Ways around a big knife or axe...

SouthernCross said:
WOW. :eek:

17 responses and only two have shown the links to the techinques that are talked about.

How come most respondents haven't shown their own pics or videos showing they put their own advice into practice?

Or is it a case of simply regurgitating the advice of others?

Kind regards
Mick
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I'm a little puzzled where this "kind" tone of disdain comes from. Why re-invent the wheel? If there is a clear, succinct source of information, use it. As for regurgitating the advice of others, isn't that what is done in schools and universities? Not every math teacher has discovered calculus by him/herself. Human progress would slow to a crawl that way. We are here to share knowledge, whether it be from insight or instruction. If you have invented some innovative techniques, by all means share with us, or not.
 
SouthernCross said:
WOW. :eek:

17 responses and only two have shown the links to the techinques that are talked about.

How come most respondents haven't shown their own pics or videos showing they put their own advice into practice?

Or is it a case of simply regurgitating the advice of others?



Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...

What purpose does this post serve? I notice you fail to offer anything constructive to the thread so why criticize others.

Links to other videos are fine, it's a utilization of the resources we have at hand (internet is an amazing thing).

I don't care if there are any pictures in this entire thread, just talking about technique and shareing/expanding knowledge is what it's all about:thumbup:

batosai117 said:
I always have a folder on me so I practice with what I would have on me at all times. I do like the method shown in the Izula video above only after the initial love tap with the blade on the wood, I remove the folder lifting by the rear of the handle to the front (keeping the pressure on the stop pin and not against the lock) and then finish with a wedge :thumbup:

I use folders a lot because in Boy Scouts growing up that is what we primarily used and always had with us.
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Another good tip for folder use, stressing the lock as little as possible is always a plus:thumbup:

crafty said:
There are often limitations in the tools one can bring, but there is no reason for limitations in the techniques you know (and skills you master). Just go out there, be creative, practice, enjoy and don't forget your safety ;)
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Well put:thumbup:

-sh00ter
 
I agree with hiwa - if you have a large log, just put it in the fire. There's no need at all to cut it or split it. Just let it burn, and as it burns, shove it deeper into the fire. If it won't burn, then your bed of coals is inadequate.

And I would never, ever baton a knife. I'd simply cut a nice wedge or two, start a cut with the knife, and then let the wedges do the work. If they break, oh well. There are plenty more to be had, unlike your knife.
 
crafty said:
Great vid! It's actually the exact method I use when having a small fixed blade. When I use my folder I'm a bit more gentle on the blade and use the method that's more similar to the first vid I posted (but I use a carved wedge then usually as well).
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that's the method I use too except with a Vaughan hatchet

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/view_catalog_page.asp?id=1747#

the head is basically a great wedge for splitting the small stuff - no need for a secondary wedge since you can just keep driving the head deeper and deeper into the split and if you get a little stuck the handle of the hatchet provides enough leverage to easily back it out
 
I don't know about you guys but I don't really have that great of a need to split wood. I have found that a small knife and a folding saw gets everything that i need done. I can find most of my firewood laying around (not quite as easy in the winter). Now, if you were to drop me in the Canadian wilderness I would give you a different answer. I'll take an axe no matter what.
 
SouthernCross said:
WOW. :eek:

17 responses and only two have shown the links to the techinques that are talked about.

How come most respondents haven't shown their own pics or videos showing they put their own advice into practice?

Or is it a case of simply regurgitating the advice of others?



Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...

Hows the view from up there, Mick? You have a chip on your shoulder, these are good folks sharing info, whats the issue? These guys go out when they can and do what they can to improve their skills. Many here most likely live in urban areas also. Not everyone lives in the outback.
I like your videos and when you share your knowledge, its helpful to most, but you aren't helping many with sour grapes...others might not agree with me.
Kind regards
Gene

To the OP,
I use the wedge and baton method quite a bit, for splitting. I like an Axe though, or a small hatchet. I carry one in my truck, which is always with me in day to day life...out in the wild, I wouldn't go without a large knife or axe, but thats just my style.
I always have my leatherman on me, which has a saw, so small stuff would be easy to split with many of the techniques already provided.
 
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See IAWoodsman's stuff, he has alot of good techniques. Yesterday I split a hard seasoned dry log with a RC3 by pounding the tip down a seam and wiggling it out, causing a split by driving it in three different points. At that point I could pry it open with my fingers. As winter approaches and hardwoods get cold, there will be no efficient or reliable substitute to a good axe.
 
OzarkCreekWalker said:
I don't know about you guys but I don't really have that great of a need to split wood. I have found that a small knife and a folding saw gets everything that i need done. I can find most of my firewood laying around (not quite as easy in the winter). Now, if you were to drop me in the Canadian wilderness I would give you a different answer. I'll take an axe no matter what.
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Wholly agree: it is often unncessary, yet you may need it from time to time
 
southerncross said:
wow. :eek:

17 responses and only two have shown the links to the techinques that are talked about.

How come most respondents haven't shown their own pics or videos showing they put their own advice into practice?

Or is it a case of simply regurgitating the advice of others?



