. Nagano

Shuhei Nagano “I love living with blades,” says Shuhei Nagano, a so-called blade specialist who practices a custom life that makes full use of various blades, from his home to living tools and cooking.

He is also active as a Japanese and Taiwanese ambassador for the Swedish knife maker “Mora Knife”, and in his work as a craftsman using natural materials, he holds workshops all over the country.

We invited Mr. Nagano as a lecturer to teach us the basic knowledge of knives that we should know by focusing on the camping scene.

There are two things to look out for when choosing a camping knife.

Mora knives are widely loved both inside and outside the EDC genre because they are simple and sturdy and are reasonably priced. Even if it is for camping, the number of lineups is abundant. Finding the one that suits you best is a daunting task for knife beginners.

Mora knives are divided into several categories, and if you use them in camping, you should focus on the “EDC” series. However, as you can see, there are various personalities such as the length of the blade and the shape of the handle.

Therefore, in order to narrow down from here, it is best to first pay attention to the difference in materials and the shape of the back.

Which should I choose, stainless steel or carbon?

There are two main materials for knives, stainless steel and carbon steel. You won’t notice it at first glance, but if you look closely, you can see that the letters “CARBON” and “STAINLESS” are engraved on the surface of the knife.

Stainless steel does not rust easily and its sharpness is maintained, so there is no problem even if maintenance is skipped a little. The sharpness is slimy.

On the other hand, carbon is easy to rust, so diligent maintenance is essential, but the sharpness is very sharp.

As long as you don’t do fine woodworking crafts, stainless steel is enough for beginners. The price is cheaper than carbon and it is easy to get.

Focus on the shape of the spine rather than the length of the blade

Knives tend to focus on the length of the blade, but “for camping, you should pay attention to the thickness of the back and the presence or absence of edges,” says Nagano.

The thickness is generally around 2.0mm, 2.5mm and 3.2mm. If it is for cooking, the thinner one is easier to cut, but if it is also used for chopping wood for batoning, the thicker one is easier to cut.

If you use a knife to rub the firestick, be sure to choose a square type with a non-curled back.

The left side of the photo is 2.5 mm thick and has a rounded back, and the right side is 3.2 mm thick and has a square back. Make sure to choose the one that suits your style.

The next thing to remember is the basic grip of the knife.

How to hold the knife depends on the purpose of work

When making a feather stick, hold it in a position where you feel it is easy to grip.

The part of the blade used for the knife changes depending on the work. The work of cutting wood, such as feather sticks, is the operation of moving the cutting edge from top to bottom using the base of the blade. Let’s do it in the position that is easiest to grip so that the force is transmitted firmly.

When making chopsticks or skewers, hold it in a position where you can easily move the cutting edge.

Next, when making chopsticks or skewers for barbecue using branches, it is a fine movement to use the tip of the blade. Place your thumb on the back as shown in the photo and shorten the stroke of the blade to stabilize the knife.

When cutting the rope, hold it “with your thumb up”

When cutting the rope, the point is to press the knife against the body and push the body forward together with the knife, and do not move the knife itself. If you grip it so that your thumb is on top, the knife can be firmly fixed, so you can work safely without the knife blade moving in an unexpected direction even at the moment when the rope breaks.

Next is “how to put the knife”. There seems to be a good reason for that placement, which many people have seen.

There was a reason why the knife wasn’t just cool!

A knife stuck in a log that you often see. It looks cool, but it’s also a good way to put a knife when you’re temporarily interrupting your work.

If you want to start working immediately, it is recommended to stick it in a tree because it is conspicuous and easy to pick up. Leaving it on a table or on the ground makes it difficult for others to notice and may cause unexpected injuries.

Some knives come with a sheath (storage case). If you’re not used to stabbing a tree, be very careful, and if it’s difficult, try to put it in a sheath every time.

If the sheath has a locking mechanism, press it firmly with the palm of your hand to check for a click or a click. If you enter it halfway, it may come off and fall, so be careful.

We also asked about the maintenance that is indispensable for using your favorite knife for a long time.

Maintenance method to maintain sharpness

Even though the stainless steel material has a long-lasting sharpness, “If possible, please sharpen it lightly after using it,” says Nagano. It’s a good idea to buy a sharpener along with the knife.

When sharpening, place a sharpener according to the angle of the blade of the knife and slide it gently from the root of the blade toward the tip of the blade. After that, if you slide it from the root to the cutting edge in the same way with a little more angle as shown in the picture, the blade will be attached.

It only takes about 1 minute, so you can guarantee the sharpness just by doing this.

Mora knife diamond sharpener

Overall length: Approximately 15 cm
Country of origin: Sweden

Now that I know the basics of knives, I have listed one recommended one that is useful for camping.

This is the best knife for camping that Mr. Nagano chooses!

Among the many knives, Mora Knife’s “Companion Spark” was chosen as the best fit for the camping scene.

This is the recommended first camping knife. Since the blade thickness is 2.5 mm, it can be used for cooking, and if it is a thin firewood, it can also handle batoning (work of breaking firewood with a knife).

Since the fire starter is stored inside the handle, you can also start a fire.

When igniting with a fire stick, it is best to put the loosened twine on a small board. Many people try to do it on the bonfire, but I don’t recommend it because the knife cannot be fixed and it is dangerous.

The trick is to place the hand holding the knife on the instep, hold it in place, and pull the firestick to move it.

It is OK if you move the ignited fire to the bonfire while keeping it on the board. Let’s try it with our recommended knife!

Mora Knife Companion Spark

Pattern material: Rubber
Blade material: Stainless steel
Blade length: Approximately 104mm
Overall length: Approximately 238 mm
Blade thickness: Approximately 2.5 mm
Weight: Approximately 92g (weight of knife only)
Accessories: Plastic Sheath Fire Starter Paracord

If you know the basics, you will want to play with a knife more

Did you understand how to choose a knife and how to handle it basically? If you don’t have one, try one at the next camp if you already have one.

And next time, as a practical edition, I will introduce techniques that can be used at the time of camping. Please look forward to this as well!

Click to have more Shieldon EDC knives and tools fun.

Shieldon、Facebook、Instagram、YouTube、Twitter、Tumblr、Pinterest