Mors Kochanski on Axes and Bushcraft. How to use an axe Part 1

Edit: Sorry for the wrong upload before:
Mors Kochanski, author of "Bushcraft" and wilderness living skills expert, talks about axes, safety, and how to use them. I interviewed Mors at Woodsmoke 2012. This is part of a multi part interview, and also would work well as an audio download. I'll work on converting that!

[@wolfmaan]

In 2022, after Mors passing, these videos are part of his legacy. Thank you so much for sharing them.

[@SkillCult]

excellent, Mors rocks!

[@spinalfluidontap]

I can't stress this enough: A sharp axe for cutting/chopping, a dull axe for splitting. As sharp as you can get your axe for cutting, It "sticks" where you have struck your timber. A dull axe for splitting because it is first, safer, and secondly it DOESN'T stcik so you will save a lot of energy from trying to pull your axe out of the block. I spent years as a professional "shake blocker" on the West Coast of British Columbia and still have multiple firewood contracts. (I have a short video on my channel showing a bit of axe work for a non related project but check it out if you think I am full of s**t.) PLEASE be safe people. Think of your axe like a loaded gun.

[@mintyvision8464]

so great to learn from the experience of our seniors. makes me really wish i had turned a camera on my grandpa when he was still alive. he was a british army officer in the gurkhas and he too had some true experience based wisdom like Mr Kochanski. a really fantastic video. thank you very much!

[@Ratchety]

I love this series Joe. Mors' winter course starts in two days not an hour and a half from where I live. I sure with I could learn from him. Thanks for sharing.

[@norske9228]

Thank you very much for posting this video and adjusting the video camera so that we can see his face that my friend is what I thank you the most such an interesting guy

[@nandayane]

Man, I wish I found these videos years ago.

[@jjruss2160]

great to hear so much info!

[@alexandergutfeldt1144]

Such a great video, more than eight years old and still relevant! Mors has passed, his teachings remain relevant!

[@terrysmith3051]

Fantastec Info. I watch Mr. Kochanski every time I see his videos on youtube. I listen and learn. I am a big fan for sure. Thank you Mr. Kochanski.

[@waltergigandet6715]

Excellent !!!beginners study this info!!

[@jeremywang9148]

Two legends

[@SAVAGE_IRON]

no problem joe great vid any idea when that new condor bushcraft parang is gonna be out?

[@georgesiv2082]

I read Mors's book about Bushcraft, a must read.

[@furfur89]

Seriously think these two are the most badass bro's of the bush!

[@jeepzillajoe]

Wow, 3 1/4 on a 19" handle? To me personally, that seems a little unwieldy although I've seen it on 1 version of a council axe. 19" is an amazing length and I love it. Just like anything else, if it is all you use, you probably can become acclimated to it, but even the popular "boy's axe" length has approximatley a 2 pound to 2.5 pound head on a 27" handle. However, many of the broad woodworking axes that were smaller had around your size/weight combination, however they moved shavings

[@herpingmad145]

How heavy was the head on that axe he was using? Great vid, thanks. I have a summer course booked with Mors this year

[@RealityStar9]

I'm 6'3 which is important to mention and I like my 26 inch Wetterlings forest axe the most as an all around portable axe.

[@liolp808]

@Joe Flowers , what wrist watch were you wearing?

[@asymmattrical]

you can't spell accident without "axe"! (plays better when spoken... :-/ ) awesome vid!!! i love gaining such wisdom from our elders! i really envy you, Joe, with this experience!

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

You can ax for respect without an axe either ... (plays better when axecuted ... :-/ )

[@paulie4x1]

Mr. Flowers, what is your opinion, for portability, I had a Oxhead axe made, its 3 3/4Lbs, very thin 5"face, on a 19" white hickory handle, I had it made as a camp axe, the weight is to conserve energy, size for portability, your opinion will be valuable.

