Batoning with Folders

[FWO]

IF it is your only knife and it locks ,disconnect the lock. Pressure will be put to the blade , not the pivot pin.
The small light G/Bruks hatchet will do a lot of work for weight. In many cases it will replace a knife.
No hatchet follow the above if you have but one knife.

 

[The Mastiff]

I don't see it. If it was really such an emergency I sure wouldn't jeopardize my only cutting implement by trying something it's in no way designed for, or is safe. Imagine being in an emergency situation and making it that much worse by cutting yourself deeply enough to cause real damage. All possible doing things like batoning with folders. Heck, fixed blades too.

I just don't see it as being practical, or reasonable. If it is an emergency why won't I have my other gear more suitable for the jobs asked of them?

Even in a light plane accident I'd expect to have more than just a folder. A boat? Same thing.

Unless teleported into space by aliens I don't see giving up enough control of the situation to not have whatever is needed.

 

[KuRUpTD]

Right tool for the right job.

Even the "right tool" can be misused ... how about in the right hands ?

 

[aguijonmagico]

also, you can go caveman and make a stone tomahawk or knife, and baton with that.

 

[Poez]

I remember batoning with a kitchen knife when I was a boy of 10: that was "...undeniably effective, fun, and popular..." with me at the time. As the years and decades passed though I noticed that it became sort of dumb: I guess that is all because me being adult, boring, "no fun" kind of individual. I have got a hatchet and an axe in my garage these days, but even then I do not have to use them too often. And I must say when I used an axe the last time for uprooting a few young poplar trees, I sort of felt like abusing the tool and was really fast to clean it and sharpen after that: like apologising... Oh, some people get no fun at all: so boring and rational they are! Keep it up, man! If that requires you to destroy a few nice expensive folders now and then: do it! Do not listen to boring adults who think that "cool" only means relatively low temperature!

 

[Galeocerdoshark]

There seems to be a new trend... batoning folding knives.

I know batoning is undeniably effective, fun, and popular, so is batoning with folders the next logical progression or is it just going too far?

The only folder I've done this to is my Svord Peasant knife, and that is because it has no lock. Call me old fashioned, but I would never baton a knife with a lock. That's just asking the lock to develop play or fail, IMO. Sure, you can beef up the locking mechanism to withstand batoning, but at that point, why not just carry a simple fixed blade? I carry a folding knife in civilization because it is less regulated where I live, but if I'm going to the woods, I'd take a hatchet and a fixed blade. A folder would be third option there.

One answer to "why baton a folder?" is "because I can." I can appreciate that. It's bragging rights. It was even cool to watch the first time, but that's as far as it goes for me.

I agree. Only folder I've batonned with is the Svord Peasant as well. Pretty much because you're holding a small fixed blade, that just happens to be able to turn around a pivot with the handle scales. Works like a charm. But then again, why would I if I have a BK14 with me as well, or something larger. As you stated, I as well will never baton with a folder that has a locking mechanism. Tried it, failed it. Never again

 

[phillipsted]

You can heavy baton a folder with any kind of lock. Just release the blade, and put the blade perpendicular to the handle. You know, like forming an inverted L.

I don't normally do this recreationally, but every now and again, the need arises and all I have is one of my folders. Disengaging the lock and not holding the handle while you baton is the key.

We can debate all day long on *whether* it should be done - but it *can* be done safely.

TedP

 

[Thomas Linton]

I don't see it. If it was really such an emergency I sure wouldn't jeopardize my only cutting implement by trying something it's in no way designed for, or is safe. Imagine being in an emergency situation and making it that much worse by cutting yourself deeply enough to cause real damage. All possible doing things like batoning with folders. Heck, fixed blades too.

I just don't see it as being practical, or reasonable. If it is an emergency why won't I have my other gear more suitable for the jobs asked of them?

Even in a light plane accident I'd expect to have more than just a folder. A boat? Same thing.

Unless teleported into space by aliens I don't see giving up enough control of the situation to not have whatever is needed.

Remember, I think it's risky.

But:
1. You do what you have to do as well as you can with what is available at the time.
2. Batoning with a fixed blade, poor judgement and technique aside, is quite safe.
3. As for inevitably having the "right gear" in an emergency, things rarely fail according to plan.
4. Not everything always gets off a sinking boat or crashed plane.
5. You never had absolute control in the first place -- unless you're the alien with supernatural powers.

 

[Ankerson]

I would say it would be safe to say that it's better not to baton with a folding knife in general.....

Yes it can be done safely if done properly, but doing it a lot will wear out the knife over time...

In the highly unlikely chance of someone really being in a situation that they would actually have to do that (dropped into the woods in the middle of no where with zero phone service) I doubt most people would even have a knife on them in the 1st place that would be useful for batoning anything more than a very small stick. If they were camping or something I would hope they had a fixed blade or a hatchet with them.

These highly unlikely survival situations are so rare that they almost NEVER happen in real life and a person would have a better chance of winning the lottery or getting struck by lightning sitting in their house watching TV.

Truth is MOST people will never be in the real situation that could lead them into a that type of situation in the 1st place and if they were the likelihood of surviving an event long enough to actually need or even think about batoning with their folder is even more unlikely.

This is why I find these types of topics extremely funny...