Batoning wood with knives/Nutnfancy

If you must split wood , a folding saw will do it faster & safer & with less chance of breaking your knife.

[video=youtube;f9iFoyEOWrQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9iFoyEOWrQ[/video]

If you saw halfway trough the side of those half's you can split them again .

A Vic with a saw will get you a long way, and it comes with a knife & other useful tools.


1234,,,,,:)
 
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Dorito Monk said:
I thought it was a little funny that, if you don't subscribe to the batoning fad
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Fad? People have been splitting wood with whatever they had to for many, many more years than any of us here have been alive...they just didn't have the internet to make it annoying.;)

What seems silly is people's odd desire to split logs with a knife.
Split wood when needed to get to dry interior wood? Sure.
Split wood around the fire because you're bored? Sure, why the hell not.
Splitting logs big enough to build a cabin? What the hell are they thinking?:confused:
 
stabman said:
Splitting logs big enough to build a cabin? What the hell are they thinking?:confused:
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Again, it's been done for many years more than we've been alive. It was actually a normal way to make planks (for floors or for the sides of boats). Folks used a specialized knife called a froe along with a wooden mallet to do the splitting, along with wooden wedges to extend the split.
 
Grampa said:
Folks used a specialized knife called a froe along with a wooden mallet to do the splitting, along with wooden wedges to extend the split.
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The bolded part is quite important to the whole discussion, I think.:)
 
NeoClassic said:
Your choice to view other people's opinions as "snobbery."

You could just as easily regard them as a different point of view and not feel offended by them.
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Below are a few quotes from this thread about Nutnfancy and battoning. I stand by my statement.

"he doesn't have nearly the influence on the industry that he seems to think he does."

"He is pretty much a regurgitator of trends found here"

"Nutnfancy is a tool"

"I just can't be that lame to take anything he says seriously…Also, he's got quite an ego"

"I find both battoning wood and Nutnfancy tedious and mostly unnecessary"

"I think he does an excellent job at introducing this hobby to noobs and half-noobs,"

"he has something to offer the newbs"

"any noob can watch these videos and get the wrong idea about how or when to baton"

"batonning craze is totaly out of hand"

"Monkey see, monkey do. The mis-informed can make videos just as easy as they can make babies."

"I absolutely hate battoning"
 
Biting tongue, biting tongue..

Anyway moving on, it seems like this thread started off rather anti batoning and turned a rather pro batoning corner. Interesting.
Both sides are raising very good points.
I find the criticism is showing me what not to do and the pro is showing me how to baton properly
ie: use a capable knife
-good steel like 1095
-thick spine
-appropriate grind for the task
-good blade length
Selection of wood is important
- baton logs that are a size my knife can handle
-stay the hell away from knots
Baton with good technique
-I should be careful about thumping on the tip
-keep good pressure on the handle and keep the blade straight

Does anybody have any input on the surface below the log you are batoning?
For example something Nutnfancy is quite good about pointing out is never let your blade "ground out". Do not baton it into the dirt where the blade can contact rocks and chip out the blade.
Also I try to always baton on wood.
I wonder if soft wood accepts shocks from the blow of the baton against the knife better than the ground?

While the Cold steel guys made their point very clearly in the letter to the guy who broke his Leatherneck with the punch to the head analogy there use of that particular analogy speak volumes to their companies mentality and how they treat people (people who bought their product)!
 
Furious when I first tread your last post I took it all wrong! I'm glad I went back and looked for your last post or boy would my face have been red if I had posted my first response.
So ignore that biting tongue comment please. I was off the mark!
Also I totally agree with you about delimbing branches with a knife. In fact it's one of my favorite parts!
Cheers.
 
I don't see anything too crazy about packing a hatchet. My seven-day pack weight is around 50lbs with a fixed blade and a hatchet. Not too crazy. But my practice day hikes are closer to 100lbs. I like more weight, I sleep better :D

But anywho, batton if you want, and don't if you don't.

