How do you chop with a knife?

[Daniel L]

I know this might sound like "how do you walk?" but I thought I'd better ask since it seems chopping techniques vary and you all probably have more experience than me!

Let's say we want to chop through a 4" diameter branch - do you chop straight down or on an angle? Do you like to chop deep and laterally twist out chunks of wood or do you limit penetration to reduce binding? Do you grip the handle tightly or with a light but whippy motion?

And techniques with knife as well... eg kukri versus GI Machete.

I wish I could go out and do more chopping testing, but alas time and materials are always lacking...



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Daniel

 

[Gus Kalanzis]

It would depend on the hardness of what I was copping. On harder or thicker wood it might be more efficient to chop as you would with a hatchet or axe forming a "V". On small or softer limbs one wack may do it. As far as an angle for one wacking, that is going to vary. You may get more blade penetration at a angle in some woods due to grain and growth patterns. Try it and soon you will develop your own style for the blade you are using and the type of chopping you are doing. If I have a choice in the matter I use the blade and the chopping motion for getting through the wood rather than twisting to remove chunks, but that again would depend upon the knife you are using.

My personal preference is a kukri or bolo style blade for chopping. The weight towards the tip designs seem to be more efficient that a knife that is balanced more towards the guard or top of the handle.

Grip is important when I find myself in the situation of chopping with a knife, it is usually on an unplanned camping trip or hike since I prefer an axe or hatchet. I would not be too thrilled if the knife left my hand and friends would not be too enthralled with the idea of a knife flying around unatached to a person

so a light grip is out for me. A whipping motion might be good for light brush clearing, but I would use a tight and sure grip at all times when a knife is in my hands.

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" The real art of living is to keep alive the longing in human beings to become greater versions of themselves." Laurens Van der Post in memory of James Mattis

[This message has been edited by Gus Kalanzis (edited 06-19-2001).]

 

[Bart student]

1. An angle of °45 degrees to wood, always in V style if you can't do it at once unless your talking light vegetation and then you need a machete.
2. A light grip, imagine you are holding a bird.. hard enough to keep it from escaping yet soft enough not too squeze it to death... or if the knife isn't made for your hands, a tight gip but then you'll get serious blisters in no time
3. not too shap edge,
4. a relatively soft carbon steel so you can restore the edge by just straigthening the edge
5. Enough weight in the knife altough this depends from person to person. I prefer something around one pound.
6. Enough length to reach something (over 5 inch so)
7. a knife with a guard and/or a lanyard to prevent it from becoming a letal UFO

For anything under 1 inch diameter in fresh wood, just whack hard and fast enough to do it at once, for anything bigger, smaller multiple chops are better.

And take care that no-one comes whithin 10 feet from your posistion... I've seen an accident which happened when a brush clearing guy turned around because a wasp was bugging him while he was whacking and there was a line following him... isn't pretty.

Greetz, bart.

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"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !
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[Bronco]

A 4" diameter branch is definitely large enough that I would want to use the axe/hatchet "V" type technique as described by Gus, especially when we're dealing with dry or seasoned hardwoods. A fairly standard approach is to make steep angle cuts at the limits, and shallower angle cuts inbetween to remove large chunks of wood; moving around the limb as you go, as much as possible.

When in the woods, don't forget to strip away the bark prior to beginning your chopping. The bark can hold dirt, rocks and other abrasives that will compromise your blade's edge far more quickly than the wood itself.

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Semper Fi

-Bill

 

[sevenedges]

Agree with the above mention that a v type chopping pattern is best.
I was out chopping with my Battle Mistress yesterday and and I was cutting through green cottonwood that was eight inches in diameter.
Using the v type chopping pattern with four to five inches inbetween the "V" I was able to chop completely through in 25 -30 chops.
When using a straight chopping motion it would easily triple those numbers.
Always use angled cuts, and a snapping motion with the wrist just before impact greatly helps also.
Practice will help hone your skills and tailor them to specific blade lenghts,shapes,and weights.

