HFinn,
There are many camps on batoning. The never baton camp, the always baton camp, and many in between. The right answer is what works for you. But be fore warned. There are associated risks involved. Ecpecially with a knife like a Buck.
Most knives of this style have a built in stress riser at the guard. A sharp right angle coupled with a reduction in steel as the tang heads back towards the pommel. If the knife is going to break, it usually happens here.
If you baton, you run the risk of breaking your knife. Plain and simple.
Baton any knive long enough, and it will most likely break. Full tang, hidden tang, rat tang, it matters not. Eventually they will all break.
Certainly a 5/16 full tang will stretch that failure point way further down the road. But sooner or later metal fatigue will take its toll and the blade will fail. Perhaps not in your lifetime. But it will happen. This why you ocassionally see cracked axes.
On to your specific question. Which tradtional Buck would I baton with. The OFFICIAL answer is none. Some folks claim the 420 Steel from buck is too brittle to baton with. OK, maybe. I haven't found that to be the case. At least not yet.
Back to my Bucks. Personally, I don't beat the snot out of them. But I often do baton them. At least my 105 and 119s. I have seen videos of people batoning knives through logs with hatchets, hammers, and rocks. Don't do that. Get yourself a stick. Wood pounding metal into wood, has a way different harmonic signature then metal pounding metal into wood.
If you baton, use a wooden baton.
Next, don't try and baton a 6" 119 through a 5" piece of knotted hickory. You are inviting disaster. Be a little selective of the wood you choose to baton. Try and avoid gnarly knotted pieces.
Next, let the baton do the work. Yarning on the handle is also inviting disaster.
As for which traditional Buck I would recommend for your foray into batoning. I would suggest the 103 skinner. It has a subtle resemblence to Nessmuk's blade. It is also a little taller, giving it some added strength out front. But mostly beacuse its length will limit you as to the size of the wood you will try and baton. Think wrist sized stuff.
Also, I just find the 103 to be a very cool knife. Both in looks and performance.
Again, there are risks here. You could potentially break your knife. Here's the rub. If you do. Suck it up. Don't go crying to Buck with some lame story about how you were at camp, and your knife slid off a log and landed on some frozen moss and just snapped right in half. I have read to many of those stories. And I'm embarrased for the folks that write them.
Own up to it, and buy another Buck Knife just like the one you broke.
That being said, I have never broken and knife batoning. None. In fact, the only knife I have ever broken
was when I was a kid, practicing to be a Commando. Don't throw, your knife. If people think the harmonics of batoning are bad. They should see the harmonics of throwing.
I don't totally disagree with afishhunter. There are better tools for the job. I go in streaks. I'll baton for a while. Then move back to the axe, small knife set up. He speaks wise words. And to prove that. I never Baton my little 102. It was a gift from my wife many years ago. I don't want to see that one snap, because of its sentimental value.
The rest are fair game.
I'm not sure if I'm stupid or lucky. Most likely, some combination of both. I live in the extreme northen Adirondacks. I have batoned my blades through frozen wood in temps on the wrong side of munus 20 F. They are all still together. And other than normal dulling, I don't get rolls or chips either.
No matter what you choose to do. Like afishhunter, I recommend you acquire a small axe and a hand saw. Too valuable in the woods not to have. This Opinel #12 saw is agreat example of a nice compact saw. I actually have a belt sheath for it.
With a saw, you can slightly notch the top of a 4"-6" log and than take whatever knife you have with you and carve a wedge. Then pound away. You have nothing to lose. If you breal the wedge, make another one.
Here is a great example of a small knife, saw, hatchet, combination. Your 102 Woodsman would work well in this set up.
Sometimes, I head off into the woods with just a knife and a fire steel. It is amazing what you can accomplish with just a knife. But I also concede, there are more effecient wasy of going about it.
It really is hard to beat an Axe, knife, saw combo. And having redundant back ups is never a bad thing. In case you lose one. Or your knife really does fall off a log and break. I suppose it could happen. (Nah, Not Really)
Here is a link to some things I did with just a KA-BAR. It shows a good size wood to look for when batoning. Everything in there was done with the Dog's Head. Unless I specified otherwise.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ty-The-First-Thirty-Days?highlight=Dog's+head
Sorry for the long winded answer. But I felt it would be a disservice to just recommend a knife.
LV
Edited to add;
Not knowing what your skill level in the woods is. I hope I didn't insult you. I just tend to tey and be specific and speak to a wide variety of situations. If you have any other questions, ask away.