Batoning wood: opinions/debate

[blackfeetmageet]

I see many people on the internet who will not buy a survival or outdoor knife unless it can baton through wood. I know many survivalists who do not practice this batoning technique and I would like to hear everyone’s opinion.

I wanted to create this thread to see how many people out there are avid batoners (with knives) and how many of you prefer alternative techniques.

Alternative techniques could include collecting smaller wood or smaller branches which can be broken. Or splitting logs with a wooden wedge instead of your knife. Or any other techniques you all may use.

When, if ever, is batoning with your knife the only option? Snowy or wet environments may be a good defense, but I really want to know how many people think that batoning is unnecessary -and what you do to get around it.

What do you all think? To baton or not to baton?:thumbdn::thumbup:

 

[DocGP]

Personally, I really like this site. I can see many of my knives put through terrible abuse and find out their breaking point. I have never found a need to baton through wood, but I live in the south. Wood is plenty where we camp. I like to know which of my knives will stand up to it, but find no need to myself.

However, I have never had to build a shelter...have always had a tent, or something, so ........for what its worth.

Doc

 

[p_mcmanis]

I think its one of those things you dont think about until you NEED it.

Alternative methods are great, hence a knife that can baton is good since it offers you an alternative. You dont have to use it, but maybe one time you do need to use it and then youll be glad you have it.

I think its kind of like locks on folders right? Some people cant understand why I dont use a swiss army knife, but thats a view held only by people whove never had a knife close on them.

 

[Colt6731]

IMO, I would never have to baton my knife thru anything unless in a true survival situation. I usually carry a Strider VB or BKT-7 when in the woods, and have never had to use them to split or cut anything by batoning. I guess I could do all that with them, but find a small hatchet or camp axe works better. I honestly cant understand why someone would or would not buy a certain knife based on its perceived ability to be drove thru wood with a club and not break.

 

[Idaho Jarhead]

I see batonning as an alternative to using a hatchet or smaller ax. I find carrying a larger knife to baton with can be convenient, although it takes a little more effort than a hatchet to get the same job accomplished. This, however, is not a problem for me because I buy expensive, hard-use knives and enjoy putting them through their paces.

Although I do not own a hatchet, I am not opposed to them. It is just that I haven't gotten around to buying one. When I eventually do buy one (actually I plan on making one) I still plan on batonning as the opportunities present themselves.

I, for one, will be curious to see if your question turns into a heated debate as so often happens with this topic. Try posting this in WSS and see what happens.

 

[snwbrdr202]

My understanding is that a well made knife SHOULD be able to baton through wood. My Ranger RD-9 can go through an 8 inch log (diameter) like butter, and it doesn't have a bloody scratch to show for it! Good steel pays off.

 

[rwasham]

I think batoning through wood is something that, while good in theory, doesnt really always need to be a major criteria of someone buying a knife. Its just too specialized of a chore to really matter unless youre out somewhere where your only option for getting useable firewood is to baton through some wood with your knife. That being said...the ability to baton through something is one test that can indicate a quality knife capable of withstanding a lot of stress. But if you dont have to.....there are other more efficient ways of cutting wood...unless you just like it.

 

[Todd A]

I don't really baton. Dead wood for fire is easy to pick up around here, I will bring a camp axe on overnights (most of the time), and my SAK has saw for branches and saplings for shelter poles...etc.

But I do baton with my knives just to "play", and to make sure they can handle it if needed. I don't carry a chopper and my main fixed blade is a tad under 4".

So if I need to use it to take down a sapling batoning is the easiest way.

My JK Handmade Knives Hiker will handle it no problem...

 

[snwbrdr202]

WOW Jarhead, nice Mistress!!! I rest my case...

 

[theonew]

If a knife that could safely baton through wood, couldn't dice up an onion due to it's geometry or lost its edge quickly doing regular cutting tasks, I wouldn't bother to carry one at all. But with some of the nice, perfectly heat treated, carbon steels like A2, 01, 1095 etc., and well thought out designs, we have blades available that can support a thin slicing edge and still baton through dry wood. So why the heck not have one. Is it a criteria that makes or breaks any knife purchase decision, of course not. But for a hiking/camping blade I see no reason not to include this ability in the requirement list.

I baton all the time in the woods, sometimes just for the heck of it, sometimes because I want a bunch of thin dried wood for a fast, hot fire that quickly dies down and leaves a nice bed of coals to cook on, and other times for bushcraft activities like making the board for a bow drill fire. My favorite woods knife is a Bark River Aurora, it has a four and half inch blade, only weighs 6 ounces and will baton wood all day and then still slice a tomato paper thin :thumbup:

 

[Brad Greulich]

I always like to have a batoning knife whenever I hike or camp, because I never know if I might need to be able too. for example- If im out a long hike, or far away from home, I might end up lost and having to build a shelter or not be able to find dry wood small enough to start a fire; I dont carry an axe or hatchet because of the weight so it's nice to know I have a knife that can do a 'good enough' job in a pinch.

I know it's not a common situation you'd find yourself in but still, you never know. A few years ago I was on a school camping trip (students who dont know jack about the outdoors mostly) and what should happen? but someone hurts them selves and has to go to the hosptial. So, in the van goes our instructor, the -only- axe and the -only- cut fire wood.

