Is this 'batoning' and firewood chopping with a knife a passing trend?

I'm super late to this, so I'm just responding to the op.

I don't know.

I know I think some of it is ridiculous and just a trend, yeah. But simpler things like batoning out some small pieces as kindling on a short trip when you don't have an axe are certainly practical. The action of batoning in its simplest form is just another cutting style.

I lightly batoned my native through a small portion of a stake in order to make an implement to clean out a vacuum, when there was nothing else available, and it worked great and didn't hurt the knife (which is linerless and pinned frn).

So I think it can be useful if done sensibly.
 
Codger_64 said:
Ahhh... someone who knows what those old boys knife games were! Would I be incorrect to guess that your Scoutmaster did not give instruction on beating knives through logs? :)
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A baton is for a Field Marshel or an Orchestra Conductor

We purchased one knife for our life, and treated it that way.
Take a lovely 5" Sheffield carbon stag handled sheath knife and beat on it?
It is a stick tang knife, I would never have thought to bang the back of it with a piece of wood to split another piece of wood; it would break the handle or the tang if I hit it
I still have it after 45 years
The only full tang knife I had was a thin Green River, again from Sheffield

Batoning is a new skill for me learnt here on at the knees of these threads.

I would say batoning is a new trend here to stay, because of knives come in wacking thick 1/8" piece of steel that will stand up to being beaten on
And because of consumer spare cash mentality that says if it breaks I can buy a new one
 
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Good point about the commonality of affordable full tang knives and the bushcraft topic in general.
 
neeman said:
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A baton is for a Field Marshel or an Orchestra Conductor

We purchased one knife for our life, and treated it that way.
Take a lovely 5" Sheffield carbon stag handled sheath knife and beat on it?
It is a stick tang knife, I would never have thought to bang the back of it with a piece of wood to split another piece of wood; it would break the handle or the tang if I hit it
I still have it after 45 years
The only full tang knife I had was a thin Green River, again from Sheffield

Batoning is a new skill for me learnt here on at the knees of these threads.

I would say batoning is a new trend here to stay, because of knives come in wacking thick 1/8" piece of steel that will stand up to being beaten on
And because of consumer spare cash mentality that says if it breaks I can buy a new one
Click to expand...

I agree with your points and summation. I grew up on a rural farm among men whose livelihood depended upon their tools. They took care of them. They knew what they were designed to do and how to use them without breaking them. In their leisure time, mid summer and winter, they fished and hunted. So their knowledge and respect for tools transfered to their sporting goods. I learned from them. I've bought the best tools I can afford for the intended jobs at hand, including knives. And I played with knives when I was young so that the play no longer intrigues me. I know what they are each capable of. And I know when a proposed task exceeds that of a knife. In that case, I use a different, more appropriate tool or find another way to accomplish the task.

And I must again repeat, anyone who finds beating a knife through a piece of wood enjoyable, or unavoidable... go right ahead. Just keep in mind the dangers to yourself, bystanders and the knife. Your knife, not mine. My 110 year old hunting knives did not get that old being treated any way other than the way the old timers taught me to treat a knife.
 
If all I had was a kershaw skyline, I still wouldnt mind batoning up some kindling to get a fire going. To the OP- You are correct, this is work best 'cut out' for a hatchet/axe.
 
Yes, 50 yr. from now batoning will become something lost in antiquity. It will become (from Neeman's post) whacking :) Someone who makes big bushes into little bushes will become (no longer a derogatory term) a bushwhacker. Someone who takes their time whacking will be known as a dallywhacker. And someone who defends the rights of whackers to whack their knives, will be known as a whacker backer.
 
I spent many years as an Electrician and Carpenter
"The right tool for the job"
"Treat your tools well, and they will treat you well"

And knives are just tools
"Use it and don't abuse it"

Can you use your knife for splitting wood and getting beating on?
Is batoning abuse?
No, it is not.
Because, now adays we see knives designed by very good makers to be used for batoning
How the knife batons is an intergral part of a review, where we almost always see in videos how the knife batons
 
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Bo T said:
Yes, 50 yr. from now batoning will become something lost in antiquity. It will become (from Neeman's post) whacking :) Someone who makes big bushes into little bushes will become (no longer a derogatory term) a bushwhacker. Someone who takes their time whacking will be known as a dallywhacker. And someone who defends the rights of whackers to whack their knives, will be known as a whacker backer.
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So about a century and it will be passe? :)
 
Thomas Linton said:
So about a century and it will be passe? :)
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No. By then there will be historians trying to rediscover what it was. And write statistical reports about it's prevalence among knife owners. They of course will have to experimant with it themselves using old electronic media as a guide. They will be known as the talley whackers.
 
I think we're batonning a dead horse at this point...

beating_a_dead_horse.jpg
 
Codger_64 said:
And I must again repeat, anyone who finds beating a knife through a piece of wood enjoyable, or unavoidable... go right ahead. Just keep in mind the dangers to yourself, bystanders and the knife.
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Pretty sure the knife, bystanders and myself will be just fine...



 
The OP mentioned "chopping for firewood". You know, chopping dry wood with a blade of any kind isn't much fun. I think chopping live or green wood will continue as a substitute for a hatchet or small axe. But the knife will not be a good substitute for much use where an axe is the needed tool even in the above example (Stabman).
 
22-rimfire said:
The OP mentioned "chopping for firewood". You know, chopping dry wood with a blade of any kind isn't much fun. I think chopping live or green wood will continue as a substitute for a hatchet or small axe. But the knife will not be a good substitute for much use where an axe is the needed tool even in the above example (Stabman).
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Are you saying that batoning will not work when batoning will not work; that is, where an axe is actually needed (vs, preferred)? If so, I certainly agree.

As for bucking, and even most limbing, I prefer a saw.
 
Batonning works, I just don't have much need for it. You can also baton with a hatchet, machete (as Survivorman demonstrated), or a hatchet. Most people don't burn live or green wood which is the easiests to cut with a knife, hatchet or axe. You use the dead stuff for fires and yes splitting larger sizes to smaller sizes is part of that unless you just pile the big stuff onto a fire and move it into the fire as it burns.
 
22-rimfire said:
The OP mentioned "chopping for firewood". You know, chopping dry wood with a blade of any kind isn't much fun. I think chopping live or green wood will continue as a substitute for a hatchet or small axe. But the knife will not be a good substitute for much use where an axe is the needed tool even in the above example (Stabman).
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Well, the above picture wasn't a "normal use" pic; it was a "test the sword" pic. (although it did do as good as a smallish axe...heresy, to be sure)
Regular use generally won't have pictures as it's dull, AND I don't have a camera...and when actually doing things, taking pictures gets left aside often. ;)

My "firewood chopping" is more often getting branches off of standing deadwood, and breaking them apart when piled up the ground sometimes.
Batonning is usually done more for fun, except on occasions where the area is very humid (the place I often go is close to a wetland area; a little rain makes things very wet).
 
I believe I have read every post ... my best, respectful, homework informs what I have to say.

Kindling: my batoning was not as fast as my hatchet work in making kindling for this winter season for the house and shop. Noted.

Aside ... turnip ... this is a tough split. Halving, quartering for the cookpot ....

Who relies upon the winter vegetable? Mums pass along the technique ... but who knew it was called batoning until BF?
 
Yeah Stabman, I knew that was a test case for your new blade. I like to use my Condor Pack Machete or Village Parang for much the same kinds of things (just smaller diameter). Yes to limbing.... I think its a pretty cool blade actually.
 
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