Do you really need to baton wood?

Perhaps we should say less on should we baton, and more on the best way to do it if the need arises.

Usually we only need a knife to make the first 1" cut into the wood, after that a wooden wedge should be the tool of choice for splitting logs of any diameter.
 
I personally have never batoned wood with a knife, but I recognize that there may be a time when I may need to (wet wood, no hatchet). The knives I actually carry around and use are not selected with batoning in mind.
 
I don't want to argue the batoning thing again but all I will say is this, I don't really choose a knife on the basis of its batoning ability, but any knife I would want with me in the bush would be able to baton.
 
I used my FBM to split this piece of wood into smaller pieces of kindling to use in this hobo stove. Yes I could of spent time looking around for smaller pieces of wood and or twigs but why? If I can produce it right there in my camp doesn't that make sense?

DonandRoxy024.jpg
 
shotgunner11 said:
Seems to me we go round and round on this topic about every 2 or 3 months. Someone comes in, questions the validity of batoning, the whole thing blows up, people site a bazillion examples of much more complex and involved ways to do the same job and in the end everyone agrees to disagree and baton if they want or not baton if they dont want.


I think that just about sums it up.
Click to expand...

Well said. I think it may be more like once a month though. It's come up at least two distinct times since I joined in March. . . This makes three. I don't think its necessary to baton very often, but it's nice to have the option. And I do it much more often than is necessary because I think it's fun. :D
 
Well, though I've done lots of batonning.
p5300219mr7.jpg

p5090059ri2.jpg

p4300016bq7.jpg

p4240019jo7.jpg

p4160086zz5.jpg


I've never NEEDED to befor, its just made things alot easier. Like it has been said, when I want a larger piece of wood smaller, I baton it, or if I have an axe I'll use that.
 
I used my Swamp Rat M6 and my Fiskars/Gerber 14" hatchet side by side to split some kindling for my fire place. They both worked great but I feel the knife with a baton is easier to control. Though I still like the hatchet for it's chopping ability, I think the knife splits better/safer. So I guess if you need to split wood choose a stout knife, if you need to chop a lot of wood then choose the axe. I own both for different times of year, weather conditions, and different types of outings. There are a lot of folks that say that a knife should be used as a knife and if you're talking about a flimsy cheapo then yeah. But, there are a lot of makers here that design their knives from the get go to do just that, baton and pry. So I'd say using a Swamp Rat to baton is using the right tool for the right job. YMMV.
 
Fonly said:
Well, though I've done lots of batonning.
p5300219mr7.jpg

p5090059ri2.jpg

p4300016bq7.jpg

p4240019jo7.jpg

p4160086zz5.jpg


I've never NEEDED to befor, its just made things alot easier. Like it has been said, when I want a larger piece of wood smaller, I baton it, or if I have an axe I'll use that.
Click to expand...


Fonly, could you remind me how you got the black coating off your Becker? I'd like to try something like that with mine.
 
Foilist said:
Fonly, could you remind me how you got the black coating off your Becker? I'd like to try something like that with mine.
Click to expand...

I kinda took the long route, because it was mostly on impulse. But I sanded it off with some 440 grit paper, (hand sander) then some 800, then with 1500 and it has a nice finish on it, though its not too pretty as I beat the crap outa that thing. :D
 
Back in the day, they used to have a building called a "Wood shed" Lots of things happened there and behind said shed. I'm sure some of you remember that. There was a task, called "Splitting kindling" making small piece's out of big pieces. These were used for building a fire in the cook stove and the fire place. Using a hatchet I became quite proficient at making very uniform sticks.

Now in the 21 century they call it batoning. I think this is a carry over from the grand old pastime of "whittling," you know, the old guys sitting on the front porch making small pieces out of larger pieces.

Nowadays while camping it's a great way to relax and unwind, maybe even get rid of some pent up aggression. Get a nice comfy spot, get some wood, your favorite blade, a cold beer, sit back and make small pieces out of larger pieces.

I'm a fair-weather camper so I would never do this out of necessity, if it's that wet, I pack up and go home. Just my .02,YMMV.
 
. . . , they used to have a building called a "wood shed." Lots of things happened thereabouts. I'm sure few, if any, of you remember that one of those things was a task, called "Making Shingles." These were used about exclusively for roofing buildings -- even covering the sides of buildings in a unique area called "New England." Using a tool called a froe, many became quite proficient at "Making Shingles." You just rested the sharpened edge of the blade of the froe horizontally on the top of a lround of suitable wood and hammered on the back and exposed tip with a wooden mallet. Viola, a "Shingle." They did it millions of times and the buildings of the U.S. kept the water out (mostly).

Now in the 21 century they call it batoning. Must be a French word. :)
 
Splitting wood is definately easier with an axe but I like to baton because it gives me an excuse to carry a big blade. :D
Scott
 
What about the enjoyment factor? We like knives - that is why we are here.

We like having practical things to do with our knives - that's part of the fun. I like practicing fire starting. I like batoning whether I need to or not. I like learning and practicing skills. That's enough for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top