A different way to cut kindling

Monotony is the water that causes mental rust, and spinning gears don't seize. So change it up.
Did that metaphor make sense? Umm, axe hatchet ax fire survival cut kindling bushcraft splitting whatever. I'm not in the mood to write now. Go read my other descriptions.
Oh, an egg: there's an unlisted video in this video.

[@pocket83squared]

This message has self-destructed.

[@guyver5er412]

So this is basically a variation of batoning

[@pocket83squared]

...which is a variation of a froe/mallet, which is a variation of a wedge, which is a variation of an inclined plane, blah blah blah. Remember the premise of the video: nothing original, all just a rearrangement of the pieces. Call it whatever you want.

[@FreeMathTutor]

hahaha this is so [REDACTED]

[@MrUnkownGuyAC]

Great, so now I can't watch videos on my own pace? Guess I'll have to turn on live notifications :(

[@tylergarza8695]

@@MrUnkownGuyAC You can still watch the video. why are you like this.

[@gizanked]

Pocket's new side business: handcrafted artisinal toothpicks.

[@willmontgomery79]

Your videos are a great way for me to de-stress. I really enjoy your unique style of content Pocket, never change.

[@MrUnkownGuyAC]

He is like a dad who just casually talks to you about his experiences in life while you also learn at the same time. It's so relaxing!

[@willmontgomery79]

@@MrUnkownGuyAC That is a great way of putting it, his general apathy to anything negative or semantic is also pretty great to listen too.

[@simidhel]

When I first began watching your content long ago, I did so simply to see the physical output of your endeavors, but I've come to realize that, whilst rewarding in and of themselves, they are perhaps merely byproducts compared to the true value of witnessing the consistently erudite nature of your reasoning and approaches and the ability to always express these thought processes in such an entertaining manner, so thank you.

[@actualgarbage8807]

Hey, pocket just wanted to say thank you. Your videos have always have been appealing to me in the sense of, exploration and just different. You always relate to your audience. I love little videos like this doing little odd jobs and telling stories you've gotten me through a lot of tough times but videos like these and almost all of your videos are just really solemn and comforting, anyway thats all. Keep up the amazing work!

[@MaxPowerCrafts]

"Remember to cut toward yourself in a SHARP Jerking Motion." - I also totally agree, experience helps you know when to cut how heh.

[@TheCaphits]

I think I get it. The knives are all dull because they are all being used. That's a good thing. The easiest way to keep a knife sharp is by never using it. The best way to keep bandages away is by never doing anything that could ever hurt you, no matter the loss. Cool simile, or whatever it's supposed to be called.

[@i.g.noreme825]

*Local man has enough kindling to burn the entire village*

[@LaughingTeapot]

Some of your content is pure ASMR...

[@LaughingTeapot]

Also: Thank your for the upload. Have a pleasant weekend.

[@EnkinduGamer]

Can't do it without you, brother. Don't stop making videos.

[@RobertMilesAI]

"No one would say that what they were doing was complicated. It wouldn't even be considered new, except for maybe in the geological sense. They took from their surroundings what was needed and made of it something more."

[@ElectricPhantasmagoria]

I’m always amazed at seeing such useful ways of doing stuff I’ve never seen. Very similar to this in form is how you make very fine feathersticks for fire lighting. You put a knife, machete or ax into a log just like this and face the blade away from you. You pull a piece of wood toward you and depending on your pressure across the blade with your stick you vary the thickness of the curls. This method you demonstrated makes it easiest to make very small kindling with an ax only. Less effort and more precise control than the normal hold the ax by the head method.

[@cryowreck3193]

I know that it probably isn't for me to say because I don't know anything, but you seem like a good guy. I hope that you've had a nice day/morning/evening.

