Batoning

RedbeAR15

RedbeAR15

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Sep 29, 2008
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Ok - I'm a newbie oldie, but PLEASE explain this to me.

What is the advantage of a knife in batoning, other than it looks cool?

Is there an efficiency gain in batoning with a knife vs. using a hatchet or axe?

Is it just a cool factor in that you can do it with a blade?

Is it a knife guy thing?

Enquirer minds gotta know - help me out here:D

TIA
 
I use batoning to make firewood burn faster and more controlled when I am backpacking. As you already know, it is a lot easier to start wood that has a smaller surface area. Plus the center of wood that has already fallen/dead is usually drier than the outer areas where dew and rain repeatedly get at it. I don't like carrying a hatchet around. I have a compactable sven saw and a knife. Those two can accomplish every purpose I could ever use a hatchet for. Plus batoning with a knife just seems a little safer/more in control for me. But that is probably becuase I haven't used a hatchet more than 5 times in my life. Hope that helps.
 
RedbeAR15 said:
Ok - I'm a newbie oldie, but PLEASE explain this to me.

What is the advantage of a knife in batoning, other than it looks cool?

Is there an efficiency gain in batoning with a knife vs. using a hatchet or axe?

Is it just a cool factor in that you can do it with a blade?

Is it a knife guy thing?

Enquirer minds gotta know - help me out here:D

TIA
Click to expand...

I find it a more controlled set of motions. Think about splitting a smaller piece of wood with hatchet. Either you have to hit the wood with such force that you split it completely, or you have to wedge the hatchet in and then continue to bang the wood on a solid resting object (a stump, the ground, etc.) to work the hatchet through.

With a baton log and a fixed blade, I just feel like I have more control over the wood, where it splits, where it falls, etc.

That does beg the question... why split smaller wood? Sometimes, the wood is drier in the center and more likely to catch; also, the increase in edges and corners makes the wood catch and burn more quickly IMO.

I usually make up smaller sticks by batoning and use them in conjunction with tinder to get a fire going. Once those split sticks get going strong, I'll begin to put on wood that hasn't been split.

Edit: Okay, I should have just read rutmi01's post and said, "+1."
 
Thanks Gents - I am seriously trying to understand this concept - I'm old school - had a folder, fixed, and hatchet/axe when I went to the woods and have been contemplating advantages/disadvantages on this for awhile.

I understand the concept of splitting the wood into smaller pieces to accelerrate the fire, but - what tool is most efficient?
 
Think in terms of survival, or long camping/hiking trips where keeping weight down is a necessity. Instead of lugging along a hatchet, Khukri, or Axe AND a knife, if you have just one knife that you know you can baton with you don't have to tote the extra poundage, and you can still accomplish MOST missions.
 
IMHO, it is safer than a hatchet in inexperienced hands and it is just a simple technique to split wood with a durable field knife.

Batoning is not as efficient as using a hatchet and requires more impacts. It can be pretty obnoxious early in the morning or late at night when the loons are asleep and the lake is glass. These are the times when I'd rather not be the loud jerk that everyone loves when they're camping:rolleyes:

That said, a hatchet is also a horrible digging, stoking, and bush whacking tool...so K.I.S.S. and always carry a Steel Heart or Battle Mistress:D
 
I think a knife is actually more efficient. You find a stick to hammer the knife through the wood, and you need not take those large swings with the heavy hatchet. But I am sure others would disagree. It is probably just preference.
 
Go over to Wilderness and Survival and mention batoning, and you'll get responses from both sides of the fence. There are folks who just don't get it and will argue that an axe and a small fixed blade are all you need. There are folks who poo-poo the axe and argue for batoning with a large fixed blade. There are folks somewhere in the middle.

That said, I do realize the utility of an axe when dealing with large sections of wood or entire trees. Nothing can touch a good axe when it comes to pure chopping.

It's the hatchet & large fixed blade debate where I tend to lean more toward the fixed blade for most of the reasons posted above.

Axes2.jpg
 
Strabs said:
That said, a hatchet is also a horrible digging, stoking, and bush whacking tool...so K.I.S.S. and always carry a Steel Heart or Battle Mistress:D
Click to expand...

Or you can just hump a little of everything and cover your bases. :D

Knives.jpg
 
guyon said:
i find it a more controlled set of motions. Think about splitting a smaller piece of wood with hatchet. Either you have to hit the wood with such force that you split it completely, or you have to wedge the hatchet in and then continue to bang the wood on a solid resting object (a stump, the ground, etc.) to work the hatchet through.

With a baton log and a fixed blade, i just feel like i have more control over the wood, where it splits, where it falls, etc.

That does beg the question... Why split smaller wood? Sometimes, the wood is drier in the center and more likely to catch; also, the increase in edges and corners makes the wood catch and burn more quickly imo.

I usually make up smaller sticks by batoning and use them in conjunction with tinder to get a fire going. Once those split sticks get going strong, i'll begin to put on wood that hasn't been split.

Edit: Okay, i should have just read rutmi01's post and said, "+1."
Click to expand...


+1 :d :d


.
 
Strabs said:
IMHO, it is safer than a hatchet in inexperienced hands and it is just a simple technique to split wood with a durable field knife.

Batoning is not as efficient as using a hatchet and requires more impacts. It can be pretty obnoxious early in the morning or late at night when the loons are asleep and the lake is glass. These are the times when I'd rather not be the loud jerk that everyone loves when they're camping:rolleyes:

That said, a hatchet is also a horrible digging, stoking, and bush whacking tool...so K.I.S.S. and always carry a Steel Heart or Battle Mistress:D
Click to expand...

Battle Mistress? :p
 
Its a lot safer after a long drive to your camp and you arrive wasted :D

Keeps you with all your metatarsals!:thumbup:


I d let my 9yr old baton, but I would not let her use my axe.....even if she wasnt drinkinng
 
Batoning of wood is just a method, as is splitting with a hatchet or axe. Whichever method you become proficient at is the best to use IME. It's all in the end result that counts; well, that and accomplishing the task safely each time.
 
Just use a wood wedge and a smaller steel wedge set at 60' to the wood wedge when you rehandle. This makes for a much tighter connection and the head stays solid longer IME. Buy a few steel wedges where the axs are sold in HD or lowes, Etc. Keep at least one in your woods kit for handle replacement.
 
I do baton. It is not as quick as if you have a hatchet or axe. It does give really good control.
 
Its all marketing Bruce! Its difficult for the axe and hatchet salespeople to make a point when half of em are missing their pointing fingers.:foot::D
 
I always assumed batoning was for times you had nothing but your knife. Either traveling light or lost your hatchet, which i did manage to do once (though i could legitimately blame it on my brother). I Suppose personal preference enters into it as well.
 
Correct, Batonning was a technique developed when no ax or hatchet was carried and wood needed to be split. It's gotten way over-rated IMO in the past few years; and some knives do not sell because they 'can't baton wood', go figure...(insert roll eyes icon here!)
 
The NMFBM LE is the king of the baton blades. Only problem is... it's nearly as heavy an axe. :p

NMFBMLE4.jpg


It's also perfect for stirring a martini.

nmfbmmartini.jpg
 
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