[@MrTangent]

The OD Green axe he uses for a lot of the demonstration... is that a USGI axe made by Hults Bruk?

[@Thelonelyscavenger]

It would take me 5 hours to fall a 12" diameter tree, de-limb it and chop it into arm span lengths. LOL! Where was this filmed? I live in north central Alberta and would love to meet Mors!

[@jeepzillajoe]

-moved big shavings. If you don't split much it probably is awesome. If it splits well, even better!

[@michaelkearney5562]

I am commenting on the clip between 6.58 and- 7.06. Mr. Kochanski is the first person from North America that I have seen, that gives proper advice on the movement of the axe head in the process of splitting wood. As he demonstrates it , as the axe-head comes down towards the wood, its arc of movement straightens out. He did not say it, but this movement is achieved mainly by dropping the hips and bending at the knees. That is the way that I do it and how my father and the people before me did it here in Ireland. All North Americans, and indeed everybody from continental Europe, that I have seen, keep the legs straight, which means that the arc of movement of the axe continues towards the legs. This is clearly dangerous. It also means that there is more strain put on the lower back because of the extra bending over that is involved.

[@kamaartaliaferro6238]

Good point, I had an uncle in his late 60s who was battling cancer. Insisted on chopping his own wood, and usually refused all help.. He'd use the technique your speaking of. Why, he never said. It's almost as if he was bringing his weight down with the axe, leveraging gravity to counteract his failing strength--or that's how my young eyes saw it.

[@michaelkearney5562]

Yes: dropping the hips means that he was using his body weight to swing the axe/maul faster and with more power.

[@pinz2022]

I'm scared. Next time someone hands me an axe I shall scream and run.

[@cookscatapults]

Hahahahaha That was Sooooo Awesomeness......

[@DrChrisBiomed]

"Lagom" Ha ha! So true :-)

[@cellisization]

Joe great vid you got a bunch more out of the legend than just about anybody. "hold it to your crotch" "if a stump is longer than a foot you should be fined a dollar fifty"

[@OpusBuddly]

When I was about 12 years old my old man handed me an axe and said, "Go chop out that rotten stump in the backyard." I'm fortunate to still have all twelve toes I was born with.

[@FillYouWithMe]

+Opus Buddly The irony of seeing this comment and actually being born with 12 toes myself. XD

[@frccustomguns7859]

Twelve toes. LOL. Try 13.

[@ionflorea5349]

all this axes have the handle inserted from behind, and it looks strange to me. in my country the handle is straight and lightly tapered, and is inserted from front to back, and hammered like a wedge, with a big hammer. much more rigid. especially for big axes.

[@waldmeisterbrehm]

mors is the us-father of bushcraft... the known menthor of cody lundin. i like him a lot... he is a great guy and the skills he made for his own and teaching to other bushcraft-enthusiasts, is a part of the bushcraft and survival bibel. b&s are made out of the same tree. both are to different arms of a tree, but they are one tree. mors kochanski is great. he has the power in his age like yoda on "star wars" ;)

[@cellisization]

"right into their face" I'll shut up now lol

[@t0mq]

Mors is talking, everybody listens

[@tonyabney2091]

Mors~ you are the shit!! thanks Joe!!

[@PhilipRuff]

Schoocum as frig.

[@bossmodus5020]

Hello. Nice Representation? I do not understand why people like Mors Kochanski, Joe Flowers do not have much more subscribers! These are real expert & specialists. There are channels with wannabes the 100k subscribers and more. They do not even know how to use a knife, the chopp a 4-5 inch knife and make a string turn to get more momentum 🙈 ridiculous.

[@nikolai841]

Under 10 min........I dont think soo!

[@timenavigator9643]

Chichako ass posers be coming out to the forest for the weekend because it’s trendy and looks good for a Instagram clout

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Anyone wishing to bushcraft need only watch and read Mors. The current rabble of YouBoob war heroes pushing product- and each other.?pathetic.