[@IohsmdIglomdrnIjsmsIhafmIafmli]

Please do more videos of you cutting wood and rambling, love the vids keep it up 👍

[@RobertMilesAI]

The way I think about "cut away from yourself" is that it's more like "cut as if the workpiece could instantaneously vanish at any moment". Never be in a situation where you're relying on the blade's engagement with the work to keep you from cutting yourself. So like, a drawknife is fine to pull towards yourself, because there's no amount of slipping that's going to make you cut yourself. Cutting a piece of apple against your thumb is probably fine too as long as you're not applying loads of force. I really do find that constantly imagining the object vanishing is a good habit/intuition

[@pocket83squared]

When I see the words 'never' or 'always,' my mind instantly starts looking for exceptions. 'Always cut away from yourself' is a great maxim for beginners, but for those of us who keep moving forward with further skill development, encapsulations like that just end up bags of bricks that we'll eventually drop. With your example of the apple, one who has done it enough before will position the hands very deliberately, so that the rotation keeps even a hard slip from going too deep into the skin. As we get better, we will more closely find the limit, and so we can then take on more risk (if we think it's worth it). Now that I'm middle-aged, I can slice an apple right through, stopping the knife perfectly against my skin. The chance of a wound is almost zero. The tough part here (as a video presenter) is in reading the daily warnings from those who are less skilled, as they keep referring back to all those original rules I was forced to memorize as a kid. Why is it so tough? Because telling them that their rules are imperfect is both honest and misleading at the same time. TL;DR: once you can 'imagine the object vanishing,' I guess you can forget all those 'never cut this way' rules.

[@Jesses001]

I never cut kindling. I find there are always left over bits after splitting, and sticks are all over the place, so I never need to add more.

[@VagabondTE]

Forgive me if I get a bit philosophical and deep for a moment.. Being an inventor is a very important part of my identity. But when I was younger I had a bit of a crisis that inventing something was impossible. I'm religious, but more importantly I believe in a sort of God in a philosophical sense. The omnipotent ideal, like Socrates' the forms, the unmoving mover, or just the unconscious will of the universe, they are all-inclusive. "If anything can be anything then everything is everything." - Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings My realization as a young lad was that I could never truly invent anything. All I could do was push the dirt around. "Rearrange the pieces" exactly as you said. This.. absolutely crushed me. My biggest dream in life, my ultimate achievement to be a recognized inventor, to create something truly new, and God said No. But that's when I realized the importance of perspective. We humans and our lives are not omnipotent. In the mind anything we know can potentially be anything, but we still can't reach everything. We are limited. Created in God's image, but not gods ourselves. No, I cannot create something truly new, but I can create something new from our perspective. Perhaps even something that no human has ever seen before. A combination of dirt and pieces moved around in my little corner of the sandbox. And I was happy with that. I am an inventor, and I love to show the world to things I make. I would say this is what you are too. If you don't identify this way or your creations as inventions, then I'm not going to force it on you. But it's incredibly inspiring and kind of why I fangirl over your channel sometimes. I'm not one for celebrities. I don't care for people who are beloved by people simply because they are beloved by many people. But someone who has a massive collection the videos, ideas, talks, and a garage full of oddities, beautiful sculptures, original tools and creations. That's someone to admire. And to be a bit jealous of, in a good way. TLDR, reinventing the wheel is still inventing. LoL

[@pocket83squared]

I invented the "Rubik's Bricks" puzzle. All by myself. It was one of the ideas that I'm still most proud of, just for its design elegance and beauty. Thing that sucks is that I wasn't the first person to invent it! Truth is, we stumble upon our ideas. The term implies an agent worth accreditation, but that's high-horse thinking. We are at the mercy of circumstance. Some of us are born to families with resources, others with brains, and still others with sickness. The great emancipator is education, that any of us might make use of and amplify what little luck we've been given, and unlock a hidden capacity. This is a world that works on the back of an endless causal chain, and while you might call it something like Spinoza's natural god, it's just numerical necessity to me, and further is just the post-hoc rationale of pattern laid over it, as 'perspective.' Nevertheless, you certainly owe me no apology; I'm flattered just to have any of your attention. Still, credit where it's due. It does sting when people tell me how stupid my ideas are. lol. That PVC shed latch burns me twice a week. Some people _hate_ inventions! I don't get that perspective.

[@VagabondTE]

@@pocket83squared What's wrong with the PVC shed latch? The one with the golf ball and the little "c" of PVC? The heck is wrong with that? Didn't somebody else did a video adapting off of it with just two pieces of PVC.

