Do you look for this in a knife?

I keep reading this ' never need to pry ', what about prying fatwood stumps apart or do ya all carry axes all the time ?
 
pitdog said:
I keep reading this ' never need to pry ', what about prying fatwood stumps apart or do ya all carry axes all the time ?
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Yeah, I don't really spend a whole lot of time prying fatwood stumps apart...

I can start a fire pretty easily without fatwood, so I don't use it all that much. It's more of a novelty item for me. I have a bunch that sits at home, and I keep a piece or two in my PSK, but other than that, I really don't have a need to harvest any more.
Although, it seems finding fatwood is what all the cool kids are doing on this forum lately. Maybe I need to get with the program.:cool: I could start a charity program and send all the excess fatwood that I find, that I will never use, to new WSS members...:D
 
Haha, pretty much all the prying my knives get are in pursuit of fatwood. Its not so much necessary for starting fires, but it works great and smells so nice.

These days, I consider batoning to be a pretty standard woods task for my blade, but most decent woods knives take batoning just fine, from what I've seen technique seems to be the root of most issues rather than the knife itself.
 
I agree, technique seems to be key. My mora has coped with batonning for years without problems. Hats off to anyone who manages to break a full tang knife doing the same.
 
beef said:
I agree, technique seems to be key. My mora has coped with batonning for years without problems. Hats off to anyone who manages to break a full tang knife doing the same.
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I've battoned a cheap folder in the past with no ill effect.

A real test for ya knives is to truncate the blade through some wood, that is going against the grain.I'm betting some of the Scandi blades would have nicks and dings after that.
 
My Becker BK-2 makes me happy. Comes with me to work and it comes with me into the woods. Not too much prying to be done in the woods perhaps, but that's a common phrase around this parts isn't it? Rather have it and not need, than need and not have.
 
Not to over simplify but good quality at a good price is all I am asking of any product. That said, I don't really like knives that weigh more than a ax.
 
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Follow-up Question:
If prying or lateral strength is not an essential component, why fixed over folder?
I love both, but I'm curious -- I know folders take more maintenance, but doesn't a full tang fixed blade have prying ability as one of it's advantages?
 
Main reasons I go for fixed is an ergonomic handle and ease of maintenance. Plus I don't need to have the hassles of opening and closing when my hands may be cold, wet, or in gloves.
 
My survival/camping knives need to be able to baton, well. So they're all large, thick, strong and tough knives. Because of this, they pry, dig and chop well too, for a knife. :D
For finer tasks I have finer knives. ;)
 
Here is my dismil try at a video at what I expect a folder must be able to handle at least. I baton with most of my floders like this. I wont go much bigger when it comes to batoning as I feel folders are best suited for making kindling. I would rather use a axe on bigger wood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0aGGaJYK7A
 
marthinus said:
Here is my dismil try at a video at what I expect a folder must be able to handle at least. I baton with most of my floders like this. I wont go much bigger when it comes to batoning as I feel folders are best suited for making kindling. I would rather use a axe on bigger wood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0aGGaJYK7A
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Can't watch Youtube at work, but lemme get this straight: You baton with folders, but you'd rather not use a bigger knife on bigger wood? :confused:
 
marthinus said:
Here is my dismil try at a video at what I expect a folder must be able to handle at least. I baton with most of my floders like this. I wont go much bigger when it comes to batoning as I feel folders are best suited for making kindling. I would rather use a axe on bigger wood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0aGGaJYK7A
Click to expand...

Just my opinion, but you are batoning the wrong way. A stick that size is easily broken over your knee or by stepping on it. No need to sacrifice the edge of your knife. If you need a clean end, just notch all the way around the stick were you want it to break, and it will break mostly flat.
IMO, the only reason to baton, for me, is to split(lengthwise) wet wood to get to the dry interior wood.


philwar said:
Can't watch Youtube at work, but lemme get this straight: You baton with folders, but you'd rather not use a bigger knife on bigger wood? :confused:
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I think he means, he wouldn't baton sticks much bigger than the one in the video with his folder. And for bigger stuff he would use an axe. Maybe he doesn't carry a bigger fixed blade...
 
philwar said:
Can't watch Youtube at work, but lemme get this straight: You baton with folders, but you'd rather not use a bigger knife on bigger wood? :confused:
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I would use a bigger knife on bigger wood. but as stingray said I dont carry a fixed blade bigger then a mora.

stingray4540 said:
Just my opinion, but you are batoning the wrong way. A stick that size is easily broken over your knee or by stepping on it. No need to sacrifice the edge of your knife. If you need a clean end, just notch all the way around the stick were you want it to break, and it will break mostly flat.
IMO, the only reason to baton, for me, is to split(lengthwise) wet wood to get to the dry interior wood.




I think he means, he wouldn't baton sticks much bigger than the one in the video with his folder. And for bigger stuff he would use an axe. Maybe he doesn't carry a bigger fixed blade...
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Ha ha. Jip I guess your right, I normally would notch it all away around and then just break it. I just felt like doing it that way. Dont know why. :D The edge did held up well and no rolling or chipping.
 
I like to know I can baton with a knife. Many knives can do that, luckily. They also don't necessarily need to be ultra-thick most of the times (and luckily again). If I can also pry, it means the knife will sure not mind batoning, even if I haven't had until now the "need" to pry anything. So yes, I like those qualities.
 
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