Originally posted (in Dutch) on the Dutch Bushcraft Forum on October 13, 2012.
Today I gave three woodcutting workshops to about 40 scouts from Scouting Petrus Donders in Sint-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands. The scouts were between 11 and 15 years old, and each workshops lasted about 90 minutes. I thought it would be fun to make a simplified version of Mors Kochanksi’s “Try Stick”. (Kochanski is a Canadian survival instructor who designed the Try Stick to help students practice and refine their knife skills). I created a stick with 10 cuts, ranging from easy to more challenging (see image below).
After introducing myself, I began the workshop with some information about the knife (each kids received a new Hultafors knife from the camp leaders) and demonstrated a few essential safe cutting techniques.
Next, I showed them several self-made wooden tools that used the same types of cuts they would be practicing: a Burtonsville cooking rig, a bow drill set, a figure-4 trap and a Roycraft packframe. Then it was time to get to work. Each scout kid received a green willow branch about 2-3 cm in diameter, which they had to cut to arm’s length and strip of side branches and bark. (The bark can be scraped off with the back of the knife).
After a few final cutting tips – such as making stop-cuts and using a small baton – we spent the last hour making the Try Stick. The kids really enjoyed the activity, though some of the youngest or smallest scouts struggled a bit with the strength needed to make proper cuts. A few of the older ones, however, produced some fine-looking sticks.
In the end, 10 cuts in one hour turned out to be a little ambitious — most managed around 5. Fortunately, we had no accidents, just two tiny nicks on one child’s hand. All in all, it was a fun day, even with a few rain showers. (The workshop took place entirely outdoors).
Feel free to use my image for your own Try Stick project.