[@pocket83squared]

I don't know. I don't think guys like you and I _can_ know! Some people just hate it. They become irate that I didn't just buy a latch or use magnets. Something to do with wasted time, mostly. It's really weird. Some people just have a bizarre visceral reaction to things you might never guess. It's just one of the strange aspects of showing an idea to over a million people. Just think about the statistics: one in a million? Sure, at least a few of those are likely to have some type of golf-ball related disorder, right? Some of them are downright creepy, to be honest.

[@VagabondTE]

@@pocket83squared LOL

[@bhoiiii]

I would buy pocket83 bandaids. I’m tired of all the regular ones on my hands. I’m constantly “improving”. Cheers sir.

[@pocket83squared]

In fact, I was thinking about making that video. Make your own: use paper medical tape, a small pad of gauze, and petroleum jelly. Don't use products that "promote faster healing," unless advised to by a doctor. On a clean razor cut, butterflies can be avoided by using CA glue and baking soda. Even stitches can be avoided in many cases with a skillful dressing. Opportunity cost of a wound staying shut is a foreign body that provides multiple vectors for infection with an overused antibiotic as a follow-through? No thanks, Doc- I think I'm probably better qualified to make that determination myself; I've healed *thousands* of cuts on my own. Liability has forced doctors into a 'better-to-stay-on-the-safe-side' mentality that has drastically reduced their utility. Treatment over cure. Same thing with those stupid opioid pills. Shame.

[@bhoiiii]

pocket83² Little known that most hospitals just use petroleum jelly, not Neosporin or similar. I’m not sure where I picked that up.

[@gozinta82]

My father and I were exactly the same. He never got why I didn't do what he told me to do. I did it to find out what made it work, and why my idea didn't work. What was the threshold, and how come? I can relate. You learn more, imho. Edit: Seems like you answered your own question :) I have some questions....By doing kindling this way, do you save your blade? stress on your axe? stress on your arms/shoulders? Seems like you have more precision and control this way.

[@Ms.Nightshade]

Pocket, your alternative methods of thinking are always amazing! Keep it up! :D

[@ryannkeenan9528]

“Don’t push with your hand, it’s not worth it”, proceeds to push with hand

[@pocket83squared]

Makes comment on video about doing things differently, makes comment in the style of an overused meme

[@ryannkeenan9528]

pocket83² makes reply to over used meme, while making an over used meme

[@Cadwaladr]

That's a cool idea, I'm gonna try that. I also like the idea I saw from Torbjorn Ahman, he split kindling on the anvil using his hot-cut hardie tool, but we don't all have one of those; I do have an axe and a block to stick it in.

[@samnottheotherone4363]

They aren't that hard to make.

[@Cadwaladr]

@@samnottheotherone4363 They are if you're not a blacksmith. I do it a little bit now and then, but all I have for an anvil is a 20 lb block of mild steel, and that ain't got a hardie hole in it. An alternative might be to sharpen one edge of a piece of angle iron and then screw that down to the top of a log; it would work for splitting kindling, at least.

[@mr.mickles]

We often do this while camping. You can also stand on the opposite side of the blade and pull the wood past to make shavings. Very safe way of doing things.

[@kathleenzimmerman8227]

I LOVE how you think "out of the box". And, yes ... I find splitting kindling therapeutic, too.

[@RobEnbody]

Did you ever tell your Dad? Seems that info would bring a frustrated father both pride and relief. Great tip on the hit the center to avoid run out. I've run into that before but never really put much thought into it and you might have just saved me frustration in the future, thank you!

[@MusicalBox]

My blood pressure before watching this video : 144/86. After the video : 125/80. Makes me feel a bit dizzy. In a good way.

[@ironhead65]

Would you consider, you invented your game? Good ole Iso-Path!

[@pocket83squared]

you know, in the description of that video, I even wrote something about that. It just seems hard to believe that something like it didn't exist before- I mean, at some time before written history. It's mine now, since there is no record of it ever existing before. But people have been bored and thinking for a very, very, very long time. Hopefully they'll find it in some ancient tomb, and then maybe it'll get some of the attention it deserves!

[@jonkowalik]

"Dont push with your hand, it's not worth it." Then he pushed with his hand....

[@pocket83squared]

HAHAHA ha ah ahahahah aha ha! Fuck off. Inconsistency finger-pointers are so annoying.

