bushcraft tool bushcraft tongs

Bushcraft Tool Making: Bushcraft Tongs

Bushcraft tongs are a useful bushcraft tool for outdoor cooking and handling hot materials. Not only can you use them to perform camp cooking tasks like flipping steaks, you can also use them to grab hot rocks to boil water. Size them down and you can even use them as an eating utensil.

Here are two simple methods for making bushcraft tongs using readily available materials:

Large Two-Stick Bushcraft Tongs

Materials:

  • Two straight sticks or branches, about 1 inch in diameter and 18-24 inches in length
  • Paracord or any other sturdy cordage
  • Knife or saw
  • Fire or heat source

Instructions:

  1. Select two straight sticks or branches that are about the same length and thickness. They should be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the materials you want to handle.
  2. Using a knife or saw from something like a Swiss Army Camper, cut notches into the ends of each stick. The notches should be about 1/4 inch deep and wide enough to hold the other stick.
  3. Place the two sticks together, with the notches interlocking. The sticks should be perpendicular to each other, forming a “T” or “X” shape.
  4. Tie the sticks together at the notches using paracord or any other sturdy cordage. Make sure the sticks are tightly secured together.
  5. Using the fire or heat source, char the ends of the sticks that will be used to handle hot materials. This will help protect the wood from burning or splintering.

Small Split-Stick Bushcraft Tongs

This is the method I prefer. Rather than notch two sticks, you simply baton one stick, place a toggle branch in the middle, then tie the toggle in. This makes an incredibly useful bushcraft tool for camp tasks.

Materials:

  • One straight stick or branches, about 1 inch in diameter and 18-24 inches in length
  • Paracord or any other sturdy cordage
  • Knife or saw
  • Fire or heat source

Instructions:

  1. Select a straight stick or branch that is about the diameter of your thumb and length of your forearm. It should be sturdy enough to hold the weight of the materials you want to handle.
  2. Using a knife or saw from something like a Leatherman Wave, start splitting the stick down the middle, but do not go all the way through.
  3. Place a toggle stick between the new split, careful not to split the branch completely. If you do, this is fine and still salvageable.
  4. Tie the toggle into the split branch with sturdy cordage. This is to lock an opening in place, but not allow for the bushcraft tongs to separate
  5. Using the fire or heat source, char the ends of the sticks that will be used to handle hot materials. This will help protect the wood from burning or splintering.
The Leatherman Wave has great bushcraft tooling including a knife and saw for sawing branches, carving, and more

Your new Bushcraft Tool

Your new bushcraft tongs are now ready to use! To pick up hot materials, simply squeeze the two sticks together with the hot material in between. If you size these down, they make great chopsticks for eating food or picking up stingy bugs.

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