Question about batoning a Spyderco Police 4 Lightweight or VG-10 in general.

The Police 4 Lightweight does not have a very robust blade to begin with, both in terms of geometry and the VG10 steel.

Then you have a giant thumb hole that is a stress riser. Then you have the squared-off plunge line going right into the hole, which is another stress riser on steroids. Then you have the jimping on top, which adds more stress risers.

Your knife is an excellent EDC, but it's not designed for what you want.

Here's how a thumb hole can act as a stress riser -- and this example is with a proper plunge line that is not a stress riser and with no
jimping.

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It seems to me, that instead of trying to figure out what knife a person should carry in case they get stranded in the wilderness, they should figure out how not to get stranded in the wilderness.

Not getting stranded in the wilderness shouldn't be a difficult thing for a person to accomplish. After all, it's not the sort of thing that just happens. If it does happen, then they made some very serious, and avoidable mistakes. Avoid making those mistakes, and you should never find yourself in a situation where you need to baton firewood with a knife.

Or, if you're planning on driving into the wilderness, simply carry a hatchet or ax in your vehicle. If you're walking into the deep wilderness, bring along a hatchet, you'll be glad you did even if you don't get stranded. Problem solved.

Just my opinion, but I think the idea of batoning firewood with a knife in a "survival" situation is an unlikelihood, inside an implausibility, wrapped inside a fantasy. The sort of topic people come up with for their youtube channels to generate views.
 
killgar said:
It seems to me, that instead of trying to figure out what knife a person should carry in case they get stranded in the wilderness, they should figure out how not to get stranded in the wilderness.

Not getting stranded in the wilderness shouldn't be a difficult thing for a person to accomplish. After all, it's not the sort of thing that just happens. If it does happen, then they made some very serious, and avoidable mistakes. Avoid making those mistakes, and you should never find yourself in a situation where you need to baton firewood with a knife.

Or, if you're planning on driving into the wilderness, simply carry a hatchet or ax in your vehicle. If you're walking into the deep wilderness, bring along a hatchet, you'll be glad you did even if you don't get stranded. Problem solved.

Just my opinion, but I think the idea of batoning firewood with a knife in a "survival" situation is an unlikelihood, inside an implausibility, wrapped inside a fantasy. The sort of topic people come up with for their youtube channels to generate views.
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Basically if you never leave the city you will be safe. Unless you go down into the sewers...


...but there aren't really trees in the sewers so you don't have to worry about batoning through wood.
 
unwisefool said:
Basically if you never leave the city you will be safe. Unless you go down into the sewers...


...but there aren't really trees in the sewers so you don't have to worry about batoning through wood.
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Speak for yourself. My city is full of perfidious trees.
 
ceranoe said:
You're right, getting a fire started is totally possible without processing larger wood and wood shavings are a great starter, but depending on where youre at, sometimes you need to break down wood to keep the fire burning over long periods of time. I would not want to have to rely strictly on small sticks and unbroken logs to try and keep my fire going throughout the night. I primarily asked a legitimate question about the quality of the materials of such a knife, I do not understand why you feel the need to insult me over such things. seems quite immature really.
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Absolutely don’t mean to insult you. When people talk about batoning with a pocket knife my mind immediately thinks “would I use my ratchet as a hammer?”. Sure I could buy a 3/4” ratchet and maybe get away with it, but then it would be useless with all my 1/4” sockets.

Anyway that’s how my mind responds to baton with folding knife thoughts.
 
TradTrapper said:
Absolutely don’t mean to insult you. When people talk about batoning with a pocket knife my mind immediately thinks “would I use my ratchet as a hammer?”. Sure I could buy a 3/4” ratchet and maybe get away with it, but then it would be useless with all my 1/4” sockets.

Anyway that’s how my mind responds to baton with folding knife thoughts.
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yup i have a co-worker who insists on prying with and every thing else with his folders, so when he tells me that he snapped another one i ask him if you pry with your knife do you slice a tomato with your pry bar. He still doesn't get it though.
 
ceranoe said:
Let me clarify, I did not buy this knife for the purpose of this proposed question. I already have other knives I carry that are far better suited for those more abusive tasks, I am aware this knife is in no way meant for that type of use. I bought this knife a while ago and then my co-worker and I started discussing it and it got me curious about the durability of VG-10 in general as I have no experience with that steel, and since I have this knife, which is my current EDC and the only knife I own in VG-10 I figured I would ask if it could not really if it should.
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VG10 in the right geometry with the right heat treat can be a pretty good stainless outdoors steel, it's just not that way in a pocketknife and it's never going to be the best choice for a blade that sees a lot of impacts.
 
