Survival Skills: 5 Primitive Tools - Ready To Use!
When you think of the primitive tool kit our ancestors used, it’s easy to fixate on more sophisticated tools - like flint knives and stone axes. But long before humans made complex tools, they must have recognized the humble tools that they could make out of the rocks and natural features all around them. I find that I use a simpler and more foundational tool set for most of my work in a primitive camp. These unmodified stone tools and an ordinary fork in a tree could be used to work and process wood and other materials to create a variety of supplies and new tools. All it takes from you is the ability to spot these resources and a little finesse in using them.
Hammer A stone hammer is one of the first tools that could be added to your tool kit. Large hammer stones can be used to break sticks or drive stakes into the ground. Small to mid-sized hammers could be used for an even wider range of tasks. From pounding tinder to pounding in wedges to split wood, from cracking open shellfish to chipping shapes out of other rocks – hammer stones are essential primitive tools.
Saw Any rough edge on a stone can be used as a saw. The straighter and more even the stone edge, the better the saw will work. Stone saws can cut into wood, bone, antler and even softer stones. Move a small stone saw edge back and forth to cut, or move a small object back and forth on a big stone edge (like a rough straight edge on a boulder).
Sander Rough stones can be used as natural "sandpaper", rasps or files. Flat stones can grind down flat surfaces. Rounded sanders can get into concave areas.
Chopper A sharp edge on a stone can act as a chopper or cleaver. This can cut or damage wood so that it can be broken with leverage, or struck with a hammer and broken. One handheld chopper used against the edge of a boulder can act as "shears" to cut wood and other materials from both sides at the same time.
Breaking Tree When you have a fork in a tree, or two trees very close together, you have the perfect place to use leverage to break wood. Insert the piece of wood into the fork, about the height of your hip – if possible. Walk forward, pushing against the wood with your hip and (if it’s not too thick) the wood will break at the fulcrum point on the tree closest to you. This doesn’t work very well on thick hardwood or short sections of wood (no leverage), but longer pieces of wood should give you all the leverage you need to break them. For a very precise break, use a stone saw or chopper to damage the area you want to break – and make that spot your fulcrum point. Want to learn more about primitive tools and actually use them? Our Primitive Skills class is the perfect place.
By Tim MacWelch First draft posted on outdoorlife.com