By Sean Fagan

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11 BUSHCRAFT USES OF COCONUT OIL

 

1. FRYING

Coconut oil is good for frying. It has a high smoking point which makes it a good choice for high-heat cooking. It also imparts a sweet flavour to most foods. Frying is a good way of flavouring many outdoor dishes - it also provides much-appreciated, slow-burning fat calories during cold weather.

2. WIND-BURN PROTECTION

Coconut oil is good as a skin barrier against windburn and general cold.

Windburn is usually caused by cold, dry winds and to a lesser extent UV sunlight and can make the skin feel raw and sore.

On a cold, windy, bright day - smearing some coconut oil onto exposed skin will usually keep the irritating effects of windburn at bay.

Once, while winter-hiking in southwest Ireland, a particularly raw, cold wind was blowing in my face, to the point that my exposed facial skin began to sting with the cold.

A little oil applied to my face provided relief.  Onwards I marched - with no skin irritation.

3. PERSONAL GROOMING & HEALTH

Coconut oil is an excellent hair tonic. The oil can also be used on the feet and hands to keep them in top nick. Keeping the feet and hands in good condition is a good idea because of their crucial importance in the outdoors.

Personal grooming is important for morale when outdoors, especially when living outdoors for extended periods of time. Nobody wants that dishevelled 'feral' look caused from a conspicuous lack of personal grooming : )

4. SUNBURN

Coconut oil is soothing for sunburned skin. Just don’t expose oily, sunburned skin to the sun!

5. LUBRICANT

Coconut oil is a good lubricant. Stiff fold-able saws, tight zips, hard-to-open multi-tools - all solved with a dab of coconut oil.

.6. TOOTHPASTE

Coconut oil can be used as a toothpaste substitute. Just make sure to melt the oil into a liquid state, then apply the liquid oil to your toothbrush and you are good to go.

A quick way to melt coconut oil is to apply a small amount of coconut oil onto the palm of your hand. The warmth of your hand will quickly melt the oil into a liquid state.

7. LEATHER CONDITIONER

In a pinch, leather bushcraft items such as axe & knife sheaths and leather gloves will benefit from an application of coconut oil. A quick smearing of coconut oil makes leather more supple, weather-resistant and less prone to splitting/cracking. It also greatly improves the appearance of the leather.

8. TRAP BAIT

Coconut oil can be used as emergency bait for traps. Most wild animals will not be familiar with the taste or smell of coconut oil and might be discouraged by its unfamiliar scent but there is a chance that a curious or hungry animal could be coaxed into a coconut oil-baited traps.

For the record, I'm not condoning the making of traps - except in a survival situation.

9. WOOD PRESERVATIVE

Coconut oil is a good, food-safe oil for wood-carved utensils such as wooden spoons, spatulas, bowls & knife handles. The oil preserves the wood and prevents cracking.

.10. CHAPPED LIPS

Just in case you forgot your lip balm, coconut serves as a good lip-balm substitute (It’s also petroleum-free, unlike most commercial lip balms).

Be careful though, oil can burn when exposed to sun and will not provide protection against harmful sun rays.

.11. RUST BARRIER

Many bushcrafters use high-carbon steel knives. A drawback with high-carbon steel is that it easily rusts.  Smearing some coconut oil onto your knife when puttng away your knife for a long time will ensure that your blade will not be rusty next time you take it out.

This is especially important in damp, humid climates where moisture in the air can rust your knife. Other steel bushcraft tools like the axe and machete/parang also benefit from a covering of oil.

*Coconut remains as a solid up to 23 degrees centigrade which means that if a receptacle containing the oil is accidentally broken when the ambient temperature is below 23 degrees, the oil will not leak, unlike most other oils - like olive oil.

You don’t want a leaky oil container in your rucksack, trust me.

. Top Tip: one of the cheapest place to buy coconut oil are Asian Food shops, (especially Indian/Pakistani food shops) which usually sell sizable bottles/jars of coconut oil for a very reasonable price.

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PIONEER BUSHCRAFT DISCLAIMER

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The aim of this article is to provide advice that will enhance the quality of your time, and well-being, when outdoors.

Pioneer Bushcraft does not take any responsibility for the misapplication of advice in this article.

The advice in this article is very much an adjunct to, and not a substitute for,  high-quality bushcraft training (including outdoor medical training), relevant research and experience, trustworthy local knowledge, a thorough risk assessments and all other health & safety considerations specific and pertinent to your outdoor excursions.

Please – when outdoors, take responsibility for your well being seriously.

It can make all the difference between a great or bad outdoor experience.