I feel safer batoning than I do swinging an axe/hatchet.

I also wonder why people insist on eating Asian Fusion instead of Vietnamese food. We all know Vietnamese food has been around longer, and is more efficient at making people full since it is cheaper and served in larger portions. Geez, people. Come on.
 
My point was my own transition to batoning from being a heavy axe user. Not sure why we try to change each others mind on things like this. Here's another one we could talk about for hours. I start fires with matches and once in a while use a ferro rod to keep my skill set up. I have no desire to do the bow-drill thing or flint and steel but all the best to those who do. And then there's carbon steel fry pans (which I use) versus TT, cast iron, stainless steel or none at all. I like wool too versus the modern synthetics. Who cares? Change happens. I like to hear and see all the different techniques and learn from all of you and sometimes I change based on that input and my experience.
 
Or expensive folders vs $4 wallyworld knives,,,but I don't think anyone would care about that debate :D
 
Vietnamese eggrolls rule!

Gotta eat 'em properly though - wrapped in lettuce. ;)

Naturally, lettuce properly harvested with a BK21 Kukri.
 
An axe is a very dangerous tool without proper techniques and training.
Axes demand respect or people get hurt bad.
Batoning is more intuitive and safer but less effective.
 
I prefer an axe for chopping firewood. I use my Junglas for campfire kindling. I can swing an axe all day and know when to quit, but I don't generally take one in to the woods unless I am near my truck. I usually don't take my Junglas either. I can make kindling with a stout fixed blade. I don't have a dog in this fight so I'm out.
 
Just because Ray Mears likes baked sushi rolls with lobster and steak doesn't mean it's better than nigiri.
 
gremlin moon said:
For me, at this stage in my life, camping is now about doing the absolute bare minimum -- "roughing it" not to "endure" but to avoid as many of life's daily tedious chores as possible. So less is more in that regard (i.e. just a knife). At home I use an axe. I am getting a chopper out of pure desire but I am telling my wife I really need it for the brush pile and fire starting. I also have kids who I will let baton smaller pieces with a knife (under supervision of course) but they are in no way ready for an axe or hatchet.

This is a cool video (imho) if you haven't already seen it:
[video=youtube;pLULLzZuMn8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLULLzZuMn8[/video]
Click to expand...

An axe trumps all. A hatchet does not
 
goodeyesniper said:
...the part that boggles my mind is that not only can you use an axe to baton with, but axes are far more efficient at it than knives are . I mean, people batoned with axes far before knives, and they are built in a way which makes them much more efficient at the act....
Click to expand...

Respectfully, you know this how?
 
Cobalt said:
An axe trumps all. A hatchet does not
Click to expand...
I totally agree when it comes to splitting big fat logs, a maul is king.
However combine a long hike, with firewood that is not an even cut log, and is not resting on a flat surface, a knife can be safer and easier to process the wood
 
rcb2000 said:
I totally agree when it comes to splitting big fat logs, a maul is king.
However combine a long hike, with firewood that is not an even cut log, and is not resting on a flat surface, a knife can be safer and easier to process the wood
Click to expand...

While the knife (probably) has a larger "live" surface to receive the target, it's still possible to baton a hatchet. You just need to be mindful of the eye wall thickness--thicker walls hold up better under repeated batoning.
 
I'll have to give it a try,, my GFB SFA is something I plan on using my entire life and passing down to my son. I love that axe..
But man that 1111 is fun to wail on :thumbup:
 
Of course, appropriate target size is something that always needs to be taken into account when undertaking any splitting task, but especially batoning. The smaller the target, the more viable it is to baton-split. If all I had was a hatchet and I needed to split something big I'd use the hatchet to make wooden wedges (gluts) and start the split with the hatchet, then use the poll to drive in the glut(s) to finish the job.
 
I have Hultafors felling axe and GB axe both of which excel at chopping and splitting. I also have a few GB wildlife hatchets. Most of my similarly sized fixed blades blow them away in processing wood. So I would take a blade over a hatchet any day. But an axe trumps all.
 
When I do backwoods camping, the majority of the wood I baton is no bigger in diameter than my wrist. My bushcraft knives are more than adequate for the task and were designed with this kind of use in mind. I appreciate knives that can be used this way because it increases the capability they offer when bushcrafting.

If I need to split a larger piece of wood, I'll use what I have available at the time. If that's my bushcraft knife, then I'll use it to start the split and follow it with a wood wedge. If I have a hatchet or hatchet-sized knife with me, then that's what I'll use.

If I have a lot of large wood to split, then it's axe all the way.
 
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