Ray Mears - Choosing and using an axe, Bushcraft Survival
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- www.raymears.com/
Ray Mears explains the differences and key uses of the three most popular Gransfors Bruks Axes - the Scandinavian Axe, Small Forest Axe and Wildlife Hatchet Axe.
This clip comes from the DVD extras of Ray Mears Bushcraft Survival Series 2.
Makes me cringe that Ray Mears has less than 90k subs and some random American hiker that did the Appalachian trail once and soaks cold noodles has 900,000 😂😂 nobody in specific just making an observation
Even after more than 10 years, this is great stuff!
This primal knowledge is time tested. As good now as it was 100 years ago or as good as it’ll be in 500
I'm on the short side and have small hands, so my camp axe is the smallest one, but I find it to not be beefy enough for most things. this could just be bad technique and inexperience on my part though. Still I should take a look at a medium sized one. If I'm carving, its with a knife anyway.
You can tell by the way his eyes move between the different axes how he feels about the medium size one.
great video thank you for sharing. one question what is the lenght of the axe that ray chose to use? (the middle size)
About arm lenght
20 inches
zombiefighterof1987 thank you :D
It is the Gränsfors Bruks 420 Small Forest Axe and that has a handle lenght of 50 cm (19.69 inch).
my sister cut part of her thumb off with an ax on thanks giving here in the US, having seen this about a year ago i sent it to her so it wouldn't happen again
Hi,
I am interested ax in the middle. What is weight? How long is the queue? An address a link where can I buy this item!
Thanks!
I believe the it's a gransfors bruks scandinavian forest axe. You can look up the specs and price online.
Vic Vic actually that's the Gransfors Small Forest. The largest of the 3 is the scandi, and the smallest is the wildlife hatchet.
Top fishin gear I agree, I use a hultafors branded Hults bruks 16" hatchet and a Husqvarna 26" axe, as well as a council tool 3.5lb on a 32" handle. I've got a few old heads floating around too.
Nope, Hults Bruk has lower fit and finish, the grinds are commonly very wonky and unpredictable, they don't come as sharp, the handles are horrid, too thick, lacquered and hung too high. They're not bad tools, but they do need significantly more work than a Gransfors or Wetterlings.
Top fishin gear not so much that, I just liked the size and length and balance on the Hults hatchet better. In the hand and a quarter size the gransfors small Forest is best. In hand and a half I like a 2lb head on a 24" handle, so I made my own with an old Canadian head and a new handle
This guy possesses the perfect combination of conservationist, naturalist, survivalist, bushcraftsman, and educator. He's the best one out there.
100% agree with this fine statement.
The best by far!!!
He could talk the panties off a nun
The English can sound so convincing
l totally agree 👋
I listened to lofty wiseman slagging him and bear grylls during a conference, pretty sad really when people become so far up their own arse,
There are lots of videos on the internet about bushcraft these days. I keep coming back to Rays' videos for 2 good reasons : He knows his craft, and he has a talent for teaching it to anyone in a straight-forward, yet non-condescending manner. Plus, listening to his relaxed RP is a welcome counterpoint to the drawl of the TH-cam bubbas.
Well said... I agree..
Received Pronunciation, it is a distinct English accent.
I think I fall under that category of TH-cam channel 😂
Completely agree. Ray has a talent for teaching bushcraft and it’s not glamorised or reared for entertainment (looking at you Bear Grylls), but rather for education and information.
Whilst his voice is soothing, I disagree with one thing here though... Ray doesn’t speak with Received Pronunciation. The Queen speaks with RP. It’s actually very rare dialect nowadays. Ray doesn’t even speak with a standard British dialect (which is actually general regarded as the dialect as spoken in and around Oxford), but for those who can identify such things, he speaks with a slight Kentish English dialect (although he has ‘poshed’ it up slightly).
Agree. Nor is he a poser, whom I feel a few are. He's the real thing. Integrity.
I've been splitting wood for the past 22 years but 5 minutes watching Ray has taught me something new. Such a fantastic teacher and underrated presenter IMO
I like my wood split into 1024ths.
Damn is there anything better than axing wood? I wanna run my hands up and down that smooth shaft. Feel the cold rugged wood shaftl in my hands. Then swing with the force of a hairy Viking into decrepit wood.
