Tent Peg Carving

When to use this

• Replacing a lost or broken plastic stake
• Bushcraft practice
• Backup pegs for tarp rigging

What you need

• A dry hardwood stick, ~¾ inch thick, ~10 inches long
• A camp knife
• A small saw or batoning stick (optional)

Step by step

1. 1.Sit down. Trim the stick to about 10 inches with a saw or by careful batoning.
2. 2.Sharpen the bottom (the end going into the ground) to a 4-sided pyramid point: four flat push cuts, one per side, rotating the stick.
3. 3.About 1 inch from the top end, cut a stop-cut on one side: hold the blade perpendicular to the stick and press straight in to a depth of about ⅛ inch.
4. 4.From below the stop-cut, take light push cuts up to it to remove material — creating a small shoulder. This is where the guy line will rest.
5. 5.Optional: cut a matching shoulder on the opposite side for a cleaner look and better line retention.
6. 6.Smooth the top so a mallet or rock won’t shred it. Round the corners slightly.

What success looks like

A pointed, notched hardwood peg that holds a guy line in firm ground.

Pro tips

• Hardwood (oak, ash, maple) holds up; softwood (pine) splits when you drive it.
• Make two or three at a time — pegs disappear into duff and one is rarely enough.

Common mistakes

• Driving an unmodified pointed stick — it works once, then splits. The shoulder notch is what holds the line.
• Using green wood. Green pegs dry crooked and split as they shrink.

Variations

• Carve a shallow groove around the top instead of a shoulder — the line tightens around the groove.
• Add a 45° angle to the top so a mallet hits cleanly.