Everything I learned about batoning on Bladeforums

D

dogstar

Joined
Jan 23, 2011
Messages
4,399
1. Batoning is stupid knife abuse
2. Axes are too dangerous
3. Youtube is a bad influence
4. Bushcraft is just a marketing ploy
5. Just light some twigs
6. Just light your snacks
7. Mors Kochanski > Ray Mears
8. My wood is gnarlier than your wood
9. Thick blades are for thick people
10. Humans have been batoning since the dawn of time, but not since your grandpa was born
11. You don't need to split firewood
12. Every day is like survival
13. Just have a knife, parang, hatchet, saw, lighter, vaseline with you at all times
14. There is nothing a gallon of gasoline can't solve
15. Smatchet is always the answer
16. We all secretly want to be operators
17. Get a froe
 
dogstar said:
10. Humans have been batoning since the dawn of time, but not since your grandpa was born

15. Smatchet is always the answer
Click to expand...
Number 10 is a perfect summation. :)

And 15...yes. :cool:

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Batonning with a Smatchet is perfect...because you turn the baton into firewood at the same time as the wood getting split. :D
 
Now, if we could just get the mods to archive D dogstar 's post, we would have it when needed.

"I am going on a long plane trip and might be lost in a heavily wooded area if my plane crashes. Could you help me find a good knife to use to baton wood? " Off to the archive they go!

"I am going to my city park and may get locked in behind the parking lot gates if I am not careful and may have to spend the night. (Parking gates are 30 inches tall at my park.) If there is no trash, no leaves, no twigs, or dry sticks and I am forced to baton, what knife should I take on my day hike to make sure I can baton my way to freedom?" Off to the archive they go!

"I just got a load of firewood dumped behind my house from my local dealer. My fireplace has a gas starter, but what if it doesn't work when I have friends coming over and I need to light the fireplace? What knife could I use to "process" part of my firewood while having a beer behind the house?" Off to the archive they go!

"I baton with my folder all the time. Why do people poo-poo that idea? It works for me when I make a fire in the fire pit behind my rented cabin at the State park." Off to the archive they go!

Think of the bandwidth savings. Think of how many people on BF would have to throw crap at one another for their preferences. This list could be a good thing!
 
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midnight flyer said:
Now, if we could just get the mods to archive D dogstar 's post, we would have it when needed.

"I am going on a long plane trip and might be lost in a heavily wooded area if my plane crashes. Could you help me find a good knife to use to baton wood? " Off to the archive they go!

"I am going to my city park and may get locked in behind the parking lot gates if I am not careful and may have to spend the night. (Parking gates are 30 inches tall at my park.) If there is no trash, no leaves, no twigs, or dry sticks and I am forced to baton, what knife should I take on my day hike to make sure I can baton my way to freedom?" Off to the archive they go!

"I just got a load of firewood dumped behind my house from my local dealer. My fireplace has a gas starter, but what if it doesn't work when I have friends coming over and I need to light the fireplace? What knife could I use to "process" part of my firewood while having a beer behind the house?" Off to the archive they go!
"I baron with my folder all the time. Why do people poo-poo that idea? It works for me when I make a fire in the fire pit behind my rented cabin at the State park." Off to the archive they go!

Think of the bandwidth savings. Think of how many people on BF would have to throw crap at one another for their preferences. This list could be a good thing!
Click to expand...
Now where's the fun in that? ;)
Also, I suspect we are not here to save bandwidth, human or data-wise.
 
LOL OP, very good

Unfortunately batoning has become a crutch for many because they haven’t progressed in their firecraft skills, usually it is not an expedient way to make a fire - the possible exception being wet weather.

As my good friend Steve Watts used to say, “Without the context, it’s just arts and crafts.” That said, the link below is about fire in general, but would explain some of the context as to ‘why’ people baton if anyone is interested in reading, simply scroll down to the “book analogy.”

1 degree; Wilderness Fire Starting Considerations | Master Woodsman

masterwoodsman.com masterwoodsman.com

Mors Kochanski - “If you can light a fire in the rain and wind with a split paper match you are proving to yourself you are a very skilled fire lighter.” And when he said that, that is with no cutting tool. I trained with Mors, but it was one of his other students, Cody Lundin, that taught me how to do the split paper match almost 20 years ago. That story here…

Homage to the Split Paper Match | Master Woodsman

masterwoodsman.com masterwoodsman.com
 
dogstar said:
1. Batoning is stupid knife abuse
2. Axes are too dangerous
3. Youtube is a bad influence
4. Bushcraft is just a marketing ploy
5. Just light some twigs
6. Just light your snacks
7. Mors Kochanski > Ray Mears
8. My wood is gnarlier than your wood
9. Thick blades are for thick people
10. Humans have been batoning since the dawn of time, but not since your grandpa was born
11. You don't need to split firewood
12. Every day is like survival
13. Just have a knife, parang, hatchet, saw, lighter, vaseline with you at all times
14. There is nothing a gallon of gasoline can't solve
15. Smatchet is always the answer
16. We all secretly want to be operators
17. Get a froe
Click to expand...
Wait. Nothing about chopping bamboo?
 
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