Whether you’re a seasoned outdoorsman or just getting started with bushcraft, there’s always something new to lear. The best survival skills aren’t always the big dramatic ones like building a shelter from leaves and branches. Sometimes it’s the small, clever tricks that make the biggest difference when you’re miles from the nearest hardware store.
From turning a dead lighter into a fully functional fire-starting tool to improvising a draw knife from nothing but a stick and some cordage, these hacks prove that a little creativity goes a long way in the backcountry.
We found these gems on the YouTube channel Clay Hayes, and they’re absolutely worth learning. You can watch the video, but we also listed and described each of the hacks below.
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1. Wrap Your Lighter in Duct Tape
One of the simplest and most useful EDC upgrades you can make is wrapping a standard lighter with duct tape. Or better yet, Gorilla Tape, which is a bit thicker and more heavy-duty. The tape stays on the lighter until you need it, and the uses are practically endless.
Gorilla Tape burns well and helps get a fire going in wet or windy conditions, and it can patch holes in tents, repair gear, and solve all kinds of problems in the field. It takes up zero extra space, and you’ll be glad you have it.
2. Start a Fire With a Dead Lighter
Running out of lighter fuel in the backcountry doesn’t have to mean you’re out of options. A spent lighter still contains everything you need to start a fire. Use your knife to shave fine plastic shavings off the body of the lighter to use as tinder.
Then, carefully roll the striker wheel without flicking it hard enough to spark, and shave off the ferro rod dust inside onto your tinder pile. Once you’ve built up a good gray layer of ferro dust, strike it. The sparks will ignite the dust, which in turn lights the tinder.
If you’ve got a scrap of duct tape handy, lay it over the bundle to extend the flame even further.
3. Replace Your Boot Laces With Paracord
Swapping out your factory boot laces for paracord is one of the best upgrades you can make before heading into the field. Paracord laces are virtually indestructible. More importantly, they give you access to a length of cordage whenever you need it. You can strip out the inner strands for fine lashing, sewing, or rigging, and use the outer sheath to re-lace your boots in the meantime.
To make lacing easier, heat the last inch or so of each end to stiffen it up so it threads through the eyelets cleanly. New paracord laces will feel a little slick at first, but they roughen up with use and hold a knot just as well as standard laces.
4. Bundle Paracord So It Doesn’t Tangle
Carrying paracord loose in your pack is a recipe for a tangled mess. Here’s a quick way to keep it neat and ready to deploy.
Coil up your paracord and leave yourself a tail of four or five feet. Wrap that tail over and around the coil repeatedly, pulling tight with each pass. Tuck the last bit of the tail under a couple of wraps to lock it in place. The bundle holds its shape, won’t come undone in your pack, and when you’re ready to use it, it pays out cleanly.
5. Keep Your Ax From Getting Stuck in Wood
If your ax keeps getting buried in the wood when you’re splitting, try tilting the ax head slightly to one side before you swing. That angle creates outward pressure on the split as the blade enters, which helps push the halves apart instead of wedging the head in.
It also helps to look for the natural grain or crack lines in the piece of wood and align your first split with those. This technique works with a full-size ax or a small hatchet. And whatever you’re splitting with, keep your feet spread apart. If the blade glances off, you don’t want it coming down on your shin.
6. Make a Bushcraft Draw Knife From a Stick
If you need a draw knife in the field and don’t have one, you can improvise one easily. Cut a short section of stick, around eight inches long, and bind each end with paracord or other cordage to form handles.
Then drive your sheath knife or a folding knife into the center of the stick lengthwise, so you have a handle on each side of the blade. The result functions surprisingly well as a draw knife for peeling bark, shaping wood, or other carving tasks.
7. Sharpen a Knife With Mud and Firewood
If you can find a flat rock, that works great for sharpening, but if not, take the cut end of a piece of firewood and rub a bit of clay or gritty soil into it. That mixture of organic material and fine grit acts as a sharpening compound, and you can work up a legitimately sharp edge on a blade using nothing but mud smeared into a chunk of wood.
It’s not a replacement for a good whetstone at home, but in the field it’ll get the job done.
8. Build a Stool Without Any Cordage
If you need a place to sit and don’t have any rope or cordage available, you can make a functional stool using just four poles of roughly equal length. Prop them up in pairs, crossing them near the top to form two X-shaped supports, then lay a fifth pole or branch across the top to act as a seat.
The tension of the crossed legs holds everything together without any lashing. It’s not fancy, but it keeps you off the cold or wet ground.
9. Use Wild Plants as Natural Bug Repellent
Forget the bug spray. If you’re getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and didn’t bring any, look around for plants with natural insect-repelling properties. Spearmint, for example, is highly effective and grows abundantly in many regions. It won’t last as long as a commercial repellent, but it works.
What’s available will depend on where you are, so it’s worth learning a few local plants before you head out. While you’re at it, keep an eye on fir trees. Those small pitch blisters in the bark contain a natural antiseptic. Pop one open and the resin inside can be used as a wound dressing in a pinch.
10. Know Your Natural Toilet Paper Options
Nobody wants to talk about it, but everyone needs to know it. If nature calls and you didn’t pack any TP, the two things you’re looking for in a natural substitute are absorbency and softness. Large, soft leaves are your best bet. Avoid anything waxy, scratchy, or stiff. It sounds like a joke, but getting this one right can make a rough day in the woods a whole lot more bearable.
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