Also, regarding NutNFancy, his gun reviews are boring enough I use use others for reference and same with his anything reviews. Strange dude. Boring dude.
 
1234 said:
If you must split wood , a folding saw will do it faster & safer & with less chance of breaking your knife.

[video=youtube;f9iFoyEOWrQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9iFoyEOWrQ[/video]

If you saw halfway trough the side of those half's you can split them again .

A Vic with a saw will get you a long way, and it comes with a knife & other useful tools.


1234,,,,,:)
Click to expand...

That is wicked.
 
1234 said:
If you must split wood , a folding saw will do it faster & safer & with less chance of breaking your knife.

If you saw halfway trough the side of those half's you can split them again .

A Vic with a saw will get you a long way, and it comes with a knife & other useful tools.


1234,,,,,:)
Click to expand...

The problem is in bushcraft there are no hard and fast rules.
The essence of bushcraft is adapting to the environment and trying to make life as comfortable as possible with the tools you have available.

I have a Bahco Laplander folding saw and it's a useful piece of kit, but there are still times when i use my experience and knowledge to make a decision not to take it, or even if i have it to baton anyways.

As i've said before batoning is just another tool you can take out the box.
If you don't want to then that is your choice and your decision based on your experiences, situation and knowledge.

If we were out together and i saw a situation where i felt batoning would be more efficient then i would show you, it's then your choice if to use this knowledge or not.

The problem is, unless you have tried it your really in no position to judge it.
Add to that the fact that if we asked 10 guys from here to baton we'd see 10 different ways of doing it with 10 different sized hammering logs going through 10 different logs.

Batoning is as safe or as risky as you make it, the fact that i have called upon this tool when needed for over 30 years without any bad, dangerous results and no injuries is very good evidence that it can be both useful and safe.

If you have not tried it then you really cannot judge it's use or safety.

As for knives breaking, i have not had, seen or heard about a knife failing when batoning with "reasonable" force.
But even if it did i position my body and limbs in a way that there will be no injury, just a broken knive.
And as my knives are tools if one breaks while carrying out work i feel it should do standing on it's head then i am happy i found out that particular knife is junk.

It really is THAT simple.

Your circumstances and situation = your choice
You knife = your choice

No right or wrong just different experiences and situations where we try and do a job in what we feel is the best way.

If push came to shove and it came down between either HAVING to baton a small log, or going cold that night, then i do not know of and have never met anyone that would not do it.
If they didn't then i would go so far as to say i wouldn't want to be out with someone that isn't willing to try new methods to save a cold nights sleep.

It's only a knife ;)
 
Problem is though, unless you've tried batoning and have some experience of it there is very little experience and knowledge of the subject you can share.

Don't get me wrong your still entitled to have an opinion on if you want to subject your knife to it or not, obviously it's your knife so your call.
But it's virtually impossible to judge a method of working if you haven't actually tried it.

As far as the vid goes, to me i would not keep pushing my knife through a knot THAT hard.

I have mixed feelings about using batoning to test a knife.
It would be a handy way of seeing if your new knife is up to the job while in a safe situation (rather than have it fail out in the bush).
But if your pummelling a knife through a knot like in that vid i don't really see how that's testing or proving anything, as if i'm out in the bush i'm a LOT more careful with my equipment as i know a failure will mean a miserable night.
So i would never subject any of my knives to THAT level of abuse, there simply is no need for it in the field and if at home i'll just use an axe.

After a quick search on the tube this is the sort of batoning i do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P2CqibtTuQ

Going with the grain of the wood and not trying to hammer the knife through knots.

As i say i usually only use batoning when trying to start a fire in very wet conditions to get to the drier wood in the middle of a log.
So it's always dead wood i baton and always the softest wood i can find.
If i can find alternative tinder like for example Birch tree bark then i much prefer using that as it's more efficient for me.
 
Oh well , tell me about it the next time you have to baton wood in a real survival situation in order to save your life.


