Tools & Cordage

Carve a bushcraft pot hook

A notched pot hook is a wooden support that holds a bail-handled pot over a cooking fire, with different notch heights letting you change its distance from the coals. You use it when you have suitable wood, firm ground, and permission to have a fire and cut vegetation. The upright supports the arm, and a retaining notch near the arm’s outer end keeps the pot bail from sliding off. A straight arm does not lock securely onto a notched upright through weight alone: for this version, secure the joint with a tight square lashing and unload it before changing heights.

Tools & Cordage 20 min practice Intermediate Work on firm, nonflammable ground beside an established or permitted fire site, with room to carve away from other people. Keep the upright and its lashing outside the flames and strong radiant heat; avoid loose soil, peat, buried roots, and windy conditions that could spread fire.

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Topic summary

Key takeaways

The upright stays firm and vertical under the intended cold test load.
The lashed arm remains seated without rotating, slipping, or developing cracks.
The pot bail stays in its retaining notch and the pot hangs clear of the upright and ground.
You can unload, reposition, and secure the arm at different heights without damaging the notches or placing the lashing near the heat.
Avoid: Using dead, cracked, rotten, or deeply knotted wood creates weak points; select sound green wood and inspect it before carving.
Avoid: Cutting deep notches weakens the upright and arm; remove only enough wood to form a reliable seat or bail stop.

Intended uses

Tools & Cordage skill (Intermediate, ~20 min practice)
Requires: Sharp carving knife with a sheath, Pruning saw, Wooden mallet or stout wooden baton

Climate suitability

Work on firm, nonflammable ground beside an established or permitted fire site, with room to carve away from other people. Keep the upright and its lashing outside the flames and strong radiant heat; avoid loose soil, peat, buried roots, and windy conditions that could spread fire.

Woods and Rocks — Build a Pothanger with your Knife Watch on YouTube

Safety: Carve with controlled cuts directed away from your body and supporting hand, and sheath your knife before driving or assembling the support. Test the assembly cold with the intended water-filled pot, and always remove the pot with suitable hand protection before loosening or adjusting the arm.

Required tools

Sharp carving knife with a sheath
Pruning saw
Wooden mallet or stout wooden baton

Required materials

Sound green, wrist-thick wood for the upright, harvested only where permitted
A sound, straight green branch stout enough to support the loaded pot
Strong cordage for securing the arm to the upright

Step-by-step

Cut a green, wrist-thick vertical stake and drive it firmly into the ground beside the fire.
Why: Driving the green upright deeply into firm ground gives the cantilevered arm a stable foundation against tipping and twisting. Green wood tolerates nearby heat better than dry wood, but it can still char and must remain outside the flames.
Carve a horizontal arm from a straight branch with a hooked notch at the outboard end.
Why: A sound arm carries the pot’s load, while a shallow retaining notch on its upper surface near the outboard end helps prevent the bail from sliding off. Leave ample wood beneath the notch and an intact raised end beyond it so the hook does not become a weak point.
Cut a series of notches down the upright stake at different heights.
Why: Shallow, spaced seating notches provide repeatable arm positions without removing excessive wood from the upright. Cut them on the fire-facing side with a supporting lower shoulder, leaving enough intact wood between them to resist splitting.
Hang the arm on the upright so the hook points toward the fire; the arm's weight locks it in place.
Why: Pointing the arm toward the fire places the pot over the heat, but the arm’s weight alone will not lock a straight branch onto the upright. Seat the arm in a notch, secure the crossing with a tight square lashing finished with tightening frapping turns, and check that it cannot rotate or slip before loading it.
Hang your pot from the hook and move the arm to a higher or lower notch to boil or simmer.
Why: Different arm heights change the pot’s exposure to heat, generally giving stronger heating nearer the coals and gentler heating farther away. Remove the pot, loosen and retie the lashing at the new notch, and check the support again before replacing the pot.

Tip: Use green wood for the upright — dry wood can char and weaken over a long fire.

Common mistakes

Using dead, cracked, rotten, or deeply knotted wood creates weak points; select sound green wood and inspect it before carving.
Cutting deep notches weakens the upright and arm; remove only enough wood to form a reliable seat or bail stop.
Expecting a straight arm to hold by friction alone risks collapse; secure it with a tight square lashing rather than relying on its weight.
Making the arm unnecessarily long increases leverage on the stake and joint; use the shortest reach that safely places the pot over the coals.
Moving a loaded arm can spill hot liquid; set the pot on stable ground before adjusting and securing the support again.

Troubleshooting

If the upright rocks or leans under a cold test load, then remove the pot and reset it deeper in firmer ground before proceeding.
If the arm rotates or slips, then unload it, inspect the seating notch, and retie the lashing tightly; do not use a joint that still moves.
If the bail slides toward the end, then unload the arm and reshape a shallow retaining notch with an intact stop beyond it.
If the wood chars or the cordage heats, smokes, or softens, then remove the pot safely, stop using the support, and rebuild farther from the heat with undamaged materials.

Field practice drill

Spend about twenty minutes practicing without a fire: set the upright, carve an arm and several shallow seating notches, and lash the arm at one height. Hang your intended pot filled with cold water and watch for slipping, bending, or ground movement. Remove the pot, reposition and retie the arm at another height, and repeat the load check; prioritize a secure joint over speed.

Indicators of success

The upright stays firm and vertical under the intended cold test load.
The lashed arm remains seated without rotating, slipping, or developing cracks.
The pot bail stays in its retaining notch and the pot hangs clear of the upright and ground.
You can unload, reposition, and secure the arm at different heights without damaging the notches or placing the lashing near the heat.

Related outdoor skills

Educational reference only. Wilderness conditions change fast — practice in low-stakes settings, take a certified wilderness first-aid course, and confirm regional regulations before you rely on any of these skills in the field.