Yeah ... that last bit was just way to ridiculous to really be worth having in this video. It's like saying "when I draw a line with a pencil I can either draw it from right to left, left to right, top to bottom or bottom to top .. but I can also .. " .. or are there anybody out there stupid enough to really need instructions how you can split a piece of log?
cuts up bodies like nothing
martini carbine You betcha baby boy
martini carbine
Did I say anything bad about the axes? No .. so what did your reply add to the discussion?
The boy scouts call his two-handed kindling splitting method “contact method”, but I’ve called it the “Ray Mears method” for years because of this fantastic video.
You aren't the only one who calls it that, it was taught to me as the "Ray Mears method" while I was in the Scouts some years back.
Ray Mears is amazing. I wish he was still all over TV.
someone who knows what he's doing without the gung-ho attitude of so many people who make similar videos. Never seen anyone chopping wood with that technique.
In such a short video you get so many information in such a clear and direct way plus basic safety instructions. No useless info or anything like that.
- and at the end you can have a practical view of theoritical music - duration lesson !
He is just great!
he is like a teacher
And no nonsense extra talks . He is just amazing and informative.
bet ray was cutting 256ths off camera
Of course. They're ideal for bringing billy tea to the boil.
Using nothing but his spork
Love the way you split the wood by holding them together! Never thought of that.
It's only about the most handy technique ever. I remember watching this vid years ago. These days I can carve with an axe.
Ray is a genius, a national treasure. Always leaning from him, total respect
In a post apocalyptic environment where I would have to live off of the land, and I was only allowed one tool, I would choose Ray Mears.
bit harsh calling him a tool haha
Ray mears was my childhood hero now am only getting into bushcraft sustainable living as an adult thanks for the knowledge Ray.
this was excellent and should be on the top of everyone's list who ever wants to know how to swing an ax. Some months ago I watched a noted bushcrafter use his foot as a brace while he was splitting logs. nothing happened but it could have been bad news. I misused an ax once and nearly lost a finger. Watching ALONE a contestant nearly lost a hand.
Great Instruction, especially like the wrist flick to keep the edge from getting blunt on the stump when splitting...
-Mitch
(New England)
I can believe it would probably be good to use on Nice, dry rounds, but for chunky trunks i can imagine a slam with a splitter is a good option
Just think of the physics of what he said.....like lets really think about the hole thing real quick...here we go....we have a sharp axe...we are gonna use it to split wood.....but we dont want are axe to get dull so we do a wrist flick so the sharp bit dont hit the chopping block making it dull .......uhmmmmmm the wood we are splitting is wood....then chopping block we are trying nkt to hit is also effin wood.... So why is it perfectly fine to hit one wood but not another??..........it makes zero sense at all......in fact the only time it does make any sence to do a lol wrist flick to protect are axe from getting dull is if yoir splitting wood without a chopping block and dont wanna hit the ground and chip ur bit up on rocks.....like say if you wood is on the ground and ur to lazy to put it on a chopping block.......alot of us real axe guys splitting cords upon cords of wood a year with axes dont use chopping blocks and try not to handle the wood wasting time and energy to grab a lof and set it in a block and blah blah....so we will leave the log on the ground and sometimes may do a flick to not hit the ground and rocks......but if ur using a chopping block and ur fancy ass axe like cant hit the wood chopping block without dulling u better go buy a new axe cuze the one u got is a junk steal
@@codyrivenburgh2926 Hitting two bits of wood per split, your axe is doing twice the work and therefor dulling twice as fast, ‘real axe guys’ aren’t the brightest sparks it seems
Hey Mitch, loved you on Alone. You did an amazing job.
