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First and foremost, what is a feather stick? For those who know, this might seem like a silly question, but let’s assume many of our readers don’t know.
There are tons of ways to manage fire. There are a myriad of ways to deal with getting a fire started and keeping it going.
One of the go-to methods of starting a fire is the use of feather sticks. These are small sticks that are “feathered” using a knife to slice paper to lengths that curl away from the stick. This has become a quick-lighting tinder.
Now, videos and instructors will show you that a steady hand and a sharp blade are what it takes to create feather sticks. You will see people anchoring a stick and slicing with downward pressure on that wood to get a thin slice of wood.
That is one way to do it. Its surely the most popular way, but far from the best method.
If you want to make feather sticks with less fuss and more success, you need to start with a log or a piece of wood large enough that you can anchor your knife into it. If you have this, you are in a good starting place.
Once you have your knife anchored, find the right stick and start, in a pulling motion, working the stick along the blade back towards you.
So rather than applying downward pressure with your arm providing the force and wobbling the knife, you can just pull the stick along the blade back towards you. This is a safer and much more effective method.
Its not to say that any other method won’t work. This one is just very effective, and its a heck of a lot safer because the blade is stationary. Aside from falling into it, you are not going to have any issues dealing with the cuts or slips with a knife.
Use this method and your new feather sticks to make fire in the worst conditions.
