I must be messed up!

[Teppo]

Maybe it just me? Or perhaps I am too old school. I grew up with old tools. Woodworking started early with me and I have collected and use early american and european carpentry & wood processing tools. Been this way for 30+ years.

I learned from the older generation that to split wood we use a maul and wedges or frow. My BK2 &9 serve as horizontal handled frows and I strike it with a dogwood root maul or suitable substitute when away from the shop. Since colonial time this was called splitting or riving.

I am now seeing "baton (n)" & "batoning(v.)" used among the younger generation. That's fine, but am I out of the norm if I use the old traditional terms instead? I like preserving the old ways and terms associated with the craft.

I do not wish to offend anyone, especially our international friends. My wife is French, raised in Belgium and we have family there.

Shuold I just go out and shoot myself, or what? :

 

[DerekH]

I am going to agree with the title without reading the content. Because I am agreeable.

EDIT:

Having taken the time to read the content, I am somewhat in agreement. But as with anything, the terms change over time, and unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done for it. I don't think baton-ing is the be all end all solution, but it is nice to be able to do it when you have to.

 

[sqoon]

You will be out of the norm by using your traditional terms, but that doesn't make your use of the term wrong at all. If people don't understand what you are talking about, it is their job to ask. If people not understanding you bothers you, then you might want to consider updating your lexicon. It's really up to you. When I tell people that my car gets forty rods to the hogshead, they usually look at me kind of strange. When I put it into terms I know they understand, it just seems to make life easier. Not better. Easier.

 

[1066vik]

if you're using a maul or glut, it's riving -- if you use an opportunistically found branch it's batonning -- how's that sound?

 

[Teppo]

That makes sense. After all, a baton sounds better than an "opportunistically found branch". BTW a frow/froe and maul are used for splitting from the end of a short log. Wedges, gluts & big mauls aka "commanders" et. al. are used to split larger longer logs.

Sorry for the details, it goes with my profession.

 

[paperairplane]

We are all talking about the same thing. Splitting wood.

If I am using a small round stick to strike a tool with to split wood, the round stick could fairly be called a baton.

Take a larger baton and put a wooden head on it and you have a maul (mallet).

I think batoning is used more to convey an improvised tool and splitting small wood into kindling. I know my dad has used the term batoning since the 70's at least...

 

[JOEYBONES]

A "BATON" is for girls !

"drum majorette - a female baton twirler who accompanies a marching band"

 

[Moosez45]

WOW!! Thanks for the education, Teppo. I have never heard those terms in reference to splitting wood, but you can bet I'll be using them in my vocab now. I like riving. That sounds classy.

Terminology is just an association, I think. One of my biggest peeves in this world is buzz words. They tend to take a very descriptive word and turn it into a culture. Bushcraft, great word, over used. Tactical, great word, way overused, and abused. Extreme, ok word, highly over used. Bushcraft this, tactical that, EXTEME EVERYTHING. Makes the head hurt. Me and my bush buddies make fun of those words now. Not out of malice, just a way of telling the others, they are being overblown about something.

I do use the words bushcraft, tactical, and extreme. But not in the context that has become the fad of the hour. I prefer woodland skills, adept, and intense to replace them in most common conversations. Go figure.

I first learned of splitting wood with a knife and baton from an uncle of mine. His theory, split the wood, call it what you want, as long as the wood is split. Use and axe, motor operated splitter, knife, whatever you want, as long as the wood is split. I have my theories, and I like splitting wood with a knife and a opportunistically found piece of wood. I dont' have to, but I do and its my decision. The current name for it, I guess is baton, batoning. Works for me, I'm just splitting wood.

Anyhoo, thank you again for the lesson in language, and please, feel free to add to anything here, with your knowledge of wood working, it is always welcomed.

Moose

 

[Teppo]

Thanks Moose, I appreciate your thoughts and I really enjoy this forum. It's great to know others who are more insane than me...regarding Beckers that is.

 

[Moosez45]

Thanks Moose, I appreciate your thoughts and I really enjoy this forum. It's great to know others who are more insane than me...regarding Beckers that is.

You're most welcome. But no thanks needed really, I look for any reason to spout off. . I am quite insane, about Beckers and life. Still love it though. Learning is one of the best things in life, me thinks. I love to learn.

What kind of wood working do you do?

Moose

 

[1066vik]

don't forget to post pictures of some of those woodworking projects! (with conveniently placed beckers, of course)

 

[Teppo]

You're most welcome. But no thanks needed really, I look for any reason to spout off. . I am quite insane, about Beckers and life. Still love it though. Learning is one of the best things in life, me thinks. I love to learn.

What kind of wood working do you do?

Moose

Late 18th to early 19th century woodwright work. From felling to hewing, planking, sawyer work(not my fav) and associated small product work, handles, bowls, trenchers, etc. I worked with timber framing construction when I was younger, but am reduced to joinery for that anymore (though I still can kick ass when required). Anyway, those are the highlights and I still enjoy it. I also continue to learn about the craft which I hope won't end until I cash out clutching my BK9 or 2 or 7 or 77 or 14 (always in my back pocket).

For me, wood and steel go together like wine and a good woman!

 

[Teppo]

don't forget to post pictures of some of those woodworking projects! (with conveniently placed beckers, of course)

I'm working on that. I tend to whirlwind through my Becker projects in the woods or pasture and generally haven't bothered with a camera. But I will try to enter the modern world and get pics up & going in the near future. The BK2 & 9 have been happily loosing their makeup of late, especially the 9. For small tree clearing it is the monster those invasives have nightmares about. I love the way it works and works. I only use chainsaws on Hedge trees. Everything else gets axed or Beckered. Wait, is that a new word, sounds cool. B-E-C-K-E-R-E-D!

 

[slapper]

good stuff!...Have you ever made a crossbow? I've seen a few that had a leafspring for the bow, and the look really nice. I plan on making one sometime. I also would love to see some pics of you work.:thumbup:

 

[Teppo]

good stuff!...Have you ever made a crossbow? I've seen a few that had a leafspring for the bow, and the look really nice. I plan on making one sometime. I also would love to see some pics of you work.:thumbup:

I've never made a crossbow. Way back when, my dad gave me one from the mountains of S.Vietnam. It shot aluminum bolts through cabbage palms back home in FL. Mom swiped the bolts. I have made spear throwers (atlatl's) but passed on Ethan's challenge (too much going on). When you do make one let me know how it turns out...just stay away from metal bolts. They're nasty! Roger on the pics.

 

[Moosez45]

Late 18th to early 19th century woodwright work. From felling to hewing, planking, sawyer work(not my fav) and associated small product work, handles, bowls, trenchers, etc. I worked with timber framing construction when I was younger, but am reduced to joinery for that anymore (though I still can kick ass when required). Anyway, those are the highlights and I still enjoy it. I also continue to learn about the craft which I hope won't end until I cash out clutching my BK9 or 2 or 7 or 77 or 14 (always in my back pocket).

For me, wood and steel go together like wine and a good woman!

Interesting. I look forward to seeing the pics.

Moose