I'm the only one there with a knife of any sort, good thing I had a solid fixed blade and was able to cut up a bunch of knidling, and larger wood, so the 15+ students were able to have a nice camp fire on a cold night.

btw- after that I wasn't asked "OMG why do you need that big knife?" for the rest of the trip, or refered to as "that wierd knife guy"

 

[Bigfattyt]

If you have a big, thick nasty chopper knife you probably don't really need to baton. If all you have is a smaller blade, you will have no real chopping ability. Batoning is a good way to get to dry material for fire building. The core of most wood, even in wet weather will be dry enough to burn.

Just the other day, I was in my Dad's back yard. Splitting wood for him. I had several splitting mauls, and lighter axes. I found some good fat wood in the core of several of the pieces I was splitting. I wanted that fat wood, and the easiest most efficient way to get it out was by batoning with my big 10 inch .310 inch chopper. I was able to take off exactly the size slice I wanted with no extra to get only the fat wood out of pieces.

It has a place in wilderness survival too. When you are wet and tired and cold, batoning can be safer. I also use when I don't have a good back stop for splitting against and don't want the edge of my knife to get screwed up from chopping. You can baton down to the depth you want and stop before you go all the way through, and just a little pull to finish the split. works great.

Chopping and splitting is more energy efficient for me, but you do risk removing a limb with a over strike.

 

[grey menace]

If alone in deep woods like i go to, i find batoning safer. You have more control than with a hatchet that mite glance of and get a chunk of your leg or some other fun part. The knives i use are on the larger size, but hold their edge and can still slice up a meal., happy camping ,G.M

 

[A.L.]

Axe is for that task. It is more durable and effective way.
...unless you want to play rambo and have "only one knife" way.

 

[Buffalohump]

Its definitely a useful technique when you're splitting wood for the fire or what have you.

Performing the same task with an axe or hatched can be tricky and hazardous if you don't have a nice chopping block handy.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

It's been proven by others on this forum that you can safely baton with an Opinel or a Mora providing you use proper technique, so any argument that batoning is abusive are only true in cases where you make a bungle of it. That being said it is best done with quality fixed blades with a slab-handle construction since they will be the most forgiving of sloppy technique. That being said I've seen people baton folders through wood without any problems--you just have to be careful.

As previously mentioned it's a useful method of safely splitting wood, in particular for splitting a hearth board for a bow drill fire. I've knocked my Izula through goodness knows how much wood to make kindling as well. It's just easy, fast, and convenient. You just can't be stupid about it.

 

[mhawg]

I was using a Gerber Bolt Action Folding utility knife to baton some fat lighter while on vacation in Virginia. The fat lighter had twisted grain and snapped a semicircular chunk, about 1/2" deep, in my blade. That is when I started considering the Gerber steel to be too brittle for such a task. I have used my Camillus USMC reproduction knife to baton wood for years with no ill effects. When I use one of the INFI blades for batoning I don't have a second thought about damaging the blade but with other knives I take the steel into consideration. For fire starting size wood pieces I feel that most knives will be able to stand batoning but I would refrain from depending on a nice skinner to split larger firewood. When you are concerned with personal load weight and survival situations I would definitely want a knife that could take some hard use and cover a wide range of cutting chores relieving you from having to carry a specialized knife and a hatchet for heavy cutting.

 

[Dag-nabit]

I started batoning for "safety" reasons.

When using a hatchet to split off kindeling there is a tendency to hold the log with one hand (usually midway or toward the top of the log) and swing the hatchet with the other. Especially if the log is unstable and won't stand on its own. I did this for years without serious incident.

But when my kids started making their own campfires, I had visions of a thumb lying on the ground after a hatchet swipe went bad.

With batoning one hand is on the knife handle, and the knife is used to steady the log, the other hand is on the baton. There is virtually no risk of getting any fingers in the path of the working edge of the tool.

I also find you have better control over the size of the wood pieces you are splitting off, and, a knife works much better for "chipping" small bits of kindeling off the bottom edge of a log.

It's a matter of preference, but batoning has proved to work best for my family.

Kevin

Chipping Kindeling with the A2

Batoning with the A2

 

[mdauben]

I've been making fires in the wood for decades and I have never had to batton any wood to do so. In fact, the only time I've ever had to take an axe/hatchet to a piece of wood was when I bought a bundle of wood in an area that did not allow collection of firewood. In any area that has not been stripped by overuse (like around an established drive in campground) I have never had any problems finding deadwood (or squaw wood as we used to call it back in the pre-PC days) in various sizes suitabel for staring and maintaining a fire.

So, I don't consider battoning a criteria when I am chosing a knife, even a knife for potential survival situations.

 

[CaptInsano]

These discussions usually end up the same way. A bunch of people get pissy because a different bunch of people have larger knives that can do something a smaller knife can't. Is batoning necessary? No, it usually is not really necessary. That means that sometimes it is. More often than being necessary, it frequently makes things easier. Probably 75% of the stuff I carry in my pack isn't necessary. Hell, I haven't even treated any injuries that wouldn't have been survivable without my first aid kit. Most of the time I never even use the thing. I wonder how many people carry those.