[@NAJALU]

He had just mentioned how the rule of thumb "always cut away from you" can be selectively ignored once you are skilled enough. In a similar fashion, someone unfamiliar with this technique shouldn't push with their hand until they have a feel for what can safely be pushed manually. Pretty consistent message wise, if you ask me.

[@jonkowalik]

Awwww..... I love your channels. Just pointing out something funny. Didn't mean to offend. Apologies.

[@pocket83squared]

No worries. Didn't mean to offend you, either. But seriously, inconsistency hunters are tedious. If this video moves above a few ten-thousands, it gets rough. Sorry I cursed at you.

[@DarknessLPs]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who uses one of those 'fancy mallets'. Thanks for another great video Pocket!

[@pocket83squared]

Love those things. I think I started using those after watching *Skillcult.* It's technically called a _Froe Mallet_ I think.

[@grandolddrummer]

I moved to a new place recently and lost a mallet in the process. This reminded me to make a new one. Thanks!

[@tobira66]

“I have never claimed to invent anything” ... except for your board game! :) I like that invention of yours!

[@grayeaglej]

If women don't find ya handsome, they should at least find ya handy. I'm pullin' for ya, we're all in this together. ;D

[@lukearts2954]

thank you for that awesome insight on reasons for not "listening" to your dad... I know this is far from a parenting channel, but that insight will make me a better dad to my son. :) (not kidding)

[@pocket83squared]

Wow, that's great. You know Neil DeGrasse Tyson- the big, talkative black guy who's an astrophysicist? He made me think about ornery kids in a new way: he compared a toddler banging pots and pans to the experimental mindset. As such, he held parents culpable for any potential stifling of a child's creative enthusiasm, calling the pot-banging an "experiment in acoustics." We soooo take for granted the fact that everything we know, we've learned. So you gotta cut kids a break. Sorry, dad; as a natural-born skeptic, I was simply awful.

[@lukearts2954]

@@pocket83squared yes, experimenting and being allowed to experiment determines our rate and extent of growth. I already knew that throwing stuff on the ground helps babies and toddlers develop spatial awareness and three dimensional reasoning. But looking at the not following of instructions because of acceptance instead of refusal, will give me so much more patience. It may even make me join him in the search for other ways... And looking for other ways doesn't necessarily mean that there's a doubt about the value of the existing methods, but merely the curiosity to discover whatever is outside the box... I love it! It's an area where intelligence can thrive and where the gifted can feel at home instead of outcast.

[@ruthiewrangler9864]

Try getting a Q-Ray bracelet. I had horrific tendonitis in my elbow from years in Mfg. Started wearing the bracelet. Gone. No pain. Worth a try. I love all the different things you think of to share. Busy man you are. And quite the thinker.

[@pocket83squared]

Thank you for the nice words, but no thank you on the magical bracelet. If your tendonitis has recovered, it might be correlated with wearing a certain piece of jewelry, but causation is a horse of a different color. There is certainly some stuff out there that can make a person wonder. And also plenty of stuff that science does not yet understand. But there are no healing powers in copper, crystals, pendants, or any of the other "non-traditional" remedies out there, beyond the wondrous affects of the placebo. _Believing_ works, and I believe my elbow is overworked! Sorry to be so critical when you're just being kind. I'm kind of a de-bunker, which also makes me a stick-in-the-mud.

[@ruthiewrangler9864]

@@pocket83squared Thank you for the awesome response. I do agree with you about crystals, copper and stuff. I am a believer and being pain free is a blessing. ( However it happened). I love your view on life so keep sharing. You are a realist. Which is why your videos are so appealing. Take care.

[@samdovermann2147]

"don't push with your hand, it's not worth it." *proceeds tp push with his hand*

[@pocket83squared]

Wants to be clever and original. *Uses a meme to point out minor inconsistencies on the internet.*

[@jamesshea4534]

"Don't push with your fingers...it's not worth it.". Proceeds to push the next 10 pieces with his fingers.

[@pocket83squared]

Through. Through. Through! That's not irony, stupid. You have to use your fingers in some capacity. God, you people are petty.

[@jamesshea4534]

@@pocket83squared classy, articulate answer! You mad, bro? Get out of the shop more often. You're too sensitive. You need sunshine. Peace.

