Batoning thoughts

craytab said:
First of all, saying you could care less actually means you care.

There are tons of threads on this topic. I personally enjoy batoning and find it safer than swinging an axe.

You haven't found a need for it. Great!
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I really, really, really hate agreeing with you . . . but I endorse every word and bit of attitude of this post.
 
DJC72 said:
On rare occasion when I baton, I don’t use the same technique that may you tubers use when reviewing a knife. I don’t baton a 6” log with a 6.2” blade.
I also don’t have to swing the baton with the force of Paul Bunyan to get through a reasonably sized piece of wood. You don’t have to pick the nastiest piece of the hardest wood that you can find either.
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This ^
 
I once saw a very funny send up of Nut’n’fancy batonning on YT. Can’t find it now, but it summed up the issue perfectly.
 
DJC72 said:
On rare occasion when I baton, I don’t use the same technique that may you tubers use when reviewing a knife. I don’t baton a 6” log with a 6.2” blade.
I also don’t have to swing the baton with the force of Paul Bunyan to get through a reasonably sized piece of wood. You don’t have to pick the nastiest piece of the hardest wood that you can find either.
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And to expand on this. Watching those guys sweat and strain battoning those ludicrous pieces of wood, I just think, ‘You are expending so many calories, you idiots.’ Sure, they’re usually in their back yard or a few feet away from a vehicle, but when you are actually spending nights out in the open, making fires, getting water, rigging shelter, forraging etc, it is very taxing. If you are on your own it is serious work and it is pretty much non stop. You quickly learn how to minimise the effort required by making intelligent decisions - something that becomes increasingly difficult to do the more tired, hungry and thirsty you are.

YouTube is full of consummate bullshit artists. That is how it exists.
 
Pilsner said:
And to expand on this. Watching those guys sweat and strain battoning those ludicrous pieces of wood, I just think, ‘You are expending so many calories, you idiots.’ Sure, they’re usually in their back yard or a few feet away from a vehicle, but when you are actually spending nights out in the open, making fires, getting water, rigging shelter, forraging etc, it is very taxing. If you are on your own it is serious work and it is pretty much non stop. You quickly learn how to minimise the effort required by making intelligent decisions - something that becomes increasingly difficult to do the more tired, hungry and thirsty you are.

YouTube is full of consummate bullshit artists. That is how it exists.
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Water is one thing. For most Youtubers, and people in general, calories are another. Most can afford to lose a couple thousand a day for quite a while.

Hell, when I dropped 40lbs I was trying to figure out how to have a daily calorie deficit.

In a fantasy survival situation, calories matter but in real life I find the threat of expending too many calories a joke.

evilgreg said:
I guess, but are we allowed to have peaceful discourse on an Internet forum? I thought that was out of bounds . . .
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No.:mad:
 
evilgreg said:
I guess, but are we allowed to have peaceful discourse on an Internet forum? I thought that was out of bounds . . .
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craytab said:
Water is one thing. For most Youtubers, and people in general, calories are another. Most can afford to lose a couple thousand a day for quite a while.

Hell, when I dropped 40lbs I was trying to figure out how to have a daily calorie deficit.

In a fantasy survival situation, calories matter but in real life I find the threat of expending too many calories a joke.


No.:mad:
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Reported for agreeing and having pleasant discourse without any insulting, drama and or bung stungness.
 
craytab said:
Water is one thing. For most Youtubers, and people in general, calories are another. Most can afford to lose a couple thousand a day for quite a while.

Hell, when I dropped 40lbs I was trying to figure out how to have a daily calorie deficit.

In a fantasy survival situation, calories matter but in real life I find the threat of expending too many calories a joke.


No.:mad:
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Haha. I’m a wiry ******. Calories matter to me, as does warmth. I have very little spare adipose tissue. I always tell the kids, “If you end up like me, you better think about food and warmth.” ;)

But you hit the nail on the head; most people in the west carry more than ample weight.
 
Pilsner said:
Haha. I’m a wiry ******. Calories matter to me, as does warmth. I have very little spare adipose tissue. I always tell the kids, “If you end up like me, you better think about food and warmth.” ;)
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Well count your wiry butt lucky. For many of us aren't!
 
For making kindling out of logs that you've already chopped to a suitable size with an axe it's efficient, safe and just downright satisfying and fun.

Non knife people like to scoff at my Mora 511 until I show off its wood bashing skills. After a quick demo you can see their new respect.
 
Of course the whole point of an axe is that it gives you leverage making the job more easy. I wouldn't want to batton a whole cord of wood with a knife lol. But for camping its more then acceptable. Personally I don't want to haul both a large knife and an axe in my pack for miles across the wilderness. Hauling both is redundant and costs calories to.
 
cbrstar said:
Of course the whole point of an axe is that it gives you leverage making the job more easy. I wouldn't want to batton a whole cord of wood with a knife lol. But for camping its more then acceptable. Personally I don't want to haul both a large knife and an axe in my pack for miles across the wilderness. Hauling both is redundant and costs calories to.
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Quite so. A folding saw is really useful and very light. That and a stout knife will do the job in wet conditions. Even a SAK saw is pretty damn good. Once that fire is self sustaining and you have a good bed of embers, it’s almost surprising what will burn. :)
 
I've seen lots of very experienced outdoorsmen break down smaller pieces of wood into even smaller pieces and as kindling which is dry and catches easier. They will also take a small spark much easier. There is more to fireprep than batonning wood.

Expending too many calories? You're doing it wrong. Breaking your knife? Yep- doing it wrong. Lots of manufacturers use good steel and great heat treats and not only expect you to baton but encourage it.

Its not that people always baton, sure they use sticks and a lighter, its that batonning, making a fire and using the tiniest sparks to get a fire going takes skill and practice, and its not something youre going to get to happen easily without experience. You know, when your lighter is wet, its been raining, or theres snow on the ground.
If there are ample resources around and you dont need to baton then fine. But what will you do if theres not and you dont have the skill to make it work?

Or while those that practiced batonning are warm and full bellied, those that have never done it are still looking for small sticks and dry tinder, or worse.
 
I have lost a lot of strength in my hands over the years. I don’t trust my self swinging a hatchet. Getting old blows.
 
Boxer .45 said:
I've seen lots of very experienced outdoorsmen break down smaller pieces of wood into even smaller pieces and as kindling which is dry and catches easier. They will also take a small spark much easier. There is more to fireprep than batonning wood.

Expending too many calories? You're doing it wrong. Breaking your knife? Yep- doing it wrong. Lots of manufacturers use good steel and great heat treats and not only expect you to baton but encourage it.

Its not that people always baton, sure they use sticks and a lighter, its that batonning, making a fire and using the tiniest sparks to get a fire going takes skill and practice, and its not something youre going to get to happen easily without experience. You know, when your lighter is wet, its been raining, or theres snow on the ground.
If there are ample resources around and you dont need to baton then fine. But what will you do if theres not and you dont have the skill to make it work?

Or while those that practiced batonning are warm and full bellied, those that have never done it are still looking for small sticks and dry tinder, or worse.
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Batonning alone is not going to get a fire started. You’ll need tinder. If you make a one stick fire you will need to scrape the inside, and it better be dry. I would be out sniffing for the means to make a bundle, not relying on wood shavings. You can split small kindling [batonning] until the cows come home, but you have to get the matchstick kindling burning when all is said and done. Making a fire when you actually need one is a very serious business. It must not be rushed and it must not fail. The pressure is quite intense.
 
If I'm not hiking in, like a camping space, I usually have a hatchet and a small sledge hammer. Works for me.
 
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