Later, Jeff

 

[Pergatory]

part of this was already said, but.
1) USE A LANYARD AROUND YOUR ARM SO YOU DON'T KILL YOURSELF
2) MAKE SURE YOUR LEG ISN'T IN THE WAY. In other words, lead in with the opposite foot of the side you are chopping with.
have a a safe day.

 

[glockman99]

Why in the world would you want to chop with a KNIFE?.

.

A hatchet, maybe...An ax, maybe...A chainsaw...Heck-YAH!.

.

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
<A HREF="mailto:glockman99@hotmail.com
glockman99@yahoo.com">glockman99@hotmail.com
glockman99@yahoo.com</A>
ICQ# 53675663

 

[Bikewer]

Back when I was in the army, we had a field exercise in Norway. We were at the same location for several days, and the lads decided to see if you could chop down a tree with a bayonet.
Took a while....

 

[sevenedges]

Chopping with a knife is the way to get stuff done while in the wilderness.

Most people don't carry (at least I don't) a knife and a saw or hatchet.

I simply prefer one large blade such as the Battle Mistress.

It is suprising the range of work that knife is capeable of. From trap triggers to chopping trees for shelter, digsticks, rafts, spears ect.

In fact I have found that when I have it with me I don't even use my folders they dont work as well for even the fine work.

Later, Jeff

 

[matthew rapaport]

But what if it isn't a battle mistress or some other big blade - in which case we might as well be talking machete here. Suppose you really find yourself in need of chopping and what you have is a 5" utility blade or even something smaller? No one mentioned the possibility of placing the blade on the branch to be cut and pounding on it with another piece of wood to drive it in. Then remove it and set it on the other side of the V cut and drive again with a couple of good wacks repeating the process on each side of the V until you finally drive through the 4" branch. I've found this to be a more useful technique with a medium sized knife than trying to chop outright.

 

[Ravenn]

I think it would depent on the edge geometry of the blade. Alot of large knives ( my old BlackJack Maurader) was ground to a finer edge ( knife like). I forged camp knife was ground with less angle to it ( more axe like)
The "knife grinds" work better chopped straight through for me, and the bowie ( axe grind) with narrow "V" cuts.
Of course YMMV. One thing I may not be clear on is..the defination of "AxeGrind"
I had the bowie ground with "less angle" on the edge , specifically for chopping.
Of course.."nothing" beats and axe or saw..
RAvenn in Ky

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Age, and treachery , will always win out over youth and skill!

 

[Ambassador]

I have found you need to follow though with your arm more than your wrist. I sprained mine by not doing so.
Living in Montana on 5 acres, just outside of a national forest, we have found the new Parachete from Hays Knives to be an excellent knife/hatchet combo! Light enough for general use but solid enough for some real chopping. The D2 steel holds a great edge and you can still sharpen it in the field.

 

[Walt Welch]

Just be careful. One of my most vivid memories of KNIFEGNUGEN '98 was the irrepressible Jim 'Wookie' March who was with most of the other attendees (in fact, I think I was the only one to sit this event out. I had seen too many amputated digits.) doing the chopping contest.

This involved making kindling (at least 12 pieces) out of a 2 x 4 which was about 18" long. Jim was hacking away with abandon, the ATAK in his hand looking like a Lab Rat would in mine. I remember watching all these guys chopping so close to their fingers that I was certain I would have to deal with at least one amputation. Fortunately, all emerged unscathed. Except for me, who had to chase two Valiums down with a tumbler of scotch.

(this is a joke, and should not be attempted at home, especially by children)

Walt

 

[Velitrius]

Q: How do you get down off an elephant?
A: You don't... you get down off a duck.

Q: How do you chop with a knife?
A: You don't... you chop with an axe.

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Sometimes I catch myself assuming that everybody knows their way around a pocket knife. Then I remember what the first three letters of "assume" are.
- James K. Mattis

 

[sevenedges]

Q: How do you get off an elephant?
A: shoot it in the head, or simply jump off.
Ducks are for eating not riding.

Q: How do you chop with a knife?
A: With a little skill.