Batoning?

[Cpl Punishment]

I generally carry a proper tool to cut and split firewood.
However, I have come to prefer batoning to notch and do such fine work. Light, quick taps with a baton seems easier to precisely control depth than push or draw cutting.

BTW, as one of those infamous knife tests, I batoned my Aurora throught some really hard, seasoned wood and afterward you could not tell it had been done by looking at the knife. The Aurora can handle it just fine.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Batoning is an invaluable skill for tool building. 'Nuff said.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Double Tap

 

[bladz]

Is this really necessary for hiking, or backpacking? I have not done very much, but maybe should give the Aurora a try.

Not necessary, but a way to get the job done. If I'm backpacking, I don't want to lug a hatchet or a small axe around. I'd rather rely on a small to medium fixed blade that I'm going to have anyway. Now if I'm doing a 1 nighter or car camping and can afford the extra weight of a saw or hatchet, I probably don't baton... except maybe for fun.

 

[theonew]

BTW, as one of those infamous knife tests, I batoned my Aurora throught some really hard, seasoned wood and afterward you could not tell it had been done by looking at the knife. The Aurora can handle it just fine.

That's been my experience too. I've done some very rough cross-grain batoning of hard seasoned wood as well and the edge on the Aurora was still shaving sharp.

 

[Rotte]

Is this really necessary for hiking, or backpacking?

Yes. You will die if you don't know how to Baton. You will die cold, hungry, tired, in a leaky shelter, and with a sharp knife at your side.

Trust me on this--it happened to me once.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Woah - Rotte you came back from the dead? What PSK did you bring?

TF

 

[Rotte]

Gossman in A2. Yeah, it's all that.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I baton quite a bit; it's very useful for making planks and precisely shaping larger pieces of wood (as plenty of others have already stated). Some things are much easier to build when you have the ability to quickly produce squared wood and thin planks. Baton work definitely does not fall under my definition of abuse, and while I wouldn't do it with my SAK, the knives that I usually carry are more than capable of performing this useful task.

While a hatchet or axe works much better for producing kindling from rounds (at the cost of greater weight, though), using one to turn out "bush-lumber" is cumbersome and more difficult due to the extreme width of the head.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Gossman in A2. Yeah, it's all that.

Jr. or Sr.?

TF

 

[Watchful]

I've had to baton with my brush axe (bill hook) when I leave my axe at home...

Nice bill hook!!! Very nice!!!

 

[Rotte]

Jr. or Sr.?

TF

Don't know. It's a little thing, 'bout 6" OAL. But you can still baton with it.

 

[Dekz]

Making fireboards Fun!

What knife is that?

 

[Fonly]

looks like an F1.....?

 

[psy-ops]

Yeah it is an F-1! If I can swing another knife this year it will be a S-1.

 

[myright]

I have never HAD to do it with a knife in 60+ years. But I do carry a Hatchet.

I've done it a couple times for the sake of taking pictures. I didn't really need to at all. I would have used a hatchet had my friend brought a hatchet that could have cut warm butter

I do think it is an important task to learn and practice though.