Kind regards
mick
Click to expand...
wow. :eek:

Another troll post.

Good job.

Kind regards
Chris




:rolleyes:
 
SouthernCross said:
WOW. :eek:

17 responses and only two have shown the links to the techinques that are talked about.

How come most respondents haven't shown their own pics or videos showing they put their own advice into practice?

Or is it a case of simply regurgitating the advice of others?




Kind regards
Mick
Click to expand...





a picture is worth a thousand words
 
Use your existing tools to make other tools. Wooden wedges and a wooden maul will process wood nicely.

In the woods, I don't do much processing. Break logs or star fire burn them - why waste all your valuable beer drinking time splitting wood.
 
HandofCod said:
You can split wood by whacking it hard over rocks or using leverage by bracing it against the fork of a tree.
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This. Almost all the easily gathered dead and down wood in the Sierra Nevada is slightly rotten, and breaks with a good wack on a handy granite rock.

Personally, I solve this axe/no-axe dilemma by giving in and carrying one, whenever pack weight permits. You don't tend to suffer excessively, tho, with the rock-whack method.
 
Hi all,
I have read and reread this thread I decided to post a reply. Instead of trying to get around the big knife and little knife, Axe stuff. I decided long ago that I love both big and small knives. I carry both when in the field. spring,summer and fall I have a big knife of one sort or another and my EDC fixed blade horace kephart design.
In the winter I like to carry my Gransfor Brunks hunters axe and my kephart knife.
I feel I have the best of both worlds so to speak. From time to time we have this debate on small knife vrs big knife and axe vrs this and that.

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me that some you really struggle with this debate as if it really matters in life.
I mean if you want to carry a small knife or a large knife or just a axe and rock or all of them what is the big deal?
There are some cutting chores which the large outshines the small and vice versa.

Why Limit your yourself.

Is it really that hard to carry both small and large knives or even a axe with the other 2?

As long as you carry what YOU like, that is all that really matters. Well that is what I think anyways lol.

Take care all,

Bryan
 
sicily02 said:
Hi all,
I have read and reread this thread I decided to post a reply. Instead of trying to get around the big knife and little knife, Axe stuff. I decided long ago that I love both big and small knives. I carry both when in the field. spring,summer and fall I have a big knife of one sort or another and my EDC fixed blade horace kephart design.
In the winter I like to carry my Gransfor Brunks hunters axe and my kephart knife.
I feel I have the best of both worlds so to speak. From time to time we have this debate on small knife vrs big knife and axe vrs this and that.

Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me that some you really struggle with this debate as if it really matters in life.
I mean if you want to carry a small knife or a large knife or just a axe and rock or all of them what is the big deal?
There are some cutting chores which the large outshines the small and vice versa.

Why Limit your yourself.

Is it really that hard to carry both small and large knives or even a axe with the other 2?

As long as you carry what YOU like, that is all that really matters. Well that is what I think anyways lol.

Take care all,

Bryan
Click to expand...

I may have titled this thread wrong as it seems some others have had the same thought as you about the thread. I apologies if that's how my first post sounded but I didn't mean for this to be a "small knife vs. big knife and axe" thread or as a "hey, if you know these technique then there's no need for a large blade/axe" thread. Rather I wanted this to be an expansion of knowledge for perhaps those times when you may have left your pack axe in the car but have your EDC blade on you.

See, I mostly do day hiking and car camping; with car camping, obviously I can bring lots along, no issues there. But with day hiking, my need for a blade is limited and I usually don't want to pack a lot of weight. Aside from my EDC, I usually bring along a smaller fixed blade (< 4") and only sometimes something larger to play with (truth be told, sometimes all I have is my EDC blades, which is generally just a folder, multi-tool, or combination thereof). So, for me this could be very useful information if for some reason I get stuck out there longer then anticipated (say, change in weather and unable to make it out by dark, forced to spend the night in the woods, and in need of a fire to keep warm/dry; see this thread as an example, if his friend hadn't had a light they very well could have been stuck for the night).

I meant for it to be more of a "knowledge is power" kind of thread:D:thumbup:

-sh00ter
 
It's not a bad discussion for a 'something goes wrong' situation when you're packing for a light hike and wind up needing fire and shelter. It's one of the reasons why I love EDCing my DPx HEST. It's so robust it can handle chores like that very easily. IAWoodsman's video on how to chop down a tree with a Mora should give you alot of ideas, and I really like the longitudinal bolting method-batton the tip into an existing crack and pry and twist, and repeat. Not as efficient as battoning but gets the same job done with a smaller blade.
 
Hi all,

sh00ter, OK I get what you are saying, I think we all can agree with that. We are not born with skills we have to learn them. With skills comes more options and that can make the situation you might be in better off even if you do not have the right or better tools to help out.

Thanks so much for the reply, sh00ter:thumbup:,

Bryan
 
Shotgun said:
wow. :eek:

Another troll post.

Good job.

Kind regards
Chris




:rolleyes:
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The appropriate response is we don't have any wood hard enough in the U.S. that requires tools to split. It only requires our bare hands. In the outback however it's serious business.
 
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