@@chinkkat no see ..u make a point that 2 peaces of wood will dull ur axe twice as fast as one.....but the fact is....hitting one and trying not to hit another is honeslty just wasting energy that doesnt need to be wasted.... I mean sure if ur using a little 1 3/4 lb to 2 1/4 lb basicly long handled hatchet. Ur not waating that much energy....but in the real world of full size axes in the 3 and half to 7 lb range that wrist flick wastes alot of unneeded energy.......and to be honest...alot of axe guys that use axes daily for more then just the( lets go camping and pertend to survive thing).. We have more then one axe....normaly a smaller lighter 2 and half to 3 and half lb axe just for chopping it normaly has a very keen edge we are very carful to protect..... Then we have a heavier 3 amd half to 6 lb axe for splitting....that has very blunt angles that wont dull or chip easily so we can abuse them alittle more.....amd then a beater axe....normaly an old ugly beat up double bit....that we dont give a fuck about that we can beat the shit out of chopping roots outta the ground, limbing trees and do whatever without feer of dulling or chipping it......yea i get it u guys wanna camp and wanna pay an ridiculous price for an axe that really doesnt chop or splitt as efficently as a properlly sharpened axe with proper bevals anyway....i mean come on u granfors brucks fan boys love them 130 ish dollar axes that have poor bevals and handles I have to shave nd file attleast 1/3 of the handles wood off of just to thin it enough to feel somewhat tuned properly for efficent use......come on now..just admit your camping and pertending survive axes amd half ass axe knowledge is not what you think is
It's a great video. Always nice to see how people do stuff. Just one comment for any novices out there: don't get upset if you aren't getting instant splits and flying quarters like Ray. Some wood's gnarly sticky. It's just the way things go...
Ray uses 128ths to cook his broth
if you want to be obsesive...? as if that wasnt already...
Gränsfors Bruks axes from Sweden!
Very good instructional video that shows things most people might not know despite many years with camping. Well done.
Thanks for the safety precautions. I can't believe I've never seen someone use the method you use of moving the wood you are trying to split with the axe. That makes so much sense! Thanks for sharing.
My favourite expert in his natural domain.
A true axe master. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I learned a great deal from this video. I use the larger axe one handed and you have helped me tremendously. I especially benefited from the technique of using the wood and axe coming down on a fallen log simultaneously.
~ Texas
Clear and concise, excellent description, well demonstrated with exactly the right amount of commentary without superfluous and unnecessary banter...and extremely useful with the perfect amount of safety thrown in....absolutely brilliant. Well done Sir, well done indeed.
Ray Mears is great quality stuff
Ray Mears is the man.
I trust anyone with dirt under their finger nails..
unless of course its that guy sitting at the other end of the bar smiling at you at 2 am
hahaha
What about a chef?
@@taffman1 😂 maybe the chef killed the food and foraged the rest just for you right before cooking it. Doesn’t mean they didn’t wash their hands. Dirt isn’t that easy to get out from under nails. 😅
Split the 32nd, you get 64's, split the 64's you get 128's, split the 128's you get 256, split the 256....
I never knew this gem of a man even had a TH-cam channel. Instantaneous sub and will be patching the wife for the next week while I watch all the videos twice each
What a knowledgeable chap Ray Mears is. When you consider the time spent and the knowledge learned, the man is a phenomenon. No fannying about telling you his life story. Just gets to the point. Ego? Left back in the woods somewhere.
We can always learn something from someone who clearly knows their trade.
One other thing. Survival knife videos are obsessed with the art of using knives to split wood. Why bother? Why not bring an axe. Do the job properly and save weight be caring a much smaller knife.
I could watch Ray all the day long, the man has a wealth of knowledge and is happy to share 👍
It’s amazing how he makes even the hardest job easy, and explains everything perfectly. You can never stop learning ,Every day’s a school day
I agree Ray, splitting beyond 128ths is a bit obsessive.
It’s cool to see how years of being dumb in the woods as a kid, I arrive at very similar ways and means, as well as observations as someone like Mr. Mears.
The 128th piece is what Chuck Norris uses for a tooth pick.
This is some real common sense and safe techniques for preparing firewood. I wish more videos on Bushcraft were true to the skill. I see too many videos out there, put out by over enthusiastic novices that show unsafe techniques and the wrong tools for the job....using a knife for things that an axe/hatchet should be used for and using a hatchet/axe for things a knife should be used for. Nice to see someone advocating proper splitting techniques with the right tools. Great job!
Tnx,I have used an axe for decades but a safety refresher given in a refreshing manner is always fun. 😀
Ray Mears is a legend, such a good role model
What type of axes, Gränsfors Bruk I’m guessing, and what were the lengths and weights of each?
