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

Blackie Scantling said:
Jim Bowie took on four men in the famous "sand bar fight" in what started as a fair one-on-one knife duel. He killed or maimed all four with his soon to be famous big knife which was a Natchez looking blade without guards. One assailant supposedly got his head baton'd.
Click to expand...

Though he faired well enough to live another day, he was most certainly using the wrong tool for the task at hand:D
 
In Search and Rescue, we find teamwork is key to effective batoning:

troybaton.jpg


[/silliness off]

As Shotgun said, in the Pacific Northwest often dry wood is most easily found in the middle of larger chunks of wood. Since we typically don't carry hatchets or axes (nor tent or sleeping bag), the task of obtaining it falls to one of our most versatile, multi-use tools: the fixed blade knife.

From fire craft to shelter building clearing for a hoist op, there is an expectation that our knives (and other gear) will get the job done.

So sadly yes; we baton :o...

Just my $.02,
8
 
jdk1 said:
Though he faired well enough to live another day, he was most certainly using the wrong tool for the task at hand:D
Click to expand...

It seemed to be the right tool for that task, however he could have used an AR with a stack of 30 round mags and some hand grenades at the Alamo.
 
River-8 said:
In Search and Rescue, we find teamwork is key to effective batoning:

troybaton.jpg


[/silliness off]

As Shotgun said, in the Pacific Northwest often dry wood is most easily found in the middle of larger chunks of wood. Since we typically don't carry hatchets or axes (nor tent or sleeping bag), the task of obtaining it falls to one of our most versatile, multi-use tools: the fixed blade knife.

From fire craft to shelter building clearing for a hoist op, there is an expectation that our knives (and other gear) will get the job done.

So sadly yes; we baton :o...

Just my $.02,
8
Click to expand...

Well you need to knock that cr@p off. That looks like Domestic knifal abuse.

Besides shouldn't you be searching for and rescuing somebody?
 
Whoa Daddy! I just got a knock on the door. My Mtech 151 Trail Master clone just showed up.
The knife is beautiful! I take it all back. I want to go chop something!
Wish I knew how to upload pics.
 
Isn't the MTech clone 440A steel or something similar? The bowie-like resemblance has an understandable attraction, however even if the edge of it is ground relatively thick I would much rather chop with a golok or a parang, even a small one would have a bigger carbon blade with much better edge geometry. Let us know how your chopping goes, are you going to convex the edge? Somewhere on the web Jerry Hossom has a demo on modifying an Ontario machete.

To upload pics click on "manage attachments" below the standard text box where you write a new post.
 
If processing firewood is a fad, than yes I believe batoning is also a fad.....:D
 
olpappy said:
Isn't the MTech clone 440A steel or something similar? The bowie-like resemblance has an understandable attraction, however even if the edge of it is ground relatively thick I would much rather chop with a golok or a parang, even a small one would have a bigger carbon blade with much better edge geometry. Let us know how your chopping goes, are you going to convex the edge? Somewhere on the web Jerry Hossom has a demo on modifying an Ontario machete.

To upload pics click on "manage attachments" below the standard text box where you write a new post.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's 440A with a flat grind. I have a slight problem, two actually. I read some 151s have arrived bent so I sighted down the blade and sure enough it's bent slightly to the right. Many would say they wouldn't care since it's a $20.00 dollar knife but not me. I also noticed the guard is also slightly loose and clicks. I called BUDK and they said send it back and they'd replace it. I at least get to handle it until I receive their return shipping sticker in the mail.
This blade has just enough whack that I can see where it would chop a trail through brush and cedar, maybe even handier than a longer machete in tight brush.
 
I carry one of these when I am backpacking and need to process firewood.

[video=youtube;BWj3vSPNiek]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWj3vSPNiek[/video]
 
If I knew in advance that I would need to fell, buck, and split a lot of wood I would not select only a knife for my tool box. However, emergencies may not happen according to plan.