1234,,,:D:D:D
 
1234 said:
Oh well , tell me about it the next time you have to baton wood in a real survival situation in order to save your life.


1234,,,:D:D:D
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I don't really understand the relevance of your statement, unless it was intended as a sarcastic remark.

I am surprised in general by the strength of feeling some folks have both for and against batoning.
If someone was batoning with your knife i could understand it.

But if i'm out in the field alone and i feel the need to split a branch with MY OWN KNIFE bought with MY OWN MONEY then why would anyone else care :confused:

As long as i'm not threatening or injuring myself or anyone else, then how i use my tools and knives is my business and there is no right or wrong.

If i hammered my knives into a tree and used them as steps, THEN a blade sheared and cut through my leg, THEN i came on here complaining about the manufacturer and the knife THEN i could understand.
As it is though i've NOT had a blade fail through my use of batoning, i have NOT sustained any injuries while batoning and i have not complained about any knife or manufacturer.

Yet you still insist on making snide remarks and continue to question my experience and knowledge.


As i say i'm neither for or against batoning.
It's another skill that CAN be used in SOME circumstances, like feathering, chopping, whiting etc etc.

You don't want to baton with your knife, that's your choice and your knife.

To question other peoples experience, knowledge and judgement simply because they do though is arrogant, obnoxious and just plain wrong.

How i use my knife, bought with my money, i've spent blood sweat and tears earning is my choice.
The ONLY way you can judge me is to have the exact same circumstances, experiences as me and be in the exact same situation at the time.
As you have not and were not any opinion on how i use my knives on your part is worthless.
 
cbr6fs said:
I don't really understand the relevance of your statement, unless it was intended as a sarcastic remark.
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The practice of batoning is often talked about as a last resort in survival situations ,
and I was just kidding , thinking you would recognize the humorous tone in my post .

I was sadly mistaken .

1234,,,,,,:D
 
I carry a knife capable of baton work as opposed to an axe or hatchet for weight reason. My ESEE-3 weighs in at 5.5 ounces (just checked). So it isn't quite the 4 ounces mentioned earlier (missed it by a shot of whiskey) but it is a LOT lighter than a hatchet. In addition, while some people can do just about everything they need to with an axe/hatchet, I am not as skilled. I can do everything I need to do with an ESEE-3 and it weighs less than a hatchet.

Back when I was a boy scout, we used to carry a ton of stuff in our packs. We would be lugging around easily 30-40 pounds on bigger trips. I do the same types of trips today but I'm well under 10 pounds, depending. How is this possible? Multi-use gear for one and making smart choices about weight vs. function for another. Why should you give a crap about how much weight you carry around? Because to move that weight costs calories. Take a pair of identical twins with identical physical fitness levels. Load one with a 50 pound pack and one with a 10 pound pack. Make them walk until exhaustion and see which one drops first. I'd much rather be the guy carrying the 10 pound pack and do without the 10 pound North Face Mountain Tent, saw, hatchet, sleeping bag, thermarest and a set of clothing for every single day.

I really don't find that I need to baton all that often. In my opinion, if you are working with wood much bigger than your wrist you are wasting calories. That being said, there are environments that you will encounter (grasslands/plains/tundra) where the only piece of wood you can find is not usable without processing. I hope I haven't pissed anyone off too bad, but I'm not a mall ninja. I actually go out and do this stuff and I'm speaking from decades of experience.
 
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cbr6fs said:
But if i'm out in the field alone and i feel the need to split a branch with MY OWN KNIFE bought with MY OWN MONEY then why would anyone else care :confused:
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that's just it, nobody does care, so the white knighting can stop at any time
 
I wouldn't say I am the biggest nuntn fan but he deserves alot of credit as does anyone who takes time out of their personal lives to do a comprehensive view that without a doubt aids others in their purchases of all things tactical. not to mention his responsibility for several discounts and giveaways that have found their way into many grateful viewers hands.
 
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