No, it really isn't. When making a fire lay, especially in wet or damp conditions, you need kindling that is at least that small. In dry conditions it's usually not too difficult to just grab a bunch of sticks & use them, but when it's wet wood split out of a larger piece is always going to be a better bet. On occasion I have found it useful to split wood down even smaller than that.
He's so much nicer and less of an egotist than that SAS prat Bear Grills or whatever his name is. I'd much rather learn and be in the company of Ray. He has something calming about his aura.
Bear grills wasn't in the SAS.
He's just a dick.
Yep, can't be too careful in the UK, what with all those squirrels we've got.
I love the "obsessive" comment at the end!
So this is how toothpicks are made....
Great channel! I love observing nature, discover and meditate...
Chuck Norris picks the remnants of Ninja's out of his teath with Rays split 128ths 😂
Ray is a National Treasure! Its about time he was given a Knighthood.
Excellent, one of the best I've seen on the topic!
Tumbled upon this video, nicely done Ray.
What is the full length of the small forest ax?
1.5 Lbs
3 1/4" Face
19" Hickory Handle
This is one damn fine video! Everything is so clear
Every modern TH-cam bushcraft expert uses Rays advice then adds a twig toggle 🤣
Is there anything Ray Mears can't do?
*****
Well. No need to be pissy about it, lol.
+steppenwolf i bet you are better than him. Right?
Jesus Christ. This was meant to be a fun, off-hand comment. And you clowns have turned it into a bitching fest.
Come on people. Grow up.
Vladpryde you are right saarry.
I don't know what it is about Ray Mears videos attracts some really strange people, look at the other comments on here, its mental.
Wish he gave the axe mesuremeants
Didn’t know that _so much_ of axe wielding is just “don’t hit yourself”
This is what happens when someone with the iq of a doctor goes into bushcraft. Great content
Half my family are doctors. With their IQ, they'd probably use the axe handle as firewood and then try to slice through trees with the head.
it is in my experience we who do enjoy woodcraft and the life of the land tend to be a bit obsessive. I do enjoy splitting wood as small as I can but mainly because I enjoy the activity, not because I need the wood a certain size.
Unbelievable how much good information you can teach in such a short time. Thanks- much appreciated- I have subscribed!
Wish i had reviewed this video before using the small forest axe. I am guilty of missing and hitting my leg. Always practice safety!
Nice video, But how and where are we going to find wood as dry as that ? You can even hear how crisp it is, When a person who is not used to using an axe tries this,not only is it going to wreck his/her confidence, but it's also going to be quite dangerous, Use wood as we would find it outdoors, Learn the real way,This is all too fancy looking for an outdoor experience, You know how easy it is for an axe to slip and end up,Who knows where apart from where it was intended.
I used these techniques as a newbie, and I have to say, I have found the way he splits wood very challenging (when it was pissing down with rain, and I used dead standing wood)
However, I have always followed the safety advice and never had an accident (I'm usually very accident prone)
Ben curry What you saw actually has more to do with the species of wood he is working with. That particular species is a very soft wood and that of course has A LOT to do with it but that's the wood most common to his part of the world. Here in America, it's a bit different. We have A LOT hard woods like Oak, Maple, Hickory & Mesquite and that alone makes a MASSIVE difference. When woods dry, they get much harder and that much more difficult to work with. It's not fancy at all and finding wood that dry is VERY common and easy in the woods. It takes practice my man but you can do it if you want to really learn...
Hog Hunting and Survival That's very true. There is a good reason why swedish blades have that grind and americans favour massive clouty blades and chunky cheeked 'merican made axes im sure
Unless the wood you find is rotten throughout, it should be dry inside. Water doesn't penetrate wood very deeply at all in most cases.
splitting the log into 128ths are u fucking kidding me
+Tunes n Talk Grizz Man Yeah like what kind of simpleton splits wood into 128th's? I am a civilized being, i always split my wood into 2160th's.
nope
"You could split it further... if you want to be obsessive about it..." 🤣 As if 128ths(!) isn't a bit obsessive, eh? Excellent video!