[@pocket83squared]

Wow. Clever. Patronizing, memes, platitudes, and value judgments- all in one comment. Yeah, you've got the class alright. And with that nose for irony! Quite a catch. Buzz off, annoying fly.

[@jamesshea4534]

@@pocket83squared Nope. No can do, bud. Suddenly, I feel the need to continue annoyingly buzz around your comments section randomly. Hope I'm not cutting into your editing time or anything. Rock on. 😁

[@GraniteValleyDave]

I wish I had access to straight-grained wood sometimes. I've got ridiculously twisty eucalypts everywhere. They're great and burn for ages when properly seasoned, but can be hard to split at the best of times, at least in comparison to softwoods.

[@pocket83squared]

It makes a huge difference what type of wood it is. I'm really lucky to have a nice variety, so I can mix it up with the tough ones. So far, Beech is the toughest and stringiest here: it's heavy, knotty, and downright dense. I've had swings that don't even leave a mark. It also seems to matter how fresh the wood is- the logic of which I still don't understand.

[@user-tr2dh4xx6u]

I would mount the axe vertically for a little boost in efficiency. I too like to try new ways to improve the efficiency

[@guitarjoel717]

Thanks for the heads up... I like eggs ;)

[@Mountainandmolehill]

Just how I might do the handle, workbench vice with chisels. Menards has Irwin Marples set for around $20.

[@russveinot5754]

It's always nice to sit near a fire and do simple (no brainer) tasks. BTY. shift the axe 90 degrees to allow pieces to fall down between your legs and you won't have to get up & chase them across the floor, maybe into a bucket ? I'm sooo lazy :>)

[@parallelalpha]

careful, he knows where tupac is hiding.

[@davewood406]

That's a tinker opportunity. Take a flea market axe head and try different mounting orientations to see which is the most satisfying/easy/annoying to the internet.

[@_paulluevano]

So satisfying love ur videos buddy

[@khey9259]

Im 13 and trying to godamn kut kindling and this helps so much

[@pocket83squared]

Just don't ever hold the piece and try to swing at it. And watch your mouth;)

[@benjaminbrewer2154]

When I need kindling I tend to break out the hand plane or 12" thickness planer. It's a good excuse for a bit of woodworking.

[@dtec30]

circular saw to make roundish block handle ??

I am thinking I might buy an axe and a hatchet.

[@maxximumb]

If you have the axe head closer to the edge of the log, it would give you an easier time with the mallet. Or is there a reason it's in the middle?

[@pocket83squared]

No reason. The camera might've been in the way. If you try it out, you'll quickly find a comfortable position.

[@maxximumb]

@@pocket83squared Thanks for the reply Comfort and or ease of use beats efficiency every time. A factor a lot of designers seem to ignore when designing tools and machines.

[@silent-science]

pOoR AiM, pOcKeT

[@dtec30]

in the wood stack besides the besser (cinder) blocks what is the plate holding the wood up ?

[@pocket83squared]

Old metal grates. Like for a garage floor drain.

[@dtec30]

@@pocket83squared ah ok wasn't sure and brain couldn't fathom the shape of the grill

[@darfjono]

what's tendonitis like?

[@newolku]

Mind fucking blown

[@elffy1970]

dude,im a joiner, tendinitus hurts,. my old man said "do as i do not as i say".

[@artconnolly9519]

How about electroplating copper onto that fine hatchet

[@Desi-qw9fc]

Have a look at videos about how bamboo is prepared for basket-weaving, you’ll find a lot of examples of this sort of setup. Like they bevel bamboo by fixing two knives into a log and pulling the strips between them. It’s really clever stuff and I think you’ll get some valuable ideas. Here’s one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGGslIOueNt8maM

[@TealCheetah]

You got bored with the wheel.

[@peppertalks6948]

Some blades just aren’t that interesting

[@singvan2363]

Sharpen your knife it armt thet hard (buy an mora knife the grunde on them are perfekt for carving)

[@TheBloodfire]

First? Bite me. ;)

[@pocket83squared]

You're off to a great start this weekend! Nice. lol.

[@Kolajer]

Chomp!

[@samo4648]

I did not need to watch this video, I live in Florida, but I did ¯\_(ツ)_/¯