As I do not hunt anymore, the most likely occasion for a wilderness survival situation for me would be while backpacking in the Spring or Fall, probably in western PA. It can be wet under "good" conditions, or you can enjoy heavy wet snow or ice storms. I always carry a folding pruning saw and a stout 4" fixed-blade. So those are the tools I would likely have. Lack of "better" tools would not be - and was not - an answer to getting a fire started. I know from experience that I can get a fire started with those tools.

Using a knife blade to split wood is centuries old. Of course, if you plan on doing it all day and not having to be especially careful - or slow - the knife of choice would not be a MORA, whose use batoning is taught by Mors Kochanski, Ray Mears, Cody Lundin, and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvlmsH0IFT4&list=FLVu0_w8D6XCZEZkRm5lWjEg&index=99





It would be more massive.



It might even have a handle at right angles to allow speeding the work by prying and be called a "froe."



No to be confused with:



Anything that can produce a groove allows wedges in to complete the job.



The reason for batoning when you do not have to do so is to be prepared for when you might have to do so.

Thank you to those who have engaged in adult discussion.
 
If I need to build a fire I might split some small stuff with my EDR folder if I couldn't find twigs and grass for kindling but the armoad of 1" - 2" stuff from a batoning, no. Stove wood would be smaller whole oak branches or ax split fire wood but again no 2". The size batoning produces is a size I never needed in quantity. It would burn too fast.
 
The wood where I live is pine, oak and juniper. Unless you have a VERY large knife you'll have a hard time batoning for firewood. Super dry, loaded with knots and very hard to split. Nothing like the wood in the Olympic Mts where I grew up. A BK-9 or the like will do the job........but is still not able to do what my Norlund boys axe can do. That said, I like both and do both just because it's fun.
 
This has been beaten to death, but...

It's a good thing to know how to do, in case you really need to make a fire, and you're dealing with wet wood and a knife is the only tool you have to make it happen.

However, it's also been totally overblown, in my opinion, as a "skill." Particularly in regards to its actual usefulness, versus other skills that may not look as sexy in a YouTube video, but are eminently more useful.

As already noted by others above, there are also differences in need, based on regional factors. For some, based on where they live, a machete may be a better choice. For others, an axe.

I live in the northern Rockies. For the wood we have here, I carry a lightweight bow saw, or a hatchet, depending on what I'm doing, in addition to a moderately-sized knife (which is rarely ever used for batoning). But for most of my backcountry adventures, the reality is that building a larger fire is either not allowed on many public lands, or it's a luxury, not a necessity in most cases. And for a small wood burning cook stove, I don't really need any edged tool at all. Or, I'm car-camping somewhere as a basecamp for hunting, etc. in which case I will probably have an axe and a saw with me.

I'll say it again - batoning is way over-hyped. I'd rather hear about practical wilderness first aid, navigation or plant ID.

smileycoffeed.gif
 
Yes it is done to death - here and elsewhere.

Not a lot of skill involved as compared to using an axe safely. Perhaps that is part of the point.

You don't want to use it? Fine. I understand the logic of a concern about damaging a knife, although it seems like that logic often comes from those who report that they go into the woods with knife, saw, and axe.

What I totally do not get is the need to attack other members:
Because growing up hunting and camping with expert outdoorsmen I've never known about 'batoning' until reading about it.
Click to expand...

You get the same approach regarding "big" knives: implications and outright statements that one's status as a "real" outdoorsman is measured by how small the blade of your knife is. Razor blade anyone?

How about a little courtesy toward those who might, OMG!, disagree with your opinions? Would that be "practical"?
 
Thomas Linton said:
....What I totally do not get is the need to attack other members:

You get the same approach regarding "big" knives: implications and outright statements that one's status as a "real" outdoorsman is measured by how small the blade of your knife is. Razor blade anyone?

How about a little courtesy toward those who might, OMG!, disagree with your opinions? Would that be "practical"?
Click to expand...

I'm not 'attacking' anyone in the slightest, Thomas. Nor do I believe I've shown anyone a 'discourtesy,' unless they are incredibly hyper-sensitive.

You're quoting something I didn't say, but trying to tie it back into a point I made about practicality. Keep it straight.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top