Skill of the Week: Fell a Tree

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Whether you’re cutting down a tree for firewood, a better view of the lake, or as a guarantee to never rake leaves again, there are few things more fun — or more dangerous — than watching it fall while yelling “‘Timber!”’ at the top of your lungs. Above, we outline how to safely and effectively perform this satisfying procedure (you can find more details here). The same angle-cutting technique applies for both chainsaws and felling axes.

Don’t have either a chainsaw or an axe? You can still fell a tree using only a knife.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.