OCD in the woods. Camping 🏕 not the the special forces mans have been cutting wood and lighting 🔥 since caveman times. It’s about having fun with your family or friends not getting to deep it’s all about having fun to remember. And not hurting your self ✌️✌️✌️
Sweden, the land of metal. Axes, knives (and death metal of course 😉). Gränsfors bruk, Hultafors, Mora, EKA, Karesuando, Casström, Fällkniven, Wetterlings and more.
"And you could split it again into 128ths if you wanted to be obssesive". No, no Ray I think you've done quite enough.....🤣🧐
4:24
Ray : beyond 128th if obsessed
Me : splits to the 345677754322678876555ths
Great now my girlfriends OCD is going to manifest itself as an obsession with splitting logs into toothpicks
None of them.
I have a medium axe but I think it is definitely better a tomahawk like that made by CRKT Chogan... one side with large square hammer, the other side tomahawk cutting edge with a simple elliptic conic attachment and an easy to build straight handle, so it is light, you can have multiple wooden handle shorter or longer to attach or to replace basing on what you are gonna do... and differently form an axe you can also carve with it like a knife...,
"And you could split it further if you wanted to be obsessive about it." 😅 Okay, boss. Cheers.
"And you could split it further if you wanted to be obsessive about it" I think you covered that already at 128ths
Tbh I rarely needed to ever split wood in a bushcraft scenario. Round wood burns fine and is less energy to process. Splitting is mainly useful for processing wood to be dried faster at home (or a permanent camp) and it takes a lot of effort to saw up wood, hence why most people these days will use a chainsaw or other machine. In bushcraft I just feed long branches into the fire which can also be broken in a forked tree etc
How do you hold it after 16ths? Useful video would have saved me some arm ache if I’d watched this before last 2 winters :)
I don't understand how a guy who survives off eating moss and squirrels can be so fat. Swear he has a burger van behind the cameras at all times when he's on his expeditions
It's all fun and games until someone gets a splinter in the eye.......
Jaime G. What Jamie is saying is very true. Always use eye protection.
adnan tariq and ear protection. Whenever I'm out camping I wear headphones with some music playing to help pass the time.
Oooo let's all goggle up then!
@@adnantariq3346 I never use body protection its over the top.
No pretense in this man. He has the spirit of Steve Irwin in a sense. Always teaching, never doubting his motives.
Would have cut it into 128 peices himself then says "you can split it further if you want to be obsessive about it" 😂
I was just going to close the video before spliting into 256 and then 512, but it ended.
oh deary, i might need a bigger axe if i'm gonna split a log into 128 pieces...
Ray kept it real unlike the forest of fake you tubers using click bate to get paid, fake injuries, fake dangerous situations etc.....
Is it legal to take an axe camping in the UK?
Dean Mohan Of course
You guys should reupload a lot of these older videos in a better quality. Too bad that the only way to see Ray Mears is in a terrible resolution.
5:07 - And you could split it further if you were a computer programmer and didn't want to waste the last bit of that byte.
Your recommendtions are not worth anything like you knife for 01 tool steel at near on half a grand you really having a bubble
I got real bored around the campfire the other day and decided to split all my wood into 1024ths. 🤣
Thank you Ray, you are a wealth of information !!
I stopped counting after the 20th double-en-whatever it is!
Well that section of law would probably be termed as carrying an offensive weapon.
In a town their is little need for an axe/knife and so it can easily be seen as carring an offensive weapon.
In the woods an axe/knife are essential in some circumstances, I guess you could ask at a police station for a better response.
It wouldn't suprise me if the final answer really lies within the rules laid down by the owner of the land.
128th's, come on Ray. You're taking the piss.
Somebody make my mind up between a Granfors bruk forest axe of a hultafors premium
it is to simple, there is a lot of kinds of axes in wood chopping and knee position do not give you enought power and can be even more dangeros with big axe as you are losing any flexibility when siting on knees. One mistake and axe will hit your head if it is jumping back, or it will stuck in wood because those axes are to narow.
Hey Ray, how about a video on how to make a proper felling notch huh?
I argee a true spitting maul does best for spitting fire wood.
Ya it has to have a long handle so i can have a comfortable swing with my two hands. Don't forget a file to put a nice sharp edge on ya tool.
@OtiumBorealis all the fires i ever made when i was a kid was mainly for warmth first time ive ever seen ray mears hes the real deal for sure wish he had a show we chould watch in america