By Sean Fagan
In centre of photo - a small jar of coconut oil. I often bring a jar of coconut oil for cooking, chapped and coarsened skin and for keeping leather, wooden & steel bushcraft kit items in top condition (Photo: Sean Fagan).
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A little Oil goes a Long Way
Keeping Bushcraft Kit in Top Condition
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Recently I had some time to apply a little oil to my knife and hatchet sheath.
In no time they were looking a lot better.
It's remarkable how a little oil can breathe new life into jaded, worn leather.
Oil is also good for steel and wood - and I often oil the wooden handle of my axe as well as the steel of my axe head and knife blade.
It's important to keep outdoor leather items such as axe and knife sheaths functioning optimally as they are important for outdoor safety.
A faulty sheath can be hazardous and can cause potentially serious injuries (especially to the hands, when one is withdrawing a knife or axe from its sheath).
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I've mentioned in a previous article that I always carry a small jar of coconut oil on many of my outdoor excursions.
Coconut oil is a good cooking oil and a little coconut oil goes a long way for outdoor cooking.
In keeping with the spirit of striving to carry bushcraft items with multiple uses - coconut oil also excels as a steel, wood & leather oil.
Coconut oil is a light oil, which can be advantageous in the field - as a light oil requires less drying time - and a light oiling is all that is required in keeping bushcraft tools in tip-top shape.
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I've used coconut oil for years, and I've found it to be ideal as an all-purpose oil for bushcraft tools.
On a final note - I'm not dogmatic about what type of oil is brought outdoors.
However, I would strongly suggest some oil is brought into the field - so that basic bushcraft tools made of wood, leather and steel continue to preform well, especially on longer-duration excursions or on excursions where moisture is an issue.
When applying oil - make sure to not to apply an excessive amount. I usually apply the oil by hand or cloth - then wipe it dry after 10 minutes. By then, enough oil has soaked into the wood or leather to have a positive effect.
One of the issues with applying a food-safe oil onto bushcraft kit is that fungal mould can form.
As long at the piece of kit is thoroughly wiped dry after approximately 10 minutes of application it's not an issue.
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The quote below captures perfectly the essence of this article - that bushcraft tools need to be looked after....
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"I learned how much of what we think to be necessary is superfluous; I learned how few things are essential, and how essential those things really are"
Bernard Ferguson.
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.After all, your life could depend on your kit.
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