The Tip Board

camp tool

I was in Home Depot a month ago, and in the handtools area I came across a curious looking item. It was a chisel, but one side of it had a blade, with an inch of extra large serrations at the base of the blade. It's made by DeWalt, and it's called the side-strike chisel. The chisel tip is 1 inch wide, but one side of the chisel is ground to an edge, and the other is flattened for a larger striking surface, allowing you to pound on the spine of the blade. This odd-looking chisel has proven to be fantastic for camp chores, is heavy enough to do light chopping, and can even be used to split wood! In the field, it is fantastic for clearing shooting lanes. One of the best things about this tool is the price: $10!!! sure you could buy one of the CRKT Razel knives, and get something designed for use as a knife, but they cost much, much more, and when you're considering bang for your buck, the side-stike chisel is a better purchase. At $10 you can buy several of them, one for camp, one for your pack, and a few as gifts for your friends, plus, you won't break your heart (or wallet) if you dent the blade.