OP asked a legit question...

- While clothing is the number one outdoor skill to know to reduce heat loss where that is hopefully all you need; if they get compromised or are lacking, fire is the best thing to make up for any deficiencies. While heat can be produced through eating (digestion) and exercise, it will only take you so far. Carrying fire making tools on your person is smart, a knife should be a part of that strategy, as...
- Many if not most survival situations occur with only those things on your person
- While not near as ideal as a fixed blade, no excuse to not have a folder on your person always, and at least for me personally, I always carry one I know I can use effectively be used to reduce wood to shavings for starting a fire in wet weather as it will be a great aid (but necessarily necessary with enough practice)
- Video below is an excellent example of skill used in wet weather fire making with a small U.S. Knife

The more you know, the less you need...

 
jbmonkey said:
too bad Gaston isn't around anymore to chime in about fixed blade in a sock in your pants, problem solved.
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You're giving me flashbacks!

On topic... I second the notion of carrying a more robust folding knife if durability is a major concern. The Police 4 is an awesome slicer, the geometry isn't really suited for splitting tasks...
 
yes, it could, that's your question. not that you should, I am sometimes asked what is the best knife for a certain situation, my answer is always " the one that you have with you at the time. I personally don't baton, however if I needed to I certainly would
 
Now, to the OP, after all this feedback, and since we are on BF:

You need another knife. For example, the upcoming DLT Cruwear Tuff :)
 
Surname said:
Could it do it? Maybe. Almost definitely not for a prolonged amout of time, and I doubt that it being in vg10 is what would cause it to fail. What I will say is if all I had was one knife in a survival situation I would avoid damaging it. Chances are there is a creative solution that doesn't involve batoning with your folding knife.
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This. I understand this is all hypothetical, but in my never to be humble opinion batonning any knife is absurd. I can't conceive of any wilderness survival situation (other than silly contrived ones) where your ONLY source of fuel is big chunks of wood that you HAVE to split in order to use them. If you are in some sort of survival situation doing silly things with your irreplaceable tool gets even sillier. Just as I wouldn't lash my knife onto a stick to use as a spear, but rather use the knife to make spears, I would come up with a better solution.
 
Danke42 said:
Let's not get bogged down with facts. This is clearly some sort of glamping version of bushcraft where the woods are seeded with nearly ready supplies and they drop you off on the 7 yard line. You just have to get the last few yards and then have a nice wiener roast.
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Lol. This too!
 
killgar said:
It seems to me, that instead of trying to figure out what knife a person should carry in case they get stranded in the wilderness, they should figure out how not to get stranded in the wilderness.

Not getting stranded in the wilderness shouldn't be a difficult thing for a person to accomplish. After all, it's not the sort of thing that just happens. If it does happen, then they made some very serious, and avoidable mistakes. Avoid making those mistakes, and you should never find yourself in a situation where you need to baton firewood with a knife.

Or, if you're planning on driving into the wilderness, simply carry a hatchet or ax in your vehicle. If you're walking into the deep wilderness, bring along a hatchet, you'll be glad you did even if you don't get stranded. Problem solved.

Just my opinion, but I think the idea of batoning firewood with a knife in a "survival" situation is an unlikelihood, inside an implausibility, wrapped inside a fantasy. The sort of topic people come up with for their youtube channels to generate views.
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I kinda agree on the folder baton craze , but there are plenty of emergency / survival applications for a hard use folder wherever you may travel or dwell.

Even in the big bad city .

:poop: happens everywhere !
 
madcap_magician said:
I don't get it. If I were in a survival situation with only a Spyderco Police lightweight in VG-10 for a cutting tool, I would absolutely not want to baton with it. It'd break, and then I'd have no cutting tool and also no one to blame for that but myself. Under what circumstances would batoning be necessary? You don't need to baton wood to make kindling or fuel. Is there some situation where there is literally nothing flammable about you but large logs?
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Should have read the whole thread you beat me to it!
 
unwisefool said:
Basically if you never leave the city you will be safe. Unless you go down into the sewers...


...but there aren't really trees in the sewers so you don't have to worry about batoning through wood.
Click to expand...
You might have to baton rats though. Or fight mask wearing turtle mutants with Renaissance names...
 
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